IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF ORDNANCE
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Jeremiah Murphy, of Cork, in the County
of the City of Cork, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF ORDNANCE."
Sealed the 1st June 1869, and dated the 14th December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Jeremiah
Murphy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 14th December 1868.
I, WILLIAM JEREMIAH MURPHY, of Cork, in, the County of the City of
Cork, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF ORDNANCE," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements upon an Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date 11th December, 1865,
No. 3197, and which consisted principally in the employment or adapta-
tion of hydraulic pressure to the working of breech-loading guns, and
consists in various improvements in the working details of the gun and its
appliances, whereby its efficiency is greatly increased, and the improve-
ments are also made applicable to muzzle-loading guns.

page_text: In the first place I still propose to use the hydraulic breech and piston,
substantially as described in the Specification of my former Patent above
referred to, but I add an air vessel to the hydraulic cylinder in order to
impart an amount of elasticity to the resistance of the water, and so lessen
the effect of the recoil. The air vessel is to be screwed into the hydraulic
cylinder on the top, or may be placed between the pumps and the
gun.
Secondly. I propose to fire the piece whilst the projectile, cartridge,
piston, and water, as well as the air in front of the projectile are in
forward motion, so that the force of the explosion has no vis inertia of the
projectile or charge to overcome at starting, and not only 0 but at the
time of the explosion the momentum and vis inertiæ of the piston and
water must-be-first overcome by the reaction before any effect is brought
to bear on the inertie-of-the gun itself. Hence not-only-will the gun have
a greater range or penetrating power with the same amount-of-charge, but
also the liability of bursting the gun and also the effect of the recoil will
be reduced to a minimum.
Thirdly. In some cases (in cold countries, for instance.) I propose to use
the water from a boiler to act on the piston or plunger, the-pressure of the
steam above the water supplying the requisite power, and by its elasticity
dispensing with the necessity of an air vessel.
Fourthly. I propose to mount the gun on a frain or carriage which is
always kept horizontal during the rolling of the vessel, so that when once
the proper elevation due to the length of range has been given to the gun
it will remain in that position, and can be fired without being affected by
the motion of the vessel. This I propose to effect by means of a hanging
weight, which as the vessel rolls or pitches swings in the opposite direction
and acts upon eccentrics and levers which raise or lower the gun carriage
and thus keep it always horizontal.
Fifthly. I propose to overcome the recoil of the gun by a modifica-
tion of the hydraulic break for which Letters Patent were granted to
me dated 12th September, A.D. 1865, No. 2337, by using a perforated
piston enclosed in a cylinder or by balance weights attached to ropes
or chains passing over pulleys, which ropes or chains and weights assist
in bringing the gun back into positiou, or by balance weights worked
by connecting rods and cranks on the Moncreiff principle, Patent
No. 1548, June 4, 1866. I intend also in some instances to use a

page_text: hydraulic cylinder and piston or plunger for the purpose of bringing the
gun back into position by hydraulic pressure after firing.
Sixthly. I also propose for guns mounted "en barbette" to raise the
gun into the firing position by means of hydraulic pressure, and to lower
it for loading by allowing the water to escape from the cylinder, and I
protect the artillerymen and the guns when mounted in this fashion by
means of strong wrought-iron plates rolled and bent to a rounded acute
angle placed with their two edges resting on the ground or masonry and
their rounded angle uppermost and filled inside with earth or puddle, so
as to form as it were an earthwork cased both back and front with iron,
plate, the front being perpendicular, or nearly so, and the back sloping
backwards, so that should a shot or projectile penetrate the front and pass
through the earth or puddle it will on striking inside the back plate be
deflected or ricochet downwards and so not penetrate. The perpendicular
ends of the plates are joined or connected together at the back by menus of
keys, flanges, dovetailed joints, or in any other convenient manner without
bolts or rivets, and the plates are placed in a semicircular or polygonal
form in front of the gun, so as to present a series of angles and deflect the
shot laterally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Jeremiah Murphy in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JEREMIAH MURPHY, of Cork, in the County of the City of Cork,
Ireland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Jeremiah Murphy,
Her special licence that I, the said William Jeremiah Murphy, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Jeremiah Murphy, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
WORKING OF ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Jeremiah Murphy, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 I, the said William Jeremiah Murphy, do
hereby declare the nature of my-said-Invention,-and-in-what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and---ascer--
tained in and by the following statement in writing, and on reference
being had to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements upon an Invention for which
Letters Patent were-granted to-me-bearing-date Eleventh December, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, No. 3197, and which consisted
principally in the employment or adaptation of hydraulic pressure to the
working of breech-loading guns, and consists in various improvements in
the working details of the guns and its appliances, whereby its efficiency
is greatly increased, and the improvements are also made applicable to
muzzle-loading guns.
In the first place I still propose to use the hydraulic breech and piston
substantially as described in the Specification of my former Patent above
referred to, but I add an air vessel to the hydraulic cylinder in order to
impart an amount of elasticity to the resistance of the water and so lessen
the effect of the recoil.
Secondly. I propose to fire the piece whilst the projectile, cartridge,
piston, and water as well as the air in front of the projectile are in
forward motion, so that the force of the explosion has no vis inertia of
the projectile or charge to overcome at starting, and not only so but
at the time of the explosion the momentum and vis inertiae of the piston
and water must be first overcome by the reaction before any effect is
brought to bear on the inertia of the gun itself. Hence not only will
the gun have a greater rauge or penetrating power with the same

