AUTOMATIC BREECH MECHANISM OF GUNS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1886.
Complete Left, 20th Nov., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 21st Jan., 1887.
We EARDLEY MAITLAND of 35 Grove End Road, London in the county of Middlesex,
Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, HENRY WILLIAM JONES, of Tenbury Villa,
Herbert Rd. Shooters Hill, in the county of Kent, Engineer, ALFRED SPELMAN ANGAS,
of the Village Old Charlton, in the county of Kent, Engineer, and GEORGE WALLACE
BRODIE, of 10 Lower Park Villas, Plumstead, in the county of Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for AUTOMATIC BREECH MECHANISM OF
GUNS, to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the automatic working by the recoil of the gun on
discharge, the breech closing arrangement, the extraction and ejection of the spent
cartridge case and the cocking of the striker.
The breech closing arrangement consists of a breech block hinged at the rear, and
actuated by a rocking lever working in a cam slot in the block of such a form as to
keep the block closed during the first portion of recoil, and then to open the breech
by the depression of the block.
This lever is pivotted to eyes on the underside of the breech piece and pivots
at the lower end to a suitable attachment connected with mounting or other support.
Elevation or depression are communicated to the gun by this lever or by other
means, the lower pivot of the lever being moved up or down a rack or racks which
are pivotted to the mounting in such a manner that they are free to rock during
the recoil of the gun by the action of a second rocking lever which is pivotted to the
mounting and rocked by the recoil of the gun. This insures the lower pivot
retaining its correct relation to the gun during varying positions of recoil and
elevation. The extraction and ejection of the spent cartridge case is effected by a
forked lever pivotted in the breech port, furnished with tappets or other suitable
arrangements which are actuated by the depression of the breech block on recoil.
The cocking of the striker is effected by means of a toe piece on the rocking
lever or other suitable arrangement, which forces back the striker past the trigger
during recoil.

page_text: The mounting consists of a central pivot or other suitable arrangement fitted with
traversing and elevating gear (before described) so arranged that the gunner who
sights shall have the elevating and traversing gear under control and shall himself
be clear of the gun when recoiling. The sighting is automatic and carried on the
mounting so that it does not recoil with the gun. The firing is arranged so that
the gunner who sights, elevates, and traverses shall also fire. This will eliminate a
considerable source of error and loss of time.
The gun is loaded when it has run forward a short distance after extreme recoil,
being held back in the loading position by a retaining spring clip or other form
of check fitted to the mounting. On this being released the gun runs forward by
the action of gravity, springs, pressure or other means, the breech automatically
closing by the movement of the breech rocking lever.
An alternative method of mounting may be adopted in which the gun shall be
carried in a cradle to which the lower pivot of the breech rocking lever may be
attached. This cradle may be elevated and depressed by suitable gearing and will
be fitted with a recoil cylinder or cylinders communicating with a receiver, the fluid
contained in the cylinders to be constantly under the influence of air or spring
pressure. The fluid on recoil will be discharged into this receiver and by a suitable
arrangement will cause the gun always to run out after recoil.
By this invention the working and serving of the gun is greatly facilitated.
Great rapidity of fire is thus obtained.
E. MAITLAND, Col.
H. W. JONES.
ALFD. SPELMAN ANGAS.
G. W. BRODIE.

