Improvements in the Breech Mechanis n of Guns.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Breech Mechanis n of Guns.
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, and ALBERT GEORGE HADCOCK, late R.A., both of Elswick Works,
Newcastle upon Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
These improvements relate to guns in which the opening and closing of the
breech is effected by the breech screw being given the necessary amount of
angular motion to disengage it from the threads cut in the gun, and immediately
afterwards swing on a hinge to one side. The principal objects of the invention
are, to reduce the angle of the cone on the obturating pad necessary for swinging
the breech screw clear of the breech opening, shortening the length of the vent, and
shortening the total length of the breech plug.
For these purposes the inner portion of the end of the barrel is made to project
rearwards and a corresponding annular recess is formed in the front end of the
breech block. The screw threads on the breech block and in the gun extend to
the end of the breech block and therefore beyond the projecting rear end of the
barrel the length of the screwed portion engaging is thus greater than the length
from the rear end of the barrel to the rear face of the gun. The longitudinal
distance also from the obturator to the axis of the carrier hinge is made less than
in guns of the usual type. The invention is applicable both to the ordinary coned
type of breech screw described in the Specification No. 4470 of 1885 to parallel
breech screws and to breech screws in which the inner part is cylindrical or
parallel, and the rear part conical; in which latter case the threads are chequered
as in the usual coned form of screw described in the Specification No. 4470 of 1885.
Dated this 25th day of February 1899.
SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & Co., LIMITED.
S. W. A. NOBLE,
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, and ALBERT GEORGE HADCOCK, late R.A., both of Elswick Works,
5 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement: -
These improvements relate to guns in which, the opening and closing of the
breech is effected by the breech screw being given the necessary amount of
angular motion to disengage it from the threads cut in the gun, and immediately
afterwards swing on a hinge to one side. The principal objects of the invention
are, to reduce the angle of the cone on the obturating pad necessary for swinging
the breech screw clear of the breech opening, shortening the length of the vent, and
shortening the total length of the breech plug.
.
The invention is applicable both to the ordinary coned type of breech screw des-
cribed in the Specification No. 4470 of 1885 to parallel breech, screws such as are
shown in Figure 1 and to breech screws in which the inner part is cylindrical or
parallel, and the rear part conical as shown in Figure 2, in which latter case the
threads are chequered as in the usual coned form of screw described in the Specifi-
cation No. 4470 of 1885.
The inner portion a of the end of the barrel is made to project rearwards and a
corresponding annular recess is formed in the front end of the breech block b.
The screw threads on the breech block and in the gun extend to the end of the
breech block as shown and therefore beyond the projecting rear end of the
barrel, the length of the screwed portion engaging is thus greater than the length
from the rear end of the barrel to the rear face of the gun. The longitudinal
distance also from the obturator c to the axis d of the carrier hinge is made
less than in guns of the usual type.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. Breech mechanisms in which the screw threads on the breech block and in
the gun extend forward beyond the rear end of the barrel.
2. Breech mechanisms substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of October 1899.
SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & Co., LIMITED.
S. W. A. NOBLE,
Director
A. PHALP, for Secretary.
A. G. HADCOCK.