Apparatus for Automatically Discharging the Guns of Warships whilst the Vessels are Labouring amongst Waves.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Apparatus for Automatically Discharging the Guns of Warships
whilst the Vessels are Labouring amongst Waves.
We, JOHN ANTHONY ROWE, of 68, Hampton Road, Forest Gate, in the County
of Essex, Engineer and Naval Architect, and FRANCIS JAMES TREWENT, of 43,
Billiter Buildings, Billiter Street, in the City of London, Naval Architect, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for enabling the guns of a warship rolling
and pitching amongst the waves of the sea to be accurately and automatically
discharged at the moment when the warship is upright or at any desired pre-
determined angle from the upright position.
According to this invention the guns are fired by means of an electric current
passing in a circuit which is normally open, but which is closed by the operation
of the apparatus when the vessel is upright, or if desired when the vessel has
reached a predetermined angle in its rolling movement.
This invention may be carried into effect in various ways.
A convenient form of apparatus comprises a cylindrical float arranged with its
axis lying horizontally in liquid contained in a cylindrical casing which is also
situated with its axis lying horizontally. The float and its containing casing do
not bear against each other at any part. The casing is fitted at each of its ends
with a cover formed with a central aperture through which extends a spindle
projecting from the corresponding end of the float. There is ho contact between
the spindles and the sides of the apertures in the covers.
The liquid in which the float is suspended and which is preferably a practically
non-freezing liquid such as a solution of chloride of calcium in water, or other
suitable solution is supplied through a suitable filling device and completely
fills up the casing; it is prevented from escaping through the aforesaid central
apertures in the covers by means of sleeves of rubber or other suitable flexible
material which is impervious to water and which will allow of the float and casing
oscillating to and fro relatively to each other on each side of the vertical.
each spindle at or near its end, there is fixed a disc to the lower part of which is
fitted a small weight which amongst other considerations serves to determine or
regulate the period of oscillation of the float.
On
The weight of the float and its attachments is made exactly equal to the weight
of the liquid displaced by it; and in order to maintain this equality the tempera-
ture of the liquid can be kept constant, or where this is inconvenient the desired
equality can be maintained by employing a greater or less number of removable
discs or weights on the spindles. The centre of gravity of the float and its
attachments is arranged to be slightly below the geometrical centre of the float,
the exact position of the said centre of gravity being determined by the amount
of the small weight above referred to, and by the distance of said weight from
the centre of the spindle. Instead of employing a weight as above described the
same object can be attained by forming a hole or recess in the disc at the upper
part of same.

page_text: The casing is fixed to the deck or other suitable part of the warship, and so
that the float spindles lie fore and aft of the ship when the apparatus is intended
to fire the broadside guns. When the apparatus is to be used for firing the bow
or stern guns it must be arranged with the float spindles lying athwartships so
as to be operated by the pitching of the ship.
Suitable means are provided for filling and emptying the casing.
The float being accurately balanced in the liquid in the casing does not require
any support, but in order to secure accurate adjustment of the parts, centre holes
are formed in the ends of the spindles into which fit centres carried by strong
brackets fixed to the ship's deck or to a suitable overhead frame. There is not
necessarily contact between the centres and the spindles; their use is to adjust
the parts.
On each head centre there is fitted an adjustable disc adapted to be revolved by
hand through a suitable angle, and to which is connected an insulated wire lead-
ing from one terminal of an electric battery. Similarly, another insulated wire
leading from the other pole of the battery is attached to the disc above described as
being fixed to the float spindle. A suitable projection or contact is carried by
each of the two discs that face each other in such relative positions that so long
as the ship is rolling or pitching at an angle with the vertical, the said contacts
will be situated apart and the battery circuit will remain open, but as soon as the
ship assumes an upright position, the contacts will touch each other and by
closing the battery circuit will fire the gun or guns included in the circuit.
.
If however it is desired to place the gun or guns in the horizontal still water
position and to fire them when the requisite elevation or depression for the range
is obtained by the inclination of a rolling or pitching ship, the adjustable disc.
is shifted round through the requisite angle of elevation or depression which can
be read from a suitable scale affixed to the supporting bracket. Then on said disc
being fixed temporarily in place at said angle by means of a set screw or the like,
contact between the projections on the discs does not take place when the vessel is
upright, but when the axis of the gun is at a predetermined angle above or below
its normal horizontal level.
When the apparatus is intended to effect the discharge of an all-round firing
gun or of a turret gun, the apparatus must be moved synchronously with the
revolving gun platform or turret. In such cases the entire apparatus is rigidly
secured to a bedplate from which projects a spindle by means of which revolving
or oscillating motion can be given to the apparatus in an automatic manner by
leading an endless chain over two similar wheels, one on the spindle of the bed-
plate the other on a spindle of the gun platform or turret, or by leading an endless
1ope over two similar pulleys, or by a control shaft united by tooth wheels on both
spindles or by other simple means.
