Apparatus for Working Ordnance by Compressed Air.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Working Ordnance by Compressed Air.
I, THOMAS ENGLISH, of Hawley, near Dartford, Kent, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for working ordnance by compressed air, that
is to say traversing a gun round horizontally, elevating or depressing it, moving it
on its carriage to firing position, raising the projectile and explosive charge from a
magazine below, and introducing and ramming these into the breech. For this
purpose, I provide an air compressor which forces air into a reservoir under
moderate pressure such as 4 to 6 atmospheres, and from this reservoir I lead pipes
to suitable unions, one directly under the centre of each revolving gun platform,
so as to supply compressed air to several sets of compressed air engines and cylinders
mounted on each revolving platform or framing connected therewith, for the
purpose of effecting the various movements required in working the gun.
The gun is fixed on a cradle which is fitted to slide parallel or approximately
parallel to the axis of the gun along a carriage, subject to the control of hydraulic
recoil buffers. The carriage is pivotted by trunnions at its front end, constituting a
horizontal axis on the revolving platform, and the rear end of the carriage is
supported by links connecting it to the nut of a screw by the revolution of which in
the one direction or the other the rear of the carriage can be raised or lowered, thus
determining the elevation of the gun.
The platform rests on the rollers of a live ring which runs on a circular race, and
the platform can be turned round by the revolution of a horizontal worm spindle
which is mounted on the platform and gears with a fixed worm ring. To the plat-
form is attached a framing which descends within the worm ring and extends down
to the magazine below. In this framing is arranged the ammunition lift consisting
of inclined guides and a screw by which a carrier having on it a projectile and
cartridges of explosive can be raised up to a position where they are taken hold of
by suitable arms on the platform, moved successively to the breech of the gun and
pushed into the bore by a rammer. The compressed air is supplied to an engine
which works the screw of the ammunition lift raising the projectiles and explosive
charges, it is also supplied to an engine which works the elevating screw of the
gun carriage, and the arms which lift the projectiles and charges into position for
ramming it is also supplied to an engine which works the worm for traversing the
platform round. Besides these supplies to engines, the compressed air is supplied to
a cylinder the piston of which works the rammer, and is also, supplied to a cylinder,
the piston of which forces liquid into cylinders on the carriage operating on the
cradle for advancing the gun to firing position. The several engines and cylinders
have their movements controlled by suitable starting, stopping, and reversing levers,
worked by the gunners. Also the shafts of the compressed air engines may be
connected to, winch handles so that they can be turned by hand for elevating or
traversing the gun or for lifting the amununition.
Dated this 10th day of June 1890.
ABEL & IMKA F,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Working Ordnance by Compressed Air.
I, THOMAS ENGLISH, of Hawley, near Dartford, Kent, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for working ordnance by compressed air, that
is to say traversing a gun round horizontally, elevating or depressing it, moving it
on its carriage to firing position, raising the projectile and explosive charge from a
magazine below, and introducing and ramming these into the breech. For this
purpose, provide an air compressor which forces air into a reservoir under
moderate pressure such as 4 to 6 atmospheres, and from this reservoir I lead pipes
to suitable unions, one directly under the centre of each revolving gun platform, so
as to supply compressed air to several sets of compressed air engines and cylinders
mounted on each revolving platform or framing connected therewith, for the purpose
of effecting the various movements required in working the gun.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are vertical sections partly in
elevation, in planes at right angles to each other, shewing apparatus according to
my invention for working guns by compressed air.
The gun A is fixed on a cradle A' which is fitted to slide parallel or approxi-
mately parallel to the axis of the gun along a carriage A2, subject to the control of
hydraulic recoil buffers A³. The carriage A2 is pivotted by trunnions A4 at its
front, constituting a horizontal axis, on the revolving platform B, and the rear end
of the carriage A2 is supported by links C C connecting it to a crosshead C* which
bears on the nut of a screw C by the revolution of which in the one direction or
the other the rear of the carriage A2 can be raised or lowered, thus determining the
elevation of the gun A. The platform B rests on the rollers B' of a live ring, which
run on a circular race B2, and the platform can be turned round by the revolution
of a horizontal worm spindle B³ which is mounted on the platform and gears with a
fixed worm ring B₁. To the platform B is attached a framing D which descends
within the worm ring B* and extends down to the level of the magazine below.
this framing D is arranged the ammunition lift consisting of a pair of chains E by
which carriers E holding projectiles and charges of explosive can be raised up to a
position where, as will hereafter be described, they are taken hold of by levers E²,
and by them moved to the breech of the gun into which they are pushed by a
rammer F.
In
The compressed air is supplied to an engine E³ which works the chains E of the
'ammunition lift; it is also supplied to an engine C³ which through bevil gear C
works the elevating screw C²; and it is supplied also to an engine B which works
the worm B for traversing the platform B round. Besides these supplies to the
:compressed air engines ³, C3 and B, the compressed air is supplied to a cylinder F¹
the piston of which works the rammer F. It is also constantly supplied to
cylinders G the pistons of which have rods working as plungers in smaller
cylinders G¹ to force liquid by passages through the trunnions A into cylinders G²
on the cradle A' for advancing the gun into firing position after it has recoiled.
The engines E3 C3 and B and cylinder F above mentioned have their supply and
discharge valves controlled by suitable starting, stopping and reversing levers L
conveniently placed for being worked by the gunners.
The
The crankshafts of the compressed air engines may be fitted to receive gearing
connected with winch handles so that they can be turned by hand when required.
The crosshead C is connected by links E to the short arms of the levers F² by
which the charges are raised to breech of the gun in the following manner.
carriage A being lowered till it rests on the platform so as to bring the gun into
loading position its breech facing the rammer F, a projectile P in the holder E¹
having been already raised by the movement of the chains E in the direction of the

page_text: arrow, so far that the lateral studs of the holder have lifted and let fall again the
levers E, the chain is moved a little back so that these studs engage in notches in
the levers E and then the screw C² being turned so as to lower the crosshead C¹,
the levers E² are thus moved up to the position indicated by the dotted lines e², the
holder el containing the projectile p being thus raised and canted by resting on a
cross bolt E.
In a similar manner after the projectile is pushed along the bore by
the rammer, a holder such as E' containing a cartridge of explosive is raised and
canted and the explosive is rammed home. The empty holders E' are lowered
and again engaged on the chains to be carried down to the magazine for fresh
charges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Apparatus for working ordnance by compressed air, wherein a gun is fixed on
a cradle fitted to slide subject to hydraulic recoil buffers along a carriage mounted
on trunnions in front and moved vertically in rear by an elevating screw, the whole
arranged on a traversing platform, from which a frame provided with an ammunition
lift extends down to a magazine below, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus such as is above referred to, compressed air engines for working
the elevating screw, the traversing worm and the ammunition lift, and pneumatic
cylinders for working the rammer and effecting advance of the gun to firing position,
substantially as described.
3. In combination with the elevating gear, levers mounted on the carriage and
adapted to take holders of projectiles and explosive cartridges from the ammunition
lift and raise them' to loading position, substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of March 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.