Apparatus Used for Propelling Projectiles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1888-
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
Apparatus Used for Propelling Projectiles.
I LOTHIAN KERR SCOTT Lieutenant Colonel Royal Engineers of the Junior United
Service Club, Charles Street Saint James London in the County of Middlesex do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the invention to ensure that the Trunnions of the gun be level
whether the platform on which the gun carriage rests be level or not, and the principle
to be kept particularly in view in Pendulous carriages made for sea purposes is that
the axis of rotation of the carriage must correspond with, or as nearly as possible
with, the axis of the gun when horizontal, so that the size of the port hole may be
kept as small as possible.
The general method proposed for attaining the above object is to place the gun
in a carriage which is suspended by two axes working in the bearings provided for
them in a frame which can be traversed from right to left. These axes may be knife
edges, or may assume any other suitable shape. The centre line of the axes should be
parallel to the axis of the gun when level.
The advantage of using Pendulous carriages is that the sights will be always
vertical whether the Traversing Frame above mentioned be resting or the level or
not, and consequently accuracy of laying and shooting will be maintained, under all
conditions of platform.
This invention is specially applicable to light guns, such as machine guns which
from their small charges have little or no recoil.
The apparatus referred to in the title for propelling projectiles signifys tubes &c. for
propelling torpedoes from vessels.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Pendulous Carriages for Ordnance, Machine Guns, or
Apparatus Used for Propelling Projectiles.
any other
I LOTHIAN KERR SCOTT Lieut. Colonel in Her Majesty's Royal Engineers of the
Junior United Service Club, Saint James' London in the County of Middlesex 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 —
The object of my invention is to enable me, by automatic or mechanical means, to
retain in a constant position with reference to the vertical, the plane passing through
the Sighting (of Ordnance, Machine Guns or any other apparatus for firing projectiles,
such as tubes for torpedoes or other missiles) which may be inclined by the wheels of
their carriages resting on uneven ground or by a rolling or pitching motion at sea.
The principle to be kept particularly in view at sea is that the axis of Rotation of
the pendulous carriage must correspond with or as nearly as possible with, the axis of
the Gun when horizontal so as to reduce the movement of the muzzle to a minimum
when any rocking of the Pendulous Carriage takes place, and thereby to admit of a
small port hole.
In the case of all Guns which are fired after having been "laid" or aimed " with
inclined Sights, inaccuracy of shooting will result unless a correction for this cause of
error has been made With Scott's Revolving Sights this correction is made by
levelling the Sights.-It can also be made by levelling the Trunnions of the gun. It
is to effect this latter object that I have invented the Pendulous Carriage, some
examples of which 1 have shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Fig. 1. shews the Plan of a Traversing Carriage with bearings (B. B) for the
reception of the solid axes of revolution (A. A) Fig. (4) of the Pendulous Carriage.
These axes may be of any other convenient section such as V shaped.
Fig. 2. shews a sectional elevation of the Traversing Carriage together with a
buffer (C) which is connected with the gun carriage in Fig. 4 and is intended to
assist in taking the recoil of the Gun with the Buffer D fig. 4.
Fig. 3 shews end view of Bearing for Solid Axis of Pendulous Carriage.
Fig. 4. shews Gun and Gun carriage resting on the Pendulous Carriage (E. E.)
(D) is the recoil buffer attached to (E. E) and connected with gun carriage. (0) is
the point of connection of the gun carriage with the buffer (C) in fig. 2.-This
point (0) is at the Axis of Rotation of the Pendulous Carriage, and consequently
does not alter its position when the latter swings. The Laying Step (L) is rigidly
connected with the Axis of Rotation, and is the place where the "No. 1" stands for
aiming the Gun.
Fig. 5. is the plan of the Pendulous Carriage.
Fig. 6. shews an arrangement of Hollow centre, of which the Axis of the Gun
when horizontal is the centre.

page_text: (BB) is the circular bearing of the Traversing Carriage figs. (1 & 2)-(EE) is
the crank of the Pendulous Carriage-There are two solid axes at right angles to the
Crank-These axes have rollers (R R) which rest on the circular bearing (B B)—
When the ship oscillates, the Rollers (RR) of the Pendulous Carriage work up and
down the circular bearing and thus the Pendulous Carriage (E E) is kept level and
consequently the Sights of the gun vertical.
Fig. 7. shews another arrangement of Hollow Centre, the Pendulous Carriage in
this case being a floating platform (F F) and the Traversing Carriage, a Traversing
Trough (T. T.) containing liquid.
The Floating Platform or Pendulous Carriage consists chiefly of two parts, the
upper part, and Lower part. The upper part consists of a rectangular or other
shaped frame having rollers (RR) attached. The Lower part shewn by the thick
black line also consists of a frame of similar shape to the upper part but smaller, so
that the upper portion of the Lower part may work in the upper part as a Collar.
To reduce the friction rollers should be attached to one part or the other at the
Angles or elsewhere where required.
The bottom of the Lower part, is hollow. (A. A.) represents the Gun Carriage
with suitable recoil buffers (C C) & (D D) attached. The action of the Floating
Platform is as follows.
When the Vessel rolls the liquid seeks to resume its level.-This movement of the
water causes the Floating Platform to rotate round a hollow centre, and consequently
the Gun Sights to maintain a vertical position. The centre of rotation is formed by
causing the Rollers (R R) to run between racers (QQ) which are sectors of a circle
which has for its radius the Axis of the Gun as centre, and the distance of this centre
to the outer circumference of the Roller (R).-These racers are fixed to the Traversing
Carriage (T T). When the Gun is fired the outward pressure on the recess is relieved
by the Telescopic movement between the Upper part, and the Upper portion of the
Lower part of the Floating Platform; and this Telescopic movement allows the
Lower part to be forced down into the water, and at the same time brings into play
the piston rods of the Buffers (P. P) which slide up and down in cylinders.
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. The method of keeping the Sights (of Ordnance, Machine Guns, or other
apparatus for propelling Projectiles) vertical when the gun carriage is on uneven
ground, or on an unstable platform, by the application of the pendulum principle to
gun Carriages.
2. The method of having a Hollow Centre as shewn in Figs. (6 & 7) in which the
Axis of the Gun when horizontal coincides with the Axis of Rotation of the Pendulous
Carriage.
3. The arrangement of Pendulous Carriage as a Floating Platform as shewn
in Fig. 7.
L. K. SCOTT,
Lieut.-Colonel, R.E.