Improvement in Powder Pneumatio Guns Designed for Throwing High Explosives.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
CUBILETE
DrECIFICATION.
Improvement in Powder Pneumatio Guns Designed for Throwing
High Explosives.
I, WINFIELD SCOTT SIMs, of 120, Liberty Street, in the City of New York,
Borough of Manhattan, State of New York, United States of America, Manu-
facturer, 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.-
My invention relates to an improvement in powder pneumatic guns designed
for throwing high explosives, and it consists in certain features and details of
construction as will be more fully described and pointed out in the claims
In the accompanying diawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a gun
embodying my invention Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the
breech end of the gun Figure 3 18 a view in elevation of the breech end of the
gun Figue is a similar view from the opposite side showing the breech
blocks withdrawn Figure 5 19 a view in end elevation of the breech mechanism.
Figure 6 is a view in plan of same Figure 18 a similar view showing the
breech blocks withdrawn and also showing by dotted lines the bieech blocks
turned to the side Figure 81s a plan view of the breech block carrier.
Figure 9 is a view of the stop latch on said carrier. Figure 10 is a view of the
outer face of the calle Figue 11 is a view showing the gearing for turning
the breech blocks. Figue 12 19 a view of the breech blocks and gearing
detached. Figure 13 is an end view of the breech block of the firing tube.
Figure 14 18 a side elevation of the said block. Figue 15 is a vow of the
firing pin, and Figures 16, 17 and 18 are views of the breech mechanism crank.
My improved gun consists of a breech C carrying a projectile tube B, a com-
bustion tube or chamber A, and a fiung tube E, the hing tube E being located
within the combustion chamber or tube and secured to the bicech C
1
Connecting the combustion and projectile tubes is the port a located within
the breech C and at a point in rear of the muzzle end of the fining tube, so that
the flame and gases from the firing charge pass from the firing tube into the
combustion tube and, striking the closed forward end of the latter, rebound
and force out the cooler air adjacent to the port a, through said port into the
projectile tube and acting against the projectile eject same from the projectile
tube
The combustion tube rests parallel with and preferably below the projectile
tube, and is closed at its front end, and the tube and chamber thus constructed
and arranged are connected at then ends and at intermediate points if necessary
The filing tube is located excentrically within the combustion tube A, pre-
ferably nearer the bottom of the latter, and is open at both ends, its reai or
breech end being secured to the breech C and resting in close proximity to the
breech block when the latter is in its closed and locked position
The breech C is open at points immediately in rea of the projectile and
firing tubes and these openings are closed by the breech blocks D and D' each

page_text: of which 18 provided with interrupted threads, and as the breech is also pio-
vided with interrupted female threads, it follows that a partial rotation of the
blocks 18 sufficient to release the blocks, which are then fiee to be withdrawn
by a backward pull Each block is provided with three equi-distant interrup-
tions in its threads and as the screws in the breech are similarly interrupted, it
will be seen that a one-sixth revolution of each block is sufficient to release it
from its seat
Mounted in a bearing or support on one side of the bicech C is a breech
block carner slide G This slide G is adapted to move longitudinally within
its support, as shown in Figure 4 and 19 provided with a stop g which, engaging
shoulders on the support, limits the outward movement of the slide This slide
carries the latch (which is pivoted at gå to the slide and is provided with a
lip adapted, when the slide is in its extended position, to take over the
shoulders on the breech C and prevent the slide G fiom being forced in, thus
preventing movement of the slide when the breech blocks are swung into their
open position (see Figure 7)
This carrier is
The
Journalled on the outer end of the slide G 18 the carrier H
provided with a handle II by which the slide 18 moved back and forth and is
also provided with a lug h, which, when the canner is turned to bring the breech
blocks in line with their respective seats in the breech, engages the end of the
latch G and forcing the same inwardly against the action of the spring_g³,
releases the lip g³ from the shoulder and allows the slide to be pushed in
handle II' of the carrier H is provided with a spring latch H³ adapted to engage
a notch in the slide G for locking the handle in line with the slide, and with a
second notch for locking the handle in the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 7 With this construction the bicech blocks which are carried by the
carrier, are held against swinging movement when the blocks are withdiawn
for loading, and are held in proper position for entering then respective seats
during the act of closing the breech of the gun
The carrier His simply a frame carving the breech blocks and the mechanism
for turning the blocks and is provided centially with a bearing h* for the shaft h¹
carrying the pinion 2 on its inner end, and the crank h³ on its outer end. The
pinion meshes with the toothed segments I igidly secured to the plates I¹
which latter in turn are rigidly secured to the outer faces of the breech blocks D
and D¹ Each breech block is provided with a rearwardly extending stem or
shank which latter passes through the plates I¹ and rests in the hub or
bearing J formed integral with the camer The upper beech block D', which
closes the rear end of the projectile tube, is secured to the carrier H by the
bolt 1 which passes through the block and carrier and 18 locked by a nut and
washer Secured to the inner end of this bolt and against the inner face of the
block D', is the gas check D6 which latter is also locked against displacement by
the bolt D and operates to tightly seal the breech in line with the end of the
projectile tube and prevent the escape of any gases or compressed air through
the breech at this point The stem or shank of the breech block D passes
through its hub or bearing J and is made hollow for the reception of the firing
pin K
The firing pin is provided with a sharpened or needle pointed end
which is adapted to be projected through an opening in the inner face of the
block D, and contact with the fulminate on cap on the cartridge carried in the
firing tube E
This firing pin is actuated by the spring K which latter bears
at one end against the rim k of the pin near its inner end, while the opposite
end of the spring rests against the shoulder A¹ on the stem of the bierch block.
