Improvements in Apparatus for Working Guns.
Year: 1890

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 5th day of November 1891, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
Date of Applic tion, 27th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Guns.
We, ANDREW NOBLE, a Companion of the Bath, late Captain in the Royal
Artillery, Manufacturing Engineer, and CHARLES HENRY MURRAY, Engineer, both
of the Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
When a hydraulic recoil press is also used for the purpose of running the gun in
and out, it is necessary to attach pipes to it to supply the pressure water, and it is a
matter of importance to prevent the very high pressure which is generated during
the recoil of the gun from entering the pipe attached to the rear of the recoil press.
According to our invention we cut off the communicating passage of the recoil
press from the pipe by a valve which we call a disconnecting valve, so contrived.
that it does not interfere with the passage to and fro of the water, between the pipe
and the press when the press is being used to run the gun in and out, but that it entirely
prevents any water from passing from the press to the pipe during the recoil of
the gun.
We allow the water to get out of the press when the gun is to be run in, by
causing the disconnecting valve to be opened by the application of water under
pressure to a cylinder and ram provided for the purpose, or by a spring or by water
power which comes into play on the withdrawal of water pressure from a cylinder or
ram provided for the purpose.
The disconnecting-valve fitted to the rear of the recoil press is a non-return or
clack valve lightly loaded with a spring or springs, so as to remain closed to any
passage of water outward from the recoil press except when it is forced open to allow
the water to pass out when the gun is to he run in.
According to one method we fit a ram and cylinder which acts upon and opens
the clack valve by forcing it open against the action of its closing spring. In this
case we supply water to this ram and cylinder from the gun working valve at the
same moment that the gun working valve is opened to exhaust to provide the passage
for the water from the rear of the recoil press.
By a second method we fit a powerful spring which is able to overcome the action
of the closing spring. This powerful spring is kept out of action by a hydraulic
cylinder and ram which receive pressure water whenever pressure water is supplied
to the pipe connected with the rear of the recoil press. When this bydraulic
cylinder does not receive pressure the powerful spring acts to throw the clack valve
open, this always occurring when this pipe is opened to exhaust. In place of this
powerful spring we sometimes fit a means by which pressure water can take its place.
In this case the pressure can be supplied from any convenient pipe passing near and
constantly supplied with pressure water, or it can be supplied direct from the gun
working valve whenever the gun working valve opens the passage to exhaust the
rear pipe.
Dated this 26th day of March 1890.
NADIn
A. NOBLE.
C. H. MURRAY.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Guns.
We, ANDREW NOBLE, a Companion of the Bath, late Captain in the Royal
Artillery, Manufacturing Engineer, and CHARLES HENRY MURRAY, Engineer, both
of the Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 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 :-
When a hydraulic recoil press is also used for the purpose of running the gun in
and out; it is necessary to attach pipes to it to supply the pressure water, and it
is a matter of importance to prevent the very high pressure which is generated
during the recoil of the gun from entering the pipe attached to the rear of the recoil
press.
According to our invention we cut off the communicating passage of the recoil
press from the pipe by a valve which we call a disconnecting valve, so contrived that
it does not interfere with the passage to and fro of the water, between the pipe and
the press when the press is being used to run the gun in and out, but that it entirely
prevents any water from passing from the press to the pipe during the recoil of
the gun.
We allow the water to get out of the press when the gun is to be run in, by
causing the disconnecting valve to be opened by the application of water under
pressure to a cylinder and ram provided for the purpose, or to be opened by a spring
or by water power which comes into play on the withdrawal of water pressure from
a cylinder or ram provided for the purpose.
The disconnecting valve fitted to the rear of the recoil press is a non-return or
clack valve lightly loaded with a spring or springs, so as to remain closed to any
passage of water outward from the recoil press except when it is forced open to allow
the water to pass out when the gun is to be run in.
According to one method we fit a ram and cylinder which acts upon and opens the
clack valve by forcing it open against the action of its closing spring. In this case
we supply water to this ram and cylinder from the gun working valve at the same
moment that the gun working valve is opened to exhaust to provide the passage for
the water from the rear of the recoil press.
By a second method we fit a powerful spring which is able to overcome the action
of the closing spring. This powerful spring is kept out of action by a hydraulic
cylinder and ram which receive pressure water whenever pressure water is supplied
to the pipe connected with the rear of the recoil press. When this hydraulic cylinder
does not receive pressure the powerful spring acts to throw the clack valve open, this
always occurring when this pipe is opened to exhaust. In place of this powerful
spring we sometimes fit a means by which pressure water can take its place. In
this case the pressure can be supplied from any convenient pipe passing near and
constantly supplied with pressure water, or it can be supplied direct from the gun
working-valve whenever the gun working-valve opens the passage to exhaust the
rear pipe.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section. Figure 2 is a rear elevation and Figure 3 is a
plan of apparatus in accordance with our invention and containing a disconnecting
valve which the water has to pass both to enter the recoil press in order to run the gun
out and to leave the recoil press to admit of the gun being run in without firing. In
this arrangement the disconnecting valve is removed from its seat when required by a
small rain provided for the purpose.

