Improvements in Breech Loading Ordnance."
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in Breech Loading Ordnance."
We, VICKERS SONS & COMPANY LIMITED, of River Don Works, Sheffield, in
the County of York, Steel Manufacturers ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, of Oak Park,
Sheffield, aforesaid, Superintendent of Ordnance Works, and GEORGE THOMAS
BUCKILAM, of River Don Works, Sheffield aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the mechanism for opening and closing the breech of a
breech-loading gun, which mechanism we arrange in such a manner that a con-
tinuance of the same action which rotates and unlocks the breech plug, also gives
it a slight longitudinal movement to the rear and then swings it out of the gun
round the pivot on which it is mounted.
For this purpose, we fit in the plug carrier
bar, one end of which is connected by a pin working in a
a horizontally sliding
hole in
slotted
a lever, which is mounted on the same pivot with the carrier.
Teeth are
cut on the top of this bar, into which is geared a pinion,
pivotted in a recess in the carrier; on one ond of the spindle of
this pinion is formed or fitted an actuating lever, with a projecting pin or roller
working in a suitable slot in the face of the breech plug. On a stem or stud pro-
jecting inwards from the carrier on which the breech plug is carried, we fit a
sleeve to turn upon it, having a forked arm projecting from it. This sleeve has
two or more studs projecting from it, and working in inclined grooves (preferably
of increasing pitch) cut in the bore of the breech plug so that a longitudinal move-
ment is given to the breech plug when the sleeve turns in it. The sleeve is
turned by a pin projecting from the horizontal bar working in the forked arm of the
sleeve. On swinging the lever away from the gun for the purpose of opening the
breech, the sliding bar is moved horizontally, causing the projecting arm to move
in the the slot in the face of the breech plug, thus causing the plug to turn partly
round, at first slowly and then more rapidly till it becomes unlocked. The sleeve
which has been held in position by means of a pin working in a groove in the face
of the sliding bar while the breech plug has been moved round is now free to turn,
and by continuing to move the sliding bar the projecting pin of the bar engages
the forked arm of the sleeve and thereby turns it; this rotation causes the breech
plug to move longitudinally rearwards by means of the projecting studs working
in the inclined grooves in the bore of the breech plug, and then the carrier is swung
with the lever, withdrawing the plug out of the breech of the gun. By swinging
the lever towards the gun the plug is first introduced into the breech, then moved
forward longitudinally a short distance, and then turned partly round to become
locked.

page_text: Suitable means for holding the carrier and plug in correct positions may be used
as described in Douglas Vickers' Specification No. 9780 of 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
We, VICKERS SONS & COMPANY LIMITED, of River Don Works, Sheffield in
the County of York, Steel Manufacturers, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, of Oak Park
Sheffield, aforesaid, Superintendent, of Ordnance Works, and GEORGE THOMAS
BUCKHAM, of River Don Works, Sheffield, aforesaid, 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:-
Our Invention relates to the mechanism for opening and closing the breech of a
breech loading gun which mechanism we arrange in such a manner that continu-
ance of the same action which rotates and unlocks the breech plug, also gives it
when necessary a slight longitudinal movement to the rear, and then swings it
out of the gun around the pivot on which it is mounted.
We shall describe our invention referring to the accompanying drawings, in
the several figures of which similar letters denote corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a gun having a breech mechanism in accordance
with our invention.
Figure 2 is a plan with the breech plug locked and also shewn in dotted lines
swung out.
Figure 3 is a section on line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a rear elevation shewing the breech plug unlocked and ready to be
drawn out rearwards.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 shew a modification specially adapted for large guns.
Figure 5 is a rear elevation. Figure 6 is a plan shewing the breech plug locked,
and also shewn in dotted lines swung out.
Figure 7 is a part section on the line 5-5 of Figure 5.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 shew a further modification adapted for a gun fitted with a
cartridge case instead of an obturator. In this modification no longitudinal rear-
ward movement of the breech plug is required.
Figure 8 is a rear elevation. Figure 9 is a plan with the breech plug locked and
also shewn in dotted lines swung out.
Figure 10 is a part section on line 8-8 of Figure 8.
Referring to Figures 1, 23 and 4, in the plug carrier A is fitted a horizontally
sliding bar B, one end of which is connected by a pin B engaged in a sliding
block C2 working in a slotted hole C to a lever which is preferably mounted on
the same pivot G¹ with the carrier A, and which can be moved by hand in the case
of a small gun or by worm gear, as shewn in Figures 5, 6 and 7. On the top of
the bar B are teeth constituting a rack with which is geared a pinion which
is in a recess in the carrier A and is fixed on an axis pin D¹. On the innar
end of the axis pin D is formed or fixed a crank arm or actuating lever D² having
a projecting stud or roller pin D3, which works in a notch E', in the rear flange of
the breech plug E for turning the plug partly round.
On a boss A projecting inwards from the carrier A we fit a sleeve F capable of
turning on it, but prevented from moving longitudinally by screw threads
annular collars, which may be interrupted.
Gr

