TM-E 30-451 Handbook on German Military Forces   LoneSentry.com

[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department Technical Manual, TM-E 30-451: Handbook on German Military Forces published in March 1945. — Figures and illustrations are not reproduced, see source details. — As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. — Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]


CHAPTER VIII. EQUIPMENT

Section V. ENGINEER EQUIPMENT

9. Mechanical Equipment

a. 6-TON MOBILE CRANE (Sd. Kfz. 9/1) (Drehkran Kraftwagen 6 t.). This crane is mounted on the chassis of the 18-ton semi-tracked vehicle (Sd. Kfz. 9). It has a telescopic jib mounted on a ball-bearing base, which permits a traverse of 180 degrees and an adjustment for ground slope up to 12 degrees in any direction. The jib has two radii of operation according to the lifting capacity: 6 tons for the smaller radius and 4 tons for the larger radius.

b. WIRE CUTTERS. (1) Large type. These cutters are approximately 2 feet in length and weigh 5 pounds. The two jaws of special steel are pivoted on two links and operated by a pair of tubular steel handles. These are hinged together and covered with insulated grips which are secured by terminal caps and locking rings. A short pin acts as a stop.

(2) Small type. These cutters are 1 foot 4 inches long and weigh 2 3/4 pounds. There are minor variations in construction among samples manufactured by different firms. The general design is similar to that of the large cutters, but the shape of the jaws is different, one jaw being bent over in the form of a hook to aid in holding the wire. The handles have insulated grips.

c. BLAST DRIVE ROD. This equipment is designed for the rapid production of small diameter vertical holes in the ground for telegraph poles or similar supports. The equipment includes a drive rod; two tabular hand levers; a long, thin, metal rod; and a propellent charge, safety fuze, and igniter.

d. GERMAN PORTABLE POWER SAWS. (1) Light power saw. (a) Description. The main components are the gasoline motor with its gearing, the clutch, saw blade, and saw chain. The saw blade can be turned through 90 degrees for horizontal or vertical cutting and is locked in position by a lever.

(b) Characteristics.

Weight including fuel   . . . . .   111 pounds.
Effective length of blade   . . . . .   3 feet 3 inches.
Revolutions per minute   . . . . .   2,600.
Speed of cutting chain   . . . . .   21 feet per second.
Fuel consumption   . . . . .   1 3/4 to 2 1/2 pints per hour.

(2) Heavy power saw. (a) Description. This is similar to the light power saw. It is too heavy for hand use and is provided with three adjustable legs and a large bogie for wheeling into position. The saw blade can be swivelled about the axis of the chain drive wheel, as well as vertically or horizontally.

(b) Characteristics.

Weight including fuel   . . . . .   172 pounds.
Effective length of blade   . . . . .   3 feet 3 inches.
Revolutions per minute   . . . . .   2,300.
Speed of cutting chain   . . . . .   23 feet per second.
Fuel consumption   . . . . .   2 1/2 to 3 pints per hour.

e. ELECTRIC GENERATORS AND ELECTRIC POWER TOOLS. (1) Field generating set. (a) Description. This field generating set is used by German army engineers in mobile workshops for power driven tools. It is also used for charging storage batteries.

(b) Characteristics.

Designation   . . . . .   Maschinensatz 220/380.
Weight   . . . . .   507 pounds.
Motor   . . . . .   2 cylinder, 2 stroke.
Type of generator   . . . . .   AC.
Kilowatts   . . . . .   6.
Volts   . . . . .   220/330.

(2) German electric two-speed drill. This machine is used for boring holes in the construction of improvised bridges. The drill normally uses its own detachable mounting but, for boring wood, it may be held by hand. The drill consists of a 50-cycle AC motor, consuming 800 watts, fitted with a Morse taper sleeve and a two-speed gear box giving 200 to 400 revolutions per minute.

f. GERMAN PILE DRIvES. (1) Field Pile-Driving Frame 1939. (a) Description. This equipment consists of a guide mast with a double block at the top, supported on a base by two back stays. For pile-driving from land the frame is mounted on four wheels. These wheels are replaced by beams when pile-driving is carried on from a raft. A two-drum, hand winch serves to raise and lower the pile driver. The following can be operated on the frame:

(b) Characteristics.

Three-piece hand-operated monkey   . . . . .   440 foot pounds.
Compressed air pile driver   . . . . .   360 foot pounds.
Compressed air pile driver   . . . . .   1,440 foot pounds.
Diesel pile driver   . . . . .   992 foot pounds.
Diesel pile driver   . . . . .   1,323 foot pounds.

(2) Pneumatic pile driver (360 foot pounds). (a) Description. The main components are a stationary part, consisting of the piston, piston rod, and piston base; a moving part (monkey) consisting of driving block, cylinder, and screw-in cylinder head; a spring-loaded clamping device, and a guide for use with the pile-driving frame 39. The driver is the fast hitting type and attains its high rate because the acceleration of the moving portion is due not only to its own weight but also to the compressed air operating downwards on an internal flange at the base of the bore of the cylinders.

