IMPROVEMENTS IN BATTERY GUNS OR REPEATING ORDNANCE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of
Harris and Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BATTERY GUNS OR REPEATING ORDNANCE." - A communication from
abroad by James Patton Taylor, of Elizabethton, in the County of
the State of Tennessee in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 26th August 1873.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and
Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN BATTERY GUNS OR REPEATING ORDNANCE," a communication
to me from abroad by James Patton Taylor, of Elizabethton, in the
County of Carter, in the State of Tennessee, in the United States of
America, to be as follows:-
This improved gun is constructed with any desirable number of

page_text: barrels having a slight horizontal divergence toward the muzzle in order
to distribute or spread the fire in a horizontal plane.
The barrels are screwed into a circular breech plate fixed in the
forward end of a short cylinder, in the rear end of which is secured a
second plate or head having perforations corresponding to those in the
brocch plate.
A second cylinder is fitted to turn upon the first, and corresponding
lateral openings in the two afford access to the interior of the inner
cylinder in one position of the outer. The interior of the inner cylinder
forms a breech chamber for the reception of a charging block, which has
cartridge chambers corresponding with the barrels in relative position,
and is provided with a folding handle.
A third cylinder fitted to slide within the revolving cylinder, and
deriving a longitudinal movement from the rotation of the latter through
the medium of studs in the one projecting into spiral grooves in the
other, carries a set of feeding plungers which drive the cartridges out of
the charging block into the barrels and lock them there, the parts
which slide longitudinally being secured in their forward position by the
studs entering recesses at the ends of the spiral grooves by which the
longitudinal movement is imparted.
The sliding cylinder has the entire cascabel screwed to it and carries
the firing mechanism, which may be arranged to discharge the barrels
cither simultaneously or in succession with greater or less rapidity as
preferred.
The firing pins extend through the feeding plungers and are retracted
from contact with the cartridges by spiral springs.
For simultaneous firing, collars on the pins are struck by a sliding
hammer, the head of which forms a disc fitting within the sliding
cylinder and driven forward by springs. From the centre of this hammer
head a stem extends backward into the cascabel for retracting the
hammer by the action of a lever and spring pawl.
The successive firing may be effected by hammers in the form of
spring rods, one or more for each circle of pins carried round in orbits
corresponding to said circles, the said hammers being retracted by
stationary cams arranged one before each pin, or the firing pins themselves
may be retracted in succession by lugs on revolving arms engaging

page_text: under lugs on the rear ends of the pins, either or both of the coacting
lugs having an oblique surface.
·
The device last referred to may be arranged to act on the whole
number of pins with any desired rapidity, so as to dispense with the
need of an absolutely simultaneous firing contrivance.
.The withdrawal of the empty cartridge shells is effected by oscillating
rods carried by the feeding plungers, and caused to seize, draw, and release
the shells by positive movements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BEN-
JAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
Her special license that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Milis; my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATTERY GUNS OR
REPEATING ORDNANCE," a communication to me from abroad by James
Patton Taylor, of Elizabethton, in the County of Carter, in the State
of Tennessee, in the United States of America, upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly 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 5
Seal [Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, tho said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained 10
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This improved gun is constructed with any desirable number of barrels
having a slight horizontal divergence toward the muzzle in order to
distribute or spread the fire in a horizontal planc.
The barrels are screwed into a circular breech plate fixed in the 18
forward end of a short cylinder, in the rear end of which is secured a
second plate or head having perforations corresponding to those in the
breech plate.
-
A second cylinder is fitted to turn upon the first and corresponding
lateral openings in the two afford access to the interior of the inner 20
cylinder in one position of the outer. The interior of the inner
cylinder forms a breech chamber for the reception of a charging block
which has cartridge chambers corresponding with the barrels in relative
position and is provided with a folding handle.
A third cylinder fitted to slide within the revolving cylinder and 25
deriving a longitudinal movement from the rotation of the latter through
the medium of studs in the one projecting into spiral grooves in the
other, carries a set of feeding plungers which drive the cartridges out of
the charging block into the barrels, and lock them there, the parts
which slide longitudinally being secured in their forward position by the 30
studs entering recesses at the ends of the spiral grooves by which the
longitudinal movement is imparted.
The sliding cylinder has the entire cascabel screwed to it and
carries the firing mechanism which may be arranged to discharge the
barrels, cither simultaneously or in succession with greater or less 35
rapidity as preferred.