page_text: The sleeve F has two or more studs F3 and F4 projecting from it and working in
inclined grooves
E3 and E (preferably of increasing twist) cut in the bore of the
breech plug E, so that when the sleeve F turns on the boss A', a longitudinal
movement is given to the breech plug E after it is unlocked. The grooves may be
cut on the outside of the sleeve F the studs F3 and F+ projecting from the internal
surface of the breech screw. The sleeve F has a forked arm F1 projecting from it
which engages with the stud B2 (projecting from one end of the bar B) after the
breech plug E is unlocked so that the movement of the bar B rotates the sleeve F.
The projecting pin F2 of the forked arm F1 of the sleeve F is engaged in the left
part of the groove b in the bar B and prevents the sleeve F from turning during
the unlocking of the breech plug E.
4
The breech plug may be of any suitable form that will swing out clear of the
gun after being unlocked, without requiring any, or only a slight longitudinal
movement to the rear.
The action in opening the breech is as follows:-
-:
On swinging the lever C away from the gun, the sliding bar B is moved some
distance horizontally towards the pivot G of the carrier A. The movement of the
bar B causes the pinion D to move the pin D3 of the actuating lever 12 in the slot
or groove El in the face of the breech plug E, thus causing the plug E to turn.
The groove E' in the face of the plug is of such a form that the movement of the
pin 13 in it causes the breech plug E to turn it first slowly and then more rapidly
until it becomes unlocked. The sleeve F which has been held in position (while
the breech plug E has been unlocked) by means of the pin F2 engaged in the
straight groove of the bar B, is now free to turn, and by the continued movement
of the bar B the projecting pin B2 of the bar B engages the forked arm F1 of the
sleeve F, thereby turning it; this causes the breech plug E to move longitudinally
rearwards by means of the projecting studs F3 and 4 working in the grooves E3
and E2 in the bore of the breech plug E, at first slowly then more rapidly owing
to the increasing incline of these grooves. A pin E projects from the rear face of
the plug E into a hole in the carrier A, as soon as the plug E commences to move
to the rear, thus preventing the plug E from turning while it is being moved to the
near, or taken forward in the reverse action. By continuing to swing the lever C
away from the gun the carrier A is swung out, thus withdrawing the plug E out
of the breech of the gun and away from it. As the carrier A recedes from the
face of the gun, a spring catch H (the end of which was bearing against the breech
face of the gun) is liberated, and enters between teeth of the rack on the bar B,
preventing any further movement of the bar B when swinging the breech plug in,
or out of the gun. Figure 1 is a part transverse section shewing the catch H
pushed back out of engagement with the rack when the breech is closed.
By swinging the lever C towards the gun, the breech plug E is first introduced
into the breech G. The catch H is released when the carrier A is up against the
breech face of the gun, and the bar B is free to move; and the bar B is then moved
away from the pivot G¹, at first turning the sleeve and thereby moving the
breech plug E a short distance longitudinally forward; until the pin E is clear of
the hole in the carrier A. The bar is now disengaged from the sleeve F and the
actuating lever stud 13 has now entered the groove in the face of the breech
plug E and the continued movement of the bar B turns the plug E until it is
locked. The position of the stud 13 on the actuating lever 12 is arranged to pass
the dead centre after the breech plug is locked to form a lccking arrangement so
that the breech plug cannot become unlocked when the gun is fired.
In order to hold the carrier A against the face of the gun when unlocking and
drawing back the plug a bolt K is engaged in a hole in a bracket projecting from
the breech of the gun. The stem of this bolt has an arm engaged in the groove b
of the sliding bar B. In this groove there is an inclined part which, when the
sliding bar has moved so far as to unlock and draw back the breech plug, draws
5 up the bolt K leaving the carrier free to be swung back from the breech.

page_text: Figures 5, 6 and 7 shew the breech mechanism with a worm gear to be used
in large guns instead of the hand lever for moving the plug carrier..
In this arrangement the worm-wheel W is fixed to an arm W₁ having a slot
in which the pin B₁ of the sliding bar B works as above described. The worm
which gears with the worm wheel is rotated by the hand wheel W³.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 shew the modification of the breech mechanism adapted for
guns charged with cartridges. In this arrangement the breech plug is of any
suitable form that will swing out clear of the gun after being unlocked, without
requiring any longitudinal movement to the rear, and consequently the sleeve F
is dispensed with.
Although we have shewn in Figures 5 and 6 the sliding bar connected by a pin
engaged in a sliding block working in a slot of a lever arm which is moved by the
worm gear it is obvious that the bar might be worked by a rack on its side suitably
geared to a pinion on the axis of the worm wheel.
Any suitable firing gear may be used with these breech mechanisms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed; we declare that what we
claim is: :―
1. The breech mechanism as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
2. The modification described with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7.
3. The modification described with reference to Figures 8, 9 and 10.
11th 10th 1.. of
1007
11: 1641
day October,
1.907
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.