IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE CARRIAGES AND BEDS OF GUNS, MORTARS, AND OTHER ORDNANCE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
"the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE CARRIAGES AND BEDS
OF GUNS, MORTARS, AND OTHER ORDNANCE."-A communication from
abroad by William Judson, of New York City, United States of
America..
Sealed the 6th April 1863, and dated the 31st October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st October 1862..
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE CARRIAGES
AND BEDS OF GUNS, MORTARS, AND OTHER ORDNANCE," being a communication
from William Judson, of New York, in the United States of America, to be
as follows:-
This Invention of "Improvements applicable to the Carriages and Beds of
Guns, Mortars, and other Ordnance" relates to the means of preventing the
injurious effects on the carriages of guns, and the carriages and beds of
mortars of the recoil that takes place on the discharge of a piece of
ordnance.
The Invention consists, first, in surrounding the trunnion with a ring or
block of vulcanized india-rubber, which, if preferred, may be placed in a box
which may be secured in any convenient way to the carriage of the gun or

page_text: other piece of ordnance, or the ring or block of rubber may be placed in a
recess made in the carriage itself. In order that the trunnions may work
with ease in their elastic bearing they should be surrounded with brass or
other metal collars to which if desired the india-rubber may be made to adhere.
The india-rubber block or ring may for convenience be screwed in a metal
box or case so that it may be removed from or adapted to the carriage with
facility. End plates may also be fitted to this box for the purpose of preventing
the rubber from bulging out laterally to too great an extent. In adapting the
india-rubber to the trunnions, care should be taken to so
that a greater quantity of rubber shall be placed on that side
where the recoil is to be resisted than on the other side.
the rings may be made of an excentric form.
dispose the mass
of the trunnion
For this reason
In order still further to counteract the recoil, the gun carriage may be
placed on a table, platform, or bed, the ends of which are provided with blocks
of india-rubber against which the lower part of the carriage will bear and.
thereby render the bed elastic. For mortars, as the thrust, is downwards, the
carriage may also be made to rest upon a bed composed of blocks of; india-
rubber, and in order to prevent the mortar from jumping off the elastic bed it
is kept down by strong bars which are bolted to the bed, plate, other blocks or
strips of rubber being placed between the holding down bars and the flange of
the carriage. In addition to these blocks of rubber other blocks may be
adapted to the front and rear ends of the bed so as to make the whole
elastic and yielding in whatever direction the thrust or recoil may take
place.
I would remark that the rubber used for the trunnions should be compressed
into the boxes so that
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office. for Patents, 66;. Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord;
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license, that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I,.the said William Edward Newton, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE CARRIAGES AND BEDS OF GUNS, MORTARS, AND
OTHER ORDNANCE," being a communication from abroad upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature. of the said Invention, 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 monthis next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward: Newton, do hereby
declare 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto 'annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements applicable to the Carriages and Beds
of Guns, Mortars, and other Ordnance," relates to the means of preventing the
injurious effects on the carriages of guns and the carriages and beds of
mortars of the recoil that takes place on the discharge of a piece of
ordnance.
The Invention consists, first, in surrounding the trunnion with a ring or
:block of vulcanized india-rubber, which, if preferred, may be placed in a box.
.which may be secured in any convenient way to the carriage; of the gun or
other piece of ordnance, or the ring or block of rubber may be placed in a
recess made in the carriage itself. In order that the trunnions may work
with ease in their elastic bearing, they should be surrounded with brass or
other metal collars to which, if desired, the india-rubber may be made to adhere.
The india-rubber. block or ring may for convenience be secured in a metal
box or case, so that it may be removed from or adapted to the carriage with
facility. End plates may also be fitted to this box for the purpose of preven-
ting the rubber from bulging out laterally to too great an extent. In adapting
the india-rubber to the trunnions, care should be taken to so dispose the mass
that a greater quantity of rubber shall be placed on that side of the trunnion

