Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1887
Complete Left, 1st May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 30th June, 1888
[Communicated from abroad by JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE ADOLPHE CANET, of
91, Avenue Malakoff, Paris, France.]
We, RICHARD COPLEY CHRISTIE, MANASSAH GLEDHILL, and HERBERT HANBURY SMITH
CARINGTON, all directors of Sir Joseph Whitworth & Co. Limited, of Openshaw,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to apparatus for pointing or laying guns and comprises
various improvements hereinafter specified.
According to one form or modification of the said invention, the elevating apparatus
has a toothed pinion which is mounted upon a shaft and either engages with a toothed
segment attached to the gun, or is connected therewith through the medium of one or
more gear-wheels.
The shaft of the said pinion bas motion imparted to it by an arrangement of gearing
as follows; that is to say an internally toothed wheel working within a casing is
fitted loosely upon the said pinion shaft this loose wheel is arranged in combination
with a cone keyed upon the said shaft and fitted to slide thereon and to bear against a
fixed collar through the medium of a spring which is preferably U-shaped or V-shaped
in transverse section.
For ensuring the rotation of the said shaft with the toothed wheel, a screw-nut and
lock-nut are provided at the end of the shaft for pressing the said wheel against the
cone.
Upon the boss of the said toothed wheel is placed an excentric which can be rotated
around the aforesaid shaft by means of a hand-wheel or equivalent device. Around this
excentric is arranged a pinion, and to facilitate the movement of the excentric within
the said pinion a circle of rollers or balls is interposed between them.
The pinion carries two pieces or lugs fitted to slide in vertical grooves in a guide
plate or disc attached to the outer casing containing the gearing which casing is
attached to the side of the carriage. This guide plate carries lugs which are movable
in guide-apertures in the rim of the said casing.

page_text: When the hand-wheel is manipulated to rotate the excentric the said excentric
communicates its motion to the pinion, but, as the latter is controlled by the aforesaid
guides, it can only be moved in such a manner that each tooth of the said pinion will
successively engage with the teeth of the internally toothed wheel or ring. The
number of teeth of the pinion being less than that of the teeth of the wheel, the latier
is intermittently rotated and consequently the shaft is rotated in such a manner that
in every revolution of the hand-wheel, the said shaft will turn through an angle
corresponding to the difference between the number of teeth of the said pinion and
wheel.
This arrangement of gearing works with less friction and is more rapid in its
operation than worm-gearing. Moreover, the movements of the gun cannot disturb
the elevation.
When the gun is fired, the cone slides within the internally toothed wheel, which
therefore does not rotate with the shaft.
Any stress to which the guide-plate is subjected is transmitted to the casing through
the medium of the aforesaid lugs.
According to another modification of our invention, we provide a shaft having a
long key-way and driven by means of a handle which actuates a sleeve keyed upon the
said shaft and moving with the carriage. By these means the sleeve can be readily
actuated whatever may be the position of the carriage. Or we provide a shaft which is
placed at right angles to the checks of the carriage and which may be rotated by means
of a hand-wheel. A pinion is fixed on this shaft and is geared with a toothed wheel
on the shaft of which is fixed another pinion connected by gearing with a toothed
segment firmly secured to the gun. A worm-wheel is formed on the said toothed
wheel and is geared with a worn or endless screw carried by a vertical shaft to which
motion is imparted by means of bevel gearing.
The mechanism is so arranged that the pinion and the worm act simultaneously to
move the gun, but the movement of the worm-gearing not being reversible, when the
gun tends to oscillate, this gearing plays the part of a brake and the gun remains in
position, an advantage which is not obtained by the ordinary gearing.
The toothed wheel and worm-wheel are not koyed upon the shaft, but are connected
therewith by means of friction cones keyed upon the said shaft, screw-nuts being
provided for regulating the friction or adherence between the parts.
Under the
influence of a sudden shock which may be produced at the moment of recoil the cones
turn with the shaft which receives movement from the gun, and the said cones slide
in the toothed wheel and worm wheel so that no shock or jar is imparted to the
operating devices.
In some instances, we modify our clevating apparatus as follows, viz.; we apply to
the gun a hoop or band provided with a frunnion having a bearing block which
slides in a groove in a hydraulic cylinder, the piston rod of which is fixed at its
lower extremity to the transom of the carriage.
