Ax IMPROVED TUBULAR CANNON FOR FIRING VOLLIES OR CHARGES OF GRAPE SHOT
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Christophe and Joseph Montigny, of Brussels,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Mechanicians, for the Invention of "Ax
IMPROVED TUBULAR CANNON FOR FIRING VOLLIES OR CHARGES OF GRAPE
SHOT."
Sealed the 12th May 1868, and dated the 18th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Christophe and
Joseph Montigny at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 18th December 1867.
We, LOUIS CHRISTOPHE and JOSEPH MONTIGNY, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Mechanicians, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED TUBULAR CANNON FOR FIRING VOLLIES OR CHARGES OF GRAPE
SHOT," to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention is an improved tubular cannon for firing
vollies or charges of grape shot. This cannon is made of any convenient
number of steel gun barrels firinly united together, and enveloped in a casing
so as to have the appearance of only one large gun. At the rear end of this
casing and attached to it are two cheeks or slides, between which the striking
apparatus is made capable of moving backwards and forwards. At the
extreme end of these cheeks or slides is a metal nut tapped to receive a strong
screw attached to the striking gear to which it communicates a reciprocating

page_text: motion. The striking gear consists of a piece of metal bored with as many
chambers as there are barrels in the cannon. Each one of these chambers
contains a helical spring and plunger or striker. Next to the breech end of
the cannon are firing pins that explode the cartridges when they are struck
by the plungers. Between the plungers and the firing pins is placed a plate
about the third of an inch thick. When the arm is to be fired this plate is
lowered by means of racks and pinions, when the plungers will in succession
be forced forward by the springs and made to strike the firing pins and
explode the cartridges. To load the arm a plate perforated with the same
number of holes as there are barrels in the cannon is charged with cartridges
carrying their own priming. This plate is introduced into the weapon and
forced up into position by means of the screw at the end, so as to push the
projecting end of the cartridges into the breeches of the barrels. To take
out the empty cartridge cases it is merely required to unscrew the screw at
the end and remove the plate with the empty cartridge cases in it. A second
plate ready prepared and charged with fresh cartridges may then be introduced
and the firing continued. A lever or other suitable device may be used
instead of the screw at the end to effect the same purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Christophe and Joseph Montigny in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Louis
CHRISTOPHE and JOSEPH MONTIGNY, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Mechanicians, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Louis Christophe and Joseph Montigny, Her special licence that
we, the said Louis Christophe and Joseph Montigny, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Louis Christophe and
Joseph Montigny, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN

page_text: IMPROVED TUBULAR CANNON FOR FIRING VOLLIES OR CHARGES OF GRAPE SHOT,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Louis Christophe
and Joseph Montigny, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Montigny, on behalf of myself
and of the said Louis Christophe, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
:
-
The object of the present Invention is to construct an improved tubular
cannon for firing vollies or charges of grape shot. This cannon may be com-.
posed of any convenient number of steel gun barrels firmly united together
and enveloped in a casing so as to have the appearance of only one large gun.
At the rear end of this casing and attached to it are two cheeks or slides
between which the striking apparatus is made capable of moving backwards
and forwards. At the extreme end of these cheeks or slides is a metal nut
tapped to receive a strong screw attached to the striking gear, to which it
communicates a reciprocating motion. The striking gear cousists of a piece
of metal bored with as many chambers as there are barrels in the cannon.
Each one of these chambers contains a helical spring and plunger or striker..
Next to the breech end of the cannon are firing pins that explode the car-
tridges when they are struck by the plungers. Between the plungers and
the firing pins is placed a plate about the third of an inch thick. When the
arm is to be fired this plate is lowered by means of racks and pinions, when
the plungers will in succession be forced forward by the springs and made to
strike the firing pins and explode the cartridges. To load the arm a plate
perforated with the same number of holes as there are barrels in the cannon
is charged with cartridges carrying their own priming. This plate. is intro-
duced into the weapon and forced up into position by means of the screw at
the end so as to push the projecting ends of the cartridges into the breeches
of the barrels. To take out the empty cartridge cases it is merely required
unscrew the screw at the end and remove the plate with the empty
cartridge case in it. A second plate ready prepared and charged with fresh
cartridges may then be introduced and the firing continued. A lever or other
to

