or Training Cannon.
Year: 1884

page_text: or Training Cannon.
We ROBERT RINTOUL SYMON, of 25 Cadogan Square, Gentleman and HIRAM
STEVENS MAXI, of 57d Hatton Garden, Mechanical Engineer, both in the County.
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS FOR, ADJUSTING, POINTING, OR TRAINING CANNON "
to be as follows :—.
Our invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, effecting the
operations requisite in adjusting, pointing or training cannon or heavy guns either
on land or on a ship or vessel, by means of electricity.
Heretofore no pointing or training gear for large guns has been made which can
be operated with sufficient rapidity to enable the gun to be properly directed or
pointed at torpedo boats or other objects moving at a high speed, and within a short
range. Moreover the methods heretofore usually adopted of training large guns
require some special skill in the manipulation of the apparatus employed.
Our invention is designed to enable all the requisite operations to be performed
very rapidly and without the necessity for any special skill.
For this purpose we employ electric motors for adjusting or turning the gun
horizontally and vertically, and in some cases for moving the said gun longitudinally
to and fro; and we provide moans whereby the said motors can be caused to act in
either direction by the simple movement of a lever or other suitable device, that is
to say, we combine with the said lever or other dovice, resistance coils or equivalent
devices placed in the circuits in which the field-magnets of the motors are included,
and switches or other devices for making and breaking the said circuits or for cutting
out of, or putting into, the said circuits more or less resistance.
Our said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice
as follows, that is to say, a short lever is secured within a cylindrical box or case
containing resistance coils so arranged in the several circuits that, by moving the
lever in any direction, the gun will be moved in the same direction by one or other
of the said motors.. For instance by pressing the said lever to the right, it will
make the requisite electrical connections to cause one of the motors to move the
breech of the gun in that direction; by moving the said lever to the left the con-
nections and the polarity of the motor will be so changed that the said motor will

page_text: run in the proper direction to move the breech of the gun towards the left; if the
lever is raised, it will make suitable connections for operating another electric motor
so as to elevato the breech of the gun; while if the lever is depressed, the said motor
will be caused to operate in the reverse direction and will depress the breech end
of the gun. And if the lever is moved obliquely in either direction, both motors!
will be operated so as to move the gun in the same direction.
If it is desired to move the gun out and in, that is to say longitudinally to and
fro, we employ a third motor so constructed and arranged that by moving the lever
forward or backward the gun will be correspondingly moved.
It will be seen that by the use of throe motors, as described only a very slight
movement, which can be very easily performed, is necessary to impart any desired
motion to the gun, whatever may be its size and weight; it will be seen, moreover,
that, with electrical apparatus such as that above described or other electrical
devices for changing or regulating the current in the different circuits, it will be
possible to follow the course of a rapidly approaching torpedo boat or other object
and fire effectively upon the same with guns throwing projectiles of the largest
size.
By suitably arranging the resistance-coils in connection with the lover, the three
motors may be driven either fast or slow and in either direction.
As a large amount of electrical energy can be conveyed through a small flexible
wire it is evident that the apparatus necessary for the working of our invention
will be much more convenient than hydraulic gear for which large, strong and rigid
pipes are necessary.
An electric motor weighing one hundredweight occupies very little space and
will do the work of seven men; our apparatus is therefore compact, is not in the
way, and is but little liable to accident; moreover, where very large guns are used,
the electricity furnished for our purpose may also be advantageously employed for
raising the projectiles to be fired. The electricity which we employ is generated by
dynamo-electric machines or by other suitable means.
In a gun-carriage of the ordinary construction with a hydraulic cylinder below
the gun, the piston fits loosely in the front end of the said cylinder and the said
cylinder is taper so that the piston gradually fits the same more closely as it travels
backward therein; the recoil of the gun is therefore gradually diminished. But
by our invention an electric motor is used to move the gun longitudinally to and
fro and this motor is attached to the apparatus for this purpose by a friction
clutch, so that the recoil of the gun will not drive the motor, but the friction
will nevertheless bo sufficient to enable the motor to run the gun out and in
slowly.