(b) Characteristics.

Weight of monkey   . . . . .   121 pounds.
Cylinder base   . . . . .   2.5 inches.
Stroke   . . . . .   1 foot 5 3/8 inches.
Force per blow   . . . . .   360 foot pounds.
Striking rate   . . . . .   105 per minute.

(3) Pneumatic pile driver (1,440 foot pounds). (a) Description. This pile driver is similar to the lighter one, but it has a heavier monkey and a longer stroke. This driver is the free falling type. The monkey is lifted up by compressed air, falls freely onto the base plate, and gives up its kinetic energy to the pile after covering a stroke of little more than a yard.

(b) Characteristics.

Weight of monkey   . . . . .   448 pounds.
Cylinder base   . . . . .   3 9/16 inches.
Stroke   . . . . .   3 feet 3 1/2 inches.
Force per blow   . . . . .   1,440 foot pounds.
Striking rate   . . . . .   54 per minute.

(4) Diesel pile driver (992 foot pounds). (a) Description. The main components are the piston with anvil, the monkey, the guide tubes, the headpiece, and the fuel tank. This diesel pile driver works on the two-stroke principle: an explosion takes place on each hitting stroke. The required ignition temperature is reached through the compression of the air trapped between the top of the falling piston and the monkey.

(b) Characteristics.

Weight of monkey   . . . . .   980 pounds.
Total weight   . . . . .   2,100 pounds.
Stroke   . . . . .   4 feet 7 inches.
Striking rate   . . . . .   56 per minute.

(5) Heavy diesel pile driver.

(a) Characteristics.

Weight of monkey   . . . . .   1,100 pounds.
Cylinder base   . . . . .   8 1/2 inches.
Stroke   . . . . .   7 feet 2 5/8 inches.
Energy per blow   . . . . .   8,255 foot pounds.
Striking rate   . . . . .   50 per minute.

g. WATER SUPPLY AND WATER PURIFICATION. (1) Portable haversack filter. This filter, issued on a company basis, is a standard item of equipment in the German Army. Performance is said to be from 22 to 55 gallons of water per hour, according to the amount of solid matter in suspension. Although the action of the filter is purely one of clarification, it is claimed by the Germans that it effectively will treat "naturally" contaminated water, that is water in which corpses have been lying. However, it will not rid the water of objectionable smell, nor is it effective against water containing chemical agents or substances in solution.

(2) German Tube Well 1937 Pattern, with Accessories "A" and "B". This tube well is a suction pump capable of lifting water from a depth of 26 feet. Accessory "A" extends the depth to about 33 feet. Accessory "B" permits the pump to be used for pumping surface water.

h. MARKINGS OF CYLINDERS OF INDUSTRIAL GASES. The Germans always stamp the type of gas their cylinders contain into the metal itself as guide in case the paint should change color or disappear through weathering.

Cylinder color   German name   English name
Red Wasserstoff Hydrogen
Blue Sauerstoff Oxygen
Green Stickstoff Nitrogen
Yellow Azetylen Acetylene
Gray (with red band)  Propan Propane
Gray Pressluft Compressed air
Not given Kohlen Säure or Kohlen Dioxid Carbon dioxide
"   " Schwefel Dioxid Sulphur dioxide
"   " Chlormethyl Methyl chloride

i. EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT. Trench plows. Small and large trench plows are used by the German Army. The small trench plow consists of a double plowshare on the hooked end of a girder wHich is supported on a two-wheeled trailer and towed behind a semi-tracked vehicle. The large plow consists of the plow, anchor, pulley asseanbly, tow wire, and support.

j. AIR COMPRESSORS AND PNEUMATIC TOOLS. (1) Sinker rock drills. There are two types of sinker rock drills used by the German Army: the "D" handle and the "T" handle types. Both, judged by American standards, fall into the light-weight class (40 to 50 pounds). These tools are similar in design but the internal parts are not interchangeable. Both of these rock drills can be used by attaching American standard air lines with the universal coupling used on the German drills.

(2) German F.M.A. Air Compressor. (a) Engine. This is a four-cylinder gasoline engine with magneto ignition. The horsepower rating is 27 at 950 revolutions per minute. The main shaft is connected to the compressor by a single disc clutch with a rotating collar and a manual engaging lever. There are two water pumps, one attached to the engine and one to the compressor.

(b) Compressor. The compressor is a two-cylinder, single-stage mechanism. The operating pressure is presumed to be approximately 90 pounds per square inch. The air tank is of unusual design. It consists of three short sections of steel tubing welded into a "V" shape with the open ends sealed off. This air tank is used as the base for mounting the engine and compressor.


  

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