Patent GB-190418442-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to Apparatus for Loading Guns in Turrets or the like.
Inventor: SCHNEIDER CHARLES PROSPER EUGE
Filed: 1904-08-25
Granted: 1905-03-02
Abstract: 18,442. Schneider, C. P. E. Aug. 25. Loading-appliances; turrets.-The hoisting of the cage and the loading of the gun are accomplished by means of one driving-chain. Two arrangements are described. Referring to the first arrangement, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing the ammunition hoist combined with the loading - appliance. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing the rammer. Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing the cage and loading-apparatus. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan showing the connection of the loading-device with the cage-lifting mechanism. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on the line A-A, Fig. 8. The driving-chain 10 is kept always in engagement with a toothed wheel k, Figs. 7 and 10, on the end of a divided shaft i, g carried by the cage. When the cage is to be lifted by the moving chain 10, the shaf i is fixed by a brake q. When the brake q is released, the shaft i is set in motion and the cage stops. The shafts i, g are then connected, in order to drive the pusher or loading- chain a from a toothed wheel h on the shaft g, by pushing the lever 38, Fig. 9, in the direction of the arrow. The spring 17 then brings into engagement the clutch sleeves 18, 19, which have been maintained out of engagement by one of the two tappets 39, Fig. 8, upon the chain a engaging a finger 42 upon a sliding rod 40 pressing against the bell-crank lever 41, which is under the action of the spring 17. The rod 40 is rotated to disengage the finger 42 by a nose 61 on the lever 38 engaging a cam 62 on the rod 40, which, as it slides, is turned by a cam so as again to bring the finger 42 into the path of the tappets 39. The pusher-chain a carries pushers b, c, one of which forces the projectile into the charge chamber, the chain being then brought to rest by the action of the second tappet 39 on the rod 40 and bellcrank lever 41. The first cartridge is then made to fall into the space previously occupied by the projectile by again moving the lever 38, which causes a rotation of the sbaft 44, Figs. 9 and 10, and allows the nose 60 of the plate 45 to enter a recess 59 in the shaft 44, so that the plate drops down and the cartridge falls. The pusher-chain a is again set in motion as already described. After the second cartridge has been pushed in, the arm 53, Fig. 9, carrying the rammer 52, Fig. 6, is depressed by means of the lever 51 and the charge rammed in by the action of one of the pushers b, c on the arm 54 of the rammer. The brake q is automatically released to stop the cage in a position below the gun when the breech is closed by the roller end y, Fig. 7, of the sliding rod v, which is normally pushed up by the spring z to keep tight the brake cable connected to the pivoted lever t, coming into contact with a stop 20, Fig. 1, which is withdrawn when the breech is opened. The cage is stopped in the loading position by a finger 27, Figs. 7 and 8, which is carried on an arm 28 solid with the gun cradle and acts on the brake lever t. A loading- plate 32, Fig. 1, is make to fall into the bore by the roller 36 of a lever 34 keyed upon the hinge 35 engaging a cam 33 fixed to the gun. The second arrangement comprises a revolver cage combined with the ramming-apparatus. Fig. 13 is a rear elevation, Fig. 18 is a transverse cross-section, and Fig. 21 is a sectional plan. The revolver with its ammunition compartments d<1>, d<2>, d<3>, and rammer e, Fig. 18, is mounted in the casing a and rotated by the toothed wheel 10 and chain 11, Fig. 13. The hoisting of the cage is effected, as in the former arrangement, by a chain engaging the toothed wheel i, Fig. 18, the shaft o of which can be fixed by a friction device j. The shaft v is connected to the shaft o in order to actuate the pusher by the friction clutch t, the bolt q, Fig. 18, being withdrawn by means of the hand-lever p, Figs. 13 and 21, so that the lever r is free to move under the action of the clutch springs s to the position r<1>, Fig. 18, and to allow the clutch sleeves to engage. The revolver is turned to bring each of the ammunition compartments and the rammer in front of the pusher by means of a pinion w, Fig. 22, which is mounted on the shaft 5 of the rear pulley z of the pusher-chain x and gears with a toothed wheel 6 fast with a cam 7 having circular and helicoidal grooves. The rollers of a wheel 8 on a shaft 9, which carries the toothed wheel 10, Fig. 13, for driving the revolver, engage in the grooves of the cam 7, the helicoidal portions coming into action when the pusher-arm leaves the revolver and causing the revolver to make a quarter revolution. Should the rammer e not return to its proper position, the lever r, Fig. 18, is moved, so as to disengage the friction clutch and stop the motion of the revolver, by encountering the arm 17 of the double lever 16, 17 which is carried out of the pith of the lever r by a stop 15 on the rammer when that returns to its proper position. The cage cannot be unhooked for lowering until the revolver is returned to its normal position, since the safety latch 19, Fig. 13, carried by the revolver would not be in the right position.