Dated this 10th day of Sontomor 1808
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.
Apparatus for Automatically Discharging the Guns of Warships
whilst the Vessels are Labouring amongst Waves.
We, JOHN ANTHONY ROWE, of 68, Hampton Road, Forest Gate, in the County
of Essex, Engineer and Naval Architect, and FRANCIS JAMES TREWENT, of 43,
Billiter Buildings, Billiter Street, in the City of London, Naval Architect, do į

page_text: 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 relates to apparatus for enabling the guns of warships rolling
and pitching amongst the waves of the sea to be accurately and automatically
discharged at the moment when the warship is upright or at any desired pre-
determined angle from the upright position.
According to this invention the guns are fired by means of an electric current
passing in a circuit which is normally open, but which is closed by the operation
of the apparatus when the ship is upright, or if desired when the ship has
reached a predetermined angle in its rolling movement.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section illustrating an apparatus
constructed in accordance with the preferred manner of carrying out the invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section on the line II-II of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on the line III-III of Figure 1,
looking towards the right hand end of that figure. In Figure 3 a gun is shown
in side elevation on a considerably smaller scale.
Figure 4 illustrates a portion of Figure 1 on a larger scale.
I is a cylindrical submerged float arranged with its axis lying horizontally in
the liquid contained in a cylindrical casing 2 which is also situated with its
axis lying horizontally. The float 1 and its containing casing 2 do not bear
against each other at any part. The casing 2 is fitted at each of its ends with a
cover 3 formed with a central aperture 4 through which extends a spindle 5
projecting from the corresponding end of the float. There is no contact between
the spindles 5, 5 and the sides of the apertures 4, 4 in the end covers 3, 3.
The liquid 2 in which the float 1 is submerged and which is preferably a prac-
tically non-freezing liquid such as a solution of chloride of calcium in water, or
other suitable solution, completely fills up the casing 2; it is prevented from
escaping through the aforesaid central aperture 4 in the covers 3 by means of
sleeves 6 of rubber or other suitable flexible material which is impervious to
water and which will allow of the float 1 and casing 2 oscillating to and fro
relatively to each other on each side of the vertical. The sleeves 6 are attached at
each end in a water-tight manner respectively to the cover 3 and the spindle 5.
7 is a light net of suitable material fitted over each rubber sleeve 6 to prevent
undue expansion arising from internal pressure. On each spindle 5 at or near
its end, there is fixed a disc 8 to the lower part of which is fitted a small weight 9
which with other considerations serves to determine or regulate the period of
oscillation of the float 1.
The weight of the float 1 and its attachments is made exactly equal to the
weight of the liquid displaced by it; and in order to maintain this equality the
temperature of the liquid should be kept constant, or where this is inconvenient
the desired equality can be maintained by placing a greater or less number of
removable discs or weights on the spindles 5, 5. The centre of gravity of the
float and its attachments is arranged to be slightly below the geometrical centre
of the float, the exact position of the said centre of gravity being determined by
the total weight of the float, the amount of the small weight 9 above referred
to, and the distance of said weight 9 from the centre of the spindle. Instead of
employing a weight 9 as above described the same object can be attained by
forming a hole or recess in the disc at the upper part of same.
The casing 2 is carried on feet 10, 10 fixed to the deck 11 or other suitable part
of the warship, and so that the float spindles 5, 5 lie afore and aft of the ship
when the apparatus is intended to fire the broadside guns. When the apparatus
is to be used for firing the bow or stern guns it must be arranged with the float
spindles 5, 5 lying athwartships so as to be operated by the pitching of the ship.
A pipe 12 formed with an expansion chamber 12" is provided for filling the

page_text: casing 2; and an aperture 13 normally closed by a screw plug 13 serves for the
purpose of emptying said casing.
The float, 1 being accurately balanced in the liquid 2 in the casing 2 does not
require any support, but in order to secure accurate adjustment of the parts,
centre holes 5" are formed in the ends of the spindles 5, 5 into which fit centres 14,
14 carried by strong brackets 15 fixed to the ship's deck 11 as shown or to a suit-
able over head frame. There is not necessarily contact between the centres 14
and the spindles 5; their use is to adjust the parts, and after the adjustment has
been effected the centres 14, 14 are preferably moved back by means of the
screws 14" to the extent of say 1/32nd of an inch.