page_text: Figure 9 is a side elevation of a portion of the sliding cylinder.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the charging block.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of a feeding plunger and adjacent parts
partly in section.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of one of the shell retractors.
Figure 13 is a front end view of the combined plunger and re-
tractor; Figure 144 is a rear end view of the same.
Figures 15 and 16, arc respectively an end and side view of a clip for
connecting the plunger and retractor.
Figure 17 is a longitudinal section of the gun illustrating a modifi. 1
cation in the firing apparatus; Figure 18 is a transverse section on the
linc v, v, Figure 17.
Figure 19 is a transverse section on the line ", u, Figure 17.
Figure 20 is a perspective view of the revolving firing arms.
Figure 21 is a longitudinal section of one of the plungers showing 1
the firing pin in elevation.
Figures 22, 23, 24, and 25, show the application of a safety check to
prevent premature or accidental discharge while the cartrides are being
driven forward into the barrels.
Figure 22 is a longitudinal section showing the parts in position for 2
firing.
Figure 23 is a longitudinal section with the lock cylinder retracted,
and the safety check interposed in front of the firing pins.
Figure 24 is a transverse section of the lock cylinder and outer
cylinder, showing the safety check in clevation.
Figure 25 is a partial section of the safety check plate to illustrate the
form and operation of the apertures therein.
The trunnions 1 rest on a bolster 2 swivelled to a carriage, which may
oc of any suitable construction, and requires no specific description.
2
The trunnion band 3 encircles a cylinder 4 formed with longitudinal 30
arms 4 extending forward and permanently secured to a plate 5, within
which the barrels 6 arc fitted, and by which their forward ends arc
supported. The barrels are screwed into a circular breech plate or

page_text: head 7 firmly secured within the cylinder 4. A second head or plate 8
is secured within the rear end of the cylinder 4. A lateral opening 14
in the cylinder 4, equal in width to the internal diameter of the said
cylinder, gives access to the-space between- the heads 7 and 8. An
outer cylinder 9 is fitted to rotate upon the cylinder 4 abutting in front
against the trunnion band 3 and earward against shoulders 10, 11, on
the cylinder 4, which afford a strong and secure longitudinal abutment
to bear the force of the recoil, which is communicated through the outor
cylinder 9, as herein-after described.
A charging block 12 formed with chambers, corresponding in number
and arrangement with the barrels, and somewhat more than long enough
to enclose the cartridges, occupies the space between the heads 7 and 8,.
the discharged block being removed after each round, and a full one
introduced through the lateral openings 14, 15, in the stationary
cylinder 4 and the revolving cylinder 9.
13 represents a folding handle for carrying and manipulating the
charging block; 16 are the cartridges; 17 are springs adapted to catch
over their flanges so as to retain them within their chambers in the
charging block with force sufficient to prevent their accidental escape;
18 is a handle for turning the oscillating cylinder 9 in either direction.
This handle is secured to the cylinder by screws 32 or other means
suitable to render it easily detachable, so that it may be made inoperative
when it is necessary to leave the gun in possession of an enemy.
The feeding of the cartridges into the-breech chambers is effected by
locks or plungers 19 projecting from the head of a cylinder 20 and
fitting within the apertures of the disc 8..
The cylinder 20 is formed with spiral grooves 21 to receive studs 22
projecting inward from the oscillating cylinder 9, so that the rotation of
the said cylinder will-impart a longitudinal movement to the lock
cylinder 20. The straight or circumferential terminal ends 21° of the
grooves firmly lock the sliding cylinder in its forward position. The
firing pins 28 extend completely through the locks or plungers 19,
through the head 20 of the lock cylinder, and through the head 24 of a
hammer fitted within the said cylinder, and through the rear head 25 of
the cylinder 20.

