Year: 1885

page_text: I JOSIAH VAVASSEUR of the London Ordnance Works, Southwark in the
County of Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:—
According to this invention a pair of guns 'is mounted side by side on slides
carried by a turntable. The gun carriages are provided with hydraulic compressors
which automatically control the recoil and the running out the gun by gravity
down the inclined slide..
The turntable is rotated by means of a ring of internal teeth upon it and
pinions on vertical axes gearing with these teeth. The guns are elevated each by
a hand wheel and toothed gear driving an axis parallel to the face of the slide;
moveable along this axis there is a worm gearing with a worm wheel on the gun
carriage.
A spur wheel on the same axis with the worm wheel actuates another wheel
and this engages with an are of teeth bolted on the gun concentric with the
trunnion.
When the guns are in the firing position their centres of gravity are by
preference in front of the pivot of the turntable and to counterpoise the turn-
table as well as for convenience in working the gun. Shot lockers are provided
beneath the floor of the service or loading platform which rotate with the
mounting; the lids of these lockers form the floor of the platform.
The shot is lifted to the gun by a shot crane provided at the rear of the gun
slide or by other suitable gear. The powder charge is brought up from beneath
through a trunk in the centre of the turn table and is lodged in a covered powder
case between the two guns; it is taken from this case by the gunners when
required for use.

page_text: Improvements in Mounting Ordnance.
I JOSIAH VAVASSEUR of the London Ordnance Works 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:—
According to this invention a pair of guns is mounted side by side on slides
carried by a turntable.-The gun carriages are provided with hydraulic compressors
which automatically control the recoil and the running out the gun by gravity
down the inclined slide.
The turntable is rotated by means of a ring of internal teeth upon it and
pinions on vertical axes gearing with these teeth The guns are elevated each by
a hand wheel and toothed gear driving an axis parallel to the face of the slide
moveable along this axis there is a worm gearing with a worm wheel on the gun
carriage.
A spur wheel on the same axis with the worm wheel actuates another wheel
and this engages with an are of teeth bolted on the gun concentric with the
trunnion.
When the guns are in the firing position their centres of gravity are by
preference in front of the pivot of the turn table and to counterpoise the turn
table as well as for convenience in working the gun Shot lockers are provided
beneath the floor of the service or loading platform which rotate with the
mounting the lids of these lockers form the floor of the platform.
The shot is lifted to the gun by a shot crane provided at the rear of the gun
slide or by other suitable gear. The powder charge is brought up from beneath
through a trunk in the centre of the turn table and is lodged in a covered powder
case between the two guns, it is taken from this case by the gunners when
required for use.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section and Figure 2 is a plan also partly in
section showing a pair of guns mounted side by side on slides carried by a turn
table the whole arranged in accordance with my invention.
A. A is the stationary deck or platform on which the structure is carried-B is a
ring rail fixed thereon-C is a turn table supported on rollers D bearing upon the
rail B-C is a ring of internal teeth fixed upon the turn table-E E are pinions
gearing with this ring-they are turned by suitable gear for the purpose of
revolving the turn table and bringing the guns to bear-F F are the gun slides

page_text: fixed upon the turn table-G G are the gun carriages and H, H, are the guns.
The guns are carried by their trunnions H', H', in bearings on the carriages G.
When the gun is fired the gun together with the carriage recoils up the incline of
the slide F and after so recoiling it returns by gravity down the incline to the
firing position, either immediately or when it is permitted to do so. In these
movements the gun and carriage are controlled by hydraulic compressors. The
cylinders of these compressors are formed in the cheeks of the carriage and I. I. are
their piston rods; these are attached to the gun slide. The construction of these
hydraulic compressors forms no part of my present invention; they are described
in the specifications of former Patents granted to me. KK are hand wheels of
the elevating gear. There is a pinion upon the axis of the wheel K and this gears
with a spur wheel upon an axis L which is carried in bearings upon the slide F
and parallel to its face. The axis L at M carries a worm which turns with the
axis but with a key and feather is able to slide along it, so that the worm always
remains in gear with the worm wheel N although the axis of this wheel is carried
in bearings on the carriage which recoils with the gun. On the axis of the wheel N
there is a pinion which engages with the teeth of a wheel O also mounted upon
the gun carriage, and this wheel engages with an arc P fixed upon the gun and
concentric with its trunnions H¹.
This arrangement of elevating gear allows of the hand wheel K being employed
to adjust the aim up to the moment when the gun is fired, the recoil of the gun
being provided for by the sliding of the worm M along the axis L. C' is the
service platform forming part of the turn table C and moving with it; it over-
hangs the rail B and to support it an auxiliary rail may be provided. C$, C², are
wheels upon this portion of the turn table running upon the rail Q. C³, C³, are
shot lockers beneath the floor C₁ of the service platform; the floor is suitably
divided and jointed to allow of a ready access to the projectiles. The shot are
here very conveniently placed and readily accessible for use, and as already
mentioned, they may serve more or less to counterpoise the weight of the gun.
RR are shot cranes mounted on the gun slides and by the aid of these the shot
are lifted out of the lockers and inserted into the breech of the gun.
In the drawings a projectile is shown at S hanging suspended from the shot
crane in position to be pushed into the breech of the gun. T, T, is the powder
trunk through which the powder charge contained in a suitable case is hoisted up
from below and is presented to the gunner between the breeches of the guns in a
position convenient for loading. The upper part T¹ of the powder trunk is fixed
to the turn table and moves with it-U is the powder case; it is indicated by
dotted lines in the drawings. This powder case is a cylinder with a suitable cover
attached by an universal joint to the upper end of the pusher V which is raised
and lowered in any convenient manner to carry the powder case U up and down
the trunk.
It will be seen that whatever the position in which the guns may be and
wherever may be the object at which they are aimed, the powder charge is always
brought up in the same place relatively to the guns in a convenient position
between them. .
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
1. The general arrangement of the mounting for ordnance substantially as
described.
2. Elevating gear comprising an axis mounted in bearings on the slide and
parallel with its face; a worm moveable along this axis; a worm wheel on the
carriage gearing with the worm and a toothed are on the gun concentric with
the trunnion, the whole so combined and arranged that by turning the axis the
requisite elevation can be given to the gun.

page_text: 3.—Elevating 'gear substantially as described and illustrated by the annexed
drawings.
4. The combination with a turn table and a gun mounting, of shot lockers on
the turn table beneath the floor of the service platform.
5. The powder trunk passing up through the centre of the turn table and
delivering the charge between the breech ends of the two guns which the turn
table carries.