According as the gun does or does not preponderate at the breech, the hydraulic
ram is single or double acting. In either case the passages for the liquid are
formed in the piston-rod. The pump and distributing box are placed in front of the
transom near the forward part of the carriage. The pump lever or handle is fixed
upon a shaft having a long key-way and this lever and the distributing lever
remain within reach of the operators notwithstanding the movements of the gun. By
these means the elevating apparatus can be operated whatever may be the position
of the gun.
When a single acting ram is used there are three passages to the distributing box ;
one passage conveys water from the pump, one conducts the water to the ram and the
other to the outflow or discharge. The valve, when it is at one end of its movement,
causes the injection to communicate either with the ram or with the water tank; in an
intermediate position the three passages are open. The water driven from the ram
enters the exhaust or outflow passage, the water from the pump follows the same
direction; and, in order that the outflow orifice shall have a free discharge, incisions

page_text: or ways are made in the valve and in the sides of the distributing box so that the
pumping can be continued without intermission.
The distributing lever or handle, which the gunner has under his control, is returned
to its place by the action of springs as soon as it is released. The movement of the
gun will therefore cease as soon as the said lever or handle is released.
As soon as water is introduced into the cylinder, the said cylinder rises, while the
trunnion describes the are of a circle. When the discharge of the liquid takes place,
the gun descends by reason of the preponderance of the breech.
A similar arrangement is employed for the double acting elevating apparatus. In
this case, the water under pressure acis alternately below and above the piston.
The traversing of the gun, according to our invention is performed through the
medium of a chain surrounding the lower part or base of the chassis or carriage; and
this chain passes over two rollers secured to the frame and returns over a chain wheel
or grooved pulley 'actuated either by a hydraulic ram or by a similar apparatus to that
hereinabove described or by other suitable means.
The tension of the chain is regulated by acting upon a tension screw or other
suitable device.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Pointing or
Laying Guns.
We, RICHARD COPLEY CHRISTIE, MANASSAH GLEDHILL and HERBERT HANBURY
SMITH CARINGTON, all Directors of Sir Joseph Whitworth & Co., Limited, of
Openshaw, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for pointing or laying guns and comprises
various improvements hereinafter described.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of part of a gun-mounting with one form of our improved 1
elevating apparatus applied thereto.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 1, drawn to an enlarged
scale.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, also drawn to an enlarged
scale, showing the elevating mechanism, some of the parts being removed.
Figure 5 is a plan,
Figure 6 a sectional side elevation, and
Figure 7 a rear elevation of part of a gun-mounting embodying another form or
modification of our said apparatus.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are views illustrating details of construction.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of a portion of a gun-mounting, some of the parts being
removed, illustrating another modification of our said invention.
Figure 12 is a transverse section on the line a¹, a¹, Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a
plan.
Figure 14 a sectional side elevation,
Figure 14ª a section on the line a, a, Figure 14, and
Figure 15 a front elevation, partly in vertical transverse section, showing a gun-
mounting embodying another form or modification of our improved apparatus.
Figure 15 is a plan of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15,
some of the parts being removed.
Figure 16 is a sectional sile elevation showing a further modification of our said
apparatus, und
Figure 17 is a longitudinal central section of a distributing valve hereinafter
described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the base-plate or racer; B the platform, turntable or under-carriage carrying
the chassis, or slide; the cradle or top-carriage in which the gun is supported by
its trunnions, and which recoils with the gun upon the said chassis or slide against the
resistance of suitable hydraulic brakes,

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a is a shaft which is fitted to rotate in suitable bearings
in the cradle or top-carriage C. b is a pinion which is mounted upon the said shaft
and is geared, either directly or through the medium of one or more toothed wheels
*, with a segmental rack or elevating are attached to the gun, so that, by turning
the said shaft, the gun is moved upon or about its trunnions for elevation or
depression.
For imparting motion to the shaft a and pinion b, we provide the following arrange-
ment of gearing, that is to say-An internally toothed wheel or ring e, working
within a casing C₁ formed with, or firmly attached to one of the brake-cylinders, is
fitted upon the shaft a so that the said shaft can turn therein; this wheel or ring is
made with a conical recess or cavity and is arranged in combination with a cone c
keyed upon the said shaft a so that it must rotate therewith but can slide longitu linally
thereon through a short distance. This cone is held in frictional contact with the
toothed wheel by means of a spring hearing against a collar al formed or fixed on
the shaft a.