page_text: suitable device may be used instead of the screw at the end to effect the
same purpose.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of the arm, the
breech end of the same being shewn in section taken in the line A, B, of
Fig. 2, which is a plan view of the arm; Fig. 8 is a transverse section in the
line C, D, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar section in the line E, F, of the same
Figure; Figures 5 shew the cartridge extractor carrier in back view and
cross section, and Figures 6 are detached side views in plan and section of
the breech screw and its appendages.
A is the cylinder or casing which encloses all the barrels which may be
rifled. All the barrels should be firmly soldered together so as to form a per-
fectly rigid bundle or mass. The rear end of the cylinder A is composed of
two cheeks, supports, or guides a on which the battery or firing apparatus B
slides. At the extremity of the two cheeks or guides a, Figures 1 and 2, a
lever c is mounted by means of trunnions f between two metal blocks d;
when the lever c is raised a connecting rode (to which it is attached by means
of a pin f¹) is drawn back. The opposite end of this connecting rod is
pivotted by a pin f' to the battery B, and when the lever C is raised or
lowered it communicates by the connecting rod e a reciprocating motion to
the battery B, which motion is necessary for loading or unloading the
cannon. In order to prevent any play that would take place when the pins
get a little worn the connecting rod may be made in two halves connected
together by a tapped sleeve b, that may be screwed or unscrewed as it is
necessary. The bolt 9 serves to maintain the cheeks or guides a at proper
distances apart, and at the same time prevents the lever c from pushing the
plungere too far.
In order to transmit movement to the breech another plan may be adopted,
as shown at d', Figures 6, but this arrangement does not appear to be so
advantageous for rapidity of loading as that obtained by the lever above
mentioned. The battery B is composed of a metel box, in which are the
hammer carriers i that are attached to the connecting rode by the pivot
pin f. The hammer carrier is of a cylindrical form, two keys j prevent it from
turning in the box. The hammer carrier is allowed-about two centimetres
play in its box, in order to allow of pushing back the hammers k after they
have struck the strikers 7, which in their turn strike the cartridges. m. The
hammer carrier is stopped in its backward course by a metal plate n; within
the hammer carrier are a number of striking hammers k all furnished at the
back with helical springs which force them forward. The plungers or
hammers bear against a plate p which is placed between the plungers or

page_text: hammers k and the striking pins l. This plate is made to descend by means
of two racks which are fixed to it, and the act of descending releases the
plungers in turn, when. the latter come with considerable force against the
striking pins, and. by this means explodes the cartridges. The above-
mentioned racks gear into two pinions that are fixed on the pin q, which is
operated by a hand wheel Q; fixed on the pin q is a strong spiral springs which
is attached to the box for the purpose of raising the plate p automatically to
its original place as soon as the hammer carrier is drawn back to introduce
fresh cartridges into the breeches of the cannon. In advance of the plate p
and attached to the box of the battery is a breech plate u, in which are the
striking pins l. These pins cannot become disarranged as they are main-
tained in their places by the plate v. The cartridge extractor and carrier w,
either charged with cartridges or not, bears against the battery B, to which it
is fastened by two sliding joints a, which serve to draw it back when the
battery is to be reloaded. The charged cartridge plate having been put in its
place the lever c should be pushed down, the box will then be pushed forward
and the cartridges thrust "hone." The breeches of the barrels will then be
closed up ready for another discharge. After the discharge the screw should
be loosened or the lever raised and the battery box will be drawn back, when
the empty cartridge cases may be extracted and fresh ones introduced. The
gun may be mounted upon an ordinary gun carriage of any kind by means of
a socket or bearing z, and trunnions which enter the framing of the gun
carriage. The gun is also provided with a pivot a' which enters the socket z
and allows of the gun being turned in any direction required.
It will be readily understood that the gun may be modified in construction
by placing the barrels, for instance, in one or more rows, or arranging them
in a round, square, oval, or any other form, and also that it may consist of
any number of barrels, which barrels may also be varied in form. The car-
tridges may also be ignited by means of a striking pin or needle, or on the
central-fire principle, or by means of the ordinary percussion cap. We
would also remark that the firing may be so arranged as to discharge all the
barrels simultaneously, or one after the other. The arm constructed as above
described is capable of discharging from two hundred to two hundred and fifty
balls per minute.
Having now described our improved tubular cannon for firing vollies
or charges of grape shot, and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, we claim, as the Invention secured to us by Letters Patent
as aforesaid, combining any convenient number of barrels in one outer case,
as herein set forth, and arranging a cartridge holder and extractor, and a

page_text: battery or firing apparatus behind, so that the cartridges may be discharged
either simultaneously or in rapid succession, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Montigny, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
J. MONTIGNY. (L.S.)