Mountings for Guns in Ships.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Mountings for Guns in Ships.
I, Sir NATHANIEL BARNABY, K.C.B., of Moray House, Belmont Hill, Lewisham,
in the County of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
The introduction of very powerful explosives for projectiles, and the recent great
improvements in the rapidity of fire of breech loading guns make it desirable that the
smaller classes of guns, not hitherto protected by armour as to their supporting
platform, or as to their service of ammunition shall be protected in these respects.
The plan hitherto adopted or proposed for adoption for preventing the explosion of
shells beneath the platform, and for protecting the ammunition service is a reversion.
to the costly and inefficient side armour formerly used for protecting broadside guns but
of late years happily abandoned.
What I propose differs altogether from this, and is designed to prevent this reversion
to side armour.
I place the central pivot or revolving mounting for the gun upon the open top of
the vertical or nearly vertical armoured cylinder.
This cylinder extends from the armoured deck of the ship to a point a little below
the axis of the gun.
The cylinder is large enough to receive and embrace within its upper end the bed
plate and training rack for the mounting.
The top of the cylinder would stand some 18 inches more or less above the platform
or deck from which the gun would be worked.
The internal mean diameter of the cylinder for a 6 inch gun mounting would
generally be from five to six feet.
Beneath the deck and beneath the bed plate for the gun carriage there would be an
opening in the armoured cylinder through which the ammunition would be passed to
the breech of the gun.
The portion of the armoured cylinder beneath this point and down to the armoured
deck would form an armoured cover for the men and apparatus required for passing
up the ammunition.
Dated this 6th day of June 1889.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Mountings for Guns in Ships.
I, Sir NATHANIEL BARNABY, K.C.B., of Moray House, Belmont Hill, Lewisham,
in the County of Kent, 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 :-
The introduction of very powerful explosives for projectiles, and the recent great
improvements in the rapidity of fire of breech loading guns make it desirable that the
smaller classes of guns, not hitherto protected by armour as to their supporting
platform, or as to their service of ammunition shall be protected in these respects.
The plan hitherto adopted or proposed for adoption for preventing the explosion of
shells beneath the platform, and for protecting the ammunition service is a reversion
to the costly and inefficient side armour formerly used for protecting broadside guns but
of late years happily abandoned.

page_text: vy hat I propose differs altogether from this, and is designed to prevent this reversion
to side armour.
I place the central pivot or revolving mounting for the gun upon the top of the
vertical or nearly vertical armoured cylinder.
This cylinder extends from the armoured deck of the ship to a point a little below
the axis of the gun.
The cylinder is large enough to receive and support upon its upper end the bed
plate and training rack for the mounting.
The top of the cylinder would stand some 18 inches more or less above the platform
or deck from which the gun would be worked.
The internal mean diameter of the cylinder for a 6 inch gun mounting would
generally be from four to six feet.
Beneath the deck and beneath the bed plate for the gun carriage there may be an
opening in the armoured cylinder through which the ammunition may be passed to
the breech of the gun.
Or the ammunition may if preferred pass up through the base of the carriage.
The portion of the armoured cylinder beneath this point and down to the armoured
deck would form an armoured cover for the men and apparatus required for passing
up the ammunition.
The lower end of the armour cylinder would generally open into a passage way
communicating with the main ammunition magazines. Where this would be
inconvenient there would be temporary "supply" or "present use" magazines
which would be filled up from the main magazines when preparing the ship for
action.
In the annexed drawings Figure 1 shows a transverse vertical section of a portion
of the ship, with the upright a nearly upright armour plate cylinder and the quick
firing gun is shown in elevation.
a is the armoured hull of the ship. b is the shot proof deck, c is the armoured
cylinder extending up from the shot proof deck to carry the gun to support the same
and to form a passage for the supply of ammunition to it. d is the quick firing gun
with its carriage. ee are the upper decks and the side of the ship; these parts e and f
are not protected by armour and the cylinder c forms within them a firm support for
the gun. c is an opening in the cylinder c by which ammunition is conveyed out of
it for the service of the gun.
Figure 2 shows a stronger cylinder for the larger sizes of quick firing guns. In
this case the cylinder has or may have an inner lining of wood.
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. The means herein described for mounting guns in ships, viz., with the gun
standing upon the top of an armoured cylinder springing from an armoured deck
below.
2. The combination of the parts a b c and d substantially as described.
D
13
NATH. BARNABY.