Improvements in and relating to Gun Carriages or Mountings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 0th Lon 1807 Accented 27th Feb. 1.80
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Gun Carriages or Mountings.
I, CHARLES ALFRED LARSSON, of Cray Cottage, Erith, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to certain improvements relating to gun carriages or
mountings which improvements are more especially, although not exclusively, applicable
to light galloping carriages for "Maxim" guns.
According to one part of my invention I provide the gun-carriage with folding or
collapsable seats so that when the gun is in action the said seats can be readily
turned or folded down into a lowered position, whereby the centre of gravity of
the carriage will be brought nearer to the ground and the stability of said carriage bo
thereby increased.
For this purpose each seat may comprise a pair of metal side frames pivotally
connected to the framework of the carriage where the ammunition boxes are carried.
The pivoted side frames are provided with means whereby when they are in their
raised or turned up position they can be temporarily retained in such position. Theso
means preferably consist of one or more hinged or pivoted segmental pieces which
when the seat is raised can be turned into a position to bring a suitably shaped lug
or finger thereon into engagement with a fixed projection or a socket or recess. The
said segmental pieces may be furnished with a suitably disposed handle to permit of
their being conveniently operated.
Instead of employing the aforesaid hinged or pivoted segmental pieces I may
provide the bottom of the seat with struts or rods pivotally or fixedly connected
thereto; the free ends of such struts or rods being suitably formed to enter sockets:
when the seats are turned into the elevated position. If desired detachable pins or
other locking means may be employed for temporarily retaining the said struts in
engagement with the sockets.
According to another part of my invention I provide the end of the pole or trail
of the carriage to which the swingle-bar is coupled, with means for enabling the said
swingle-bar to be readily disconnected from the pole whereby the horses can be very
quickly and conveniently detached from or attached to the carriage. The means I
prefer to employ for this purpose comprise a pivoted hook on the pole-crab_adapted
to engage with an eye on the swingle-bar and having a tail-piece thereon. This tail
piece is so formed and arranged that when the hook is turned into a position to bring
its nose into engagement with a recess in the pole-crab, that is to say when it is
coupled to the swingle-bar, the hook can be firmly retained in this position by the
insertion of a split spring-pin or similar movable stop, through a hole in the pole-
crab. The said pin or stop then lies in the path of the said tail-piece and thereby
prevents the hook from turning about its pivot. So long as the pin or stop occupies
this position the swingle-bar will be kept coupled to the pole, but on removing this
pin or stop the hook will immediately release the swingle bar so that the breast
connection of the horses to the carriage is at once undone. It then only remains
for the swingle-trees to be disconnected (a simple operation that can be readily
performed by merely unhooking them from the carriage) to entirely free the
horses.
According to another part of my invention, I provide the standard or support in
which the gun is trunnioned, with an adjustable device for enabling the gun to. be

page_text: turned about its longitudinal axis so that the trunnions of the gun can before firing
be brought into a horizontal plane although the axle of the gun carriage may,
owing to the unevenness of the ground be considerably out of its horizontal
position.
For this purpose I may provide the carriage axle with a fixed curved guideway or
arc concentric with the axis of the gun. The lower portion of the standard or
support carrying the gun is suitably formed to engage with the said arc and a rack
or series of teeth is formed on the standard or support to engage with a worm on a
horizontal spindle that can be revolved by a handle or wheel. By revolving this
worm spindle the standard or support can be shifted transversely in either direction
along the said are according to the direction of rotation of the said spindle. A clamp
is provided for locking the standard or support in its shifted position. This part of
my invention may if desired be applied to gun mountings other than galloping
carriages.
Dated this 31st day of October 1806.
Dated this 31st day of October 1806
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
I, CHARLES ALFRED LARSSON, of Cray Cottage, Erith, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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 has reference to certain improvements relating to gun carriages or
mountings which improvements are more especially, although not exclusively,
applicable to light galloping carriages for "Maxim" guns.
According to one part of my invention I provide the gun-carriage with folding or
collapsabie seats so that when the gun is in action the said seats can be readily turned
or folded down into a lowered position, whereby the centre of gravity of the carriage
will be brought nearer to the ground and the stability of said carriage be thereby
increased. For this purpose each seat comprises a pair of metal side frames pivotally
connected to the framework of the carriage where the ammunition boxes are carried,
the pivoted side frames being provided with means whereby they can be temporarily
retained in their raised or turned up position.
According to another part of my invention I provide the end of the pole or trail
of the carriage to which the swingle-bar is coupled, with means for enabling the said
swingle-bar to be readily disconnected from the pole whereby the horses can be very
quickly and conveniently detached from or attached to the carriage. The means I
prefer to employ for this purpose comprise a pivoted hook on the pole-crab adapted to
engage with an eye on the swingle-bar and having a tail-piece thereon. This tail
piece is so formed and arranged that when the hook is turned into a position to bring
its nose into engagement with a recess in the pole-crab, that is to say when it is
coupled to the swingle-bar, the hook can be firmly retained in this position by the
insertion of a split spring-pin or similar movable stop, through a hole in the
pole-crab.
According to another part of my invention, I provide the standard or support in
which the gun is trunnioned, with an adjustable device for enabling the gun to be
turned about its longitudinal axis so that the trunnions of the gun can before
firing be brought into a horizontal plane although the axle of the gun carriage

