A Trenching Tool Adjustable to Rifles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Trenching Tool Adjustable to Rifles.
I, LEON WILLIAM DE LAYEN, of Woodstock, Alexandra Road, Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This my invention relates to a trenching tool applicable to rifles, and my
invention consists in a tool which is intended for use in a field or otherwise and
which may be readily fitted in or upon the butt end of a rifle when required.
In modern warfare it is found extremely desirable that men should be capable of
rapidly digging shelter-trenches, rifle-pits, throwing up earth works and the like,
to afford cover when under fire from the enemy.
Under the present system but a small number of trenching tools are carried and
these are used by a small number of men and consequently there is considerable
delay in providing the necessary shelter, as a great many men are idle while the
others are entrenching.
:
Now I propose to provide each soldier with a light portable, spade, shovel or
like tool, for entrenching or other purposes.
By my invention I dispense with the usual handle of the tool and provide the
spade or shovel with a shank which is inserted in a socket in or secured upon the
butt of the rifle, the said shank being fixed in the said socket by a spring catch or
other means, the rifle thus itself forming the handle of the tool.
The spade, when not affixed to the rifle, is preferably carried in a pouch or case
in front of the breast.
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When the tool is attached to the rifle, the latter may be used for firing without
detaching the spade therefrom, the latter extending over the shoulder and clear
of the head when the rifle is at the "present." This will be found a great
advantage when a sudden attack is made upon a position as the weapon is always
ready to hand for use, and not, as was formerly the case, piled" in the rear of
the line of the earth works. It frequently happened that upon the alarm being
raised, trenching tools were thrown down, and the men hastening to recover their
arms, caused great
confusion and further in the event of a retirement the trenching
tools were abandoned.
101 .
A 1002
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Trenching Tool Adjustable to Rifles.
I, LEON WILLIAM DE LAYEN of Woodstock, Alexandra Road, Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 :-
This my invention relates to a trenching tool applicable to rifles, and my
invention consists in a tool which is intended for use in the field or otherwise and
which may be readily fitted in the butt end of a rifle when required.

page_text: In modern warfare it is found extremely desirable that men should be capable
of rapidly digging shelter trenches, rifle pits, throwing up earth works and the
like, to afford cover when under fire from the enemy. Under the present system
but a small number of trenching tools are carried and these are used by a small
number of men and consequently there is considerable delay in providing the
necessary shelter as a great many men are idle while the others are eutrenching.
Now I propose to provide each soldier with a light, portable spade, shovel or
like tool for entrenching or other purpose.
By my invention 1 dispense with the usual handle of the tool and provide the
latter with a shank, which is inserted in a socket in or upon the butt of the rifle
the said shank being secured in the said socket by a spring catch or other means,
the rifle thus itself forming the handle of the tool.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention―
Figure 1, is a sectional view showing the socket fitted on to the stock of the
Lee-Metford rifle as now adopted in the British service.
Figure 2, is a portion of a spade adapted to be inserted in the said socket.
Figure 3 is an end view of the butt.
Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the adjustment of the spade to the rifle.
Figure 5 is a modification illustrating the application of the invention to a rifle
having a solid stock.
Throughout the several figures like letters are used to indicate similar parts.
A is the butt of a rifle to which my invention is to be applied. B is a socket
which is preferably rectangular in shape and is secured on or in the said butt A
according to the nature of the stock to which the spade or other tool is to be
adapted. In Figures 1 to 4 the socket B is shown as being placed upon the top
of the butt A and secured thereon by means of the, bands a.
The lower side of
the socket B is provided with a spring catch C, the outer or free end of which
is connected to a vertically movable thumb-piece c by the depression of which
the catch C is forced clear of the socket in which the shank of the spade or
other tool is inserted.
The spade D is provided with a shank d which is of a similar shape, preferably
rectangular, to the socket B in which it is inserted, and the said shank d is
provided with a notch e with which the spring catch C is adapted to engage when
the shank is inserted in the said socket. The mouth of the said socket is adapted
to be closed by a spring door F or other convenient device.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 5 the socket B is inserted in a mortise
in the butt, the thumb-piece c being lengthened and extending through the upper
side of the butt which is also strengthened by a steel plate G screwed thereon.
The shank of the tool is of similar form to that already described and will be
easily understood from the preceding description.
The application of the socket to the butt of a rifle increases its weight to only
a very slight extent and the shanks of the tools adapted to be inserted therein, such
as the spades, clay-diggers, water-scoops and other instruments being made to a
gauge are thereby rendered interchangeable thus rendering the implement of
service in any situation. The implement, however, which I prefer to employ is a
spade known as the field service spade. The spade when not affixed to the rifle is
preferably carried in a pouch or case which may be fastened in such a manner as
to form a breast-plate.
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When the tool is attached to the rifle, the latter may be used for firing without
detaching the spade therefrom, the latter extending over the shoulder and clear
of the head when the rifle is at the " present." This will be found a great
advantage when a sudden attack is made upon the position as the weapon is always
ready to hand for use and not, as was formerly the case, piled" in the rear of
the line of outworks. It frequently happened that upon an alarm being raised,
the trenching tools were thrown down and the men hastening to recover their arms,
caused great confusion and further in the event of a retirement the trenching tools
were abandoned.

page_text: 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:-
1. In combination with the butt of a rifle, carbine or the like of a device con-
sisting of a socket B capable of receiving the shank D of a trenching tool, and
provided with a spring actuating catch C, which is adapted on said shank D being
placed in position within the socket B to automatically engage a notch e with
which said shank is provided; a thumb-piece c adapted on being depressed to
throw the said spring catch C out of engagement with the notch e so as to permit
of the immediate removal of the trenching tool attached to the shank D, all
substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In combination with rifles which do not admit of a socket being placed or
fixed within their butt, consisting of a socket B capable of receiving the shank 1)
of a trenching tool, and provided with a spring actuating catch C which is
adapted on said shank being placed in position within the socket B to automatically
engage with a notch e with which said shank is provided-a thumb-piece c adapted,
on being depressed to throw the said spring catch C out of engagement with the
notch e so as to permit of the immediate removal of the trenching tool attached
to the shank D, all substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 13th day of January 1894.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.