Reinforced utility mat adaptable as military overhead foxhole cover and

Abstract

A portable mat assembly for combat soldiers suitable for battlefield emplment preferably as an overhead cover assembly for supporting a load of loose and/or sandbagged soil over a foxhole battle position to provide occupants of the position protection against high velocity ballistic fragments and blast overpressure produced by near-miss indirect fire, but also adaptable for use as camouflage, as a foot bridge across a narrow ravine or ditch, or as revetment, or any other general utilitarian function, wherein the overhead cover assembly comprises a soil supporting member including a fabric membrane; a support net disposed beneath the fabric membrane, substantially fully co-extensive therewith and attached thereto, the support net including a plurality of longitudinally extending principal load carrying or reinforcing stringers, a plurality of transversely extending bracing elements or straps interconnected with the longitudinal straps or stringers; wherein deadman sleeve members provided on the fabric membrane adjacent opposite ends thereof whereby when the sleeve members are filled with logs or loose soil, an anchoring effect will be provided, loops are formed at opposite ends of the stringers for reception of stakes or the like to provide additional anchoring, and fold-up straps extend from opposite ends of some of the bracing elements or adjacent thereto whereby when a pair of fold-up straps are connected to each other above the cover assembly, cover assembly will be folded up along opposite sides to form a trough or pocket to minimize spillage of soil supported by cover.