page_text: amount of charge, but also the liability of bursting the guns and also the
effect of the recoil will be reduced to a minimum.
Thirdly. In some cases (in cold countries for instance), I propose to use
the water from a boiler to act on the piston or plunger, the pressure of the
steam above the water supplying the requisite power, and by its elasticity
dispensing with the necessity for an air vessel.
Fourthly. I propose to mount the gun on a frame or carriage which
is always kept horizontal during the rolling or pitching of the vessel, so
that when once the proper elevation due to the length of range has been
given to the gun it will remain in that position and can be fired withont
being affected by the motion of the vessel. This I propose to effect
by means of a hanging weight, which as the vessel rolls or pitches
swings in the opposite direction and acts upon eccentrics and levers
which raise or lower the gun carriage, and thus keep it always
horizontal.
Fifthly. I propose to overcome the recoil of the gun by a modification
of the hydraulic break for which Letters Patent were granted to me
dated Twelfth September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five, No. 2337, by using a perforated piston enclosed
in a cylinder, or by balance weights attached to ropes or chains passing
over pulleys, which ropes or chains and weights assist in bringing the
gun back into position, or by balance weights worked by connecting
rods and cranks on the Moncreiff principle. I intend also in some
instances to use a hydraulic cylinder and piston or plunger for the
purpose of bringing the gun back into position by hydraulic pressure
after firing.
Sixthly. I also propose for guns mounted "en barbette" to raise the
gun into the firing position by means of hydraulic pressure and to lower it
for loading by allowing the water to escape from the cylinder; and I
protect the artillerymen and guns when mounted in this fashion by
means of strong wrought-iron plates rolled and bent to a rounded acute
angle placed with their two edges resting on the ground or masonry, and
their rounded angle uppermost and filled inside with earth or puddle, so
as to form as it were an earthwork cased both back and front with iron
plate, the front being perpendicular or nearly so, and the back sloping
backwards, so that should a shot or projectile penetrate the front and
pass through the earth or puddle it will on striking inside the back
plate be deflected or ricochet downwards and so not penetrate. Or the

page_text: sloping part may be in front, the shots on striking which are sent in
another direction; this means affords more safety on account of the
guns and artillerymen being protected by the perpendicular wall at the
back of the mantelet. The perpendicular ends of the plates are joined or
connected together at the back by means of keys and flanges, dove-
tailed joints, or in any other convenient manner without bolts or rivets,
and the plates are placed in a semicircular or polygonal form in front of
the gun, so as to present a series of angles and deflect the shot laterally.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in the Construction and Working of Ordnance," I will
now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to
he u may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that
the same may be distinctly understood I have annexed hereunto two
Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with
figures and letters-of-reference-corresponding-with-those-in-the-following
explanation thereof, that is to say:
In carrying out the first part of the present Invention I connect to the
hydraulic cylinder an air vessel of ordinary construction, such as is
commonly employed in connection with force pumps, hydraulic rams, and
other similar hydraulic or hydrodynamic apparatus. The construction of
such an air vessel is so well known and understood that I have not con-
sidered it necessary to illustrate the same by a Drawing.
In carrying out the second part of the Invention I arrange the detent
which holds the striking bar in such a manner that the motion of the
hydraulic piston itself shall cause the release of the striking bar, and
consequently the discharge of the piece, just before the hydraulic piston
has reached the end of its course, and whilst the latter together with the
charge as well as the water behind and the air in front of the same are still
in motion. This will be readily understood on reference to Sheets 1 and 2
of the annexed Drawings which illustrate the general arrangements of my
improved hydraulic gun and represent a 22 ton Armstrong gun converted
to my improved principle.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the gun, and Figure 2 back
elevation or rear view of the same; Figure 3 is a longitudinal ve: tical
section taken through the centre line of the gun, shewing the charge
ready to be forced home; and Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section
of the same through about the line A, B, in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a
longitudinal vertical section of the gun showing the charge thrust home