page_text: An improved method of and Apparatus for Adjusting, Fointing,
or Training Cannon.
We, ROBERT RINTOUL SYMON, of 25 Cadogan Square, Gentleman, and HIRAM
STEVENS MAXIM, of 57 Hatton Garden, Mechanical Engineer, both in the County.
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING, POINTING OR TRAINING CANNON
"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
Our invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, effecting, by
the aid of electricity, the operations requisite in adjusting, pointing or training
cannon or heavy guns, either on land or on a ship or vessel
Heretofore there has been no pointing or training gear for large guns which can
be operated with sufficient rapidity to allow such guns to be properly directed or
pointed at torpedo boats or other objects moving at a high speed and within a short
rango. Moreover considerable skill is required in the manipulation of the apparatus
usually employed for training large guns.
Our invention is designed to provide for the performance of all the requisite
operations with great rapidity by any person of ordinary skill and intelligence.
We employ electric motors for adjusting or turning the gun horizontally and
vertically, and, in some cases, for moving the said gun longitudinally to and fro;
and we provide a controlling apparatus whereby the currents can be varied in
respect of their strength and direction by the simple movement of a lover or other
suitable device, according to the desired direction and rapidity of movement of
the gun.
We prefer to so arrange the said lever or device that, by turning the same around
or about its fulcrum in either direction, the necessary contacts will be made for
causing the gun to be turned in the same direction.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of a gun provided with means for working it according
to our invention.
Figure 3 is a diagram showing the controlling apparatus in horizontal section,
and illustrating the electrical connections between the said apparatus and the motor
for training or traversing the gun.
Figure 4 is a diagram shewing the said apparatus in vertical longitudinal central
section, and illustrating the electrical connections between the said apparatus and
the motor for elevating and depressing the gun.
Figure 5 is a vertical central section, and
Figure 6 a horizontal section, illustrating a modified form of the said controlling
apparatus.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

page_text: A indicates a base-plate, upon which the gun-carriage B is supported by means
of the rollers B', so that the said carriage is free to rotate thereon. CC are cheeks
or side pieces forming parts of the gun-carriage B; D is the gun which is mounted
in the said cheeks or side-pieces. These checks or side pieces aro arranged to slido
to and fro upon inclined planes at the top of the main portion or body of the
carriage, and are provided with hydraulic buffers E for checking the recoil of
the gun.
The mechanism for training or traversing the gun is as follows, that is to say :-
A worm-wheel F is firmly secured to the base-plate A, and a worm or endless
screw G is geared with the said worm-wheel. This worm is fixed upon a shaft G
which is carried in suitable bearings attached to, or forming part of, the carriage B.
A toothed wheel H is fixed upon the shaft G¹ and gears with a pinion I fixed upon
a shaft I, which is made with squaro ends so that wheels or crank-handles can bo
placed thereon and turned by hand to train or traverse the gun. The pinion I
gears with a toothed wheel J mounted loosely upon a shaft J but capable of being 1
connected therewith by a clutch K. This clutch is operated by means of a forked
lever K¹ connected; by a rod or link K', with a lever K³, which is pivoted at K*
and is coupled to a nut K³ arranged to be moved to and fro between suitable guides
by a screw-spindle Kº. A toothed wheel L is fixed upon the shaft J¹ and gears
with a pinion M fixed on the armature shaft h* of an electric motor h. This motor
is connected as hereinafter described, with an electric generator and with a
controlling apparatus, whereby it can be caused to turn the gun horizontally in
either direction by means of the mechanism above described. When the gun is to
bo thus moved, the toothed wheel J must be connected with its shaft J by the
clutch K.
