AN IMPROVED MODE OF PROTECTING TROOPS UNDER FIRE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Shepard Wetmore, of New York, United
States of America, at present of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF PROTECTING
TROOPS UNDER FIRE."
Sealed the 13th January 1871, and dated the 31st October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Shepard
Wetmore at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st October 1870.
I, WILLIAM SHEPARD WETMORE, of New York, United States of
America, at present of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF PROTECTING TROOPS UNDER FIRE" (to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to make the entrenching spade subserve
not only the ordinary purpose for which it is required, but when not
actually in use for digging to afford protection to the person of the
soldier while under fire.

page_text: The most important part to be thus protected is the chest, and for a
breast plate the blade of the spade is made to conform as nearly as
possible to the contour of the chest, and also as light as may be without
impairing its efficiency as an entrenching tool. The handle of the spade,
which is either of wood or of iron (in the latter case hollow), is detached
from the blade, but fits into a socket where it is securely fastened by a
bayonet catch or a screw. The socket is let into the outer side of the
blade, and runs nearly its length, tapering towards the apex. A crest
thus extends along the external surface of the blade from the mouth of
the socket to the limit near the apex, and this crest curves off from the
centre to the sides, at first rapidly then more gradually, giving the spade
when worn rather the appearance of a breast plate than of an entrenching
tool. When worn as a breast plate the blade of the spade is fastened
across the chest by straps passing through slits on each side of the socket
near the top, while the apex fits into a belt worn round the waist, or
it can be worn with more complete armour, forming a portion of the
The handle of the spade is carried separately, when the soldier is
on the march, slung across the back in the usual manner.
same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Shepard Wetmore in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SHEPARD WETMORE, of New York, United States of America, at present
of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Shepard Wetmore, Her special
licence that I, the said William Shepard Wetmore, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Shepard
Wetmore, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF PROTECTING TROOPS UNDER FIRE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Shepard
Wetmore, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Shepard Wetmore, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters of reference marked
thereon (that is to say):
The object of this Invention is to make the entrenching spade subserve
not only the ordinary purpose for which it is required, but also when not
actually in use for digging or entrenching to afford protection to the
soldier when under fire.
The most important part of the person to be thus protected is the
chest, and to enable the blade of the spade to be used as a breast plate
it is made to conform to the contour of the chest, and also as light as
possible without impairing its efficiency. The handle of the spade,
which is either of wood and metal combined, or of tubular metal only;
or tubular and solid metal combined, is not permanently fixed to the
blade, but is so formed that it can be attached to it or detached from it as.
required, there being a socket on the blade into which the bottom of the
handle can be entered, and afterwards held securely by a bayonet catch,.
a screw, or other contrivance. The socket may extend the entire length
of the blade, tapering towards the apex, and thus form a crest along the
middle of the blade. When the blade is used as a breast plate it can be
fastened across the chest by a strap passing through holes or slots near
the top of the apex of the blade, fitting into a pocket of leather or metal
in the waist belt, where it is held by a catch, screw, or strap passing:
through a hole near the bottom of the blade. Or the blade is held to.
the chest by small supplementary straps passed through holes near the
top of the blade, and buckled to the shoulder straps; or small hooks are
attached to the inner surface of the blades, which fasten into loops or

page_text: eyes worked in or on the shoulder straps, the apex of the blade fitting
into a pocket in the waist belt, as before mentioned. The blade may
also be worn concealed from view beneath the coat by its being fitted
into a pocket or sheath of cloth or leather which is suspended by a
strap round the neck; or the blade may be attached by a strap passing
round the neck and through the holes or slits near the top of the blade,
the apex resting in a pocket worked in the coat or in a belt worn under
the coat. When the soldier is on the march, and the blade not in use
as a breast plate, it can be carried by its handle being slung across the
back of the shoulder; or it can be carried separately in a leather sheath
worn at the side, or in any other desired manner, the bandle being slung
across the back. When required the blade may be used in conjunction
with other armour so as to form part of a cuirass or more complete suit,
or in combination with any bullet-proof material, and the blade either
singly or combined may be used to protect the back or side of the
soldier.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is an elevation
representing a spade adapted for the combined purposes of being used
as a digging or entrenching tool, and also as a breast plate, the handle
being attached to the blade by means of a bayonet catch; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of Figure 1 at the line a, b; Figure 3, an elevation of
the blade detached; and Figure 4 a transverse section of Figure 3 at the
line c, d. The bottom of the wooden part e of the handle is driven into
the socket f, and held by nails or screws in the usual manner, and below
the socket there is a solid or tubular piece of round metal having in it a
knob or button. The blade has at the top a circular socket g in con-
nection with a triangular socket at the back of the blade, forming a
crest or rib extending from the top of the blade to the apex i; and in
the socket g there is a slot k for forming in connection with the button
the ordinary bayonet catch; and at the upper part of the blade there are
holes through which the holding strap m, Figure 3, is passed when the
blade is used as a breast plate or other protection, the apex i being
supported in a pocket in the waist belt n.
The forms and dimensions of the blades are varied as desired, and
Figure 5 is an elevation of a spade in which the lines of the blade are
rounded off so as to give a broad bottom to the blade, and more pro-
tecting surface when used as a breast plate or armour; and in this spade
at the bottom of the handle there is a male screw fitted into a female

page_text: screw in the socket o, so that the handle can be firmly secured to the
blade and removed from it; and in connection with the socket o there
is a hollow rib or crest p, also shewn in Figure 6, which is a transverse
section of Figure 5 at the line q, r.
I make the blades of any suitable metal, but prefer steel, which may
be hammered and pressed, rolled, or cut from sheets, and the sockets
are also made of any desired metal, their positions and shapes being
varied in any required manner. The socket may be worked upon the
blade, forming together with it one piece, or it may be welded, brazed,
or rivetted to the blade, and may be on the outside, or on the inside, or
both sides; and instead of making the socket the entire depth of the
blade it may be shorter, and also be divided into parts.
Figure 7 is an elevation, and Figure 8 a side view of a spade, the
blade of which has a triangular socket on the outside, and the handle a
piece of metal at the bottom of a similar shape; and the socket is
marked s in Figure 8, and also in the side and top views of the blade,
which is shewn detached in Figure 9, and in the socket there is a thumb
screw t for holding the handle firmly to the blade.
Figure 10 is an elevation of a spade, and Figure 11 a top view of a
blade having an external socket or crest of less depth than those before
described; Figures 12 and 13 are similar views representing a blade
having two short external sockets, one at the top and the other at the
bottom; Figures 14 and 15 are similar views representing an oblong
blade having an external socket extending the entire depth of the blade.
Figures 16 and 17 are back and top views of a blade having a socket
in the inside extending the entire depth of the blade; Figures 18 and 19
are similar views of a blade having two short sockets at the back, one at
the top and the other at the bottom; and Figure 18ª a side view.
Figures 20 and 21 are back and top views of a blade having a square
socket with part inside and another part outside, the top of the socket
being above the top of the blade; Figures 22 and 23 are similar views
of a blade having a square socket with a part above the top of the blade
and the other part about half way down the blade; and Figures 24 and 25
are back and top views of a partly oblong blade having a triangular
5 socket partly down the blade.
my
Having now described the nature and particulars of said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be

page_text: understood that I claim, the adaptation and application of the blade of
the entrenching spade as armour to be worn on the person, and par-
ticularly as a breast plate, and also the modes of carrying the same, as
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Shepard Wetmore, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.