This spring is preferably a ring or annular piece which is U-shaped or
V-shaped in transverse section. A so-called "Belleville" or other suitable spring
may, however, be employed.
For ensuring the rotation of the shaft a with the toothed wheel the screw-nuts
d, are provided at the outer end of the said shaft, to pross the said wheel against
the cone c¹. Sufficient friction or adherence between the cones is thus obtained to
enable the shaft to be rotated through the medium of the toothed wheel e, whilst
permitting movement of the said shaft independently of the said wheel when
necessary.
C
Upon the boss or hub c3 of the toothed wheel is placed an excentric e which can
he rotated by means of a balanced hand-wheel e² or equivalent device keyed upon the
boss or hub 2 of the said excentric. Around this excentric is arranged a pinion and
to facilitate the movement of the excentric within the said pinion, a circle of rollers f¹
connected by rings, or a circle of balls is interposed between them.
The pinion is provided with two projections or lugs fitted to slide in vertical
slots or apertures in a guide plate or disc g. This guide-plate is provided with
projections or lugs which are fitted to slide in guide-apertures in the rim of the
casing C. This casing is provided with a cover C³ for enclosing and protecting the
mechanism.
It will be seen that the guide-plate g can only be moved horizontally, whilst the
pinion, though it must move horizontally with the said guide-plate and is free to
move vertically relatively thereto, is prevented from rotating upon or about its axis.
Therefore when the excentric e is rotated, it will impart a gyratory motion to the said
pinion, that is to say, it will, without rotating the said pinion about its axis, cause
the samo to move around the axis of the shaft a.
When the hand-wheel el is manipulated to rotate the excentric e, the said excentric
communicates motion to the pinion, so that all the teeth of the sad pinion successively
engage with all of the teeth of the internally toothed wheel or ring e, that is to
say, as the pinion is moved by the excentric, one after another of its teeth acts upon
the tooth of the wheel c in front of it. To enable the operation of the parts to be
more clearly understood, let it be assumed that the parts occupy the positions shown
in Figure 4, and that the excentric e is being rotated in the direction indicated by the
arrows in this Figure; it is evident that, in the gyratory movement of the pinion f
the tooth thereof will act upon the tooth e' of the wheel and thus move the said
wheel through a small angle in the direction indicated by the arrows. The tooth/"
will then act in a similar manner upon the tooth and so on. The number of teeth
of the pinion being less than that of the wheel e, the said wheel and consequently
the shaft a will be rotated in such a manner that, in every revolution of the hand-
wheel e', the said shaft will turn through a small angle which will vary according to
the difference between the number of teeth of the said pinion and the number of
teeth of the wheel c.
C
This arrangement of gearing works more rapidly and with less friction than worm-
gearing; moreover movement of the gun upon or about its trunnions cannot affect the

page_text: elevating mechanism. If exceptionally severe stresses should occur when the gun is
fired, the cone e will slip within the internally toothed wheel c and the latter will not
rotate with the shaft a.
The mechanism above described can, if desired, be arranged (either with or without
the friction cones) in combination with suitable gearing for training or traversing a gun.
In the modification of our invention illustrated in Figures 5 to 10, we employ a
worm-wheel segment I formed with, or firmly attached to a spur-wheel segment and
fixed on a shaft ², the segment being geared with a segmental rack or elevating
are 13 fixed on the gun, which is shown in dotted lines in Figures 6, 7 and 9, but is
not shown in the other figures; and we provide the means hereinafter described for
turning the said segments, upon or about their axis whatever may be the position
of the gun and top-carriage upon the chassis or under-carriage, or whilst they are
moving thereon, that is to say -A shaft capable of rotation by a hand-wheel ² or
by other suitable means and having a long key-way ', is fitted to rotate in bearings 3
formed with, or firmly attached to the chassis or under-carriage B. A bevel wheel j
is mounted upon the shaft and provided with a key or feather fitting into the said
key-way, and is held in a bearing formed with, or firmly attached to the cradle C,
so that the said bevel-wheel will move to and fro with the said cradle and will slide
upon the said shaft h. The bevel wheel is geared with another bevel wheel k fixed
on a vertical shaft on which is also fixed a worm or endless screw 2, and which is
supported in bearings formed with, or firmly attached to the cradle (. The worm k²
is geared with the worm-wheel segment 7. This mechanism is so arranged that the
vertical pointing or elevation of the gun can be thereby effected, but, as the worm k²
cannot be driven by the worm-wheel 1, any tendency to movement of the gun upon
or about its trunnions due to the shock of the recoil will be counteracted by the said
gearing an advantage which is not obtained by the toothed gearing ordinarily
employed.
