other Military Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 5th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Dec., 1887
for other Military Purposes.
I WALTER CHRYSTIE UNDERWOOD, Major Fourth Hussars, Maryhill Barracks,
near Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
My invention comprises a new or improved construction or arrangement and
combination of military tools or appliances for throwing up or erecting military
entrenchments and other purposes; which will be more simple in construction,
portable, and useful, than such tools or appliances have been as heretofore
constructed.
According to my invention I construct the handle or shaft, for my new or improved
arrangement of military entrenching tools, of metal in a tubular form, or of wood,
but preferably in the form of a vertical hollow tube of light steel, having its lower
end preferably of a tapered or conoidal shape to which would be attached the cutting
or entrenching tool, consisting of a spade, pick, axe, or such like implement. The
spade or other implement would under one arrangement of my improvements be
constructed with a socket in the form of a vertical hollow split tube, into which the
lower end of the handle would be inserted; and the upper end of the handle would
be formed with a fixed or detachable head. The outer surface of the vertical securing
split socket would be made with or without a screw thread formed round it, over or
outside of which would be fitted either a plain or screwed securing ferrule or collar.
When the handle was placed in the socket the ferrule or collar would be screwed or
pushed up over the split tube of the tool so as to secure the handle tight within the
socket.

page_text: Under another arrangement of my improvements I form the vertical socket part
of the entrenching tool in the form of a segment or semi-circle, with one, two or
more projecting pins or feathers which would fit into slots or holes in the one side of
the shaft or handle. A collar or ferrule would be fitted over the segmental socket
part of the tool and the exposed part of the handle in it, which would firmly press
the latter against the tool socket part, and thus a firm joint would be obtained,
which would prevent the implement from loosening or turning round on the shaft
handle.
The tools when detached from the handle would be carried in a portable leathern
case, and the handle would be used as a stationary picket peg or its hollow tube
could be utilized as a portable receptacle for a signalling flag or a bayonet for infantry,
or for carrying electrical insulating thread wires, or other material or appliances for
the requirements of cavalry pioneers.

page_text: Improvements in Entrenching Tools or Appliances, also Applicable
for other Military Purposes.
I, WALTER CHRYSTIE UNDERWOOD, Major Fourth Huzzars, Maryhill Barracks,
near Glasgow, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention comprises a new or improved construction or arrangement and
combination of military tools or appliances for throwing up or erecting military
entrenchments and other purposes; such as for use by Surveyors, Engineers,
Geologists, and Emigrants; and which will be more simple in construction, portable,
and useful, than such tools or appliances have been as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
an explanatory Sheet of Drawings in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown. Figure 1 shows a front
view and plan of the spade head A suitable for either infantry or cavalry, as fitted
with my improvements; and Figure 2 is a corresponding front view of the hollow
tubular shaft B and handle B as suitable for infantry, for being attached to the
spade A, shown in Figure 1, or it might be to a pick or an axe head as shown in
Figure 7. Figure 3 is an edge view of the spade head A and shaft B, and handle B¹
shown in Figures 1 and 2, as jointed or attached together with my improvements.
Figure 4 is a section corresponding to Figure 2, to show the construction of the
hollow shaft B and mode of attaching the bandle B₁ to form a bayonet holder or
scabbard. Figures 5 and 6 are front and end views of the shaft B and handle B' as
made solid of hard wood and more suitable for cavalry. Figures 7 and 8 are a side
clevation and plan of the shaft B and handle B' shown in Figures 5 and 6 as attached
to a combined pick and axe head C, C, jointed together in accordance with my
improvements. Figure 9 is an elevation of the infantry hollow shaft and handle B, B₁,
showing the mode of attaching or hanging it by the strap E to the soldier's waist
belt E as a bayonet scabbard.
Referring to Figures 1 to 9 of these Drawings:-According to my invention I
construct the shaft B and handle B' for my new or improved arrangement of military
entrenching tools, preferably in the form of a hollow light steel tube for infantry, as
shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 9, and of hard wood for cavalry as shown in Figures 5, 6
and 7, having its lower end 6 made preferably of a tapered conoidal, or Hat chisel
shape, to which would be attached the cutting or entrenching tool, consisting of a
spade A as shown in Figures 1 and 3, or combined pick and axe C, C, as shown in
Figures 7 and 8, or such like implements. The spade A or pick and axe C, C', or
other implement is constructed with a socket in the form of a conoidal or tapering
vertical hollow split clastic steel tube preferably in two parts a', a², secured by flanges
and rivets at a³, as shown in Figures 1, 3, 7 and 8, into which the lower end 6 of the
shaft B is inserted or it might be solidly drawn, welded or brazed to the implements.
The part is formed solid and welded to the steel tube, made in the form of a forked
tube and riveted to the shaft B when made of wood as shown in Figures 5 and 6,
and is provided with projecting pins which fit into holes or recesses all in the
socket al, a², when the tube is attached as shown in Figures 1 to 9. Over the outer

