Improvements in or connected with Ordnance.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left. 13th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Ordnance.
I, RALPH HALL, of 8 Dixon Avenue, Crosshill, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its objects to facilitate the initial or starting movement
of a heavy shot, and to diminish the resistance which, in ordinary ordnance, a shot
experiences within the barrel of the piece.
In carrying out my invention I apply apparatus for forming an approximate vacuum
in the barrel of the piece, between the shot and the muzzle. For this purpose I connect
one end of a pipe to the barrel, by preference, near the muzzle, and at the upper part;
and I connect the other end of the same pipe to exhausting air pumps or other suitable
exhausting apparatus. For the exhausting apparatus I prefer to employ a large vessel
from which air has been previously exhausted, or from which air is being continuously
exhausted, in order that when a stopcock on the connecting pipe is opened the air in
the barrel of the gun may be very speedily exhausted or reduced to an extremely low
pressure.
In the case of a muzzle-loading gun a plug or cover is applied to the muzzle, such
plug or cover being made' to close the barrel in an air-tight manner.
This plug or
cover, which whilst strong enough for its purpose, should be as light as possible, will
be carried away by the shot. In the case of a breech-loading gun the muzzle may be
closed in the same way; but for cases in which it is desired to avoid the danger of
exposing an artilleryman in placing the plug or cover at the muzzle, a plug may be
used which can be passed through the barrel from the breech end, such plug being
constructed with an expanding head or flange, which, on the plug reaching the muzzle
will hear on the outside of the muzzle and prevent the plug from being driven in
when the atmospheric pressure comes to act on it. To prevent the expanding plug
from being pushed too far out, an arm may be temporarily turned in front of the plug,
such arm being on the front end of a rocking shaft carried parallel to the gun and
fitted with a lever handle at its back end.
In the case of a breech-loading gun provision must be made for rendering the
breech perfectly air-tight or as nearly so as practicable, or the shot must by the aid
of suitable appliances be made to fit practically air-tight, so that there may be no
appreciable leakage when the air between the shot and the muzzle is exhausted.
With the apparatus or arrangements herein before described, when the explosive
charge is ignited, the shot will start more easily and speedily into motion, than in
ordinary ordnance; and the crowding or compressing of the air in front of the shot
which, it is believed, takes place in ordinary ordnance owing to the comparative
slowness of the escape of the air from the muzzle is avoided. It follows that with a
given explosive charge and weight of shot the shot must have an increased initial
velocity and a consequently increased range.
Dated this Thirteenth day of January 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Ordnance.
I, RALPH HALL, of 8 Dixon Avenue, Crosshill, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Electrical Engineer, 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, that is to say
My said invention has for its objects to facilitate the initial or starting movement of
a heavy shot, and to diminish the resistance which in ordinary ordnance, a shot
experiences within the barrel of the piece.
In carrying out my invention I apply apparatus for forming an approximate vacuum
in the barrel of the piece between the shot and the muzzle. For this purpose I
connect one end of a pipe to the barrel, by preference, near the muzzle; and I connect
the other end of the same pipe to exhausting air pumps or other suitable exhausting
apparatus. For the exhausting apparatus I prefer to employ a large vessel from which
air has been previously exhausted, or from which air is being continuously exhausted,
in order that when a stopcock on the connecting pipe is opened the air in the barrel
of the gun may be very speedily exhausted or reduced to an extremely low pressure.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing by way of example certain simple modifications
of my improved apparatus.
Figure, 1, on the sheet of drawings shows part of a gun partly in section; and
Figures, 2, to 6, show details and are hereinafter particularised.
In Figure, 1, there is shown connected to the gun barrel, A, near the muzzle, B, a
pipe, C, which is connected to air-exhausting apparatus (not shown) and is fitted with
a stopcock, D. The pipe, C, is coupled to a bush or nipple screwed into the barrel, A,
this bush being fitted with a valve, E, which is pressed inwards so as to be slightly
open but without extending at all into the bore of the gun, by a helical spring capable
of withstanding atmospheric pressure but not more. The valve, E, allows air to be
exhausted through the pipe, C, but closes immediately on a greater than atmospheric
pressure acting on it. Before exhausting the air from the barrel, A, a plug or cover, F,
is applied to the muzzle, this cover being provided with a flat ring of rubber or other
suitable material so as to form an airtight joint when the atmospheric pressure acts on
the outside of the plug against the internal vacuum. This simple arrangement of the
plug or cover, F, is applicable for a muzzle-loading gun, or whenever the muzzle is
conveniently accessible.
The plug or cover, F, which whilst strong enough for its purpose should be as light
as possible, will be carried away by the shot.
In the case of a breech-loading gun the muzzle may be closed in the same way
when convenient; but for cases in which it is desired to avoid the danger, of exposing
an artilleryman in placing the plug or cover at the muzzle, a plug may be used which
can be passed through the barrel from the breech end, such plug being constructed
with an expanding head or flange. An expanding plug of this kind is shown in
Figures, 3, 4, and 5, of the drawings, Figure, 3, being a section showing the plug as
passing through the barrel, and Figure, 4, being a sectional side elevation showing
the plug as having reached the muzzle and become expanded, whilst Figure, 5, is an
end elevation. The plug consists of a body, G, of wood made with a disk-shaped
head, H, fitting just within the barrel, A, and having an outer metal head, J, on a
central rod, K. To the body, G, there are hinged four wooden leaves, L, L, M, M,
made with bevilled radial edges in such manner that two, L, L, can be turned inwards
a little in advance of the other two, M, M, and all four be got within the diameter of the
bore of the gun. A flanged sleeve or band, N, of rubber is attached to the inner
edges of the leaves, L, L, M, M, at suitable points; and this rubber band is contracted
or doubled inwards within the barrel in one position as shown in Figure, 3, and
expands when the muzzle is reached, as shown in Figure, 4. For pushing the plug

page_text: from the breech end along the bore of the gun a rod, P, is provided as shown in
Figure, 3, having at its end a bayonet joint, to engage with a pin, Q, in the central
rod, K, of the plug. And to keep the expanded plag in position at the muzzle when
the rod, P, is withdrawn and before the air is exhausted from the barrel, there is
provided an arm, R, which can be temporarily turned in front of the plug as shown in
Figure, 6, such arm being on the front end of a rocking shaft, S, carried parallel to
the gun and fitted with a lever handle, T, at its back end.
In the case of a breech-loading gun provision must be made for rendering the breech
perfectly air-tight or, as nearly so as practicable, or the shot must by the aid of suitable
appliances be made to fit practically air-tight, so that there may be no appreciable
leakage when the air between the shot and muzzle is exhausted.
With the apparatus or arrangements herein before described, when the explosive
charge is ignited, the shot will start more easily and speedily into motion than in
ordinary ordnance; and the crowding or compressing of the air in front of the shot,
which, it is believed, takes place in ordinary ordnance owing to the comparative
slowness of the escape of the air from the muzzle is avoided. It follows that with a
given explosive charge and weight of shot the shot must have an increased initial
velocity and a consequently increased range.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In ordnance, exhausting air from the barrel between the shot and the muzzle
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Eleventh day of October 1890
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.