Year: 1898

page_text: We, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, of 28, Victoria Street, Westminster, London,
Superintendent of Ordnance Works, and GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, of 28,
Victoria Street, Westminster aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates to the mounting of a breech loading gun in a fort in
such a manner that the whole of the mounting and the vital parts of the gun, as
well as the gunners and ammunition are completely protected and concealed, and
that the gun can be easily and quickly withdrawn inside the fort when it is not
in use.
The fort generally is constructed of masonary, on which is an armour plate roof,
preferably convex. In front there is an embrasure the bottom and sides of which
are preferably of thick chilled metal, strong enough to protect the lower part of
the mounting and the masonary. Above the embrasure a curved armour plate
which forms the front is secured inside to the sides of the embrasure. There are
also secured to the sides of the embrasure two wing armour plates which project
obliquely inwards so as to approach nearly to the centre of the gun mounting,
which is fixed close up to the front of the fort, and guarded by a circular fronted
armour shield.
Thus the construction of the front of the fort and the armour wing plates, the
position of the mounting and its circular shield, form an arrangement similar
to the casemate mounting of guns on board ship.
The whole of the fort except the embrasure may be covered up and concealed
with earthwork.
The gun when not in use can be withdrawn completely inside the fort on a
trolley which may run on rails carrying the breech end of the gun and cradle
while guide rollers on the mounting bear the weight of the chase of the gun. To
allow for the gun and cradle being quickly withdrawn as described, the trunnion
bearings are made with gaps which can be turned to the rear to allow the trun-
nions to be withdrawn as described in the Specification No. 10606 of 1896.
Projectiles may be stored round the inside of the fort, and ammunition in a
room constructed at the rear of the fort under the earthwork.
The fort may be made of sufficient width to accommodate several guns, each
shielded and situated behind an embrasure protected as described.
L Jonah 1808
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Concealed Fort for Artillery.
We, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, of 28, Victoria Street, Westminster, London,
Superintendent of Ordnance Works, and GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, of 28,
Victoria Street, Westminster aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:.
-
Our invention relates to the mounting of a breech loading gun in a fort in
such a manner that the whole of the mounting and the vital parts of the gun as
well as the gunners and ammunition are completely protected and concealed, and
that the gun can be easily and quickly withdrawn inside the fort when it is not
in use.
We shall describe a fort according to our invention referring to the accom-
panying drawings. Fig. 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan.
The fort generally is constructed of masonry A on which is an armour plate
roof B preferably convex. In front there is an embrasure the bottom C and
sides D of which are preferably of thick chilled metal, strong enough to protect
the lower part of the gun mounting and the masonry.
Above the embrasure a
curved armour plate E which forms the front is secured inside to the sides D of
the embrasure. There are also secured to the sides of the embrasure two wing
armour plates F which project obliquely inwards so as to approach nearly to the
centre of the gun mounting G, which is fixed close up to the front of the fort
and guarded by a circular fronted armour shield.
Thus the construction of the front of the fort and the armour wing plates F
the position of the mounting G and its circular shield M. form an arrangement
similar to the casemate mounting of guns on board ship.
The whole of the fort except the embrasure may be covered up and concealed
with earthwork H.
The gun when not in use can be withdrawn completely inside the fort on a
trolley K which may run on rails. This trolley is run under the breech end of
the gun and carries it and the cradle, while guide rollers on the mounting G
support the chase of the gun as the gun is run back. To allow for the gun and
cradle being quickly withdrawn as described, the trunnion bearings are made
with gaps which can be turned to the rear to allow the trunnions to be withdrawn
as described in the Specification of a Patent No. 10606 of 1896.
Projectiles may be stored round the inside of the fort, and ammunition
in a room L constructed at the rear of the fort under the earthwork.
The fort may be made of sufficient width to accommodate several guns, each
shielded and situated behind an embrasure protected as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim
is:-
A fort having sides and rear constructed of masonry and an armour plate roof
having in its front an embrasure with bottom and sides made of chilled metal,
its upper part closed by a curved armour plate and on each side an oblique wing
plate substantially as described.
DAIL
£ Naamhan 1808