Improvements in Mechanism for Dismounting Heavy Guns and Facilitating the Moving of other Weights.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 4th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1899
Improvements in Mechanism for Dismounting Heavy Guns and
Facilitating the Moving of other Weights.
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COY. LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, SAXTON WILLIAM ARMSTRONG NOBLE, and RALPH THEW BRANKSTON,
both Engineers, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Each
For guns placed between decks where it is necessary that they be run inboard
to be secured, a runner rail formed of an inverted T bar is provided, this rail is
secured to the beams of the overhead deck and is so arranged that it projects as
little as possible below them. Upon this rail are provided two runners.
of these runners is arranged to extend around the outwardly projecting side flanges
at the bottom of the rail. A row of anti-friction balls is inserted between the
upper surface of each side flange and the part of the runner which overlaps it.
Each row of balls is continued in an endless stream like an endless belt, the balls
where they are not resting on the side flanges of the supporting rail being conveyed
round and round through a pipe or passage formed along the outer part of the
body of the runner and through passages formed in a semi-circular course through
castings fitted to the ends to guide the balls into the pipe or passage and prevent
them running out. In this manner two continuous streams of balls are formed
for the runner to run upon. One of these runners takes the breech end of the
gun and the other the cradle at the centre of gravity of gun and cradle. Each is
provided with a screw by which the weight can readily be taken, the runners are
connected together by means of stay bars extending from one to the other and
by a diagonal bar extending from the rear runner to the lower end of the screw
link which hangs down from the forward runner. A guide rail is also fixed to
the underside of the beams of the overhead deck parallel with the inverted Trunner
rail. A roller carried by an arm extending from the forward runner runs on this
rail. The outer end of the arm is strutted by struts one extending to the stay
bars connecting the two runners and another which can be lengthened or shortened
by screw adjustment extending downwards to the cradle.
The gun when suspended from the runners can be run back by means of a
winch which may be placed in any convenient position. The winch is worked by
means of crank handles and worm gear in order that the gun may not take charge.
Steel wire ropes are conveyed from the winch by means of conveyance sheaves and,
are attached to the end of each runner, so that the runner can be, worked in
either direction as desired. A screw jack or housing chock is provided; it is to
be screwed up against the underside of the cradle before the securing chains are
tightened down. The runners remain in their place after the gun is secured and
are arranged to be clamped to the runner rail." The runner when not in use is
arranged to be hinged up and stowed out of the way.
Runners constructed as herein before described can be used as a shell room or
magazine-runner, or for serving ammunition at the breech of the gun, or for other

page_text: such like uses in which cases the runner will be fitted with an eye to receive
blocks and be provided with a clamp to fix it in any position.
Dated this 4th day of April 1898.
Improvements in Mechanism for Dismounting Heavy Guns and
Facilitating the Moving of other Weights.
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COY. LIMITED, 'Manufacturing
Engineers, SAXTON WILLIAM ARMSTRONG NOBLE, and RALPII THEW BRANKSTON,
both Engineers, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, 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:-
For guns placed between decks where it is necessary that they be run inboard
to be secured, a runner rail formed of an inverted T bar is provided, this rail is
secured to the beams of the overhead deck and is so arranged that it projects as
little as possible below them. Upon this rail are provided two runners. Each
of these runners is arranged to extend around the outwardly projecting side flanges
at the bottom of the rail. A row of anti-friction balls is inserted between the
upper surface of each side flange and the part of the runner which overlaps it.
Each row of balls is continued in an endless stream like an endless belt, the balls
where they are not resting on the side flanges of the supporting rail being conveyed
round and round through a pipe or passage formed along the outer part of the
body of the runner and through passages formed in a semi-circular course through
castings fitted to the ends to guide the balls into the pipe or passage and prevent
them running out. In this manner two continuous streams of balls are formed
for the runner to run upon. One of these runners takes the breech end of the
gun and the other the cradle at the centre of gravity of gun and cradle. Each is
provided with a screw by which the weight can readily be taken, the runners are
connected together by means of stay bars extending from one to the other and
by a diagonal bar extending from the rear runner to the lower end of the screw
link which hangs down from the forward runner. A guide rail is also fixed to
the underside of the beams of the overhead deck parallel with the inverted T runner
rail. A roller carried by an arm extending from the forward runner runs on this
rail. The outer end of the arm is strutted by struts one extending to the stay
bars connecting the two runners and another which can be lengthened or shortened
by screw-adjustment extending downwards to the cradle.
The gun when suspended from the runners can be run back by means of a
winch which may be placed in any convenient position. The winch is worked by
means of crank handles and worm gear in order that the gun may not take charge.
Steel wire ropes aré conveyed from the winch by means of conveyance sheaves and
are attached to the end of each runner, so that the runner can be worked in
either direction as desired. A screw jack or housing chock is provided; it is to
be screwed up against the underside of the cradle before the securing chains are