page_text: Figures 4, 5 and 6 show similar views of a like apparatus in which the disconnecting
valve is lifted by a powerful spring which is held out of action by an hydraulic
appliance when there is pressure in the pipe behind the valve.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 show similar views of another apparatus in which the disconnecting
valve is removed from its seat by a spring, and the spring at other times is held out of
action by an hydraulic appliance.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 show similar views of an apparatus in which the disconnecting
valve is removed from its seat by a constant hydraulic pressure which when there is
pressure in the pipe behind the valve is overcome by this counter pressure.
In Figures 1, 2 and 3, ABCD is the body of the disconnecting valve of which
the side A B is fixed to the rear end of the recoil press so that E F makes the passage
into the recoil press. By the passage EF pressure water is admitted to the recoil
press in order to run the gun out and is drawn off to allow it to run in. This passage
is cut off from the supply and exhaust pipe G H, by the non-return or clack valve J
which is kept closed during recoil but is opened when the gun is to be run in without
firing. The valve J is kept shut from the inside of the recoil press by the springs K
and L, which pull it on to its seat by, the crossheads M and N and the levers ().
The hydraulic rain by which the valve J is forced open, when it is desired to exhaust
the recoil press is shewn at P, and acts on the crosshea M so as to move the levers O
against the action of the springs K and L, and so as to pull off the valve from its seat
by the levers O and the crosshead N.
To cause this action to take place pressure water is admitted (to act on the ram P)
by the pipe Q whenever the pipe G H is opened to exhaust.
When pressure is
supplied to the pipe G H to run the gun out, the pressure is removed from the
ram P, which is then put in communication with the exhaust by the gun working
valve. The pressure water then passes into the recoil press by lifting the clack
valve against the action of the springs K and L, these springs naturally closing
the valve as soon as the gun is fully run out and equilibrium of water pressure is
established on each side of the clack valve.
It is unnecessary to show and describe the recoil press for same presses are well
known and in common use.
In Figures 4, 5, and 6 the body of the valve and the clack valve are the same
as before, but the valve is loaded by a pair of springs applied direct to the cross-
head on the valve spindle. The lever O is not fixed to the crosshead so that the
valve is free to lift without disturbing the lever, which only passes under the
crosshead. The lever O lifts the clack valve, by the action of the powerful spring R
unless the spring R is kept out of action by the cylinder and ram S and T. When
pressure water is supplied to the pipe GH, it passes by the small passage U to the
cylinder S, and acts upon the rain T which is connected to the lever O and the
spring R by a pair of links V V, so that the spring R and the lever do not act to
lift the clack valve J, which remains held on its seat only by the light springs K and I,
and is therefore free to lift to admit pressure to run out the gun. The valve is
brought on to its seat again by the springs K and 1. when the gun has finished
running out.
When the pipe G H is open to exhaust, the cylinder S will also exhaust through
the passage U, so that the powerful spring R will be left free to lift up the clack
valve J through the lever Ô and the crosshead N, thus allowing the recoil press to
exhaust through E F, and G H.
In Figures 7, 8 and 9 the arrangement is modified from the last by placing the
spring which closes the clack valve J entirely within the body of the valve thereby
avoiding the friction of the packing of the spindles which in the former example pass
through to the outside of the body of the valve. The cylinder S is formed in line
with the clack valve so that its ram T is immediately below the clack valve from which
it is withdrawn only when pressure exists in the pipe G H. When the pipe G H is
opened to exhaust, the ram is thrust in by the powerful spring R which then lifts the
valve J., open against the action of its own light spring K.
In Figures 10, 11 and 12 the spring R of the preceding figures which acts to open

page_text: When
the disconnecting valve is replaced by a constant water pressure. The cylinder S is
provided with a piston W and ram T. The constant water pressure which takes the
place of the spring R is supplied to the cylinder S through the pipe ✗
pressure exists in pipe G H it overcomes the pressure on the back of the
piston by the amount due to the ram T, but when the pipe G H is opened to
exhaust the pressure supplied through pipe X and acting on the back of the
piston W will force up the clack valve J as before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we do
not claim the use for the purpose specified of a non-return valve having a piston
upon its stem and a spring surrounding the same; and the said piston contained in
a cylinder connected with a source of hydraulic power when running the gun in or
out without firing and open to the exhaust when recoiling but what we claim is:―
1. The combination substantially as described consisting of a recoil press controlling
the recoil of the gun and also serving for running the gun in and out; a disconnecting
valve preventing the recoil of the pressure water when the gun recoils, and an
appliance for forcing the disconnecting valve from its sent to admit of water-being
exhausted from the press thereby allowing of-the-gun being run in without firing,
2. Apparatus substantially as described and represented by the annexed-drawings.
1. The arrangement described in respect to the Figures 1, 2 and 3, in which when
the gun is to run in the disconnecting valve J is consed to be opened by the application
of water under pressure to a cylinder and ram P provided for the purpose; such ram P
then moving outwards, overpowering springs KL attached to its crosshead M and by
means of levers O jointed to the stem of the valve J lifting the said valve from its seat.
2. The arrangement described in respect to the Figures 4, 5 and 6, in which the
valve J is opened by a spring R which comes into play on the withdrawal of water
pressure from a cylinder S and ram T' provided for the purpose.
3. The arrangement described in respect to the Figures 7, 8 and 9 in which the
spring R operates directly upon the ram T to force it into contact with the stem of the
valve J.
4 The arrangement described in respect to Figures 10, 11 and 12 in which the
spring is replaced by a constant water pressure.
5. Mechanism arranged as herein described in respect to the Figures 4 to 12 so that
the disconnecting valve J is opened when the gun is to be run in; by these being pro-
vided in connection with the said valve a spring or constant water pressure tending to
open the valve which is held in check by pressure in the supply and exhaust pipe GH
but comes into play in the absence of pressure therein.
Dated this 10th day of December 1890.