An Improvement in Rammers for Breech Loading Guns:
Year: 1898

page_text: Reprinted as amended in accordance with the decision of the Chief Examiner,
dated the 12th day of September 1899.
Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1899-Acoepted, 2nd June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Rammers for Breech Loading Guns:
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (as communicated to me from abroad by Arthur Trevor Dawson, of the
South Eastern Hotel, Boulogne, France, Superintendent of Ordnance Works,) to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a rammer for breech loading guns, so constructed, that,
when not in use, it occupies comparatively small space behind the gun; but, when
required for ramming, it is rapidly elongated, so as to force the charge into the breech
of the gun.
:
For this purpose, the rammer proper, which is a tube made with a suitable
ramming head, is enclosed within several concentric tubes fitted to slide telescopically
one within another, and within an outer tube or casing which is fixed behind the
gun in the axial line of the bore. On the casing is mounted a winch having attached
to its barrel one end of a chain which passes over a pulley mounted on the front end
of the casing, and extending backwards within the casing, has its other end attached
to the rear end of the first telescopic tube. This tube has mounted on its front end
a pulley round which passes a chain that has its one end attached to the front end of
the stationary casing, and, extending backwards within the first tube, has its other
end attached to the rear end of the second telescopic tube. Another telescopic tube
or several of these are provided with pulleys and chains similarly arranged, and
finally the central rammer tube has its rear end attached to one end of a chain which
passes over a pulley mounted on the front end of the innermost telescopic tube and
has its other end attached to the front of the next telescopic tube in order. The rear
end of the rammer tube has attached to it one end of a wire rope which passing over
a pulley mounted at the rear end of the casing is attached to a drum suitably geared
to the winch barrel, to revolve in the opposite direction.
In all the telescopic tubes there are longitudinal slots to accommodate the chains.
On turning the winch barrel or other suitable gear, all the tubes and the rammer
tube are caused to move simultaneously forward so as to effect the 'rainming, the
drum unwinding the wire rope. On reversing the motion of the winch, the drum
winds up the wire rope drawing back the rammer tube and the other tubes
with it.
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: i
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
An Improvement in Rammers for Breech Loading Guns.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (as communicated to me from abroad by Arthur Trevor Dawson of the
South Eastern Hotel, Boulogne, France, Superintendent of Ordnance Works,) 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 a rammer for breech loading guns so constructed that
when not in use it occupies comparatively small space behind the gun, but for
ramming it is rapidly elongated so as to force the charge into the breech of the
gun.
For this purpose the rammer is constructed as will be described referring to the
accompanying drawings.
are
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the rammer extended. Figs. 2 and
longitudinal sections to an enlarged scale of the rear part and front part respectively
of the rammer in its contracted condition. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the
line 4-4 of Fig. 3 the chains, rope and their fixings being omitted.
a is a cylindrical casing which is supported and fixed in any convenient position
behind the gun with its axis in line with that of the gun bore.
To the casing tube a are attached two side frames 6 6 having bearings for the axes
of a winch having a barrel c for a wire rope and a chain barrel d; these axes are
geared together so that the barrel c makes four revelations for each revolution of d.
On the front end of the casing a is mounted a pulley e round which passes a chain f
having its one end fixed to the barrel d and its other end fixed to the rear end of a
tube g. On the front end of is mounted a pulley h round which passes a chain i
having its one end fixed to the front end of the tube g casing a while its other end is
fixed to the rear end of a tube j. A similar arrangement of pulleys k and and
chains m and n is repeated for two other tubes o and p and on p is fixed the rammer
head r.
8
At the front ends of the casing a and of the several tubes 9 j and o are fitted
annular bushes q and in the annular spaces between the casing and the several tubes
which are concentric, are fitted linings e so that all the tubes can slide telescopically.
The tubes are slotted along their lower sides to accommodate the chains. To
the rear end of the innermost tube p is fixed one end of a wire rope t which passes
round a pulley u mounted on the rear end of the casing a and has its other end
attached to the barrel c. When the rammer has to be elongated the barrel c is
turned in the direction of the arrow by a crank handle w, the barrel d being turned
at one fourth of the speed in the opposite direction. As the chain fis wound on the
barrel d it causes the tube g to advance, thus drawing the chain i causing the tube j
to advance and so on, the rammer head being thus moved forwards. For retract-
ing the rammer the barrel c is turned in the opposite direction winding on it the
rope and thereby drawing back the tube p and head r and the other tubes
successively, the head r meeting the end of the tube o, shoulders x on the tubes oj
and g meeting bushes q of the tubes; g and a respectively.
Obviously instead of four sliding tubes as shewn in the drawings there might be a
less or greater number, the gearing of c to d being varied accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
A rammer for breech loading guns comprising a tubular casing several concentric
telescopically sliding tubes fitted with bushes and linings the innermost tube carry-

page_text: ing a rammer head, mounted on the casing a winch and a chain barrel suitably
geared together, guide pulleys on the casing and on the tubes except the innermost,
chains connecting the barrel to the outermost tube and the tubes to one another, also
a wire rope connecting the winch to the innermost tube, substantially as and for the
5 purpose set forth.