2
To permit the motor h to be used for moving the gun D and cheeks C
longitudinally to and fro upon the main portion or body of the carriage B, a
pinion N is also mounted loosely on the shaft J, and is arranged to be connected
therewith, when necessary, by the clutch K. This pinion gears with a toothed
wheel O fixed on a shaft 01, on which is also fixed a pinion P gearing with a 3
rack C¹ formed on, or secured to, the underside of the cheeks C.
The clutch K should act by friction, so that, although the gun can be moved
slowly to and fro by the motor h, yet the rapid recoil of the gun will not impart
any movement to the said motor. In some cases, we use the motor h only for
training or traversing the gun, and provide a separate electric motor for moving 3
the gun longitudinally to and fro.
The electricity which we employ is generated by dynamo-electric machines or
other suitable means.
The mechanism for clevating or depressing the gun is as follows, vizª:—
A toothed segment Q is firmly attached to the gun, and is geared with a toothed 4
wheel R fixed upon a shaft R¹ carried in bearings in one of the cheeks C. The
wheel R is geared with a toothed wheel S fixed upon the shaft S¹, on which is also
fixed a worm-wheel T which is geared with a worm or endless screw U. This worm
is fixed upon a shaft U which is geared, by means of the bevel wheels U U, with
a shaft V, on which is fixed a spur-wheel V².
is an electric motor for operating the mechanism for elevating or depressing the
gun. This motor is arranged to be geared with the said mechanisin by means of a
pinion V, which is keyed to the shaft k* of the motor in such a manner that it
will be rotated therewith, but is free to slide to and fro thereon. A forked levor V*
is arranged in combination with the pinion V* for the purpose of putting the 5
mechanism in and out of gear with the motor k. A hand-wheel W is fixed on the
shaft V to enable the operations of elevating and depressing the gun to be effected
by hand when necessary.
The controlling apparatus is carried by the brackets Y attached to the carriage B,
which brackets also support the motor k. The said controlling apparatus is more t
•

page_text: clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, in which, a indicates a hollow cylinder or case of
insulating material, b is a lover arranged within the said cylinder or case and
connected therewith by a universal joint at b. c c³ ³ are springs which are
secured in a block d of insulating material within the hollow cylinder a. These
springs are arranged in groups of three as shown, or in any other convenient
manner. Between the springs in each group are arranged resistance coils e e².
ff are conductors inserted in the cylinder a and projecting slightly within the
same. These conductors are in contact with, or form part of, the terminals ƒ¹‚ ƒ³,
ƒ³, ƒ^, ƒ", ƒ°, ƒ ƒ³. A resistance coil e' is arranged between the spring c³ of
each group and the terminal with which it is connected. There are eight sets or
groups of the said springs c, o' c³, and each set or group thereof is provided
with resistances e e e and is connected with one of the said terminals. The
terminals ffƒ³, ƒ are connected with one pole of the electric generator g by
the wires 1. 2. 3. 4. The terminal f" is connected by the wire 5 with one end of
the field-magnet coils of the motor h for traversing or training the gun, and the
terminal fe is connected by the wire 6 with the other end of the said coils.
i, i are conductors inserted into the lever b and projecting slightly from the
exterior surface thereof into close proximity to the springs c. These conductors
are in contact with, or form part of, the terminals i¹, i, ª³, i, i,,, . The
terminal is connected by the wire 7 with the wire 5 and the terminal is
connected by the wire 8 with the wire 6. The terminal is connected by the
wire 9 with one of the brushes of the motor h and the terminal is connected by
the wire 10 with the wire 9. The other brush of the said motor is connected by
the wire 11 with the generator g.
is
The terminal is connected by the wire 12 with one end of the field-magnet
coils of the motor k for elevating or depressing the gun. The terminal
connected by the wire 13 with the other end of the said coils. The terminal ✿ is
connected by the wire 14 with the wire 12; and the terminal is connected by
the wire 15 with the wire 13. The terminal f' is connected by the wire 16 with
one of the brushes of the motor k and the terminal i is connected by the wire 17
with the wire 10. The other brush of the said motor is connected by the wire 18
with the return wire 11, a small resistance (of 3 ohms for example) being interposed
between the said brush and the wire 11.
