IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING CANNON
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. George Bodley, of Everhard Street East, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING CANNON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Bodley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1854.
I, GEORGE BODLEY, of Everhard Street. East, London, do hereby declare.the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING CANNON" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements in that class of ordnance where
several short barrels are arranged to work on the same axle, and to dis-
charge their contents through a fixed barrel. In this arrangement there is
a fixed vertical axis for the several combined short barrels to move on, and
there is a fixed barrel mounted on a suitable carriage. The combined short
barrels have fixed thereon a toothed wheel, which is put in motion by a pinion,
so as readily to bring the short barrels successively into position to be dis-
charged through the fixed barrel, and the series of short barrels are locked in
position, when one is about to be fired, by a dog or bolt. The loading can
thus be done by one or more persons standing at the side, and ramming the
charges into the horizontal short barrels, which are away from the fixed barrel,
the series of short barrels at all times remaining on their vertical axis, by
which the firing may be very quickly and constantly performed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Bodley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BODLEY, of Everhard Street East, London, send greeting.......
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One-thousand- eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Bodley, Her, special licence that I; the said George Bodley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Bodley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time 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
REVOLVING CANNON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Bodley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
per-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Bodley, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):
"
This Invention consists of improvements in that class of ordnance where
several short barrels are arranged to work on the same axle, and to discharge
their contents through a fixed barrel. In this arrangement there is a fixed
vertical axis for the several combined short barrels to move on, and there is
a fixed barrel mounted on a suitable carriage. The combined short barrels
have fixed thereon a toothed wheel, which is put in motion by a pinion, so
as readily to bring the short barrels successively into position to be discharged
through the fixed barrel, and the series of short barrels are locked in position,
when one is about to be fired, by a dog or bolt. The loading can thus be
done by one or more persons standing at the side, and ramming the charges
into the horizontal short barrels, which are away from the fixed barrel, 'the
series of short barrels at all times remaining in their vertical axis, by which the
firing may be very quickly and constantly performed..

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will now proceed to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side view of a connon constructed according to my Invention;
Figure 2 is a plan; and Figure 3, a longitudinal section.
a, a, is the carriage of the gun, which carries the bearing b, b, in which work
the trunnions c, c, of the bed d, to which is attached the barrel e, by screw or
otherwise, as shown. On the bed d there is a raised axis f, about which the
chambers g turn. On the top of the axis f is a cap or cover h, which is
secured thereon, and to the circumference of the bed d, by the screws i, or other-
wise. jj, are hand wheels, by which the chambers g are rotated on the axisf.
These wheels have on their axes pinions k, see Figure 4, which shows the bed
d in plan; these pinions k take into the circular rack 1, see Figure 5, which is
an under side view of the chambers. m, m, are friction rollers; n is a spring
catch, which falls into notches, so as to hold the chambers in the right positions ;
o is a ring of brass, let into the end of the barrel, and which is pressed up
against the face of the chambers by the springs p, so as to prevent escape when
the charges therein are fired; g is another hand wheel, which gives motion to
the pinion r, which takes into the curved rack s, and elevates or depresses the
muzzle of the gun; t is a pall, which falls into the teeth of the ratchet u, so as
to retain the same in position when elevated; v is an adjustable sight attached
to the cap or cover h.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details described; but what I claim is, the constructing the bed d
with trunnions c, and combining therewith the carriage a; also the arrange-
ment of the apparatus for rotating the chambers, and for raising and dressing
the muzzle of the gun.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Bodley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
GEORGE BODLEY. (L.S.)