page_text: maying to the unevenness of the ground, be considerably out of its Horizontal
position.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan of a light galloping carriage for
a Maxim gun with my improved folding seats applied thereto.
In Figure 1 the seats are shewn in their lowered position, the dotted lines
indicating their raised position, while in Figure 2 one seat is shewn raised and
the other lowered.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a gun carriage shewing a modified
manner of securing the seats in their raised position.
Figures 4 and 5 are views drawn to an enlarged scale shewing a locking
contrivance for use with the seat illustrated in Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation and Figure 7 a plan of the pole crab provided
with my improved means for enabling the swingle-bar to be readily disconnected
therefrom.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of the split spring-pin for use therewith.
Figure 9 is a sectional elevation and Figure 10 a rear elevation, shewing the
adjustable device for enabling the trunnions of the gun to be readily brought into a
horizontal plane.
Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.
A is the wheel axle; A' A' are the wheels; B is the pole or trail; B¹ the pole
crab; C the framework of the carriage whereon the ammunition boxes Care
arranged; D the gun; E the swingle-bar; and E' E' the swingle-trees.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, F F are the folding seats each of which consists of a
metal frame having legs ff which are pivoted at fx fx to the framework C of the
gun carriage. ff are segmental pieces which work in sockets f carried by the
seat proper. One of the segmental pieces terminates in a bent portion or handle f³
and the opposite end of each segmental piece is connected by a member to a
hinge on the bottom of the seat proper. This last mentioned end of each
segmental piece is provided with a lug or finger f to engage with a projection f
on the framework C and thereby retain the seat in its turned up or raised
position. It will be observed on reference to the dotted lines in Figure 1 that
when the seat is thus raised the members f occupy a position parallel with the
pivoted legs f. To effect the locking of the legs or members fin this position
the segmental pieces f¹ure made of flexible metal and are formed with a tooth
or projection near their upper ends which can be caused to engage with the
sockets when a lateral pressure is exerted upon them by means of the handles f³.
f is a cross tie for connecting the members ff together and adding additional
rigidity thereto the said tie resting on the upper part of the framework C and thereby
supporting the seat so that it cannot move downward under the weight of the
rider. On the framework C is a hook f10 which serves to limit the extent to
which the seats can be turned up. When the seats are turned down they rest
upon the portion C2 of the framework.
In Figures 3, 4 and 5 I have shewn modified means for locking the seats in
their raised position. In this case the leg or strut f has a lug f" which is
adapted to enter a socket f12 on the framework C and the said lug has a hole
therein through which a pin f13 forming part of a catch 14 on the said frame-
work C, enters to secure the seat. This catch has a ring 15 for enabling the said
pin to be readily disengaged from the lug f" by a lateral pull exerted on
such catch. 1 is a stop for limiting the extent of outward lateral movement of
the catch.
Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, b is a hook which is pivoted at 61 to the
pole crab B. This hook is provided with a tail piece 6 having a semi-circular
recess 6 therein to engage with the cylindrical surface of a movable stop or split
pin 6. This pin is formed with a lateral protuberance 65 which by the expansive

page_text: tendency of the spring pin engages with a transverse pin or stop 66 when the split
pin 6 is drawn outwardly to release the hook and thus the split pin is prevented
from being entirely withdrawn. The nose 7 of the hook is adapted to lie within
a recess in the pole crab when said hook is closed, and the said pole crab is formed
with a curved recess 68 to permit the tail piece 62 of the hook to turn in when the hook
opens. When the aforesaid spring pin is in place as shewn in Figures 6 and 7 it lies
in the path of the said tail-piece 2 and thereby prevents the hook from turning
about its pivot, keeping it firmly in engagement with the eye e on the swingle
bar E. So long as the pin occupies this position the swingle bar will be kept
coupled to the pole or trail, but by drawing outward the said pin the weight of the
trail will cause the book to immediately open and release the swingle bar so that
the breast connection of the animals to the carriage will be instantly undone. It then
only remains for the swingle trees E' E' to be disconnected from the hooks E³ E
on the carriage, which is a simple and easy operation, to entirely free the
animals.
I have shewn the pole crab provided with lateral eyes B2 to receive links B³
which will be available for use in the event of the hook b becoming for any reason
useless.
Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, D¹ is the trunnion bracket of the gun which is
mounted on a support D2 having curved flanges D³ to engage with a correspondingly
curved guideway or arc D4 which is concentric with the axis of the gun and which is
fixed to the wheel axle A of the gun carriage. One of the curved flanges D³ is
formed with a series of teeth to engage with a worm D5 which is mounted in
bearings De carried by the fixed arc D. By revolving this worm by means of the
hand wheel D', the support D can be shifted transversely in either direction in a
vertical plane along the fixed arc D according to the direction in which the hand
wheel is revolved, and thus the gun can be turned about its longitudinal axis to bring
its trunnions into a horizontal plane notwithstanding the fact that the wheel axle of
the carriage may be considerably out of the horizontal. Ds is a clamp for locking
the support in its shifted position. Any suitable device may be employed for this
purpose.
This
part of my invention, that is to say the shifting of the gun about its
longitudinal axis, may if desired be applied to gun mountings other than that herein-
before referred to.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A gun carriage provided with folding or collapsable seats substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
2. The construction of the pole crab with a hinged or pivoted hook which is
normally kept closed by a movable spring pin or stop substantially as described and for
the purpose specified.
3. Means whereby the gun can be turned about its longitudinal axis to bring its
trunnions into a horizontal plane substantially as described.
4. My improvements applied to a gun carriage or mounting, either separately or in
combination, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or
Figures 6 to 8 or. Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings and for the
purposes specified.
Dated this 01 1.
T
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.