AN IMPROVED BATTERY GUN
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED BATTERY GUN."-A communication from abroad by
William Augustus Miles, of Salisbury, County of Litchfield, and
State of Connecticut. United States of America.
Sealed the 3rd May 1872, and dated the 13th March 1872.

page_text: the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by William Augustus Miles, of
Salisbury, County of Litchfield, and State of Connecticut, United
States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification under my
hand and seal fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention relates to a novel battery gun, which is provided
with sliding barrels, its principal characteristic. The entire mechanism
becomes simple and powerful by the use of the sliding barrels, and all
the intricate devices usually applied to battery guns can be dispensed
with. The use of such arms for field service, and their exposure to the
influences of rough roads and weather, is thereby made more practicable
than ever before.
The Invention consists, first and chiefly, in the arrangement of
reciprocating barrels side by side and connected with rotary cams or
other mechanism or levers whereby they are successively or jointly
moved back and forward. During their backward motion they close
over the cartridges that have dropped behind them upon sliding
supports. When quite moved back their motion is arrested, and the
cartridges are exploded. The barrels are next moved forward to allow
the empty cartridge shells to drop down behind them.
The Invention consists, secondly, in the use and application of the
afore-mentioned sliding supports, which are carried forwards by means
of springs or weights, or by connection with the barrels, and held against
the breech ends of the barrels, except while the latter are entirely drawn
forward, when there will be an open space between the two for the
cartridge shell to drop through.
The Invention furthermore consists in the new loading mechanism,
which is composed of reciprocating carriers that convey the cartridges
from the receiver to the upper sides of the barrels, from which said
cartridges are finally dropped upon the sliding supports.

page_text: Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of this improved battery gun;
Figure 2 is a rear elevation partly in section of the same; Figures 3
and 4 are vertical longitudinal sections of the same. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
A in the Drawings represents the gun carriage mounted on
wheels B, B, and made of suitable form and size. Upon it is.
pivoted by a horizontal pin a, a plate C, which can be held horizontal
or more or less inclined by means of a tail screw b. A plate D
resting on the plate C and pivoted to the front end of the latter by
means of a vertical pin d, constitutes the direct support of the
frame E, in which the barrels F, F, the operating shaft G, and all
the other mechanism of the gun are secured. By means of a horizontal
screw e at the back of the plates C, D, the plate D and frame E can
be swung on the pivot d to one side or the other for directing the
barrels more or less obliquely. The barrels F, F, of which a suitable
number are employed, are of cylindrical form, but squared toward their
breech ends. They are fitted side by side in the frame E, as shown, but
are held loosely to be free to move back and forwards. The barrels are
prevented from turning by their squared breech ends, which fit snugly
into squared chambers of the frame E. Each barrel F is by a rod f
connected with an eccentric g, which is mounted upon the shaft G.
Said shaft is hung transversely in the frame E, and has a crank
handle h, whereby it can be revolved in the direction of the arrow
shown in Figure 4. There are as many eccentrics g mounted upon the
shaft G as there are barrels F in the gun, each eccentric being connected
with one of the barrels. The eccentrics are so mounted on the shaft that
the barrels may be moved simultaneously or alternately and in equal