page_text: where the recoil is to be resisted than on the other side. For this reason the
rings may be made of an excentric form.
In order still further to counteract the recoil the gun carriage may be
placed on a table, platform, or bed, the ends of which are provided with blocks
of india-rubber against which the lower part of the carriage will bear and
thereby render the bed elastic. For mortars as the thrust is downwards the
carriage may also be made to rest upon a bed composed of blocks of india-
rubber, and in order to prevent the mortar from jumping off the elastic bed it
is kept down by strong bars which are bolted to the bed plate, other blocks or
strips of rubber being placed between the holding down bars and the flange
of the carriage. In addition to these blocks of rubber, other blocks may be
adapted to the front and rear ends of the bed so as to make the whole
elastic and yielding in whatever direction the thrust or recoil may take
place.
I would remark that the rubber used for the trunnions should be compressed
into the boxes so that when a thrust on one side takes place the rubber may
give out on the other.
The nature of this Invention therefore consists in the use of india-rubber
for and its application to the trunnions of mortars, guns, or ordnance around
them as bearings and before and behind the carriages of mortars, guns, or
ordnance on their beds to resist the force of the recoil and reaction in firing.
In the application and use of india-rubber above and below and before
and behind the beds of mortars to resist the force of the recoil and reaction
in firing. In the mode or method of checking the gun at the farthest
limit of its recoil. And in the use and application of an excentric ring
enclosing the india-rubber around the trunnions of mortars.
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a gun and its carriage, the trunnions of the
gun being surrounded with india-rubber, which is enclosed in a brass frame
or encasement; Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of Fig. 1 in line X, X.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a modification of the plan
and the trunnions of the gun in square bearings which slide in a frame or
encasement with forms of india-rubber before and behind the bearings of the
trunnions; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a mortar with an excentric ring of
india-rubber surrounding the trunnions and forms of india-rubber below and
above, and before and behind the base of its bed; Fig. 6 is a front view of
Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side view of a gun carriage provided with end plates. It
will be observed that upon all the plans here shown in whatever part of the
bearings or supports of the trunnions, the india-rubber is placed which is shown
in color in all the Figures, the direct force producing the recoil will be trans-

page_text: mitted to the india-rubber, and the subsequent reaction of the force thus
applied will be expended upon the india-rubber in the opposite direction from
that of the recoil. When the trunnions are made separate and strapped on
the gun or mortar, the strapping can be made lighter by the use and application
of this Invention; G, G,. (Figs. 1 and 3) are blocks of india-rubber placed at
the back of the carriage to check it at the farthest limit of its recoil; E, (Fig. 3,)
is a catch that holds the carriage back when it arrives at the farthest limit of
the recoil, and which must be liberated from it when the gun is to be run
forward by pressing upon the lever F. To obtain a continuous resistance to
the force of the recoil and reaction of the gun or mortar, the india-rubber may
be so applied under such a degree of tension, and in such quantity as that
while it is compressed in the recoil on one side it will at the same time be
extended on the other side, and thereby be in a condition to resist the force
of the reaction at the termination of the recoil in firing..
In order to obtain the best results the length of the trunnions should be
increased so as to admit a sufficient quantity of india-rubber to sustain the
weight and concussion of the gun or mortar in firing; this is more especially
necessary in mortars. The only kind of india-rubber that should be used for
the purposes herein specified should be that which is commonly known to
manufacturers of said article and in commerce as vulcanized rubber or-vul-
canized gum or caoutchouc. In all cases where the india-rubber is applied
to the trunnions of guns or mortars there must be metal bearings around these
trunnions either in the shape of rings as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or in the
form of a square as in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows the form in which india-rubber
can be applied to the bearings of the trunnions of mortars, being an excentric
ring standing in a semicircular cavity and held in that position by a semi-
circular cap. In Fig. 6 it will be seen that a form or block of india-rubber
His placed under the carriage so as to receive the downward thrust, and in
order to prevent the jumping action of the recoil upon the carriage and mortar,
forms or blocks of india-rubber I, I, are placed upon the flange of the carriage
and are held down by bars J, J, bolted down to the bed; K, K, are blocks of
india-rubber at the front and rear ends of the bed. The frames or encase-
ments should be made with ears or lugs projecting from each side in a line
with the gun for the purpose of fastening the frames or encasement firmly to
the carriage by means of bolts which pass through the carriage and are pro-
vided with screw nuts. End plates of metal may be attached to the carriage
so as to completely encase the india-rubber as shewn in section at Figs. 2, and
in side view at Fig. 7.
I do not claim the application and use of the sliding bearings around

page_text: the trunnions of guns as shown in Fig. 4 in the Drawings. I also do
'not claim all modes or methods whatsoever for resisting the force of the
recoil and reaction produced by the firing of guns or ordnance except by
the modes or methods for resisting the force of the recoil and reaction
produced by the firing of guns or ordnance (but not of mortars) as herein
'described. :
What I 'claim as my improvement and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is, first, the use of vulcanized india-rubber or caoutchouc for and its
'application to the trunnions of mortars, guns, or ordnance around them as
bearings, and behind and before the carriages of mortars, guns, or ordnance on
their beds to resist the force of the recoil and reaction in firing as herein
'described.
:.:.
.. Second, I also claim the application and use of vulcanized india-rubber
or caoutchouc above and below and before and behind the beds of mortars
'to resist the force of the recoil and reaction in firing as herein described.
Third, I 'also claim the mode or method of checking the gun at the farthest
limit of its recoil as herein described.
*
Fourth, I also claim the combination of metal rings as bearings around the
'trunnions of guns and mortars with the forms of vulcanized india-rubber in
"their encasements as herein described. ....
Fifth, I also claim the mode or method of resisting the force of the
recoil and reaction of mortars in firing by an excentric ring as herein
described...
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of
our Lord Oné thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)