page_text: spring pawl 27 on the end of an elbow lever 28, which is constructed
with a detachable handle 29. The forward stroke of the hammer to
effect a simultaneous discharge of the cartridges is effected by any
desirable number of spiral springs 30. In Figure 2 these springs arc
shown surrounding the hammer stem 26, and each of the firing pius 23.
The blow is delivered on collars 31 upon the pins.
Other appliances may be employed for effecting a successive or non-
simultaneous discharge of the barrels.
In Figure 2 34 represent stationary cams on the rear head 25 of the
lock cylinder arranged in juxtaposition to the respective pins, and
adapted by their form to force back and suddenly release hammers,
which consist of longitudinally sliding pins 35 pressed forward by
springs 36, and carried around in orbits corresponding to the circles of
firing pins. This rotary motion of the stock 37, which carries the said
spring hammers, is effected by a crank 38, worm 39, and worm wheel 40,
the latter forming part of the hammer stock 37, and being fitted to turn
with it on the hammer stem 26. The worm 39 may have a quadruple
thread of sufficiently steep pitch so as to discharge all the barrels by
seven revolutions of the crank.
In the modifications shown in Figures 17 to 21 inclusive, the firing
pins 23 extend forward through the plungers and back through the rear
head 25 of the lock cylinder, and are formed at their rear ends with lugs
or flanges 23ª with which engage lugs 34 on the ends of arms 35
projecting from the hub 37, of a worm wheel 40. This wheel is driven
by a crank 38 and worm 39. Any number of arms 35 are arranged
upon the hub 37, according to the rapidity with which it is desired to
discharge the barrels. The rapidity of the fife will also depend in part
on the pitch and number of the threads on the worm 39, and the number
of teeth on the worm wheel 40. In the illustration given the worm has
four threads, so that supposing the worm wheel 40 to have 28 teeth and
its hub 37 to carry two arms 35 all the barrels will be discharged by
three and a half revolutions of the crank 38 producing one half revolution
of the worm wheel and hub 40, 37.
The alternate arrangement of the firing pins in the two circles
(corresponding with that of the barrels), and the adaptation of the
lugs 34 to act on the said pins in succession are illustrated in the
transverse sectional views.

page_text: Secured to each of the locks or plungers 19 by a cup 41 at one end,
and a centre-scrow 42 at the other is a cartridge extractor 43.
The attachments permit the extractor to turn on its axis and as it is
carried endwise with the plunger it receives an oscillating movement
from a stud 44 fixed to the stationary head 8 within each aperture
therein, and travelling in a groove 45 in the extractor, which groove is
spiral toward the forward end in order to turn the projecting hook or
flange 46 of the extractor up in front of the cartridge flange at the
beginning of the forward movement, and reverse it at the termination of
the backward movement. The groove is longitudinal excepting at its
forward end, and thus serves to maintain the extractor hooks in their
advance position while the plungers are within the charging block.
Springs 47 within the plungers bearing backward against collars 48 on
the firing pins as illustrated in Figure 11 keep the said pins in their
retracted position out of contact with the cartridges. The charging
block is formed at top with a recess 49 to receive the folding handle 13,
and at its lowest part with a recess 50 to prevent dust or any foreign
matter obstructing the seating of the block within the cylinder 4.
The operation of the gun is as follows:-The charging blocks are
filled with cartridges automatically from a magazine carried in the
caisson and containing chambers corresponding in number and arrange-
ment with the chambers in the charging blocks, and each containing
any desirable number of cartridges pressed forward by a spiral spring.
The handle 18 is thrown up.into its highest position, as shown in the
Drawings, which moves the lock cylinder back, and places the aperture 15
in the oscillating cylinder 9 in corresponding position with the aperture 14
in the inner cylinder 4. The charging block 12 is then introduced.
The handle 18 is then moved down to the position shown by dotted lines
in Figure 1, the effect of which is to closo 'the opening in the cylinder 4
and 9 by moving one on the other, and. at the same time to move the
lock cylinder 20 forward, driving the locks or plungers 19 complètely
through the charging block, so as to eject the cartridges therefrom into
their seats within the barrels 6, the springs 17. being retracted from the
cartridge- flange at the first-impact of the plungers, as illustrated in
Figure 11. The studs 22 entering the straight terminal portions 21° of
the grooves, which terminal portions are in a plane perpendicular to the
axis of rotation, securely lock the cylinder 20 against backward motion,

