Improvements in Mounting Heavy Guns and in Supplying Ammunition thereto.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
Improvements in Mounting Heavy Guns and in Supplying
Ammunition thereto.
I, JOHN EDWARD COMPTON-BRACEBRIDGE of 3 Whiteball Place, London S.W.;
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object Improvements in Mounting Heavy Guns and in
Supplying Ammunition thereto.
Where the gun is mounted on a slide pivotting vertically round a point at its front
end I fix a roller or rollers underneath the slide at a distance from the pivot and
cause it to bear on a pivotted bar, supported in turn by a spring. As the main slide
is pushed upwards and the gun is depressed the spring will become extended whilst
at the same time the roller will approach the pivot of the bar. Thus in all positions
the apparatus counterpoising the gun will be of equal efficiency or approximately
So. The movement of the main slide may be effected in any suitable manner either by
gear or hydraulically; or the elevating apparatus may instead of being attached to
the main slide, be attached to the pivotted bar.
When mounting a howitzer mortar or gun for high angle fire in a saddle on a
slide, I pivot the slide at its rear end and use the arrangement above described for
supporting it in various positions. The variable force of the spring may be
compensated by other arrangements; as by cams levers or gearing.
In cases where the gun is worked hydraulically and the mounting is capable of
turning round a point within the mounting, a supply of water under pressure is
usually conveyed by an upright pipo at the centre of motion. For the purpose of
raising ammunition to the gun from a magazine or service chamber below 1 surround
the pressure pipe with a casing which will form the guide for an annular plate
surrounding it. The plate is prevented from turning round upon the casing by a
feather or other guide. Upon this plate is formed a roller path carrying a ring of
live rollers supporting an upper plate with roller path in turn.
Upon this upper roller path is hinged a frame which stands up from it and is
provided at the upper end with a rope pulley. This frame forms the guide for the
case containing the ammunition. At a suitable height on the casing and usually
within it I place a pulley for a purchase for hoisting the plate and frame. The rope
for this purchase passes from the plate up over the pulley on the casing to another
pulley attached to the bottom of the central casing and proceeds away to a winch or
jigger. Round the foot of the casing is fixed a casting provided with a ring of rollers,
upon which turns an arm which carries a shackle on its outer end. A rope from
this shackle passes up round the pulley at the head of the guide frame and down
to the ammunition cage. Thus when the main purchase rope is hauled upon, the
annular plate ascends on the central casing and at the same time the ammunition
case is hoisted up the guide frame at double speed.
In order to deliver the ammunition to the breech of the gun whatever position
the latter may be in as regards the vessel, inclined guides are fixed to the turret or
turntable. When the guide frame rises a pulley at its upper end comes against the
guides fixed to the turntable or turret and the guide frame controlling the ammunition
cage is turned thereby into line with the axis of the gun. The gun is usually.
inclined for the purpose of loading and in order to make the axis of the tubes in the
ammunition cage correspond to the axis of the piece other guides are provided upon
the gun mounting which turn the guide frame more or less upon its hinges on the
upper roller path to effect this object. Means are provided for preventing the guide
frame from moving about as the ship rolls. Stops are provided on the guide frame
and on the central tube to prevent the ammunition cage from passing the proper
position for the charge to be rammed into the gun.

page_text: In order to make the arm carrying the lower end of the cage hoisting rope follow
round when the cage turns I may form a spur wheel on the upper roller path and
upon the arm carrying the end of the cage rope and have equal teethed pinions
upon the same shaft gearing with these wheels that engaging with the arm being
fixed on the shaft, while that engaging with the upper roller path slides on a feather
on the shaft.
By this means when the upper roller path is turned the arm is compelled to turn
with it through an equal angle.
In cases where an all round fire or movement is not desired and so the water
supply can be brought into the turret or turntable by means of jointed pipes I
arrange the guide frame upon which the cage travels beneath the axis or centre of
the turret or turntable instead of on one side of it.
The guide frame at its lower end is carried by a plate which is pivoted upon a
cross bar. Upon this pivot the guide frame turns in order that its position may accord
with that of the turret or turntable.
The cage which receives the powder case is hauled up the guide frame and
lowered down by means of a wire rope passed over a pulley at the top of the guide
frame.