page_text: degree. Back of each barrel F is arranged within the frame E a slide H,
A spring i,
of semi-cylindrical cross section, as indicated in Figure 2.
back of each slide H, tends to hold the same in contact with the breech
end of the barrel, in the manner clearly indicated in Figure 3. How-
ever, such spring i is only able to move the slide H as far forward, as is
shown in Figure 4, while the barrel is moved farther forward, as shown
in the same Figure, there being then an open space between the barrel
and the slide H. When the barrel is moved backwards it carries the
slide H back with it until the barrel arrives in contact with the breech
block part of the frame E, as in Figure 3. The firing needle I is fitted
through this breech block j and carried back by a spring, as in ordinary
needle fire-arms. The square part of each barrel is for the greater part
covered by the top portion of the frame E. Directly in front of the
breech block j, however, an opening is left above the barrel as long as
and for the admission of the cartridge. With each barrel F is connected
a sliding cartridge conveyor J, from which a rod projects through an
ear m of the barrel, as shown. This conveyor J slides upon the top
plate n of the frame E, and is slotted to form a chamber for receiving
the cartridge. While the slot of the conveyor J is above the plate na
cartridge is deposited within said slot. When the barrel is moved back
its ear m carries the conveyor back with it until the cartridge arrives
The
over the opening between the breech block j and the plate n.
cartridge is then dropped upon the barrel, which has a slight cavity in
When next the barrel is moved forward, the
its top to receive it.
cartridge being no longer confined in the conveyor, is prevented from
moving forward by the rear edge of the plate n, and is thus held between
·j and n until its barrel is so far forward that its breech end arrives under
the rear edge of n. The cartridge then drops upon the slide H into the
semi-cylindrical cavity thereof (see Figure 4). As the barrel is next
moved back it gradually receives the cartridge within it, carrying the
slide H back meanwhile, until the barrel is in contact with the breech
block j, when it fully embraces the cartridge, as in Figure 3. Mean-
while another cartridge is placed upon the barrel by the conveyor J.
The forward part of the slide H has a projecting flange o, which is over-
lapped by the cartridge head, and fits a recess in the breech end of the
The
barrel. The barrel is also recessed to receive the cartridge head.
cartridge is thus properly confined, as is clearly shown in Figure 3, and
fired. When the needle I is struck by the hammer L in the manner
herein-after described, it causes the explosion of the cartridge thus con-

page_text: fined in the barrel, after which the barrel is moved forward. Such
forward motion does however not cause the immediate detachment of
the empty cartridge shell from the slide H, as the head of the shell
remains confined to the latter by the lip o; but the slide H moves
forward propelled by the spring i until it reaches its most forward
position.
The barrel continuing to move forward gradually withdraws from the
cartridge shell until it finally detaches entirely from it, when the shell
losing its support drops down through an aperture of the frame E in the
manner indicated in Figure 4, or may be thrown down by a spring
shown in the same Figure, and is thus discharged. A fresh cartridge,
the one formerly on the top of the barrel, has meanwhile been deposited
upon the slide H also, as in Figure 4, and is loaded into the barrel by
the subsequent backward motion of the same. In this manner the
automatic loading, firing, and discharging process can be carried on
indefinitely as long as a supply of cartridges is fed to the conveyor J.
It need hardly be mentioned that at every forward motion each barrel
occasions the forward motion of the conveyor J, connected with it,
bringing it in position for receiving a fresh cartridge.
The supply of cartridges is contained within a receptacle M, which is
placed upon the frame E and held in place by a spring catch p, or other
equivalent mechanism or device. The box or cartridge holder M, which
is preferably arched as in Figure 3, to obtain a greater length in rear
than in front for the proper accommodation of the cartridge heads, is by
a series of vertical partitions q, q, subdivided into a series of vertical
cartridge chambers in such number that there are equally twice or three
times as many of such chambers as there are barrels, or any other con-
venient number. Whenever a slot of the cartridge conveyor J arrives
under one of the chambers of the holder M, the lowermost cartridge in
the latter drops into the conveyor to be carried backward by the same,
as above described, the front portion of the conveyor meanwhile support-
ing the other cartridges in the chamber until the slot again arrives in
position for a new supply, and so forth.
When one set of chambers (i.e., one chamber for each barrel) has been
6 emptied, the cartridge holder can be shifted laterally to bring a full set
of chambers in position, or removed to be replaced by a full cartridge
A sliding bottom is provided for every cartridge holder M to
support the cartridges while the holder is disconnected or not to be used;
holder.

page_text: barrel will, after the forward motion of the same, be deposited upon the
support H as specified.
6thly. The sliding semi-cylindrical support H provided with the pro-
jecting flange or lip o, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7thly. The reciprocating slotted conveyors J, J, applied to and in
combination with the reciprocating barrels F, F, as and for the purpose
set forth.
8thly. The hammer L provided with the arms t, u, and V, as
specified.
9thly. The combination of the spring N, cam O, and pin w, with the
hammer L to operate the same, substantially as herein shown and
described.
10thly. The shaft G provided with the eccentrics g for moving the
barrels, and with the cam O for actuating the hammers, as set
forth.
11thly. The cartridge receiver M provided with the partitions q and
with the sliding bottom, substantially as and for the purpose herein
shown and described.
12thly. The combination of the slotted slides J with the cartridge
holder M, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
W". CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)