page_text: circumference of the vertical securing split spring socket a¹, a², is mounted a securing
sliding ferrule or collar a, formed of the same tapered or conoidal shape as the split
socket. When the lower end b of the shaft B is placed in the socket a¹, a², the pins 6¹
fit into the recesses all in the socket, or vice versa the pins may be in the socket, and
the recesses in the stem, and the ferrule or collar a is pushed or drawn up over the
tapered split tube a', a², of the tool so as to secure the shaft B tight within the split
socket a¹ a².
and axe
Figure 10 shows an elevation of a military tool comprising a different form of pick
c', with short wide handle B, suitable also for being used with a spade A
on the other end, and fitted with the improved split socket a', a², and hand tightening
ferrule a.
In this arrangement the handle B is made of wood (but it might be of
tubular steel for lightness and strength) and of an oval wide shape at the upper end
for securing the improved construction of combined pick and axe c, c³, in a portable
removable manner, solely by its wide eye c² being driven on to the large part of the
handle so that it can be easily removed, when the tool is to be attached to and used
with the spade A. In this arrangement of the improvements, the tapered split
socket a', a², is tightened by a few threads of a screw a on their outer circumference
near the upper end by the internally screwed ferrule a, so as to grip the tapered end b
of the shaft B so tight that the pins & and holes a¹¹ shown in Figures 1 to 9, may be
dispensed with.
If desired, although not preferred, the outer surface of the vertical securing split
socket a', a², of the tool instead of being plain, as shown in the Drawings, may have
a screw thread formed round it near the outer wide end, in which case the ferrule or
collar a would be screwed inside to fit this and tighten up the socket on the lower
end of the shaft B, and thus the pins and holes a¹¹ may be despensed with, as
shown in Figure 10. The shaft B when constructed for infantry, as shown in
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 9, is preferably made in the form of a hollow tube of steel or
other material, with chisel-shaped or tapered end 6 made solid, welded, or brazed for
attachment to the socket a¹, a², of the tool; and has its outer upper surface partially
covered with leather, paper, cork, or gutta-percha or india-rubber and canvas, or other
soft gripping material at B. The handle or head B¹ is secured to the shaft B by
splitting the upper end of the tube B into two parts and attaching these by rivets to
the under surface of the head B', or it might be otherwise secured to a hollow or
solid handle at B¹; and the top of the handle B¹ is made of a hollow shape in the
centre that will form a stand rest for the barrel of a rifle, which will be an advantage
to shoot with when the tool is detached from the shaft B and the latter is fixed in the
ground, as seen particulary in Figure 4, which shows the hollow contruction of
the handle B and shaft B₁ for holding the bayonet D of infantry soldiers.
A light
hanging leather strap E is connected with the leather frog B2 or otherwise attached
to the back of the handle B' for hanging it, (Figures 2 and 3), to the belt E¹ of the
infantry soldier with his bayonet D inserted, as shown particularly in Figure 9. For
cavalry the shaft B, would preferably be made of solid hard wood, or other tough
light material, and preferably longer than for the infantry, and have the handle B¹
mortised to the shaft B and secured by a forked iron strap B³ riveted through the
shaft, all as seen particularly in Figures 5 and 6; and this shaft B would be attached
by leather straps to the outside of the leather case carrying the carabine of the cavalry
soldier, and this case would have straps or caps for fastening on to the pick and axe
buckled or buttoned together.
The tools when detached from the shaft would be carried in portable leather
coverings or cases, and the shaft B might be used as a stationary picket peg, or a flag
could be drawn over its lower end for signalling with; or its hollow tube could be
utilized as a portable receptacle for a signalling flag; or used as a case or scabbard
for the infantry soldiers; or for carrying electrical insulating thread wires, or other
material or appliances for the requirements of cavalry pioneers.
Figures 11 to 13 show slightly different modifications of the split socket a¹, a² of
the tool and of the stem of the handle for securing these together, from those shown
in Figures 1 to 10.

page_text: Referring to Figure 11: this shows a combined pick and axe C, C¹, equivalent to
that shown in Figure 7, and the securing end or stem b of the handle B analogous
to it, showing another way of securing this to the split socket a¹, a², in which, in
place of the pins 6 and holes a", a small projecting rim 6" is formed round the stem b,
and a corresponding hollow groove a" is formed round the outer end of the split
socket a', a², for taking over this projecting rim, and securing this socket to the
stem b.
Figures 12 and 13 show elevations of a combined pick and axe C, C¹, and its
handle B, with the securing socket a¹, a², in section for securing the stem 6 of the
handle B, and of a slightly different construction from that shown in the other figures.
The stem b in this case is formed with two square faced narrow arrow-headed pro-
jections 6' opposite each other, in place of the pins in the other modifications Figures
1 to 10. These projections Figure 13, slide up the split recesses on opposite sides of
the socket al, a², quite up the pick axe C, C, and up corresponding grooves in the
outer securing ferrule a, which in this case is made nearly the full depth of the
socket a', a², with inclined or beveled edges a³ on its inner end, which in turning the
ferrule a act on the projections 62, 61, and push the ferrule a out on the tapered split
socket a¹, a², so as to make this grip the stem b firmly all along its surface.
These details of the securing socket, Figures 11 to 13, are also applicable for
securing the spade A, although only shown as applied to a pick axe.
Although the securing split tapered socket a', a², with the ferrule a have in all
cases been described in the Specification and shown in Drawings as secured or formed
on the tool head, it will be understood that this socket might be formed on the end of
the shaft B and a short tapered stem formed or secured on the tool for entering and
being secured to the socket, all otherwise substantially as herein before described,
although I do not prefer this reverse arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. The making of military entrenching tools with their handles portable or
detachable and secured by tapered split sockets and outer tightening tapering ferrules,
substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The construction or arrangement and combination of a spade, pick, axe or
other military tool, with a tapered split tube socket a', a², and sliding or screwed
ferrule or collar a for securing it to a portable hollow or solid handle B, b, b', sub-
stantially as and for the purposes and advantages herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The making of the portable or detachable handles B, B', of military
entrenching tools, hollow or tubular, to be used as bayonet scabbards and for other
military purposes, substantially as herein described in reference to Figures 1 to 4
and 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The contruction and use of a military tool with handle B, suitable for
either being attached to a combined pick and axe c, c', by a wide socket eye c² at the
one end, and to a spade A at the other end, by a split tapered socket a a¹ and
tightening tapered ferrule a, all substantially as herein described, and shown in
Figure 10 of the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 5th day of November 1887.