The traversing or training of the gun is effected, by the means above described,
as follows, that is to say, when it is desired to turn the gun so that its breech
moves from right to left, the lever b is turned around or about its fulcrum in this
direction, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, until the terminals ¿' ¿ª are put
into electrical connection with the corresponding springs c. The current from the
generator then flows through the wire 1 to the terminal f¹, and through the
corresponding resistancos e³, c¹, e, spring c and conductor i to the terminal i¹.
From this terminal the current flows through the wires 7 and 5 and through the
field-magnet coils h³ of the motor h, thence through the wire 6 to the terminal ƒ®
and through the corresponding resistances e³ c¹ e, spring c, and conductor i to the
terminal, thence through the wires 10 and 9 to and through the armature coils
and through the return wire 11 to the generator g. The motor will thus be caused
to rotate in the direction necessary for moving the gun as above stated. By
continuing to move the lever b in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3,
the said springs will be pressed against the springs c¹ and these springs will
in turn be brought into contact with the springs c; the springs c³ will then be
pressed against the projecting ends of the conductors f. It will therefore be seen
that one or more of the resistances e, e, e³ will be cut out of the circuit according
to the angle through which the lever b is turned,
When it is desired to turn the gun so that its breech moves from left to right,
the lever bis turned in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in
Figure 3. The current from the generator g then flows through the wire 2 to the
terminal ƒ³, and through the corresponding springs and resistances and conductor ¿

page_text: to the terminal ", thence by wires 8 and 6 to the field-magnet coils h³ of the
motor and through these coils. It then flows through the wire 5 to the
terminal and through the corresponding springs and resistances and conductor i
to the terminal, thence by wire 0 to and through the armaturo coils, and through
the return wire 11 to the generator g. But it will be seen that, in this case, the
current flows through the field magnets ' in the opposite direction to that in
which it flows when the lever b is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow,
whilst the direction of the current in the armature coils is unchanged, therefore
the direction of rotation of the motor will be reversed and the gun will be turned
as required. .
By raising or depressing the lever b at its rear end, the necessary contacts can
be made for causing the motor k to rotato in either direction for the purpose of
elevating or depressing the gun. The electrical connections with the motor k for
this purpose are illustrated in Figure 4, and are somewhat similar to those above
described with reference to Figure 3. The path of the current, when the lever is
either raised or depressed, will be readily understood by referring to Figure 4.
Moreover, by moving the lever b obliquely, in either direction, the necessary
contacts can be made for causing the current to flow through the field-magnets of
both the motors hand k, so that the gun will be adjusted or turned horizontally
and vertically, and will move in the same direction as the lever. Therefore the
gun can be turned in either direction, by means of the electric motors, by the.
simple movement of the lever b in the same direction, and, by pressing the said
lever with greater or less force against the springs c, the resistance of the circuits
can be regulated at will, according to the rapidity with which it is desired to alter
the position of the gun.
In the device or apparatus shewn in Figures 3 and 4, the direction in which tho
current flows through the coils of the field magnets is reversed in order to reverse
the motion of the motor, the direction of the flow of the current in the armature
coils remaining unchanged. If desired, however, the connections are so arranged
that the direction of the flow of the current in the armature coils will be reversed,
that in the field-magnet coils remaining unchanged. Moreover we have shown, in
these figures, three contact springs in each group or series, but it is obvious that
we might use any other suitable number of the said springs.
In Figure 4 we have also shewn very simple means for firing the gun by
electricity immediately it is adjusted to the firing position. For this purpose we
employ a pistol butt or handle Z which serves for the manipulation of the lever b.