The cross bar which supports the guide frame is also moveable up and down along
guides and after the cage has been raised to the top of the guide frame, it is hoisted
a further distance by the upward movement of the cross bar. The guide frame is
jointed at some distance from its upper end and when the guide frame is raised
it bends at this joint to an inclined position thereby carrying the cage from the
centre of the mounting towards the breech of the gun. Counterpoises are connected
with the cross bar to assist in lifting it.
The upper part of the guide frame when rising obliquely in the manner described
ascends within an inclined trunk which is carried by and turns with the turret or
turntable. At the first part of the upward movement of the 'guide frame a roller or
rollers upon it come into contact with a guide carried upon the turret or turntable
which rotates the guide frame until its position accords with that of the gun.
The whole of the movement of the cage is obtained by means of one hoisting rope
the course of which may be traced from the cage, to which it is attached over a
pulley at the top of the guide frame, then the rope is guided down to the foot of
the hoist and it is led by pulleys through the pivot; it continues on beneath pulleys
upon the cross head; thence up again over a pulley at the top of the cross head guides
and finally to a winch in any convenient position.
When two guns have to be served by the hoist; the guide frame is jointed to the
plate at its lower end so that the entire guide frame can rock a sufficient distance to
convey the cage when elevated from gun to gun.
Dated this 26th dow of
1000
J. E. COMPTON-BRACEBRIDGE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mounting Heavy Guns and in Supplying
Ammunition thereto.
I, JOHN EDWARD COMPTON-BRACEBRIDGE of 3 Whitehall Place, London S.W.,
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 :-
This invention has for its object Improvements in Mounting Heavy Guns and in
Supplying Ammunition thereto.
In cases where the gun is worked hydraulically and the mounting is capable of
turning round a point within the mounting, a supply of water under pressure is
usually conveyed by an upright pipe at the centre of motion. For the purpose of
raising ammunition to the gun from a magazine or service chamber below employ
the arrangement illustrated by Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the annexed drawings.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections taken on planes at right angles the one to
the other. Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 1 but with the parts in another
position. a is the floor of a turntable or rotating turret carrying the gun and 6 is a
portion of the central pipe supplying water to work the gun and rotate the turntable
or turret. I surround this pressure pipe with a casing c which forms the guide for an
annular plate d surrounding it. The plate is prevented from turning round upon the
casing by a feather or other guide. Upon this plate is formed a roller path carrying
a ring of live rollers e supporting an upper plate f with roller path in turn.
Upon this upper roller path is binged a frame h which stands up from it and is
provided at the upper end with a rope pulley '. This frame forms the guide for the
case i containing the ammunition. At a suitable height on the casing and usually
within it I place a pulley k for a purchase for hoisting the plate d and frame h.
The rope for this purpose passes from the plate d up over the pulley on the casing
to another pulley m attached to the bottom of the central casing and proceeds
away to a winch or jigger. Round the foot of the casing is fixed a casting or
bracket n provided with a ring of rollers o upon which turns an arm o¹ which carries
a shackle on its outer end. Å rope p from this shackle passes up round the pulley h¹
at the head of the guide frame and down to the ammunition cage i. Thus when the
main purchase rope is hauled upon, the annular plate ascends on the central casing
and at the same time the ammunition case is hoisted up the guide frame at double
speed.
In Figure 1 the cage is in its lowest position where the ammunition is loaded upon
it. In Figure 3 the cage is in its highest position adjacent upon the breech of
the gun at 9.
In order to deliver the ammunition to the breech of the gun whatever position the
latter may be in as regards the vessel, inclined guards rare fixed to the turret or
turntable and below these are other stationary guides ss. When the guide frame
rises a pulley h² near its upper end comes against the guides fixed to the turntable or
turret and the guide frame controlling the ammunition cage is turned thereby into
line with the axis of the gun.