The crankcanies the spring catch L which latter engages notches in the
hub in which the crank shaft rests, and locks the shaft in the two extremes of
its movement, hence by the engagement of the catch with one notch when the
breech blocks are in their locked position the blocks are locked against move-
ment, and by the engagement of the catch with the other notch when the blocks
are in their unlocked positions, or before the blocks have been turned to cause

page_text: the threads thereon to engage the female threads in the breech, the blocks
cannot be turned without first deliberately disengaging or releasing the catch,
which as before stated locks the shaft h¹ against movement.
From the foregoing it will be seen that by releasing the catch L and turning
the crank 3 a part revolution, the pinion on the crank shaft engaging the
segments on the breech blocks turns both breech blocks in a position to disen-
gage the threads thereon from the threads on the breech, and when this 18
accomplished the blocks are free to be withdrawn. By now grasping the
handle Hand pulling thereon the slide carrying the breech blocks is with-
drawn, carrying with it the breech blocks and when the latter are clear of the
gun, the handle is swung around as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7 so as to
remove the breech blocks to one side and thus permit of the quick introduction
of the projectile and the firing charge or cartridge.
After the projectile and cartridge have been placed in their respective tubes,
the handle is first turned so as to bring the blocks in line with their respective
tubes, and is then pushed home, and by turning the crank ³ back to its normal
position, the breech blocks are locked
The firing pin K which has been heretofore referred to, is provided with a
feather which slides in a groove in the stem of the block D for the purpose
of preventing any independent rotary motion of the breech and firing pin,
hence when the breech block is rotated the fling pin is rotated
The firing pin
18 provided with a transverse slot in which the trigger M enters when the
firing pin is drawn to a cocked position. This trigger 18 mounted in the hub J
carrying the stem. of the block D and is held with its inner end in contact with
the firing pin by the spring m The firing pin also passes through the stem or
shank of the block D'and in order to permit the block to have a rocking or
rotary motion before described the opening through which the tigger passes
18 necessarily elongated as shown in Figure 13
Secured on the end of hub J of block D are the pins N These pins have
slightly bevelled ends which enter corresponding recesses formed in the inner
face of the cap N¹ of the firing pin K
As the hub is stationary and as the firing pin turns with its block, it will be
seen that while the firing pin is in its normal position, that it is impossible to
turn the breech blocks, hence in order to load or reload the gun it is first neces-
sary to withdraw the firing pin to its cocked position This disengages the pins N
from the firing pin and leaves the blocks free to be turned by the
mechanism already described The same is true in closing the breech, as the
blocks cannot be turned to be either locked or released until the firing pin has
been cocked This construction removes an element of danger which would be
present if the breech block could be forced home with the firing pin in contact
with the percussion cap of the cartridge, and also prevents the firing pin from
engaging the percussion cap of the cartridge until the block shall have been
forced home, for until the block has been forced home the pins N remain out
of alignment with their recesses in the firing pin and absolutely prevent the
firing pin from striking the cartridge
The breech block D also carries the extractor () which latter engages the
flange of the cartridge shell and positively extracts same from the firing tube
by the withdrawal of the breech block from its seat.