By the construction of the said elevating mechanism as shown in Figures 5 to 10
and above described, it is all kept within the space enclosed by the brake-cylinders
and other parts of the gun-mounting, so that it is well protected against injury.
In Figures 11 and 12, we have shown a modification of our invention wherein we
employ worm-gearing and spur-gearing arrangod to be actuated simultaneously to
effect the vertical pointing or elevation of the gun. In this modification, we provide
a horizontal shaft a having fixed thereon a pinion 6 geared, either directly or through
the medium of one or more toothed wheels *, with a segmental rack or elevating
are fixed on the gun, substantially as above described with reference to
Figures 1 to 4. On the said shaft a we mount a worm-wheel m and a spur-wheel m¹
formed therewith or firmly attached thereto. A worm 2 fixed on a vertical shaft /¹
is geared with the worm-wheel m. The shaft is connected by means of the bevel-
wheels j, k with a horizontal shaft which is carried in bearings formed with, or
attached to the cradle, and is provided with a hand-wheel or other suitable device
for rotating it. On the shaft is also fixed a pinion m² which is geared with the
spur-wheel m¹.
but are
a,
The worm-wheel m and spur-wheel m' are not keyed upon the shaft
connected therewith by means of friction-cones m³ keyed upon the said shaft, screw-
nuts a² being provided for regulating the friction or adherence between the parts.
Under the influence of any severe stress which may be produced at the moment of
firing and may cause movement of the gun upon or about its trunnions, the cones in³
turn with the shaft and slip in the said wheels m, m', so that no shock or jar is
imparted to the operating devices.
In some instances, we modify our elevating apparatus as shown in Figures 13 to 15ª,
or as shown in Figure 16, that is to say-We apply to the gun a hoop or band n
provided with a stud n¹ fitted to move in a bearing block n which slides in a groove
or slot n in the upper end of the cylinder n of a hydraulic ram. The piston-rod no
of this ram is firmly secured at its lower extremity in a bridge-piece n³ secured by
bolts n or otherwise to the transom C of the cradle C.
If the gun preponderates at the breech end, the hydraulic ram is single acting;

page_text: if the gun preponderates at the muzzle end the said ram should be double acting. In
either case, the passages for the liquid are formed in the piston-rod n³.
A pump o and a valve-box p containing a distributing valve are attached to the
transom of the cradle C. The piston-rod or plunger o¹ of the pump o is connected
by means of a rod o² with an arm o³, which is mounted upon a shaft provided with
a lever or handle 4:
and is connected with the said shaft by a key fitting into a
long key-way in the said shaft, so that the arm ³ can slide longitudinally thereon;
and the said arm is fitted between projections or lugs on the cradle so that it will
move with the said cradle. A shaft provided with a lever or handle is
similarly connected by means of the arm and rod or link p² with a lever p³, which
is pivoted at to the transom C+ and is coupled to the rod p of the distributing
valve. The levers q, r, therefore, remain within convenient reach of the gunners
notwithstanding the movements of the gun and top-carriage upon the chassis or
under-carriage, and the elevation of the gun can be effected whatever may be its
position upon the said chassis or under-carriage, or while it is moving thereon.
A pipes conducts liquid from the pump o to the valve-box p; a pipes conducts
the liquid from the said valve-box to the cylinder through the piston-rod a.
In the apparatus shown in Figures 13 to 15, a double acting ram is used,
provision being made whereby the liquid under pressure may be caused to act either
below or above the piston. For this purpose two passages n, nº, Figures 14 and 14",
are formed in the piston-rod n², the passage communicating with the valve-box
by the pipes and the passage communicating with the said box by the pipe s
These passages open into the cylinder non opposite sides of the piston. A pipe s³
conducts the liquid to the outflow or exhaust or to the tank of.
When the gun preponderates at the breech end and a single acting ram is used, the
arrangements are substantially the same with the exception that the pipe s2 and
passage n are dispensed with."
