Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 4th Mar., 1887.
JOHN WILLIAM LOWDON Electrician 65 Reform Street Dundee & WILLIAM WHITE
late Clerk Hilltown Dundee 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 improvements in the construction of small drill or Practice
Guns, and to improvements in the apparatus for the attachment of the same to
ordnance.
Our invention consists firstly of an apparatus to enable a small Drill or Practice
Gun to be quickly attached to Ordnance for drill and shooting purposes without inter-
fering with the body of the big gun in any way whatever and in such a manner as to
leave the big Gun while the practice Gun is attached in such a condition as to admit
of all the ordinary drill actions being performed, such as sponging, loading, sighting
and firing in the usual way on the big Gun.
Secondly of an improved firing apparatus for the practice Gun to enable a definite
amount of resistance to be introduced in opposition to the lanyard pull in imitation of
the resistance experienced in the firing of an ordinary friction tube and of a device
to admit of the lanyard being pulled free in the act of firing. The first part of our
invention consists of devices suitable to the various forms of Gun and which consists
of apparatus which will bind, clasp, or hoop the small practice Gun to the large Gun
without having recourse to boring any holes or putting any strain whatever on any
delicate or important part of the Gun such as the sights or vent hole.
The second part of our invention we attain by the introduction of a resistance spring
into the lock of the firing apparatus of the practice Gun in such a way as to hinder
or prevent the firing until the lanyard conveys a pull equal to that required for the
discharge of the ordinary form of friction tube and by a split hook or eye which
automatically opens immediately after the act of firing is complete, allowing the
lanyard to go free.
Having now stated in a general way the nature of our invention and the manner of
carrying the same into effect; we now proceed to particularize and to give in detail the
various methods we adopt in carrying the first part of our invention into effect.

page_text: For Guns having a form similar to the 7, 8, 9, and 10 inch Guns of H. M. Royal
Artillery we adopt the methods of fixing shewn in sheet 3, figs. 7, 8. and 9.
Figure 8 shews side elevation.
At A A in.dotted line is shewn the outline of the big gun, at B B small practice
gun. At D fig. 8 is shewn a hoop which serves as a front attachment, and which as
a matter of convenience embraces the big gun at the depression in front of the
trunnions. At fig. 7 is shewn a view of this attachment looking as along the axis of
the piece in front. At E fig. 7 is shewn a bolt. for tightening up the hoop.
At F F figs. 7 and 8 is shewn a strap which lies over the breech coil of the big Gun,
and which serves as a secure support for the muzzle of the practice Gun, assisted by a
pin or bolt which takes into the sight socket as shewn at G, and which serves to
preserve the relative positions of the Guns. At H fig. 8 is shewn breech attachment
(side elevation) which consists of a hoop similar to that used in the front attachment,
and which is securely attached to the breech of the small Gun in any convenient way.
The hoop is provided with a screw shewn at K which serves to tighten the hoop round
the breech coil of the big Gun.
At N is shewn a sight mounted on the top of the small gun and replacing the
ordinary sight which is temporarily removed.
Fig. IX shews the front and breech attachments in plan.
For big Guns having a form similar to the ordinary thirty two and sixty four
pounder we use a very simple attachment as shewn in elevation at fig. 5 sheet 2 and
in plan at fig. 6.
A Block shewn at O figs. 5 and 6 is screwed to the Gun using the front sight screws.
This block takes into a socket in the carriage of the small Gun as shewn at P fig. 5
and serves to hold the muzzle end of the small gun securely in position by the aid of a
taper pin or bolt passing through the socket and the carriage at R. The Breech of
the small Gun is fastened by two straps which are held by bolts passing through the
vent patch holes as shewn at S S figs. 5 and 6.
We now proceed to give in detail our method of carrying the second part of our
invention into effect. At fig. 1 sheet 1 is a side view of our breech piece fitted with
our resistance firing arrangement and our automatic lanyard releasing hook or eye.
At fig. 2 is shewn a plan of same. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on line A. B fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional end view through C. D. At E figs. 1. 2. 3. & 4 is shewn breech
piece hinged at H. fig. 2. 3. 4. in order to permit of loading. The spring F taking on
stud G serves to close breech when loaded. The firing pin is shewn at K fig. 4. It is
provided with a not too closely fitting disc or plunger which moves in the spring
chamber as shewn at L.
The disc serves to convey the energy from the spring to the firing pin when the
apparatus is in operation.
The disc or plunger has an annular groove cut in it as shewn at M.
A knob or button is provided at the end of the firing pin as shewn at N.
At 00 figs. 3 and 4 is shewn releasing pin and eye. At P fig. 4 is shewn a slot
into which another pin R. fig. 2 takes. This slot and pin serves to restrict the outward
motion of the releasing pin. At the point S the releasing eye is divided and one
half of the eye is hinged as shewn at T and is provided with a short yet important
projection as shewn at V. V. At V V figs. 1 and 3 is shewn a spring which bears
on a projection of the joint pin or on a projection or collar made on the releasing pin.
This spring regulates the pull which is required to be put on the lanyard before
firing takes place.
The operation of the firing apparatus and releasing eye is as follows,
The knob or button N is drawn outward until the point of the releasing pin O takes
into the annular groove in the plunger care being taken to allow of the action by
previously closing the releasing eye. The cartridge is inserted in the bore of the Gun
and the breech shut and locked on the pin G. The apparatus is now made ready for
firing. by attaching the lanyard to the releasing eye. A considerable pressure is
required on the eye to cause firing as the spring V resists the pull, and the parts are
so adjusted that on a pressure being exerted equal to the pull required for an ordinary

page_text: friction tube the spring is bent outward allowing of the point of the releasing pin to
leave the groove and the point of the firing pin to strike the cartridge cap. The little
projection V immediately afterwards and by a continuation of the same motion comes
outside the hole in which the releasing pin is fitted and the two sides of the eye
separate allowing the lanyard to go free.
Immediately after firing the eye should be closed by the operator when the projection
will again enter the hole ready for the next operation.
We have now described our invention and we wish it to be understood that we do
not bind ourselves to the exact form of attachment and firing apparatus which we have
described as such may be considerably modified without departing from the nature of
our invention.
As instances of modification we give the following-Instead of the releasing eye
being formed with the joint at S fig. 4 as already described it may be formed with
the joint as at fig. 4 A the tail of the hook performing the functions of the
projection V, and instead of a complete hoop being used for the breech attachment of
the Gun, a partial hoop may be used with attachment made by screws taking into
clamp holes for sockets of centre tangent scales and side tangent scales, with additional
fixing if thought necessary at elevation arc patch.
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
First. The means of attachment of a practice gun to heavy Ordnance which will not
interfere with the structure of the big gun or with the performance of any of the
usual drill actions, substantially as, and for the purposes described.
Second. The spring mechanism whereby restistance is given to the lanyard pull in
the act of firing, substantially as, and for the purposes described.
Third. The automatic eye or hook apparatus whereby the lanyard is liberated,
substantially as, and for the purposes described.
JOHN W. LOWDON.
WILLIAM WHITE.