Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 91.djvu/282

 Five Tools in One

Here is a combined spade, knife, pick- axe, hammer and trench weapon

A TOOL which permits of a wide variety of uses has been invented by Dr. F. P. Archer, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and could with advantage take its place beside the other necessary equipment of the fighting man. A modern army must not only be equipped, each man individually, with practically every necessity for fighting and for health and comfort that space will permit, but it must be equipped with tools to dig itself into the ground when necessary. The tool invented by Dr. Archer may be used as a spade, a knife, a pick-axe, a hammer and a weapon for hand-to-hand fighting or trench raiding. The blade of the spade is carried in a pocket across the breast, as shown. Carried in this position it is a shield protecting more than twenty- five per cent of the vital anatomy of the wearer while facing an enemy bayonet charge. On the other hand, it is made of chrome nickel steel

so tempered that it ^^^^^

will resist a service

���Here the combination tool-weapon-shield is a peaceful-looking hammer-headed spade

rifle bullet at two hundred yards and will

be ample protection from a forty-five

caliber revolver bullet at close range.

The entire outfit, including the pocket,

weighs only four and one half

pounds. The spade shield is

the heaviest part of

the equipment.

The spade blade

can be attached to

the handle

of the tool

without

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