When the distributing valve (Figure 17) is at one end of its movement as shown,
communication is established between the pump and the tank or exhaust through the
pipes s, s³, and no movement of the gun takes place. When he said valve is at the
other extremity of its movement, the cylinder is in communication with the pump
through the pipes s, s¹, so that the cylinder will rise and thus depress the muzzle of
the gun. In an intermediate position, the pipes or passages s, ², s³ are all in
communication with each other. The liquid driven from the cylinder by the
preponderance of the gun then enters the exhaust or outflow passage, and the water
from the pump follows the same direction; and, in order that the outflow shall have
a free discharge, incisions or ways u are made through the valve or through the
valve-seat, so that, when the valve is closed, the flow of liquid will not be entirely
stopped and the pumping can be continued without intermission, the movements of
the gun for elevation and depression being controlled by the adjustment of the
distributing valve. Therefore the gunner who points the gun can operate indepen-
dently of the gunner who works the pump, the latter working continuously and thus
maintaining the desired pressure.
When the distributing lever, which the gunner has under his control, is operated
and released, it is returned to its normal position by the action of a spring 2
connected with its short arm. The movement of the gun, will, therefore, cease as
soon as the said lever or handle is released.
As soon as liquid is introduced into the cylinder ', the said cylinder rises, while
the stud n' sliding in the slot ³ describes an are of a circle around the axis of the
trunnions of the gun. When the cylinder is placed in communication with the
discharge or exhaust, the gun descends by reason of the preponderance of the breech
end thereof.
The pump o, rods o³, o² pumping handle and shaft q' may be dispensed with if it
is convenient to bring liquid under pressure to the distributing valve from an
accumulator or other external source. In this case we provide a suitable telescopic
or flexible supply pipe in the place of the shaft q' or in any other convenient
position from which a connection can be made with the distributing valve.

page_text: The traversing or horizontal training of the gun and mounting may be performed
through the medium of a chain surrounding the lower part or base of the chassis or
under-carriage and passing over two rollers or pulleys secured to the frame and over
a chain-wheel or grooved pulley actuated either by mechanism similar to that herein-
above described or by other suitable means.
The tension of the chain is regulated by means of a tension-screw or other suitable
device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to us by our
foreign correspondent we wish it understood that we do not claim generally or
irrespectively of our improvements herein set forth the gyrating pinion or the worm-
gearing or the spur-gearing: nor do we claim a hydraulic ram for effecting the
vertical pointing or elevation of the gun about its trunnions except in so far as it
forms a part or element of our improved apparatus; nor do we claim irrespectively
of our improvements herein set forth the provision for effecting the vertical pointing
or elevation of a gun whatever may be its position on the chassis or slide; but we
claim-
First. For pointing or training a gun, an apparatus wherein a pinion mounted on
an excentric and having a gyratory motion is geared with an internally toothed wheel
or ring fixed on a shaft which is geared with the elevating or with the training
mechanism, for the purpose above specified.
Second. The combination of the said apparatus with the friction cones or equivalent
devices, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The combination, with the segmental rack or elevating are, of the spur and
worm wheel segments and the devices for operating the same to elevate the gun what-
ever may be its position upon the chassis or slide, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 5 to 10, the whole being enclosed or protected by the mounting,
as above specified.
Fourth. The combination, with the segmental rack or elevating are, of spur-
gearing and worm-gearing connected with the same hand-wheel or other suitable
device whereby the two sets of gearing can be simultaneously operated, substantially
as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. For pointing a gun by turning it about its trunnions, a hydraulic cylinder
provided with a piston and connected with a distributing valve whereby it may be put
in communication with a pump or a telescopic or flexible supply pipe and with the
exhaust, all attached to and moving with the cradle or top-carriage, and connected
with operating levers which do not move with the said cradle or top carriage, sub-
stantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Sixth. The combination, with the hydraulic apparatus, of the distributing valve and
its connnections whereby pressure can be continuously maintained while the movements
of the gun are controlled, substantially, as and for the purpose, set forth.
Seventh. The connection of the gun with the hydraulic cylinder through the medium
of a stud attached to the gun and working in a slot in the end of the cylinder,
substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
Eighth. The improved mechanism consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, or with reference to
Figures 13, 14, 14ª, 15 and 15%, or to Figure 16 of the drawings and operating as,
and for the purposes above specified,
Datod this let day of Nov 18se