An Improved Infantry Shield.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb.,
1898
An Improved Infantry Shield.
I, JENS ZINN, of Havnegade 9, in the City of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to an improved portable infantry shield, which in
view of its lightness may be easily carried by each soldier, and which is
sufficiently impermeable to afford a protective cover against rifle projectiles.
The shield which is provided with a shooting hole for rifles is large enough to
cover a rifleman when in a lying down position, and the shields are so arranged
that they can be connected to one another either laterally or one above the other,
thus enabling a cover of any desired length or height to be obtained.
The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 showing the rear view of the shield.
Figure 2 a front and side elevation of the legs or supports of the shield.
Figure 3 is a perspective view from the rear of the shield when in position.
Figure 4 illustrates the rear plan of two shields laterally connected to one
another.
Figure 5 illustrates the rear plan of four shields connected together.
The front of the shield, when single, double, or several connected together, will
always be a flat smooth opaque surface only the shooting embrasures being
openable for sighting and rifle barrel, and the said holes may be closed or covered
on the back of the shields.
The shield is constructed of one or more plates arranged with the flat sides
facing each other which may be connected together with or without intervals, of
steel, a steel alloy or any other shot-proof material, is of a sufficient thickness to
prevent the penetration of modern rifle projectiles.
As an instance I may mention that two steel plates of 2:5 mm. thickness,
arranged with an interval of 2:5 cm. between them will afford a sufficiently safe
cover.
In the centre of the shield the shooting embrasure f is situated which will
ordinarily be closed by a pivoted cover-plate B. This cover plate may be turned
side-ways when the embrasure is about to be used.
Two handles c, c may be arranged on the rear of the shield for fastening leather
straps to.
Connecting pieces a, a¹ are fastened to and project from one of the lateral edges
and the top edge of the shield respectively, button holes b, b₁ which correspond
with movable projections or turn-buttons d, e provided on the rear of the shield
near the other two edges. The shields are identical and interchangeable with
one another so that they will always fit when it is desired to arrange them
together. The projections d serve for the lateral connection of the shields and
are passed through the corresponding hole 6 in the connecting piece a of the neigh-
bouring shield, whereupon they are twisted round to lock the connection. A shield

page_text: wall of any desired size and length can thus be built easily and quickly by means of
these connecting pieces and also be separated again quickly and easily.
The individual shield is supported by a pair of legs or stays C Č, four shields
will be supported by two pairs of such legs or stays and so on. These legs are
moveably connected to a main piece D, which is moveably connected to the piece g
provided with wings g¹. This piece is passed through the aperture or hole b
or b¹ in the connecting pieces a or a respectively when putting the shield into
position and unfastened in a similar but reverse manner.
The legs C are, as shown, telescopic, the extension rod or tube i, which can be
fixed in any desired position by wing or thumb screws H, so that in case of several
shields being arranged one above the other only one support will be necessary, as
in that case the extension tube may be pulled out to the desired length and fixed
by means of the screws h.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An improved infantry shield consisting of either one, two or more plates in
thickness which may be arranged with or without an interval between them of
sufficient resistability, and provided with a shooting embrasure which may be
closed or covered on the back of the shield by means of any suitable cover-plate or
device, turn-buttons fastenings being provided and connection pieces in the
adjoining shields substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In an infantry shield as characterised in Claim 1, the supporting legs
moveably fastened to a bracket, which latter may engage with a hole forming the
complement of the turn-button fastening of the shield, substantially as described
and illustrated.
3. In an infantry shield as characterised in Claim 1, the adjustable telescopic
supporting legs permitting of several shields being arranged one above the other
to be supported by one pair of supporting legs only, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this 11th day of December 1897
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.