Improvements in Gun Mountings."
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1897
"Improvements in Gun Mountings."
We, VICKERS SONS & Co. LIMITED of River Don Works, Sheffield, in the County
of York Steel Manufacturers, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON of Oak Park, Sheffield,
Superintendent of Orduance Works, aud FRANK WILLIAM HAWKINS, of River Don
Works, Sheffield, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature. of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to appliances for charging heavy breech loading guns, by
which the ammunition is transferred from the lift cage to the gun whatsoever be the
position of the latter, vertically or horizontally. To this end we employ suitable rails
or guides, either fixed or moveable, by which the ammunition cage or carrier is
constrained to move in a path at the rear of the gun, concentric or nearly so with.
the axis about which the gun turns when 'elevated or depressed. We also employ a
projection or stop; either attached to or in connection with the ammunition cage,
which by coming in contact either with the gun itself or with some of its
appurtenances stops the cage when it is hoisted up in such a position that the axis
of the projectile in the cage and the axis of the gun are coincident or nearly so. We
also employ a moveable trough or tray for holding the projectile when in the cage,
so arranged with rack and piniou or other equivalent gear that when the cage is in
the loading position the said trough may be inoved forward to project into the breech.
part of the gun, thus protecting the screw threads with which the breech screw
engages, and affording more room at the rear for the use of a rammer.
In cases where, on account of the weight of the projectile, or for other reasons, it
is desirable to use some form of mechanical raminer, we sometimes employ &
telescopic or other rammer which is moved upwards, in suitable guides, by the ascent
of the cage, in such a manner that when the projectile is in the loading position the
rammer is in the correct position for ramining it home; sometimes we employ a
rammer attached to the sliding carriage or cradle in which the gun rests, and
sometimes we employ a rammer attached to the ammunition cage or carrier itself,
but in all cases it is so arranged that any movement of the gun in elevation does
not necessarily affect the loading operation.
Dated this 20th day of November 1896.

page_text: of Ordnance Works, and FRANK WILLIAM HAWKINS, of River Don Works, Sheffield,
aforesaid, 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:-
Our invention relates to appliances for charging heavy breech londing guns, by
which the ammunition is transferred from the lift cage to the gun whatsoever be the
position of the latter, vertically or horizontally, as we shall describe referring to the
accompanying drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 shew the loading cage; Figure 1 being a side elevation shewing
the cage in the loading position, and Figure 2 an end view.
Figures 3 and 4 shew a form of mechanical rammer, which is actuated by the
loading cage, Figure 3 being a side elevation with the rammer and cage up in the
loading position, the dotted lines showing the rammer down, and Figure 4 an end
view.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a modification in which the rammer is attached to the cage,
Figure 6 being a side elevation shewing the raminer and cage in the loading position
and Figure 6 an end view.
In Figures 1 and 2, A is the rail or guide, either fixed or moveable, by which the
ammunition cage or carrier B running on suitable rollers C, is constrained to move
in a path at the rear of the gun D, concentric or nearly so with the axis about which
the gun turns when elevated or depressed. Attached to or in connection with the
ammunition cage B is the stop, or projection E, which by coming in contact either
with the gun D or some of its appurtenances, stops the cage B when it is hoisted up
in such a position that the axis of the projectile F in the cage B and the axis of the.
gun D are coincident, or nearly so. When the cage B is being lowered the stop or
projection E strikes against the block H, fixed in any suitable position and throws
the arm of the stop or projection E into the position indicated by the dotted lines
until the cage B again ascends, when a lug E on its underside strikes the block H
and is thrown into position for stopping the cage. B when it comes into contact with
the gun. The bracket carrying the arm E is arranged with spring action as shown.
A moveable trough or tray I, running on rollers K in suitable guides for carrying the
projectile F when in the cage B, is so arranged with a rack L and pinion M or other
equivalent gear, that when the cage B is in the loading position, the said trough or
tray L, by turning the hand-wheel N, may be moved forward to project into the
breech part of the gun D, thus protecting the screw threads with which the breech
screw engages, and affording more room at the rear for the use of the raininer.
In Figures 3 and 4 0 is the rammer, working in suitable guides P resting on the
platform Qas shown by the dotted lines. The rammer 0, by the ascent of the cage R
carrying the projectile 8 is lifted from the platform Q into the correct loading position
behind the projectile S for ranining it home.
In Figures 5 and 6 the rammer O is attached to the cage R by the bracket W, and
therefore moves up and down with the cage. The rammer is suitably guided by the
guides V.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
olnim is:-
1. The combination, with a rising and falling loading cage for breech loading guns,
of means whereby the cage in rising is automatically stopped in the correct position
for loading, so that no elevation of the gun to any special position is required,
substantially as described.
2. The loading cage constructed and operating substantially as described in
reference to Figures 1 and 2.
3. In combination with a rising loading cage, a mechanical rammer so arranged as
to be automatically raised into position Tor ramming by the cage, substantially se
described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

page_text: 4. The modified arrangement of the raininer referred to in the third claim wherein
this is permanently carried by an extension of the loading cage so as to rise and fall
with it, substantially as described with reference to Figures 6 and 6 of the drawings.
ABEL & IMRAY
Agents for the Applicants.