page_text: It is so formed as to embrace the pivot and is supported by a ring of live
rollers "j" which run on the track formed on the pivot. It is prevented rising by
means of clip plates "k" held in suitable recesses and entering a groove turned in
the pivot.
At the top of the brackets are trunnion bearings in which rest the trunnions of
the cradle.
The cradle "E" consists of two brackets held together by three transomes. The
centre transome is prolonged through the brackets and forms the trunnions "1" on
which the cradle oscillates. The rear ends of the brackets form bearings for the
rocking lever.
On the left bracket is fixed the elevating are "m" which gears with the elevating
gear fitted to the left bracket of the pivot. The upper surface is machined so as to
form the slide on which the recoil cylinders "F" move and the front upper ends of the
brackets are so shaped as to form the attachment for the piston rods. A spring
box "n" containing a series of volute springs is fitted between the brackets. These
springs are compressed during recoil by means of rods attached to an eye formed on
the rocking lever at "*" and they drag the gun out after recoil up against a stop "o"
fitted to the front transome. This stop is so shaped as to centre the gun absolutely
with reference to the mounting. To the right bracket is fitted a lever "p" which
actuates a catch "q." This catch retains the gun when run in during the operation
of loading.
The recoil cylinders or buffers are of the ordinary hydraulic type and form the
trunnion bearing for the gun trunnions. They are shaped on the underside so as to fit
the upper flange of the cradle brackets, a clip being formed on each to guide them and
prevent them jumping off.
As the gun is connected to the cradle by the rocking lever at the breech and the
recoil buffers at the trunnions, the elevation of the cradle elevates the gun and the
rocking lever bears a constant relation to the gun during recoil whatever elevation
is given.
In method B (see plate 3) the upper mounting differs from method A in not having
a cradle. The recoil buffers rest on the upper surfaces of the socket brackets which
are inclined and thus cause the gun to run out by gravity after recoil. This
necessitates the special form of elevating gear and rocking lever attachment shewn on
plate 3.
The lower pivot "d" of the rocking lever "b" forms the elevating spindle. This
is rotated in the ordinary manner by worm gearing. It is fitted with pinions at its
outer extremities which gear into the elevating arcs "m." The spindle and worm gear
are carried in a bronze bracket "" which embraces the arcs. When the gear is
rotated the whole system moves up or down the arcs giving elevation or depression to
the gun.
.
The arcs are pivotted to the brackets at "1" and to levers "t" at "." These
levers are pivotted to the brackets at "" and to the recoil buffers at "t" When
the gun recoils the levers rock and oscillate the arcs, thus altering the position of the
rocking lever pivot and causing it to keep the constant relation to the gun required to
work the breech mechanism at varying angles of elevation.
The gun is sighted in the ordinary manner on the right side and by sighting fitted
to the mounting on the left.
A seat which moves with the mounting during training is provided for number 1 of
the guns crew. The sighting, training gear elevating gear and trigger gear are so
placed that he can direct and fire the gun from his seat. Number 2 stands on the
right and inserts the charge and frees the retaining catch by means of the lever "p,"
when the gun will run out by the action of the volute springs in method "A" and
under gravity in method "B."
For opening the breech when commencing firing, in case of missfire firing saluting
charges or other occasions when the recoil is not available, provision is made for
shipping a handle on to the pivot "C" and disconnecting the upper portion of the

page_text: rocking lever from the lower by means of the clutch worked by a drill stop
(see plate I).
" "
"
The drawings accompanying this specification shew the mechanism as applied to a
twelve pounder gun but it is equally applicable to ordnance of larger dimensions.
By this invention the working and service of the gun is greatly facilitated, the delay
and labor necessary in moving the breech block by hand is avoided and consequently
greater rapidity of fire secured.
The patentees do not bind themselves to use either or both these mountings herein
described, but may make use of any description of mounting which may be hereafter
designed which shall fulfil the essential conditions of the patent. This consists in the
pivotting of the rocking lever "6" in such a manner that it shall be oscillated by the
recoil of the gun and thereby the breech shall be opened, the spent cartridge case
ojected and the trigger cocked. Also that on running the gun out the breech shall
be closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
I The arrangement of a rocking lever of the nature and after the manner herein-
before described for the purpose of effecting automatically the following operations
viz :-
A The opening of the breech.
B The cocking of the trigger.
C The ejection of the cartridge case.
D The closing of the breech.
II The application of the recoil of the gun on discharge by means of the said lever,
in the method and after the manner hereinbefore described to effect automatically the
following operations viz :-
A The opening of the breech.
B The cocking of the trigger.
C The ejection of the cartridge case.
III The application of the running forward.of the gun into firing position, whether
effected by springs, gravity or any other method by means of the said lever in the
method and after the manner hereinbefore described to effect automatically
D The closing of the breech.
EARDLEY MAITLAND.
HENRY WILLIAM JONES.
ALFRED SPELMAN ANGAS.
GEORGE WALLACE BRODIE.