Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Turret Guns.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Turret Guns.
We, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSOx late Lieutenant R.N., Director and Super-
intendent of Ordnance Works, and THOMAS THACKERAY, Mechanical Engineer,
both of Vickers Sons and Maxim Limited, of 28, Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of apparatus con-
stituting a duplex hoist for ammunition from the store under the protecting deck
to the turret in which a pair of guns or a single gun is mounted.
For this purpose,
within an armour protected lift shaft we form two vertical tracks along which
two trucks are caused by a winch to run up and down, the one ascending while
the other descends. From the bottom of the shaft and nearly up to the top the
two tracks are separated by a central partition, but near the top, after passing
the partition they converge so that each truck as it completes its ascent is guided
into a position in the axis of revolution of the turret. The truck consists of a
frame provided with rollers which run along the track, and on this frame there
is mounted an upright cylinder holding a charge of ammunition, which presents
itself in the centre of the turret between the guns. When there is only one gun
the ammunition cylinder is mounted on the truck by a spherical or universal joint,
and at the top of the lift it enters a curved tube.
This tube is attached to the gun carriage and revolves on a vertical axis along
with the turret, always presenting its mouth in a convenient position at the side
of the carriage to give access to the ammunition holder which having ascended
into the curved tube is directed by it into an inclined position within it.
At the top of the partition in the lift shaft, where the two tracks begin to
converge, there is hinged a flap which can be swung to the one side or the other
by either truck as it ascends. The two tracks, instead of being separate at the
bottom of the lift shaft may converge into one, and in that case the lower end
of the partition has hinged to it a flap corresponding with that above.
Dated this 26th day of March 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Turret Guns.
We, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, late Lieutenant R.N., Director and Super-
intendent of Ordnance Works, and THOMAS THACKERAY, Mechanical Engineer,
Price 8d.1

page_text: both of Vickers Sons and Maxim Limited, of 28, Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of London, 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 the construction and arrangement of apparatus con-
stituting a duplex hoist for ammunition from the store under the protecting deck
to the turret in which a pair of guns or a single gun is mounted. We shall
describe a hoist according to our invention referring to the accompanying
drawings.
Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections respectively parallel and at right angles to
the axis of the gun G..
Fig. 3 is a part vertical section shewing a modification.
Within an armour protected hoist shaft A we form two vertical tracks or tubes
along which two ammunition holders B B are caused by a winch W to run up
and down, the one-ascending while the other descends. From the bottom of the
shaft, and nearly up to the top the two tubes are separated by a central partition a
.but near the top, after passing the partition they converge so that each holder as
it completes its ascent is guided into a position in the axis of revolution of the
turret. Each holder B B is provided with rollers & which run along the sides of
the tube guiding the holder into an inclined curved mouth piece C which is
attached to the floor of the turret or gun carriage and revolves on a vertical axis
along with the turret, always presenting its mouth in a convenient position at
the side of the carriage to give access for removing the ammunition.
At the top of the partition « in the lift shaft, where the two tubes begin to
converge, there is hinged a flap D which is swung to the one side or the other by
either holder B or B₁ as it ascends.
The two tubes, instead of being separate at the bottom of the hoist shaft may
as shewn in Fig. 3 converge into one, and in that case the 'lower end of the
partition has hinged to it a flap E corresponding with the flap D above. This
Hap however is held in position to the one side or the other by a spring-catch ä,
and near where the flap is hinged there is mounted on each side a lever arm e
and pinion gearing with a rack from which a rod f extends down to the catch d, an
arm of which engages in a slot of f. Thus when a 'holder descends on the side
which is closed by the flap E it depresses the arm e and thus causes withdrawal of
the catch d below, leaving the flap E free to be pushed to the other side by the
descending holder.
The holders are caused to ascend and descend by ropes connected to a winch W
which may be worked by hand or by power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
.claim is:-
1. A duplex hoist for ammunition having two tracks or tubes leading by a
hinged flap at the top into a central curved inclined mouthpiece which revolves
with the turret, substantially as described, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
2. The modified ammunition hoist having its tracks or tubes converging into
one at the bottom with flap and catches, substantially as described with reference
to Figure 3.
Dobed : 01
13
1
1000