IMPROVE- MENTS IN FIELD BATTERIES, AND IN APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE- WITH, AND IN PROJECTILES AND CARTRIDGES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Michel Mario Franzini at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th May 1876.
MICHEL MARIE FRANZINI, of Naples, in the Kingdom of Italy (temporarily
residing at Vere Street, in the County of Middlesex), Gentleman. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIELD BATTERIES, AND IN APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH, AND IN PROJECTILES AND CARTRIDGES."
The first part of the Invention relates to certain improvements in my field battery
for which I obtained Her Majesty's Letters Patent, No. 2831, dated 11th August
1875.
It consists, firstly, in the employment of a moveable sliding plate, bar, or breech
closer for closing the breech of the cannons, such plate, bar, or closer working in
lateral openings contrived in the breech of the cannons. This closing plate is
provided with openings which correspond with the bores in the breech to allow the
cannons to be loaded. It is opened and closed by suitable gearing worked by a
handle, which operates a screw in the closing plate and causes it to slide to and fro,
its travel being regulated by stops. At the rear of the cannons are cocks or
hanımers mounted on a bar or rod, and which on being acted on by a handle serving
as a trigger, fire the charges at one and the same time by striking against spring
plungers placed in the moveable sliding plate or closing piece. These cocks or
hammers receive their percussive force from springs.
When it is desired to load the cannons the hammers or cocks are raised together
by a handle or handles, and are then held in place by means of a pawl or toothed
piece falling in a notched piece on one of the cocks or hammers, and the sliding
plate or bar is then drawn or slidden out by operating the gearing which acts on
the screw and brings the openings in the sliding plate over the corresponding
openings or bores in the cannons, when they are then ready to be loaded. The
sliding plate is closed or slidden back by operating the gearing. On pulling the
handle serving as a trigger it releases the pawl or toothed piece which kept the
hammers raised, and the hammers then fall, and the springs behind them force
them against the spring plungers, and they fire the charges.
To dismount or detach the outer or large shield or screen from the battery I
construct an apparatus or appliance consisting of a framework which is mounted on
wheels and moveable on an axis. At one end of the frame is a handle for raising
it to bring it under the shield, and at the other end is a recessed portion to receive
Price 201

page_text: the bottom of such shield or screen when it is to be taken away. Supports against
which the shield reclines or rests are also provided in the framework.
In the Specification of my former Patent above referred to I mention that I place
the magazine or receptacle holding the powder, &c. for serving the battery at the
rear end of the carriage and just behind the driver's seat; this I now propose to
place under the cannons, so as to protect it from injury and at the same time to
maintain the battery in equilibrium: It may be opened and closed by means of a
sliding door or panel.
Also the inner or inoveable up and down shield or screen instead of being raised
and lowered by rack and quadrant wheels is now held by chains secured to the
cannons, and rises and falls with them, thus dispensing with the gearing.
The buffers for deadening the shock or recoil from the enemy's shot or projectile
on the front or outer shield or screen, as described in my Patent herein-before cited,
is now dispensed with, and I propose to employ springs secured to the carriage and
pressing against the inner side of the front or outer shield or screen to deaden the
shocks.
The second part of the Invention relates to projectiles and cartridges.
The projectile consists of a shell or case of cast iron or other suitable material in
which horizontal and vertical channels or grooves are provided, corresponding
chaunels being also contrived on the inside of the projectile, and the spaces or
divisions between these inside channels or grooves form chambers for the powder.
These channels or grooves diminish the thickness of the projectile and facilitate its
bursting when the explosion of the powder is produced. A rod or spindle, around
which is a spring, passes through the centre of the projectile and strikes the fulmi-
nate, which may be placed at any convenient part inside thereof, and thus causes
the projectile to explode in 65 or more pieces. The outer case is partly covered
with lead or other soft material.
The cartridge consists of a tube or case of copper or other suitable material, and
It
las at bottom a base plate or heel piece of rather larger diameter than the case.
is fixed thereto by bolts, screws, or rivets passing through an inner ring or annular
plate placed inside the case, and at the bottom thereof. In the centre of the base
plate is a recess, in which is a nipple for receiving a percussion cap, which, on being
struck by a cock or hammer ignites the powder in the cartridge and fires the charge.
In this recess is also a bail or handle to facilitate the withdrawal of the empty
cartridge cases.
The lower part of the projectile is secured to the upper part of the cartridge case
by any convenient means of attachment.