Improvements in Beds or Mountings for Quick Firing Howitzers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1891-Accepted 26 h Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Beds or Mountings for Quick Firing Howitzers.
I, THOMAS ENGLISH, of Hawley near Dartford, in the County of Kent, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to beds or mountings for quick firing howitzers so arranged
that they can be fired at high elevations and can be readily depressed for loading
and then brought back to the same firing position as before, without alteration of
the elevating mechanism.
For this purpose I provide a circular stationary base having in its centre a
bearing to receive a pivot, and at its periphery a flange which is faced true. I
provide a stout frame of hollow conical form having a central pivot to enter the
bearing of the base and a flange at its periphery suited to bear lightly on the flange
of the base from which it is prevented from rising by a flanged ring or clips
engaging under the flange of the base. On the upper part of the conical frame is
mounted in trunnions a saddle within which the howitzer is fitted to slide longi-
tudinally. At each side of this saddle is a cylinder fitted with a solid piston and
containing a helical spring and a charge of suitable liquid such as oil.
The piston rod passes through a stuffing box at the rear of each cylinder and is
attached to the breech part of the howitzer. The piston fits loosely in the cylinder
which is bored slightly tapering allowing liquid to pass slowly from one side to the
other, so that the two cylinders operate as hydraulic recoil buffers. The springs,
which are compressed by the recoil movement, cause the howitzer to advance again
to firing position after recoil. From the middle of the saddle an angular bracket
projects downwards, and along horizontal guides, provided in the frame below, a
block can be slid to and fro by a hand screw. According as this block is slid more
or less toward the front of the frame, with the angular bracket resting on it, the
greater or less is the elevation of the howitzer which is slightly overbalanced at the
breech end so that the angular bracket always, when free, rests on the block,
determining the elevation.
For charging the howitzer, which is a breech loader, the breech end is raised by a
hand lever attached to the saddle causing it and the howitzer to rotate together
about the trunnions of the saddle. The bore is thus brought to a horizontal position
or nearly so for charging and when the charging is done, the breech is allowed to
descend until the angle bracket again rests on the block, the howitzer being then
restored to the same elevation as it had before charging.
The training of the howitzer is effected by hand spikes inserted into holes of the
conical frame, by which the frame is turned round the vertical axis of its pivot
to any desired position, where it may be clamped if desired by means of a setting
screw.
Dated this 25th day of November 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Beds or Mountings for Quick-Firing-Howitzers.
I, THOMAS ENGLISH of Hawley, near Dartford, in the County of Kent, Civil
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 beds or mountings for quick firing howitzers, so arranged

page_text: .
that they can be fired at high elevations and can be readily depressed for loading
and then brought back to the same firing position as before, without alteration of
the elevating mechanism, as I shall describe referring to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section and Fig. 2 is a plan of a mounting accord-
ing to my invention for a quick firing howitzer.
I provide a circular stationary base A having in its centre a bearing to receive
a pivot B and at its periphery a flange which is faced true. I provide a stout
frame C of hollow conical form having its central pivot B engaged in the bearing
of the base A and a flange D at its periphery adjusted to bear lightly on the flange
of the base from which it is prevented from rising by a flanged ring or by clips E
engaging under the flange of the base. The adjustment of the pivot in the base
is effected by screwing more or less into the base a socket T which has a spherical
seating for a corresponding collar on the pivot. On the upper part of the conical
frame is mounted in trunnions a saddle Fwithin which the howitzer H is fitted to
slide longitudinally. At each side of this saddle is a cylinder G fitted with a solid
piston and containing a helical spring and a charge of suitable liquid such as oil.
The piston rod K passes through a stuffing box at the rear of each cylinder G and
is attached to the breech part of the howitzer H. The piston fits loosely in the
cylinder which is bored slightly tapering allowing the liquid charge to pass slowly
from one side to the other of the piston so that the two cylinders operate as
hydraulic recoil buffers. The springs, which are compressed by the recoil move-
ment, cause the howitzer to advance again to firing position after recoil. From the
middle of the saddle an angular bracket L projects downwards, and along hori-
zontal guides, provided in the frame below, a block M can be slid to and fro by a
hand screw N. According as this block M is slid more or less towards the front of
the frame, with the angular bracket L resting on it, the greater or less is the
elevation of the howitzer, which is slightly overbalanced at the breech end so that
the angular bracket always, when free, rests on the block, determining the
elevation.
For charging the howitzer, which is a breech loader,, the breech end is raised by
a hand lever P attached to the saddle, causing it and the howitzer to rotate together
about the trunnions of the saddle. The bore is thus brought to a horizontal
position or nearly so for charging and when the charging is done, the breech is
allowed to descend until the angle bracket L again rests on the block M, the
howitzer being thus restored to the same elevation as it had before charging. The
training of the howitzer is effected by handspikes Q inserted into holes of the
conical frame C by which the frame is turned round the vertical axis of its pivot B
to any desired position, where it may be clamped if desired by means of a setting
screw S.
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 :-
A bed or mounting for a quick firing howitzer, consisting of a base, a frame
pivotted in the base, a saddle mounted on trunnions on the frame and having the
howitzer free to slide within it, hydraulic spring buffers on each side of the saddle,
an angle bracket projecting down from the saddle, and a sliding block moved by a
screw to act in conjunction with the bracket for determining the elevation of the
howitzer, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th dex of Ariat 1801
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.