Improvements in Ammunition Wagons and Mounting of Ordnance.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1886.
Complete Left, 2nd May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 2nd July, 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Wagons and Mounting of Ordnance.
RICHARD HAMBLY HUGHES, Furrier 307 Mare Street Hackney in the county of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present Invention has for its object the improvement of ammunition waggons
and the mounting of Ordnance. In applying my Invention I use an arrangement of
balls similar to that employed in my ball bearing Castor (specified in my application
for letters patent No. 3753/86) which I now apply to the moving of heavy ordnance
and appliances connected therewith such as fortress guns, the mounting of artillery of all
kinds and all purposes connected with guns, gun carriages, ammunition waggons, in
place of wheels or rollers as are now employed; the result being that the said guns
can be made to describe on their own axis a complete circle whilst the power required
to move them is vastly less than with wheels.
In place of wheels or axles I fit to the gun carriage or waggon two or more metal
casings each of which is made to hold one large or main ball and this main ball is
carried or supported by one or more smaller balls held in a recess or recesses in the
top of the casing; in other recesses in the casing (which recesses are preferably at or
near the horizontal centre line of the main ball) 1 place three or more balls which
serve as guide balls and prevent the main ball from touching the casing, this casing is
preferably made in two parts screwed or bolted together and forming the larger half
of a circle so that if the gun carriage or waggon is lifted off the ground the balls
cannot drop out owing to the edge of the casing coming below the centre of the main
ball and being of a smaller diameter than the main ball at its centre.
Dated this 30th day of June 1886.
ROBERT ABRAM LEE,
76, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Wagons and Mounting of Ordnance.
RICHARD HAMBLY HUGHES 307 & 309 Mare Street Hackney Middlesex Furrier,
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:-
My present invention has for its object the improvement ammunition wagons and
the mounting of ordnance. In applying my Invention I use an arrangement of balls,
similar to that employed in my ball bearing castor (Specified in my application for
letters patent No. 37538) which I now apply to the moving of heavy ordnance and
appliances connected therewith such as fortress guns, the mounting of artillery of all
kinds and all purposes, connected with guns, gun carriages, ammunition wagons, in
place of wheels or rollers as are now employed; the result being that the said guns
can be made to describe on their own axis a complete circle whilst the power required
to move them is vastly less than with wheels.
In place of wheels or axles I fit to the gun carriage or wagon, two or more metal
casings; each of which is made to hold one large or main ball & this main ball is
carried or supported by one or more smaller balls held in a recess or recesses in the
casing (which recesses are preferably at or near the horizontal centre line of the
main ball) I place three or more balls which serve as guide balls & prevent the main
ball from touching the casing, this casing is preferably made in two parts screwed or
bolted together & forming the larger half of a circle so that if the gun carriage or
is lifted off the ground the balls cannot drop out owing to the edge of the
wagon
casing coming below the centre of the main ball & being of a smaller diameter than
the main ball at its centre.
In carrying out my Invention I form the base of the gun carriage in two plates or
parts & on either the lower or upper plate I screw or fix any suitable number of ball-
bearings as before described in my provisional Specification; or as an alternative
arrangement I form the lower, or the upper plate of the gun carriage with recesses;
at the centre, & also near the outer edge of the plate; into these recesses I place the
runner balls. On the upper plate at its edge I make a circular rack into which a
pinion gears, this pinion being fixed to a shaft with bevel wheels & a handle attached
for rotating the plate in either direction. The lower plate at its outer edge is bevelled
& a corresponding bevelled ring fits against this & is firmly bolted to the upper
plate to prevent any lifting of the upper plate, caused by the recoil of the gun
when fired.
I do not limit myself to any particular form of gun carriage but can apply my
system of ball bearings (instead of wheels or rollers) to any of the forms of gun
carriage at present in use.
I also do not limit myself to any particular number of ball bearings & the position
of same may be varied to suit various requirements.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings Fig. I is an elevation & Fig. II a plan. A is the
lower plate B the upper plate, A¹ is the bevelled ring screwed or bolted to the plate B.
C is the centre pin or pivot fixed to the plate B & revolving in the plate A. D & E show
single balls. The ball bearing as described in my Provisional Specification is shown
at F. G is the pinion with the bevelled wheels H, H, and handle I serve to rotate
plate B. J is a bracket for carrying the bevelled wheels & pinion. The ball bearing
arrangement is only shown at F, but I wish it to be understood that this arrangement
is applicable to every position where a ball is required.
In applying my invention to ammunition wagons I fit in place of each wheel of the
wagon one ball bearing as above described and shown at F figures I & II of the
accompanying drawings the arrangement is most suitable for heavy wagons or Trolleys
used for moving heavy ammunition in Fortresses where such wagons or Trolleys are
moved by manual power and I wish it to be understood that I do not apply or claim
this system for wagons that are to be drawn by horses.
In the case of using single balls only in recesses, the system of compound bearing
need not be employed, or in some cases I may employ the two systems combined.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
& in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
Claims. 1st. In a turntable for mounting a gun carriage fitting either the upper
or lower plate with ball bearings, so that one plate revolves on these ball bearings, for
revolving the gun to any desired position.
2nd. In a turntable for mounting a gun carriage making recesses on either the
upper or lower plate & placing balls for bearings therein.
3rd. In a turntable for mounting a gun carriage fitting either the upper or lower
plate with any number of ball bearings in the form of seperate complete bearings,
each main ball being surrounded by three or more smaller balls, the main ball resting
against one top ball.
4th. The general combination forming my improved mounting for gun carriages
substantially as described.
Dated thin and day of Mo 1987