page_text: calising the locks or plungers to form immovadic abutments for tHC
cartridges. The cartridge extractors as already explained are at the
beginning of the forward movement turned one-fourth of a rotation,
bringing the flange or hook 46 from a horizontal to a vertical position,
in which position it is retained by the longitudinal portion of the groove.
All is now in readiness for firing which may be performed simultaneously
or otherwise by either of the appliances described therefor. After the
discharge the handle 18 is again thrown up, drawing the lock cylinder 20
back, leaving the empty shells within the charging block and permitting
the removal of the latter. The action of the cartridge extractors is
positive and does not depend on springs in either direction. The
operation of the extractors is therefore sure and reliable.
In using the simultaneous firing apparatus illustrated in Figure 2 the
action of the lever 29 being directly downward in a vertical plane
coincident with the axis no. danger exists of disturbing the position of
the gun.
The barrels may be arranged in the breech in truc circles.
At their forward end they assume a slightly elliptical arrangement
having a horizontal divergence sufficient to spread the fire to any
desirable extent in a horizontal plane.
The
safety check consists of a steel plate 51 having apertures 52, the
general form of which is shown in Figuro 24, bored in it at regular
distances, so as to correspond in position with the firing pins 23. This
plate is placed within the lock.cylinder 20 in close contact with the head
thereof, the firing pins passing through the apertures 52. The large
upper parts of said apertures permit the passage of the collars 31 2
without obstruction when the plate is in its lower position, as shown in
Figure 22.
The holes are contracted at their lower parts, and on the rear face of
the plate are bevelled, so that when the plate is forced upward the
bevelled surfaces, passing in front of the collars, will press the pins back,
and by resting rigidly against the lock cylinder head will sustain any
blow imparted to any of the pins, and prevent the transmission of the
stroke through the forward part of the pins to the cartridges.
The rectilinear reciprocating movement of the plate 51 is produced by
the rotary reciprocating movement of the outer cylinder 9 through the a
following mechanism :—A stud 53 with a bevelled end projects from the
lower edge of the plate 51 through the lock cylinder, and into an oblique

page_text: cavity 54 within the outer cylinder 9, when the said cylinder has com-
pleted the movement which advances the lock cylinder, and fixes it in
its foremost position. This position of the plate liberates the firing pins,
as before stated.
From the opposite edge of the plate 51 projects a guide pin 55 sur-
rounded by a spiral spring 56, tending to press and hold the plate in the
position last described. The backward rotation of the cylinder 9 forces the
stud 53 out of the cavity 54, clevating the plate, and thereby pressing
back the firing pins by reason of the bevelled parts at the lower margins
of the apertures 52 entering with a wedge-like action in front of the
collars 31.
For the
purpose of illustration, the movement of the check plate 51
has been described as vertical in direction, but it will be manifest
that it may be arranged to move horizontally or obliquely with like
effect.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode
in which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First. The cylinder 4 and perforated heads 7, 8, combined, substantially
as herein set forth, to form a receptacle for the charging block, and
permit the feeding of cartridges into the barrels.
Secondly. The locks or plungers 19 and lock cylinder 20, constructed
and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Thirdly. The oscillating cylinder 9 operating in combination with the
breech cylinder 4 and sliding lock cylinder 20, in manner substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourthly. The spiral grooves 21 and terminal notches or recesses 21°
on the periphery of the sliding cylinder operating in connection with
O the oscillating cylinder, as set forth.
Fifthly. The lock cylinder, locks, or plungers and firing pins, con-
structed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
21