Improvements in Apparatus for facilitating the Loading of Ordnance.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for facilitating the Loading of
Ordnance.
We, SIR GEORGE SYDENHAM CLARKE, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., Lieutenant-Colonel R.E.,
and GEORGE HENRY BANISTER, C.E., both of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in the
County of Kent, 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 apparatus for supplying projectiles to breech-loading
guns and more particularly those having cradle-mountings in turrets or barbettes
and is chiefly designed to provide for the loading of such guns at any angle
of elevation.
Our said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section shewing parts of a
gun and mounting with our invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the said apparatus, partly in longitudinal
section showing the parts in a different position, and
Figure 3 is a sectional plan thereof.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and
Figure 5 a plan illustrating a modification of the said invention.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3 A is the gun mounted in a cradle which
is supported by trunnions in the usual manner and the gun is arranged to slide
endwise in the cradle. A radial arm a herein termed the loading arm is pivotted
at or near the axis of the cradle trunnions. The arm a carries at its rear or outer
end an hydraulic or other rammer a* of any suitable construction. To the arm & an
auxiliary arm or bar b is pivotted at b. This auxiliary arm b carries the loading
tray c. d is an hydraulic or other cylinder having its ram or plunger connected to
the arm bat d¹ as shewn in Figures 1 and 2. Another hydraulic cylinder or
equivalent apparatus is arranged at e for the purpose of transferring the projectiles
from the circular carrier e¹ on the platform to the loading tray c.
As shown in Figure 1 the loading tray c has been lowered to receive a projectile
This having been placed in the tray the arm 6 is raised by the hydraulic or other
apparatus d until it comes in contact with a suitably arranged part a' on the loading
arm a which part acts as a stop so that the two arms a and b then move upward
together until they are brought to rest in a position in which the axis of the
projectile coincides with that of the gun as shewn in Figure 2, in which position
it is arrested by a suitable stop. The projectile is then pushed into the gun by the
aforesaid rammer a carried by the loading arm.
It will be obvious from the above description that with our apparatus we ensure the
raising of the projectile into exact alignment with the bore of the gun at any degree
of elevation of the latter so that the loading may be effected in any position of
the gun.
In order to provide for the loading of the gun in the event of the failure of the
supply of projectiles to the platform or lower position of the lifting apparatus we
arrange the tray as follows-that is to say, we mount the tray c on an arm c¹ which

page_text: is pivotted at c² to the arm or bar b. Therefore when the arm b is in its raised
position the tray can be swung laterally about the pivot or joint c² away from and to
one side of the gun into any convenient position for receiving the projectiles from a
carrier or other means of supply.
According to the modification of our invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 the
loading tray c is carried by an arm g which is pivotted at g³ to a bracket h attached
to the rear end of the cradle. The cradle is supported, as above described, on
suitable trunnions on the lower carriage and the gun A is arranged to slide longi-
tudinally in the said cradle. The loading tray c can be adjusted to a convenient
position for receiving the projectile, and can then be turned about its pivot
to the loading position whence the projectile can be pushed into the gun.
The pivot g is so arranged relatively to the gun that the tray, when in the
loading position, covers and protects the breech screw threads in the gun (see
Figure 5).
As set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 this last described modification of
our apparatus ensures the exact alignment of the projectile with the bore of the gun
at any degree of elevation of the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A gun-mounting provided with loading apparatus arranged substantially as
described so that the projectiles can be thereby raised and brought accurately in line
with the bore of the gun at any angle of elevation of the same.
2. The lifting apparatus consisting of the loading arm pivotted at or near the axis
of the trunnions and carrying a rammer and connected with an auxiliary arm carrying
a loading tray and arranged to be operated by hydraulic or other power substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The apparatus consisting of the aforesaid loading arm and auxiliary arm the
latter having the loading tray pivotted to it substantially as set forth so that the said
tray can move laterally to and from the loading position to bring the projectiles
accurately in line with the bore of the gun at any angle of its elevation.
4. The apparatus consisting of the loading tray attached to an arm which is
jointed or pivotted to the end of the cradle in such a manner that it can swing
laterally or transversely to and from the loading position and will come accurately in
line with the bore of the gun to permit the latter to be loaded at any angle of
its elevation.
ות.
1
-HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.