IM- PROVEMENTS IN CANNONS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, Cast Steel Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CANNONS."
Sealed the 19th February 1858, and dated the 17th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Krupp at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th December 1852.
I, ALFRED KRUPP, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Cast Steel
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CANNONS" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the manufacture of cannons or other pieces
of artillery either from a solid piece of cast steel, or I make the barrel
of solid steel, and form upon the breech part, and extending about half
the length of the cannon, a casing of cast iron, gun metal, &c., which
surrounds the barrel. Figure 1, of the Drawings hereunto annexed
represents a plan; Figure 2, a sectional elevation; Figure 3, an end
view; Figure 4, an exterior elevation; and Figure 5, a cross section,
shewing the manner in which I form my improved cannon, and the
method of combining the two parts together. A, A, is the barrel of

page_text: the cannon, which is forged from a solid piece of cast steel, and bored
out and turned until it assumes the proper shape and bore. B, B, is
the casing which surrounds the brecch of the cannon, as shewn. For
the purpose of allowing the barrel A, to expand during the explosion
of the powder when firing, I make the interior of the outer casing,
from the points a, to b, Figure 2, of a larger diameter. C, is the touch
hole, and D, a screw for fastening the barrel A, into the casing B;
E, is a pin for preventing the barrel from turning when once in its
place. The barrel A, when it has become too much worn and unfit for
use, may be taken out and replaced by a fresh one. It may also be
taken out and used for either field pieces or for batteries, by placing it
in a different kind of casing, in which the position of the trunnions is
altered, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8. The casing is made of a
heavier weight for batteries than for field pieces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Krupp in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ALFRED KRUPP, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Cast Steel
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her niost Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alfred Krupp, Her special licence that I, the
said Alfred Krupp, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alfred Krupp, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the terin therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANNONS," upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Krupp, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in wha
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Krupp, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in the manufacture of cannons from solid
pieces of cast steel, shaped on the outside under the hammer, and
finished by being turned in a lathe or otherwise. The cannon is bored
by placing it in a lathe in the usual manner; or I make the gun of cast
steel, and surround it to about the end of the second re-inforce, or con-
mencement of the chase, with a casing of cast iron or gun metal, so as
to bring the weight up to that of common cannons. The Drawings
hereunto annexed represent a cannon constructed according to my
improvements. Figure 1, being a plan, and Figure 2, a section of the
same; Figure 8, an end view; Figure 4, a section on the line a, b, of
Figure 1; and Figure 5, an elevation. These Figures shew the manner
in which the parts are combined. A, is the gun, which is forged from
a solid piece of cast steel, turned and bored out until it assumes the
proper shape and calibre. B, B, is the casing which surrounds the gun;
this casing may be made of cast iron or gun metal. For the purpose of
allowing the gun A, to expand at the explosion chamber during the
explosion of the powder, I make the interior of the outer casing, from
the points a, to b, Figure 2, of a larger diameter. The interior end of
the casing is also cast with a shoulder c, against which the end of the
vent field of the gun abuts. C, is the vent, which is passed through the
outer casing B, and screwed into the gun A; and D, is a screw, which
is cut upon the end of the cascable E, and serves to fasten the gun to
the outer casing; it is provided with a collar d, fitting into a recess in
the end of the case B. F, is a pin passed through the outer casing and

page_text: the gun for the purpose of preventing the gun from turning when once
in its place. When either the gun A, or the casing B, has been injured
by accident, or has become unfit for further use, the gun A, can be
taken out by removing the screw D, the pin F, and vent C, and the
defective piece be replaced by a fresh one. Should it be necessary or
requisite, the piece may be taken out and used for either field pieces or
for batteries, by placing it in a different kind of casing, in which the
position of the trunnions G, G, is altered as shewu in the detached
views of the casing in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the trunnions being placed
much lower down. The casing B, when used for batteries, is made of
a heavier weight than for field pieces.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
First, the manufacture of cannons from solid pieces of cast steel, as
herein-before described.
Second, I claim the surrounding of cannon and other pieces of
artillery, when made of cast steel, with an outer casing of cast iron, steel,
or gun metal, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described
and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Krupp, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this the Fourth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.