IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECOIL OF GUN CARRIAGES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Augustus Ferguson, the younger, and
Thomas Ferguson, of Millwall, Poplar, Gun Garriage Manufacturers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECOIL
OF GUN CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 5th July 1864, and dated the 8th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Augustus Ferguson
and Thomas Ferguson, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th April 1864.
We, CHARLES AUGUSTUS FERGUSON, the younger, and THOMAS FERGUSON,
of Millwall, Poplar, Gun Carriage Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING
THE RECOLL OF GUN CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to a novel mode of constructing and working
duplex compressors. Between the slides upon which the gun carriage traverses,
and attached to the carriage there are two strong metal plates (or compressors),
an upper and a lower one, which on being drawn together by a right and left
handed screw forcibly grip. the upper and under surfaces of the slides. Between
these compressors, and occupying nearly the whole space between the slides,
are two parallel blocks of wood (or metal) having an oval indent in their
centres, upon the middle of the right and left handed screw shaft there is an
oval block or cam, the revolution of which forces the blocks asunder against the
two inner surfaces of the slides. Or these blocks may be forced asunder by

page_text: wedges attached to the upper and lower plates of the compressor. On motion
being given to this duplex compressor; by a lever worked by a rope, or by a
screw, such an amount of pressure will be produced simultaneously upon the
upper, inner, and under surfaces of the slides as will, when the gun is fired,
materially check the recoil of the carriage to which this compressor is
attached.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Augustus Ferguson and Thomas Ferguson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
AUGUSTUS FERGUSON, the younger, and THOMAS FERGUSON, of Millwall, Poplar,
Gun Carriage Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and. successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Charles Augustus Ferguson, the younger, and Thomas Ferguson, Her
special licence, that we, the said Charles Augustus Ferguson, the younger, and
Thomas Ferguson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Charles Augustus Ferguson, the younger, and Thomas
Ferguson, our 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECOIL OF GUN CARRIAGES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Charles Augustus Ferguson, the
younger, and Thomas Ferguson, our executors or administrators by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly 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 the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Charles Augustus Ferguson, the younger,
and Thomas Ferguson, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly

page_text: described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that
is to say
These improvements relate to a novel mode of constructing and working
duplex.compressors: Between the slides upon which the gun carriage traverses
and attached to the carriage there are two strong metal plates (or com-
pressors) an upper and a lower one, which on being drawn together by a right
and left handed screw, forcibly grip the upper and under surfaces of the slides.
Between these compressors, and occupying nearly the whole space between the.
slides, are two parallel blocks of wood (or metel) having an oval indent in
their centres; upon the middle of the right and left-handed screw shaft there
is an oval block or cam, the revolution of which forces the blocks asunder
against the two inner surfaces of the slides. Or these blocks may be forced
asunder by wedges attached to the upper and lower plates of the compressor.
On motion being given to this duplex compressor by a lever worked by a rope;
or by a screw, such an amount of pressure will be produced simultaneously upon
the
upper, inner, and under surfaces of the slides, as will, when the gun is fired,
materially check the recoil of the carriage to which this compressor is
attached.
And in order that the manner of performing this our Invention may be
more clearly understood, reference is had to the annexed Drawings, and to the
following description thereof. The same letters refer to similar parts in each
of these Drawings.
a
b..
oval indent
Figure 1 is a hinder end elevation of a gun carriage fitted with our
improved duplex compressor; Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, and
Figure 3 is a vertical section through the compressors on the line
A, A, is the body of the gun carriage; B, B, the slides; C, C, two internal
slides or ribbons attached thereto; D is the upper, and E the lower com-
pressor plates; F, F, two longitudinal blocks of wood, with an
in their centres lined with metal; G-is a vertical shaft, square in the middle,
with a right and left handed screw at top and bottom; H is an oval metal
cam fitted on the square of the shaft G ;. I is a forked and slotted lever keyed
on the top of the shaft G; K is a screw turning in bearings .affixed to the
under side of the gun carriage. L is a corresponding screw nut, which traverses
backward and forward upon the screw shaft K when it is made to revolve.
Upon the top and bottom of the nut L there are projecting horns or lugs
which work in the slots of the lever I; M is a wheel and handle for giving
motion to the screw shaft K. When out of action the oval cam H has its
longer axes fore and aft of the carriage, and the 'upper and lower compressor
plates, as well as the longitudinal blocks, are out of forcible contact with the

page_text: slides; but on turning the handle M the revolution of the screw K causes the
nut-L to traverse from left to right, carrying round the lever I, and shaft G,.
which by means of the left and right handed screws draws the two compressor
plates D and E together, and at the same time by moving round the oval cam
H forces the longitudinal blocks F, F, asunder; thus generating such an
amount of friction upon the upper, inner, and under surfaces of the slides, as
greatly retards the recoil of the carriage when the gun is fired. When the
gun is not of very large dimensions the screw and traversing nut may be
dispensed with, and a simple lever, worked by a rope, used for giving motion
to the compressors, as shown in Figure 4...
We desire it to be understood, that we do not claim any of the foregoing
parts separately, as some of them.have been used before.
What we claim as constituting our Invention of improvements in apparatus.
for checking the recoil of gun carriages is, the combination and arrangement
of compressors which act upon the upper, inner, and under surfaces of the
slides, by motion given to a common centre by means of a simple lever, or by
a combination of mechanical powers, substantially as herein-before described.
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Augustus Ferguson, the
younger, and Thomas Ferguson, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.
CHARLES AUGUSTUS FERGUSON, JN, (L.S.)
THOMAS FERGUSON.
(L.S.)
Witness,
W. BADDELEY,
Patent Agent,
... Islington.