In the position of the turntable or turret indicated in Figure 1 there is no need
for turning the frame h but in any other position the pulley 3 on rising would
strike upon the inclined part of one of the guides and would be led round by
it to the place at where the guides are upright and would then pass up between
them. The upper end of the frame h when it is raised is controlled by guide
pulleys t t supported from the floor of the turntable or turret and in rising the frame
enters between these guide pulleys. The gun is usually inclined for the purpose of
loading and in order to make the axis of the tubes in the ammunition cage correspond
to the axis of the piece the guides t t turn the guide frame h more or less upon its
hinges on the upper roller path to effect this object. Means are provided for
preventing the guide frame from moving about as the ship rolls. u is a forked arm
embracing the casing c with this object. Stops are provided on the guide frame and
on the central tube to prevent the ammunition cage from passing the proper position
for the charge to be rammed into the gun.
When the frame is lowered the guides ss ensure the return of the cage to
its original position. " is a vertical axis which is turned by a hand wheel on the
turret; it is geared by bevelled pinions with an axis w which operates a valve
controlling the winding mechanisın which may be hydraulic or otherwise.
In order to make the arm o¹ carrying the lower end of the cage hoisting rope
follow round when the cage turns I may form a spur wheel on the upper roller
path and upon the arm o¹ carrying the end of the cage rope and have equal
teethed pinions upon the same shaft gearing with these wheels that engaging with
the arm being fixed on the shaft, while that engaging with the upper roller path
slides on a feather on the shaft.
By this means when the upper roller path is turned the arm is compelled to
turn with it through an equal angle.
In cases where an all round fire or movement is not desired-and-the water

page_text: supply can be brought into the turret by means of pipes the ammunition cage can
be placed concentric with the roller path and the apparatus worked by one hoisting
rope as in the powder hoist which I will now describe. Figures 4 and 5 are vertical
sections on planes at right angles and both shew the powder hoist with its cage in
its lowest position. Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 but with the cage raised. I
arrange the guide frame A upon which the cage B travels beneath the axis or..
centre of the turret or turntable instead of on one side of it.
The guide frame A at its lower end is carried by a plate
upon a cross bar D.
which is pivotted
Upon this pivot the guide frame turns in order that its position
may accord with that of the turret or turntable.
The cage B which receives the powder_case is hauled up the guide frame and
lowered down by means of a wire rope E passed over a pulley F at the top of
the guide frame.
The cross bar D which supports the guide frame is also moveable up and down
along guides G and after the cage has been raised to the top of the guide frame,
it is hoisted a further distance by the upward movement of the cross bar D. The
guide frame is jointed at A' at some distance from its upper end and when the
guide frame is raised it bends at this joint to an inclined position thereby carrying
the cage from the centre of the mounting towards the breech of the gun. Counter-
poises H H are connected with the cross bar to assist in lifting it.
The upper part of the guide frame when rising obliquely in the manner described
ascends within an inclined trunk 1 which is carried by and turns with the turret or
turntable. At the first part of the upward movement of the guide frame A a roller
or rollers upon it come into contact with an inclined guide at J carried upon the
trunk I which is fixed to the turret or turntable which rotates the guide frame
until its position accords with that of the gun.
The whole of the movement of the cage is obtained by means of one hoisting
rope E the course of which may be traced from the cage to which it is attached at B¹
over a pulley F at the top of the guide frame, then the rope is guided down to
the foot of the hoist and it is led by pulleys C1 C2 through the pivot; it continues
on beneath pulleys D1 D2 upon the cross head; thence up again over a pulley K
at the top of the cross head guides and finally to a winch L in any convenient
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination with a heavy gun mounting upon a turntable or turret an
ammunition hoist arranged beneath the turntable or turret and having a cage hauled
up a guide frame which frame is itself raised for a portion of the lift substantially
as described..
2. In a hoist such as is referred to in claim 1 providing a joint in connection with
the guide frame such that by movement about the joint the cage when raised is
moved outwards from the centre whereby the ammunition is presented in a
convenient position for the service of the gun.
3. In a hoist such as is referred to in claim 1 so arranging the guide frame that
it is able to rotate about a vertical centre or pivot and providing inclined guides
and corresponding projections the one on the guide frame and the other rotating
with the turntable or turret so that as the guide frame ascends it is brought to
correspond with the position of the turntable or turret; the ammunition consequently
being delivered always in the same position relatively to the gun.
4. An ammunition hoist supplying ammunition to a heavy gun mounted upon
a turntable or turret substantially as described and represented by the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 18th day of September 1890.