On each head centre 14 there is fitted an adjustable disc 16 adapted to be turned
by hand through a suitable angle, and to which is connected an insulated wire 17
leading from one terminal of an electric battery X. Similarly, another insulated
wire 18 leading from the other pole of the said battery is attached to the disc 8
above described as being fixed to the float spindle 5, the wires 17 and 18 are not
in metallic connection with the discs. 19 and 20 are projections or contacts
carried respectively by the two discs 8 and 16; they are insulated from the
discs 8 and 16 by means of pieces of non-conducting material 19" and 20" respec-
tively (or the discs may be made of insulating material such as ebonite) but are
in metallic contact with the wires 18 and 17 respectively. They face cach
other in such relative positions that so long as the ship is rolling
or pitching at an angle with the vertical, the said contacts 19, 20 will be
situated apart and the battery circuit 17, 18 will remain open, but as soon as
the ship assumes an upright position, the contacts 19, 20 will touch each other
and by closing the battery circuit 17, 18 will fire the gun or guns included in the
said circuit. In a ship fitted with broadside guns the battery wires 17 and 18
at one end of the apparatus will discharge the starboard broadside, and the battery
wires at the other end, the port broadside. The wires 17 and 18 are shown at only
one end of the apparatus.
If it is desired to keep the gun or guns in the horizontal still-water position and
to fire them when the requisite elevation or depression for the range is obtained
by the inclination of a rolling or pitching ship as illustrated by Figure 3, the ad-
justable disc 16 is shifted round through the requisite angle of clevation or depres-
sion which can be read from a suitable scale 21 affixed to the supporting bracket 15.
Then on said disc 16 being fixed temporarily in place at said angle by means of
a set screw 22 or the like, contact between the projections 19, 20 on the discs S
and 16 does not take place when the ship is upright, but when the axis of the
gun 23 is at a predetermined angle- above or below its normal horizontal level.
For example if it be desired to discharge the gun 23 (which has been laid
horizontally when the ship was upright) automatically by means of this apparatus
when the gun is at an angle a (say 10 degrees as shown in Figure 3), the disc 16
must be turned through the angle a (10 degrees) and fixed in this position. Then
when the axis of the gun is caused by the rolling or pitching of the ship to be
parallel with the line B B the gun will be discharged.
Instead of the wires 17, 18 being connected respectively with the discs 16
and S they may be connected to any other suitable parts so long as they cause
the circuit to be closed when the ship is upright or reaches a predetermined angle.
When the apparatus is intended to effect the discharge of an all-round firing
gun or of a turret gun, the apparatus must be moved synchronously with the
revolving gun platform or turret. In such cases the entire apparatus is rigidly
secured to a bedplate from which projects a vertical spindle by means of which
revolving or oscillating motion can be given to the apparatus in an automatic
manner by leading an endless chain over two similar wheels, one on the spindle of
the bedplate the other on a spindle of the gun platform or turret, or by leading
an endless rope over two similar pulleys, or by a control shaft united by tooth-
wheels on both spindles or by other simple means.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1. In apparatus for automatically discharging the guns of a warship by means
of an electric current passing in a circuit in which the guns are included and which
is normally open, a cylindrical float submerged in a casing fixed to part of the
ship, said float and its attachments being equal to the weight of the liquid dis-
placed by it and said float having spindles passing in a watertight manner through
the ends of said casing without touching same, in combination with means con-
nected with said spindles and operated by the angular change in the relative
positions of said float and said casing to close the electric circuit and thereby
fire the guns included in said circuit when the ship is upright or reaches a pre-
determined angle, substantially as set forth.
2. In apparatus for automatically discharging the guns of a warship by means
of an electric current passing in a circuit in which the guns are included and
which is normally open but which is closed to fire the guns when the warship is
upright or in a predetermined position relatively to the horizontal, the combination
of a casing fixed to a ship and having coaxial apertures in two opposite vertical
ends, liquid filling said casing, a cylindrical float submerged horizontally in
said liquid having two coaxial horizontal spindles projecting respectively from
its said vertical ends through said coaxial apertures, without touching same,
means for preventing the liquid from escaping through said coaxial apertures, and
means operated by the angular change in the relative positions of said float and
said casing to close the electric circuit and thereby fire the guns included in said
circuit, substantially as specified.
3. In apparatus for automatically discharging the guns of a warship by means
of an electric current passing in a circuit in which the guns are included and
which is normally open and which fires the guns when closed, the combination
of a casing fixed to the ship's deck and having coaxial apertures in two opposite
vertical ends, liquid filling said casing, a cylindrical float submerged horizontally
in said liquid, having two coaxial horizontal spindles projecting respectively
from its said vertical ends through said coaxial apertures, without touching
same, means for preventing the liquid from escaping through said coaxial aper-
tures, discs, mounted on the float spindles and weighted so as to determine the
period of oscillation of the float, discs adjustably fixed relatively to the ship's
dock, electric contacts mounted respectively on the float spindle discs and the
adjustably fixed discs and arranged to be in contact with each other in the pre-
determined firing position of the ship's guns, and wires forming part of the electric
circuit for firing the guns and connected respectively to said electric contacts,
substantially as specified.
4. The combination with apparatus such as referred to in the preceding claims
of means whereby in the case of its adaptation to an all round firing gun or of
a turret gun the apparatus is caused to move synchronously with the revolving
gun platform or turret, substantially as described.
Dated this th
T
1000
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.