IMPROVED MEANS FOR SHIELDING OR PRO- TECTING TROOPS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Richmond Sayee, of Gloucester, in the County of
Gloucester, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS FOR SHIELDING OR PRO-
TECTING TROOPS.”
Sealed the 26th February 1878, and dated the 3rd September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Richmond Sayce at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September 1877.
HENRY RICHMOND SAYCE, of Gloucester, in the County of Gloucester. "IMPROVED
MEANS FOR SHIELDING OR PROTECTING TROOPS."
This Invention relates to the shielding or protection of troops in action from an
enemy's fire.
The Invention consists in employing for this purpose shields or protective.
screens made of sheet steel or iron, or other suitable metal or material, as light in
weight as possible, and as consistent with affording a sufficient thickness or resistence
to prevent rifle bullets passing through. The shields are made of a size and shape
adapted to circumstances, and are provided with loops, rings, or equivalent appliances
at the back, which are intended to allow it to be easily carried by a man when
advancing or attacking without interfering with his firing, and to enable it to be
set up by itself when defending any point from behind it.
When required to be carried the shield is hung by its rings or loops on to hooks
carried by shoulder or breast straps passing over the shoulders and under the arm-:
pits of the soldier, who can then advance in comparative safety to attack or meet the
attack of an enemy.
When required to be set up the shield is merely propped up at the back by a bar
which may be hinged to it; or, in the event of this being lost, by a stake, bush, or
anything handy or convenient, or by the soldier kneeling against it, when he can'
safely fire from behind it.
It will be at once observed that the Invention is
very valuable in war, forasmuch
as it will be an effective means of saving the lives of a vast proportion of men, which

page_text: through the present total want of such protective means when attacking and defending
on open ground are needlessly lost, and that it is equally applicable for use by troops
either singly or collectively, and when in action or employed in digging trenches, or
in other situations incidental to war.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Richmond Sayce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
March 1878.
HENRY RICHMOND SAYCE, of Gloucester, in the County of Gloucester. " IMPROVED
MEANS FOR SHIELDING OR PROTECTING TROOPS."
This Invention relates to the shielding or protection of troops in action (or at
other times) from an enemy's fire, and consists in the employment for these purposes
of shields or protective screens 1 (as shewn in Figures 1 to 3 on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings), which are made of sheet steel, iron, or of other suitable metal
or material; they are made as light in weight as possible, and as consistent with
affording a sufficient thickness or resistance to prevent rifle bullets from passing
through. The shields are made of a size and shape adapted to circumstances,
Figures 1 and 2 illustrating the form most suitable for protecting infantry, and most
advantageous for use in the different situations incidental to them in war, and
Figure 3 illustrating the shape most suitable for officers. The shields are provided
with loops, rings, straps, or equivalent appliances 2 at the back, which are intended
to allow the shield to be easily carried by a man or officer when advancing or
attacking without interfering with his firing, or the free movements of his body.
When required to be carried the infantry shield is hung in front of the chest by
its straps 2, which pass over the shoulders of the soldier, who can then advance
with comparative safety (the principal part of his body being protected) to attack
or meet the attack of an enemy; or in certain cases, such as in the event of a retreat
being necessary, it could be slung across the back.
The infantry shield has likewise adapted to it a hinged back bar or rest 5, enabling
it to be set up by itself at an angle of about 45°, as shown in Figure 2, should it be
necessary to defend any point from behind it. When required to be used thus the
shield is merely propped up at the back by the bar 5, which may be hinged to it,
the hinges being formed by cutting down and turning over portions 6 of the plate 1;
or, in the event of this being lost, by a stake, bush, or anything handy or con-
venient, or by the soldier kneeling against it, when he can safely fire from
behind it.
When the infantry shield is set up on the ground at an angle of 45°, or there-
abouts, it will withstand the blow of a bullet without being overturned or displaced,
and in this position it gives an equivalent of cover or protection to that afforded by
the temporary shelter trenches at present in use, and its weight is the same as a
spade or a pick now considered necessary adjuncts to a soldier's equipment; but
the use of my improved shields has this vast advantage over the spade or pick,
that they can be set up and afford protection at a moment's notice, no matter
what is the nature of the ground, thereby saving very valuable time that is now
occupied in making even the shallowest earth trench under fire, or that may be
occupied in the more tedious and uncertain expedient of filling sand bags in a
similar situation.

page_text: It will also be at once observed that the Invention will be very valuable in war,
forasmuch as it would be an effectual means of saving the lives of a vast proportion
of men, which, through the present total want of such an immediately available
cover when attacking or retreating on open ground (as they must needs at times do)
are needlessly lost, and that is equally applicable for use by troops either singly or
collectively, and when in action, or other situations incidental to war.
The shield more especially suitable for the use of officers is made more in the form
of a breastplate, as shown in Figure 3, being curved to fit the chest; it is not
intended for use by them by being set on the ground, but as a protection against
direct shots. It is or may be padded, and is fitted with leather belting, and carried
in a similar way to the infantry shields, and can be worn under or over the
uniform.
The weight of each infantry shield is about 8 lbs., and its size about 18 inches by
12 inches, by about inch thick, and that for the officers is of about 7 lbs. in weight,
and its size about 12 inches by 12 inches, by about inch thick, and the material
I prefer to make them of is the best steel manufactured by the Landore Siemens
Steel Company. They may be painted in front of a dark or other color, like the
men's uniform, so as to be scarcely distinguishable at a few hundred yards, and of a
light color behind so as to be plainly visible from behind even at night.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the application
and use, for the purposes of protecting or shielding troops in action or in other situa-
tions incidental to war from an enemy's fire, of shields or protective screens made
preferably of steel or other suitable inetal, and of a sufficient thickness to prevent
the passage through them of rifle bullets, and provided with straps or other equiva-
lent means, by which they can be carried by soldiers or officers without interfering
with their firing or the free motion of their bodies, whilst protecting the principal
part thereof in advancing, retreating, or in other situations incidental.to them in
war, and, so far as the infantry shields are concerned, also provided with a hinged
back bar or rest, by which the shield can be instantly set up at an angle of 45°, or
at any other suitable angle, allowing of any point being defended from behind it,
with a minimum of exposure of the defenders, substantially as herein-above described
and as illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Richmond Sayce, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
H. R. SAYCE. (LS.)