AN IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE, WHICH IMPROVEMENT IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN EFFECTING THE MOVEMENTS OF PARTS IN OTHER APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 62, Chancery Lane, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE, WHICH
IMPROVEMENT IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN EFFECTING THE MOVEMENTS OF PARTS
IN OTHER APPARATUS."-A communication from abroad by Heinrich
Heusser, of Pola, in the Empire of Austria, Chief Engineer of
Machinery of the Imperial Dockyard of the said Pola.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th October 1872.
I, WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, London, in the County
5 of Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING
ORDNANCE, WHICH IMPROVEMENT IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN EFFECTING THE MOVE-
MENTS OF PARTS IN OTHER APPARATUS," (the same being a communication to
me from abroad by Heinrich Heusser, of Pola, in the Empire of Austria,

page_text: Chief Engineer of Machinery of the Imperial Dockyard of the said
Pola) to be as follows:—
°
The object of the Invention is to simplify the movements of the plug
or moveable breech piece in breech-loading ordnance by the use of a
screw with a variable pitch adapted to enable such screw to act at parts
by slow speeds with great power, and with increased speed though with
less power at the intermediate parts where so great a power is not an
object. For this purpose the screw to give motion to the plug or breech
piece is held by clips or a fork or a tongue, or other suitable piece acting
on the neck of it, so that it may simply revolve in the plug or breech
piece of the gun, and the main thread of this screw in place of being of one
uniform pitch is formed with several changes of pitch, a slow pitch at
each.end and at or about midway thereof, with a fast pitch at the two
intermediate parts, all communicating, and this thread acts simply upon
a stud or follower, which by passing into the thread of the screw may
readily follow the course of that thread whatever the variation in the
pitch of it.
•
The stud or follower forming a portion of thread to act with the
thread of variable pitch may be capable of turning slightly on its centre,
corresponding with the variations of such pitch. This screw is also
provided with a short length of screw thread of uniform pitch, and the
breech of the gun is formed with or has applied to it a corresponding
female screw thread to act therewith just when the plug or breech piece
is drawn fully home to its place for firing.
The mode of applying such screw may however be varied, as may also
the extent, relation, and number of changes in the pitch of the thread
of the screw, and screws with variable pitch and stud pieces or followers
acting therewith are also applicable in giving variable motion to parts
of screw presses and other apparatus where alternate speed and power
are requisite.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Brookes, Her special license
that I, the said William Brookes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Brookes, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE, WHICH IMPROVEMENT IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN
EFFECTING THE MOVEMENTS OF PARTS IN OTHER Apparatus,” (the same being
a communication to me from abroad by Heinrich Heusser, of Pola, in
the Empire of Austria, Chief Engineer of Machinery of the Imperial
Dockyard of the said Pola, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Brookes, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Brookes, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
―:
The object of the Invention is to simplify the movements of the plug
or moveable breech piece in breech-loading ordnance by the use of a
screw with a variable pitch adapted to enable such screw to act at parts
by slow speeds with great power and with increased speeds though with
less power at the intermediate parts, where so great a power is not an
object. For this purpose the screw to give motion to the plug or breech
piece is held by clips or a fork or a tongue, or other suitable piece,
acting on the neck of it, so that it may simply revolve in the plug or
breech piece of the gun, and the main thread of this screw in place of
being of one uniform pitch is formed with several changes of pitch, a
slow pitch at each end and at or about midway thereof, with a fast pitch

page_text: and also at about the middle thereof at a, whilst this thread at the
intermediate parts a', a³, is of a faster pitch; c¹ is the stud or follower
carried by the stationary piece c, and adapted to pass into and follow
such variations in the course or pitch of the thread of the screw a. In
order that this stud c³ may be readily follow these variations in the course
of the thread of the screw a it will be seen that it is formed on a
neck c³, which is held with capability of turning in the piece c by a
washer d and screw d¹, but this may be varied. The screw a has also
formed on it another short length of screw thread aº, which when the
moveable breech piece is being driven fully home for firing comes into
the female thread c² formed in the piece c.
Figures 6 and 7 show a section and an external view of a piece c
and parts connected thereto adapted to be applied to parts of a press or
other apparatus on which variable speed or alternate speed and power
are required.
Having thus described the Invention as communicated to me, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
shown and described, as these may be varied without departing from the
peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do claim is, the arranging
or combining parts whereby variable speed may be obtained for operating
the breech piece of breech-loading ordnance, and the application thereof
to other apparatus requiring such variation of speed and power, substan-
tially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brookes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.S.)