We also provide a trigger m in connection with the said lever. This trigger is
electrically connected with one pole of the generator g by the wire 19, in which is
interposed an electro-magnet n, and the said trigger is adapted to make contact,
when pulled, with a terminal or contact piece o connected by the wire 20 with the
other pole of the said generator. The electro-magnet n is made with a movable
core which is coupled to one arm of a bent lever p pivoted at p². The other
arm of this lever is suitably arranged for acting upon a hammer or other convenient
device to fire the gun. It is obvious, however, that the clectric current may be
employed in any other suitable manner for firing the gun when the trigger m is
pulled.
In Figures 6 and 6, we have shewn a modified form of the device or apparatus
shewn in Figures 3 and 4. In these Figures, q is a box or case of insulating
material, in which are secured four groups or series of metal strips or pieces r,,
The said strips or pieces in each group or series are connected by
resistances 8, 81, 82, but are otherwise insulated from each other. A shaft t is
arranged centrally within the box or case g and is provided with a handlo t* for
rotating it, and with arms t¹, t, which, when the said shaft is rotated, como in
contact with the strips or pieces 7, 7, 7, The arms t¹ tare insulated from
each other and are provided with studs or projections t t which bear upon metal
segments u u. These segments are also insulated from each other and serve as

page_text: terminals, one of the said segments being connected with one pole and the other
segment with the other pole of the generator: The metal strips or pieces³ also
serve as terminals and are connected in any suitable manner with the motor.
The box or case q is filled, or partly filled, with water or other liquid so that the
electrical contacts will be made and broken in the said liquid. We thus provide
for preventing sparking when contact is broken between the arms t¹ and the
pieces,
This provision is very important when strong currents are used,
for example such currents as are required for actuating the motor for training or
traversing the gun.
The apparatus shewn in Figures 5 and 6 can be used in combination with either
the motor for elevating or depressing the gun, or that for traversing or training
the gun. In some cases, we combine the said apparatus with a device constracted
substantially as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4, but without the
springs and terminals at the sides of the said device, so that the raising or
depressing of the lever b or the rotation of the shaft t thereby will make the
required connections for working the gun as above described.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that we provide means whereby
the aiming or pointing of cannon or heavy guns can be effected with great facility,
rapidity and accuracy by one man, without any special knowledge, or skill in the
manipulation, of the apparatus employed for working the gun. It will be seen
moreover that, with electrical apparatus such as that above described, or other
electrical devices for changing or regulating the current in the different circuits, it
will be possible to follow the course of a rapidly approaching torpedo-boat or other
object and fire effectively upon the same with guns throwing projectiles of the
largest size.
As a large amount of electrical energy can be conveyed through a small flexible
wire, it is evident that the apparatus necessary for the working of our invention
will be much more convenient than hydraulic gear for which large strong and
rigid pipes are necessary; an electric motor weighing one hundredweight occupies
very little spaco and will do the work of about seven men, our apparatus is,
therefore, compact, does not greatly encumber the deck or platform on which it
stands, and is but little liable to accident or disarrangement.
Moreover, when required, the electricity will be available for other purposes than
those above specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
wo claim is
First. The above described method of providing for the working of a gun or
cannon by the use of electric motors, conductors, and controlling apparatus 80
arranged that an electric current of any required strength can be caused to flow in
one or the other direction through the said motors, for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination, with a gun, and electric motors arranged to actuate
suitable mechanism for adjusting, pointing or training the said gun, of an apparatus
provided with a lever or other movable pieco for making and breaking the circuits
in which the said motors are included and regulating the resistance in such circuits,
as, and for the purposes, specified.
Third. A controlling apparatus, for the purpose above specified, included in an
electric circuit and provided with a lover which is so arranged that, by turning it
around or about its fulcram in any direction, the necessary contacts will be made
for causing the gun to be moved in the same direction, and the resistance in the
circuit will be more or less diminished according to the angle through which the
said lever is turned, as above set forth.
Fourth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and
hind

page_text: drawings and operating as above set forth, for the purpose of adjusting, pointing
or training a cannon or heavy gun.
Fifth. The modification of our controlling apparatus wherein we provide for
making and breaking the electrical contact in water or other liquid, substantially
as, and for the purpose, set forth.