Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Ordnance.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1889-Accepted. 22nd June. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Ordnance.
I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR of the London Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, Southwark in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In order to raise cartridges or charges for ordnance from the magazine to the
level of the gun I employ an endless band provided with suitable receptacles for the
cartridges.
This endless band passes over pulleys at the top and bottom. Preferably 1 make
recesses in the circumferences of these pulleys to receive the receptacles so that the
endless band works with them in a similar way to a chain upon chain wheels. In
place of having receptacles upon the band, it may carry hooks or supports upon
which the cartridges are placed.
D
1
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Ordnance.
I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR of the London Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, Southwark,
in the County of Surrey, 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 for its object improvements in ammunition hoists for ordnance.
To raise ammunition from a magazine to the gun which it is to serve an endless
band provided with hooks or receptacles and passing over pulleys is employed.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of such an ammunition hoist constructed in
accordance with the invention; part of the casing of the hoist is removed.
Figure 2 is an end elevation and Figure 3 is a plan. This hoist consists of an
endless band of leather or other suitable material a on which are fixed at intervals
the curved hooks bbb for carrying the charges or projectiles.
The band runs over drums c and d one below and one above-and on the edges of
the band are pins a¹ which engage in notches c'd¹ in the drums and serve to drive
the band on the drums being turned. In this arrangement the lower drum is turned
and the band driven by gearing in connection with the winch handles e.
Stretching screws are also fitted in the bearings of the lower drum to keep the
band taut.
.
On the upper drum is fitted a ratchet wheel having a pawl engaging in it so as only
to allow of turning in the hoisting direction.
The ammunition is fed into the hoist from a table, or bench / inclining toward
the band. It is fitted with guide plates and has at its inner edge narrow hooks to
receive the cartridge case or projectile. The hooks 66 on the band as it turns pass
between the hooks i on the table and lift the articles out of the latter and carry them
up over the upper drum d-from which they roll off by gravity along receiving
surfaces kk either on to the deck or floor of the battery-or on to a suitably arranged
bench.
Spring plates 11 are fitted above the upper drum which serve to check the
articles as they roll off and prevent them getting too great a speed.
The band works inside a casing on the inner sides of which are fitted guide
bars mm on which work the driving pins on the edges of the band-these servė to
keep the band straight.

page_text: By disengaging the pawl the apparatus can be used for lowering-the articles being
fed on to the band from the inclined upper bench n and taken off on the bench below-
this being fitted with hinged props on removing which the bench inclines downward
away from the hoist; thereby facilitating the removal of the articles lowered.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a modification. This hoist consists of an endless articulated
chain of cylindrical cases oo the ends of which appear in Figure 4 and the sides in
Figure 5. The upper drun and ratchet are also shown. The charges are passed into
the cases end wise. The cylinders are connected together by lugs o' o¹ on their
exteriors. In passing around the drums the cylinders enter recesses formed to receive
them so that by turning the lower drum as already described the chain of cases is
set in motion.
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another modification. In this arrangement p is an endless
chain of metal links by preference detachable. On some of the links hooks p¹ are
formed projecting from the edges of the chain on either side and these hooks receive
the cartridge cases y q which are held in removeable hoisting loops q'q'. They are
hooked on to the chain by these loops and to a certain extent are free to swing. By
making the chain pulleys sufficiently large in diameter the cartridge cases will pass
round over the axles of the pulleys, and can thus be lowered or kept continuously in
motion-being taken off as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
Ammunition hoists for ordnance substantially as described and illustrated by the
annexed drawings; such hoists consisting of endless chains or bands passing around
drums or peys-suitably driven and provided with hooks or receptacles to carry the
ammunition.