AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING GUNS IN VESSELS AND FORTS, AND DISCHARGING THEM UNDER WATER
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cowper Phipps Coles, of Southsea, in the County of
Hants, Captain in the Royal Navy, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING GUNS IN VESSELS AND FORTS, AND
DISCHARGING THEM UNDER WATER."
Sealed the 29th December 1863, and dated the 1st July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cowper Phipps Coles at
the Office of the. Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st July 1863.
I, COWPER PHIPPS COLES, of Southsea, in the County of Hants, Captain in
the Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING GUNS IN VESSELS AND FORTS,
AND DISCHARGING THEM UNDER WATER," to be as follows:-
My improved method of working guns in vessels and forts and of discharging
them under water consists in placing an apparatus composed of a circular
frame or wheel free to revolve on its axes in a case or compartment shut off
from the rest of the vessel or fort, but with access from the deck or floor
to part of the frame revolving in the case above the water line for the purpose
of loading one of two guns which are supported upon blocks or carriages on
opposite sides of the frame, and are capable of being protruded from the frame
and through an aperture in the side of the vessel or fort, for the purpose of

page_text: being discharged. Water has free egress in and around the apparatus, but
when the guns are not required to be used the water may be kept out by an
ordinary port valve or shutter. In working the apparatus one gun would be
under water when the opposite gun would be above water in a position for being
loaded and primed from the deck in board or from the floor of the fort. After
being loaded a parchment or other suitable cap is placed over the muzzle of
the gun to prevent the water entering before the gun is discharged. I prefer
to effect the discharge by electricity or galvanism in the manner well known.
After the discharge the recoil drives the gun inwards in the apparatus and
causes it partially to rotate and carry partly round the gun which had been
loaded into position for being fired. The apparatus may be fitted with gear for
revolving it, which may be worked either by manual labour, steam, or hydraulic
power. My Invention may be applied to the bow, stern, or sides of a ship.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Cowper Phipps Coles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, COWPER
PHIPPS COLES, of Southsea, in the County of Hants, Captain in the Royal
Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Cowper Phipps Coles, Her special licence that I, the said Cowper
Phipps Coles, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
the said Cowper Phipps Coles, 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 term 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 "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING GUNS IN VESSELS AND FORTS, AND
DISCHARGING THEM UNDER WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Cowper Phipps Coles, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in

page_text: the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Cowper Phipps Coles, 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 improved method of working guns in vessels and forts, and of discharging
them under water, consists in placing an apparatus composed of a circular
frame or wheel free to revolve on its axes in a case or compartment shut off
from the rest of the vessel or fort, but with access from the deck or floor to
part of the frame revolving in the case above the water line for the purpose
of loading one of two, three, or more guns which are supported upon blocks
or carriages on opposite sides of the frame, and are capable of being protruded
from the frame, and through an aperture in the side of the water case, and
side of the vessel or fort for the purpose of being discharged under water.
Water has free egress in and around the apparatus, but when the guns are
not required to be used, the water may be kept out by an ordinary port valve
or shutter.
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my apparatus fitted in a ship in such
manner as to fire the guns from the ship's side and under water; Figure 2
shews the slide for closing the aperture in the ship's side, through which the
gun is protruded; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus shewing the
case in cross section; Figure 4, a side elevation with the case in section, and
Figure 5 is a top view of the apparatus; similar letters refer to similar parts
in all the Figures.
A is the hull of the ship; B, B, is the case or compartment preventing the
water from getting into the ship or fort; C, C, is a circular frame formed of
outer iron plates filled in with wood, spaces, however, being provided for the
gun carriages to work in, as shewn in the Drawings. The wooden filling is
secured by bolts a', a', and by taking out these bolts; any portion of the filling
may be removed for any purpose required. The frame C is free to revolve
inside the case B, upon axes a, a, in bearings b, b, supported upon iron pillars
or Tirons; c is a rack on the frame geared into a toothed pinion d, for the
purpose of turning the frame when. required; e is a brake for checking the
rotation of the frame and for holding it in any position desired; f is the brake
lever; 9, 9, are cocks for running water out of the case B; D, D', are the
guns; E, E, the gun carriages, free to slide upon blocks forming part of the
filling of wood before referred to in the circular frame; F, F, are chains

page_text: attached to the guns and passed round windlasses G, G, fitted with ratchet
wheels and pauls for the purpose of running the guns in and out, and of
keeping them in their place when run in. .H, H, are grooved pulleys for
guiding the chains; a, a, are openings in the frame to allow of the guns and
gun carriages being examined; h, h, are wires for firing the guns which com-
municate with the vent through apertures a, a, in the circular frames; i, i, are
manholes for permitting of access inside the case B, B; I is the ship's. lower
deck, and K the upper deck; L is a slide for closing the aperture in the
ship's side, it is connected to rods k, k, whereby it is moved up and down in
flanges 1, . In working the apparatus one gun D is under water, and the
opposite gun D¹ above the water line, and in a position for being loaded and
primed from the deck inboard or from the floor of the fort. After being
loaded a parchment or other suitable cap is placed over the muzzle of the
gun to prevent the water entering before the gun is discharged. I prefer to
effect the discharge by electricity or galvanism in the manner well known.
After the discharge the recoil drives the gun inwards in the apparatus and
causes the frame to rotate and partially to bring the gun which had been
loaded into position, for being fired. The gun is prevented from running out
again by the chain, windlass, and paul. The exact position of the frame for
loading one and discharging the other gun is obtained by means of the toothed
pinion d.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself to
the means described for causing the circular frame to rotate, nor to the precise
manner of constructing the frame itself; but I claim the improved method of
working guns in vessels and forts, and discharging them under water in
apparatus constructed and acting substantially in manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cowper Phipps Coles, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.