page_text: tightened down. The runners remain in their place after the gun is secured and
are arranged to be clamped to the runner rail. The runner when not in use is
arranged to be hinged up and stowed out of the way.
Runners constructed as herein before described can be used as a shell room or
magazine runner, or for serving ammunition at the breech of the gun or for other
such like uses in which cases the runner will be fitted with an eye to receive
blocks and be provided with a clamp to fix it in any position.
Figure 1 of the drawings annexed is a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and
Figure 3 an end view of mechanism for dismounting heavy guns arranged as above
described. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show on a larger scale an end view one half in
section, a side elevation and a plan view of one of the runners.
A is part of the armour plating of a casemate at one side of a ship. B the
pedestal upon which the gun is mounted when not housed.
C is the runner rail secured to the beams of the overhead deck-radially to the
centre of the pedestal mounting and inclined at any desired angle to the side of
the ship. DD are the two runners. E E are two stay bars by which they are
coupled together.
Along the upper surface of each of the side flanges of the runner rail is a groove.
F is a row of balls lying in each groove-the parts of the runner which overlap
the two side flanges of the rail and which are similarly grooved rest upon the top
of the rows of balls.
G are the castings secured to the ends of the runner each having a passage
formed through it by which the balls in one or other row are led in a semicircular
course to and from a passage H bored through the body of the runner.
As shown
by Figures 4 and 5 the balls rise somewhat as they enter the mouth of the passages
in the castings G and are so lifted out of the grooves in the flanges of the runner
rail.
I is a pin on the underside of each runner to which is jointed the upper end of a
link K.
The lower end of one link can as shewn at Figures 1 and 3 be coupled to an
eye M on the top of the forward' end of the cradle and the lower end of the other
link to a similar eye N at the rear end of the gun by turning a right and left
handed screw sleeve forming part of the link which is coupled to the eye M the
link can be shortened and the gun can so be raised slightly and its weight taken by
the link.
O is an arm extending horizontally from one side of the runner and fitted at its
end with a roller which can run in the trough of a trough iron bar P which is
fixed to the deck beams in a line parallel with the runner rail. O¹ is a strut extend-
ing from the outer end of the arm to an intermediate point in the length of one
of the stay-bars E. 02 is a link coupling the outer end of the arm to the cradle
to keep the gun from swinging sidewise to and fro. X is a bar which extends
diagonally from the rear runner to the lower end of the link K which hangs down
from the forward runner-this bar restrains the gun from swinging to and fro
lengthwise.
In Figure 1 the gun is shewn in two positions one when mounted on the pedestal
the other when it has been lifted from the pedestal run back and secured, in Figure 2
the gun is shewn in this latter position only.
Qis a winch barrel driven by worm and worm wheel gear. Q₁ a rope passing
around the barrel and led over guide pullies at the two ends of the runner rail to
be attached to the runners so that the runners can be drawn in either direction
along the rail. R is a screw jack which can be screwed up against the under side
of the gun before the securing chains S are tightened down.
When the gun is mounted upon its pedestal mounting the links K are discon-
nected from the cradle and rear end of the gun, the bar X is also disconnected and
turned upwards and the runners together with the bar and links carried by them
can be run into the position shewn on the left hand side of Figure 1 and be there.
secured out of the way.

page_text: As the bar X is of some length and heavy it is desirable to balance the weight
so that the bar may more readily be handled this we effect in the way shewn at
Figure 7.
A pivotted are T is attached to the bar X, to this arc is attached a wire rope T'
the other end of which is attached to the bar E, a link U is pivotted to the arc T
and to a rod V which passes through guide brackets X1 X' secured to the bar X
and through a spring W. The compression of the spring is regulated by means
of a nut on the rod V so that the bar X is balanced. The position of the pin in
the arc T is such that the leverage alters exactly in proportion as the strength
of the spring is reduced or increased by being released or compressed due to the
movement of the bar X. In this manner the weight of the bar X is balanced in
any position.
As before stated runners constructed as above described can be used for other
purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The combined arrangement of apparatus substantially as herein before
described for dismounting heavy guns.
2. The runner with two endless belts of balls to rest on side flanges of a runner
rail substantially as described.
3. The combination of the two runners the stay bars by which they are coupled
together the links hanging down from the runners and the diagonal bar which
descends from one runner to the lower end of the link which hangs down from the
other runner but which can be disconnected therefrom and turned up so as to be
out of the way when not in use.
4. The combination of the runner rail the grooved guide rail parallel therewith
the two runners running upon the runner rail the stay bars by which the runners
are coupled together, the arm extending from the stay bar and resting at its end
in the groove of the guide rail and the link descending from this arm to be
coupled to the gun or gun carriage.
Dated this 6th day of December 1898.