Patent GB-191125257-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the Ammunition Hoisting and Loading Apparatus of Heavy Ordnance.
Inventor: DAWSON ARTHUR TREVOR
IPC: F41A9/21
Filed: 1911-11-13
Granted: 1912-11-07
Abstract: 25,257. Dawson, A. T., and Horne, J. Nov. 13. Loading-appliances.-Relates to ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus of the kind in which the powder charges and projectile are raised in a lower cage to a working chamber and are then transferred to an upper cage to be carried to the breech of the gun, and also of the kind in which the powder charges are carried in two separate compartments of the loading-cage, the cage being rotatable by means under the control of the ramming-apparatus to bring each charge into line with the bore of the gun. According to the invention, the compartments of the lower cage are brought into line with the corresponding compartments of the upper cage for direct transfer by rammers, and the powder-charge holder of the upper cage is rotated by hand or automatically by means under the control of a reciprocating rammer to bring the powder charges successively into line with the bore of the gun. The projectile cage is automatically locked to the powdercharge holder during lifting, and the projectile is transferred at the working chamber to a hydraulic lifting-ram; or the projectile tray is arranged to be swung outwards until it is in line with the projectile tray of the upper cage. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the projectiles are loaded into a tray E<1>, and the powder charges into a holder D' having separate compartments d, d<1>. The upper cage B comprises the rotary powder-charge holder B<1> and projectile tray B<2>, which is pivoted on a transverse pivot b<2> to assume an inclined position during lifting. The holder B<1> is rotated about a pivot B<1Î>, Fig. 10, to bring the compartments b, b<1> successively into line with the gun breech, by means of a hand-lever B<3>, a toothed quadrant b<3>, and a pinion b<1Î>, a balance weight B<2Î> being provided as shown, or carried by an arm on a separate shaft geared by a chain and sprocket-wheels to the shaft B<1Î>. The preferred method of automatically actuating the holder B' comprises a hydraulic cylinder B<4>, Figs. 15 and 16, on the loading- arm, the ram being connected to a rack b<4> engaging a pinion b<4> integral with a tappet lever B<4Î>. A bracket B<5> on the cage B carries a disk b<5> provided with a stud b<5Î> bearing against the lever B<4Î>, and the disk is connected by pinions b<6Î>, B<6> to the pivot of the holder B<1>. The cylinder B<4> is controlled by a valve which, upon the upper cage reaching the loading position, admits fluid to move the ram to the right, the spring bolt B<5Î>, however, preventing this motion. The bolt B<5Î>, and two similar bolts b<8>, b<9> are carried by the disk b<5>, and are controlled through link and lever mechanism by the rammer A<0> at the breech of the gun, so that, upon the return of the rammer after the shell is rammed, the bolt B<5Î> is withdrawn and the rack b<4> rotates the powder-holder to bring the first charge into line for ramming. The bolt b<8> now locks the holder in position for ramming, and the return stroke of the rammer withdraws the bolt b<8>; the rack b<4> again rotates the holder until the second charge is in line, the bolt b<9> now locking the holder. The second charge is then rammed, and the return stroke of the rammer releases the bolt b<9>, and the holder is rotated until again locked by the bolt B<5Î> in its initial position. A portion B<2ÎÎ>, Fig. 10, of the projectile tray B<2> is hinged at b<2ÎÎ> and is automatically lowered, by means of a cam-actuated bell-crank lever, to the position shown in dotted lines, when the powder-holder is to be rotated, a spring returning the portion to its normal position. The projectile tray, when not pivoted transversely, may be rigidly attached to the powder-helder. The projectile cage E<1> is locked to the powder cage D<1> by a bolt D<3>, Fig. 22, which engages pins e<0> on the cage E<1> after they have entered lugs D‹ on the cage D<1>. The bolt is actuated by a spring- controlled lever D<3Î> and cam on the trunk, and is moved to the left to unlock the cages, the recess D<3ÎÎ> then coming opposite to one pin e<0>, and the end of the bolt clearing the other pin. Upon reaching the working chamber, the tray E<3>, Fig. 1, is tilted to roll the projectile on to a hydraulic rammer F', which is raised to bring the projectile into position for transference to the upper cage; or the construction shown in Fig. 21 may be adopted, the trav E<4> being made integral with levers C<4> which carry a roller e<5> engaging a cam-groove E<5>.