page_text: and ready for ignition; and Figures 6 show in section the arrangement for
raising the charge and closing the breech.
A, A, is the portion of the original gun to be refitted; B, B, is the new
or additional portion required for the hydraulic breech and strongly screwed
into the former, as shewn at a, a; O, C, is the ring which carries the
trunnions, being screwed firmly over the two parts, as seen at b, b, and
making perfect the joint between the gun and the hydraulic breech; D, D,
is the hydraulic piston provided with clastic rings or metallic packing E, E,
which are forced outwards so as to make a water-tight joint by the
hydraulic pressure acting through the tube or ducts c, c; F, F, is the
striking bar fitted with a spiral spring at f, f, and provided at its lower
extremity with a detent e, e. This detent when in its normal position is
perpendicular, as shown at Figures 1 and 2, and as the hydraulic piston D, D,
is forced forwards it comes in contact with the catch d, d, projecting from
the breech and compresses the spiral spring, as shown at Figure 5.
When the gun is to be discharged all that is required is to pull the
detent e, e, sideways till it leaves the catch d, d, and the spiral spring f. f,
will immediately throw the striking bar F, F, forwards and discharge the
picce.
In carrying out my improved principle of causing ignition to take place
whilst the charge is still in forward motion, either the gunner must pull
the lanyard connected to the detent just before the hydraulic piston reaches
the end of its course, or if the discharge is required to be self-acting an
inclined plane or other similar simple contrivance must be attached to
the breech end in such a way as to throw off the detent at the required
time; or the ignition of the cartridge or charge may be affected by
electricity, dispensing with the bar & spring, as also with the fulminate in
the cartridge, on account of the danger, if thought fit; G, G, is the
supply pipe, provided with a three-way cock or valve, as described in the
Specification of my former Patent above referred to; H, H, is a hydraulic
lift for laying and levelling the piece, and I, I, the hydraulic lift for load-
ing the gun from below (see also detached view Figures 6); K, K, is the
metallic or other cartridge, and L, L, the projectile; M, M, is the gun
carriage so constructed as to be capable of being taken asunder when
required.
The third part of my Invention meanings in fath

page_text: In carrying out the fourth part of my Invention I so mount the gun
carriage (or the platform supporting the same), and connect hanging
weights thereto (which may or may not act upon eccentrics and levers)
in such a manner that the tendency of the weights always to hang
perpendicular acts upon the eccentrics and levers, or upon the platform
itself when there are not any eccentrics, so as to keep the carriage or plat-
form always level or horizontal notwithstanding the pitching or rolling of
the vessel. The platform is supported upon eccentrics, and the weights
are hung by levers attached to the latter, so that the swinging of the
weights consequent upon the motion of the vessel turns the eccentrics
round on their shafts in such a way as to exactly counteract the motion of
the vessel, raising that side or end of the platform where the deck is
lowest, and lowering that where the deck is highest, and vice versa, as
illustrated by Figures 7 (which are merely diagrams illustrating the
principle of this part of the improvements), the-pitching of the vessel
causes the deck to dip forward and makes the weights a swing in the
direction of the dip, raising one of the cams and lowering the other so- as
to move the platform d in the reverse direction, and keep it always level;
care the levers connecting the weights and eccentrics or weights and
platform; or the weight may operate upon a cock or valve a. Figure 10,
admitting water to the cylinders b (fitted with pistons c and worked by
hydraulic power) arranged at each end of a beam d on which the gun and
carriage is placed; as the ship rolls the weight e swings and turns
or "off," the cock a admitting water to each cylinder 6 alter-
nately, and keeping the beam d & gun carriage always horizontal;
fand g are the water supply pipes; h the support, & i the fulcrum of the
"on
"
beam.
The fifth part of my Invention is sufficiently described herein-before
and needs no further illustration.
The sixth part of my Invention is represented at Figures 8 and 9,
a, a, being the gun carried on a platform b, b, attached to the ram (or
rams) of a hydraulic cylinder (or cylinders) c, c, so that it can be raised
into firing position by hydraulic pressure, and then be caused to descend
for reloading by allowing the water to escape from the cylinder (or
cylinders).
and guns awe protected by the mantelet A. A formed

page_text: angle supported on masonry at e, e, as shewn, and filled inside with earth
or puddle, and arranged in a semicircular orpolygonal form, as previously
described.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in the Construction and Working of Ordnance," together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my
Invention the general construction, arrangement, and working of breech-
loading ordnance, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
by the Drawings annexed, and more especially I claim,―
Firstly. The addition of an air vessel to the hydraulic breech.
Secondly. The arrangement for firing the piece whilst the piston and
charge are in forward motion.
Thirdly. The use of water from a steam boiler in the hydraulic
cylinder.
Fourthly. The means described for preserving the level of the gun
carriage notwithstanding the pitching and rolling of a vessel.
Fifthly. The methods described of overcoming the recoil of the gun
and bringing it back into position after firing.
And, sixthly. The method of raising and lowering guns (when
mounted "en barbette") by hydraulic means, and also the construction
of the mantelet as described for the protection of the gun and artillery.
men.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Jeremiah Murphy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in
the year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
WILLIAM J. MURPHY. (L.s.)