Improvements in or connected with Gun Carriages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Gun Carriages.
I, AUGUST REICHWALD, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London, Steel, Iron,
Metal and Mineral Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me from abroad by the Firm of Fried. Krupp, of Essen, in the German
Empire, Cast Steel Manufacturers) 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 a "firing brake" for whecled gun carriages comprising
a spur which diminishes the recoil and automatically runs the gun out again. This
spur (when in action) protrudes in a downward direction from the gun carriage and
is connected with the walls of the carriage by means of a horizontal bolt mounted so
as to be capable of sliding in longitudinal slots in the said walls of the carriage, in
such a manner that when the said bolt is in its position, the spur can be moved
around its axis and be brought over the trail of the carriage on to the upper side of
the carriage walls. This movement of the spur can be accomplished when the car-
riage is stationary, because at that time the springs of the brakes hold the bolt
carrying the spur, at its end position in the said slots in the carriage trail.
The possibility of folding or turning the spur upwards as stated, presents advan-
tages beyond those carriages not so provided, in that when the spur is not in use, no
part of the same, according to this invention, projects below the carriage walls, and
consequently particularly when the gun is being moved over uneven ground or
through ditches, the spur cannot stick in the ground, and thereby cause damage to
the gun, or to the horses dragging the same, or to the harness, and all fatal stoppages
consequent thereon, are obviated.
In the accompanying drawings an example of the "firing brake," constructed
according to this invention is shewn in Figures 1 and 2 in longitudinal section and
in plan respectively.
The spur is shewn in Figure 3 in its turned-up inoperative position, and in
Figure 4 in its position for firing.
From these figures it will be perceived that in its lower position the spur is
driven into the ground with its spade-shaped part A slightly inclined towards the
rear, by the weight of the walls of the gun carriage resting on it, (see Figure 1), and
also by the action of the recoil upon firing the first shot, the spur, by said penetration,
thus offering resistance to the carriage being pushed backwards.
The two rearwardly inclined arms A¹ of the spur embrace the carriage walls
and are connected at their ends to the bolt B which is mounted horizontally in the
longitudinal slots F. The free space between the arms A¹, the spur blade A, and
the bolt B, allows of turning the spur out of its position shewn in Figure 4 (without
hindrance by the limbering ring or eye arranged on the carriage trail) into the upper
position shewn in Figure 3, in which it rests with its lower edge upon the upper
surface of the carriage walls.
In this position the spur can be prevented from all movement by means of the
chain J shewn in Figure 4, the cross-piece K of which is passed through the eye L,
although when the gun is limbered up, the limber arms would of themselves prevent
the spur from falling back and down. Also during firing, it is advisable to employ

page_text: the chain J in the manner shewn in Figure 4, because then the raising and moving
of the carriage trail for lateral training is thereby facilitated.
The middle part of the bolt B is carried in a pivotal manner through the corre-
sponding holes in the sleeves C, the latter being situated at the ends of the guide
rods D) of the springs E between the carriage walls. The flanges (shewn on the
right hand of the drawing) of the guide rods D serve as rearward abutments for the
springs E, whilst their forward abutments are formed by the sliding sleeves or
bushes G which are suspended by means of their lateral pins or trunnions pivotally
in the bearing pieces H fixed to the carriage body. The pressure or thrust rings N
with their adjusting screws M, serve for regulating the tension of the springs E and
for facilitating the removal and replacing of the same.
The mode of operation of the spur in firing is as follows:--The recoil which has
driven the spur firmly into the ground and has moved the gun back, causes the gun
carriage walls to slide with their longitudinal slots F over the bolt B, and the
springs E are compressed, until the forward surfaces of the slots F strike against the
bolt B. As the springs cannot now be compressed to any further extent, the spur
acts from that moment as a rigid spur, rigidly connected to the gun carriage. After
the termination of the recoil movement the springs expand again, and bearing
against the flanges of the guide rods D, which are connected with the fixed spur,
by means of the sleeves C and the bolt B, cause the gun to be moved forward again
completely or almost into its initial position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A folding spur capable of turning about the gun carriage trail, the pivot bolt
of which spur rests in longitudinal slots in the gun carriage walls and bears against
an elastic medium in such a manner that after the shot is fired, the spur moves the
gun back again into its forward position.
2. The general construction and combination of parts composing the improve-
ments in or connected with gun carriages, all arranged and acting substantially as
and for the purposes described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Doted this 15th day of December 1897