The gun thus constructed and which 19 designed to safely throw charges of
high explosives, may be mounted on a naval mount or on a field carriage, and
in either event I provide the carriage with a slot centrally located, through
which passes the toothed sector, which latter as shown in Figure 1 is secured at
its ends to the combustion chamber The teeth of this sector are engaged by a
pinion on a shaft carrying a hand wheel by which the gun 18 trained, and the
gun is locked by a screw mounted in a screw threaded seat in the gun mount
and adapted to press directly or indirectly against the toothed sector This

page_text: screw is turned and hence moved longitudinally by a lever clearly shown in
Figure 1
From the foregoing it will be seen that the parts are so constructed and
arranged that the breech blocks are inserted and removed simultaneously thus
enabling the gun to be readily and quickly handled Again, the construction
is such that until the breech blocks are screwed home, the firing pin is held out
of the reach of the cartridge thus preventing accidents by the premature
explosion of the firing chaige
It 18 evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the relative
arrangement of parts herein shown and described without departing from the
spirit and scope of my invention hence I would have it understood that I do not
wish to confine myself to the exact construction of parts herein shown and
described, but,--
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 18.-
1 In a powder pneumatic gun, the combination with a combustion tube and
a projectile tube, of a canne adapted to move rearwardly and laterally, two
beech blocks on said carrier, and means for simultaneously rotating said breech
blocks
2. In a powder pneumatic gun, the combination with a combustion tube and
a projectile tube, of a rearwardly and laterally movable carrier, means for
locking the carrier against lateral movement, two breech blocks on said carrier
and means for simultaneously rotating said blocks
3 In a powder pneumatic gun, the combination with a combustion tube or
chamber and a projectile tube, of a rearwardly and laterally movable carrier,
means for limiting said rearward movement, means for locking the carrier at
the end of said rearward movement, two breech blocks on said carrier and means
for simultaneously rotating said breech blocks
4 In a powder pneumatic gun, the combination with a combustion tube and
a projectile tube of a rear waidly and laterally movable carrier, means for locking
said carrier at its limit of rearward movement, means for locking it against
Lateral movement, two breech blocks and means for simultaneously rotating
said blocks
5 The combination with a breech and combustion tube and a projectile tube
secured to said breech, of a slide mounted on the breech, a cariier Journalled
to said slide and two breech blocks carried by said carrier
6. The combination with a breech, and a combustion tube and a projectile
tube secured to said breech, of a slide mounted on the breech, a carrier journalled
to gaid slide, a handle secured to the carer and two breech blocks carried by
said carrier
7 The combination with a breech, and a combustion tube and a projectilo
tube secured to said breech, of a slide mounted on said breech, a carer jour-
nalled to the slide, two breech blocks mounted on the carrier and means for
simultaneously rotating the breech blocks
8 The combination with a breech and a combustion tube and a projectile
tube secured to said bieech, of a carrier mounted on the breech, two breech
blocks on the carrier, a crank shaft and means connecting the crank shaft and
breech blocks whereby they are rotated simultaneously
9 The combination with a breech, and a combustion tube and projectile tube
secured to said breech, of a carrier, two breech blocks carried by said carrier,
a crank shaft Journalled in said carrier, means for locking said shaft against
rotation and means connecting said shaft and blocks whereby the shaft and both
blocks are rotated simultaneously
10 The combination with a bicech, and a combustion tube and a projectile
tube secured to said breech, of a slide mounted on the breech, a spring latch for

page_text: locking the slide at the extreme of its ear movement, a carrier Journalled on
said slide, two breech blocks mounted on said carrier and means for simul-
taneously rotating both beech blocks
11. The combination with a breech, a breech block carrier and a breech block,
of a firing pin called by the breech block and means for preventing rotation of
the breech block while the firing pin is in an uncocked position
12. The combination with a breech, a bicech block carrier, and a breech
block, of a firing pin mounted in the breech block and connected thereto so as
to revolve therewith, and means for locking the breech block against rotation
while the flung pin is in an uncocked position
13. The combination with a breech, a breech block carrier and a breech block,
of a firing pin mounted in the breech block and adapted to slide in said block
and connections between the firing pin and breech block carrier which permit of
the rotation of the breech block only when the firing pin 18 cocked
14. The combination with a breech, a breech carlier and a breech block
mounted in the carrier, of a sliding firing pin mounted in the breech block, and
pins or lugs on the carrier engaging recesses in the head of the firing pin, whereby
the breech block can be rotated only when the said pins or lugs and recesses
are disengaged
15 The combination with a breech, a slide thereon and a carrier journalled
on the slide, of two breech blocks mounted on the cariei, a fining pin carried
by one breech block, a shaft jounalled in the carrier, gearing connecting the
shaft and breech blocks whereby the latteı are rotated simultaneously and
means for preventing rotation of the breech blocks when the firing pin is in an
uncocked position.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C,
Agents for the Applicant.