Improvements in Field Gun Carriages.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Field Gun Carriages.
We, Sir W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, Sir ANDREW NOBLE, K.C.B., F.R.S., and RALPH THEW BRANKSTON,
Engineer, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows: -
This invention relates to the elevating gear of field gun carriages, and more
especially to that class of carriage which can be quickly taken to pieces and
divided into loads capable of being carried where there are no roads, but it
may be applied to other carriages.
All the parts of the elevating gear are preferably attached to, or carried by, an
elevating bracket, which is dropped into place on one side of the carriage, and
the gear is then ready for elevating or depressing the gun without further
trouble or fixing to the carriage, the elevating bracket being provided with holes
which fit on to corresponding pins or studs on the carriage, and these pins are
so arranged as to prevent all movement of the bracket when the gear is
worked.
The gun rests on and is elevated by an arm or crank attached to a shaft re-
volving in bearings in the elevating bracket and which is parallel or approxi-
mately parallel to the gun trunnions. On the crank shaft is mounted a worm
wheel which is revolved by means of a worm and handwheel
The worm wheel is connected to the crank shaft by means of friction washers
which can be so adjusted that the wheel can slip a certain amount on the shaft
and any blow given to the arm or crank by the gun when it is fired causes the
friction washers to slip and so prevents the gear from being overstrained.
In place of the gun merely resting on the arm or crank pin and being given
a sufficient breech preponderance to cause it to follow when the crank is lowered
the gun may be balanced on its trunnions the crank pin being made to work
in a longitudinal slot or groove in the gun so that any movement given to the
crank pin causes the gun to move either up or down as required.
Dated this 1st day of May 1899
Improvements in Field Gun Carriages.
We, Sir W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, Sir ANDREW NOBLE, K.C.B., F.R.S., and RALPH THEW BRANKSTON,
Engineer, all of Elswick Works; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, do hereby declare the
Price 8d7

page_text: -
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:
This invention relates to the elevating gear of field gun carriages, and more
especially to that class of carriage which can be quickly taken to pieces and
divided into loads capable of being carried where there are no roads, but it
may be applied to other carriages.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a side elevation, of a carriage constructed
according to this invention. Figures 3 and 4 are local sections on the lines 3-3
and 4-4 Figures 1 and 2.
All the parts of the elevating gear are preferably attached to, or carried by, an
elevating bracket a, which is dropped into place on one side of the carriage b,
and the gear is then ready for elevating or depressing the gun c, without further
trouble or fixing to the carriage, the elevating bracket a being provided with
holes which fit on to corresponding pins or studs on the carriage b, and these
pins are so arranged as to prevent all movement of the bracket when the gear
is worked. The lower end or nose of the bracket a also drops into a hole in the
carriage.
The gun e rests on and is elevated by an arm or crank f attached to a shaft.
revolving in bearings in the elevating bracket a and which is parallel or
approximately parallel to the gun trunnions. On the crank shaft g is mounted
a worm wheel h which is revolved by means of a worm j and handwheel k.
The worm wheel is connected to the crank shaft by means of friction
washers m, the washers 7 being free to move along but turning with the shaft g
whilst the washers m turn with the worm wheel h but are free to move longitudinally
inside it. The friction of these washers against each other can be so adjusted
by the nut n acting on the springs o that the wheel can slip a certain amount
on the shaft g and any blow given to the arm or crank by the gun when it is
fired causes the friction washers to slip and so prevents the gear from being
overstrained.
In place of the gun c merely resting on the arm or crank pin f and being given
a sufficient breech preponderance to cause it to follow when the crank is lowered
the gun may be balanced on its trunnions the crank pin being made to work
in a longitudinal slot or groove in the gun so that any movement given to the
crank pin causes the gun to move either up or down as required.
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 we claim is:-
1. A crank for elevating the gun worked by worm gear substantially as
described.
2. The combination with the subject matter of the preceding claim of a friction
device connecting the crank and worm gear substantially as described.
3. The removable bracket carrying the elevating gear substantially as
described.
4. Field gun carriages substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this 24th day of January 1900.
"800
Dated this 24th day of January 1900.
SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & CO., LIMITED.
S. W. A. NOBLE,
Director.
A. PHALP,
A. NOBLE.
R. T. BRANKSTON.
For Secretary.