IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING CANNON
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon of N° 1 rue Laffitte Paris in
the Republic of France Engineer and Patent Agent for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING CANNON Communicated to him by
Benjamin Berkley Hotchkiss of No. 1 rue Laffitte Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th January 1883.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of N° 1 Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Engineer and Patent Agent, "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
CANNON," a communication to him by Benjamin Berkley Hotchkiss of N° 1 Rue
Laffitte, Paris, France.
This invention has reference to breech-londing cannon and consists in various
improvements in the construction of the same.
The first improvement has reference to the arrangement of the part employed
for opening and closing the breech, the object in view being to improve the
construction described in a previous patent obtained in England by ine under
date of December 13, 1881, Nº 5435. The said improvement consists in substi-
tuting to the single lever-arm shown by the letter 7 of the afore mentioned
patent, two lever arms set at right angles to each other on the same shaft for
operating the breech piece, the result being that instead of opening and closing the
breech by alternately pulling and pushing the single lever-arm, this operation is
effected more conveniently by the gunner pulling alternately each lever arm
towards him.
The second improvement consists in applying soft indian rubber to the shoulder-
piece which serves for pointing the gun, the object in view being in the first place
to deaden the effect of the recoil against the shoulder of the gunner when the
cannon is fired and in the second place to augment the adherence of the shoul·ler
Pine CJ1

page_text: of the gunner against the shoulder-piece. The soft indian rubber may be round or
other shaped band applied externally on the shoulder piece.
The third improvements consists in applying soft indian rubber on or near the
trunnions of a cannon or other gun for the purpose of deadening the effect of the
recoil when the gun is being fired. The soft indian rubber may be in the shape
of a ring or of a band bent round, and it is placed preferably between the bearings
of the trunnions and the forked bearing piece of the gun.
The fourth improvement consists in applying soft indian rubber around or near
the pivot of a breech loading or other cannon for further deadening the effect of
the recoil when the cannon is being fired. The soft indian rubber can be applied
in the shape of one or more superposed rings or of one single band bent around the
pivot of the cannon between the said pivot and its bearings

page_text: FIRST IMPROVEMENT 11g 1. 2. 3 and 4.
My first improvement consists in substituting to the single lever represented
by 7 in my afore-mentioned patent, a double lever a. b. which is fixed to its axis o
and answers the same purposo as the single lever, with the excoption that the arm a
serves to open the breach and the arm 6 to close the same. For the former purpose,
the gunner pulls by hand the lever a fig 1, until it assumes the position indicated
in fig 3 for the latter purpose, the gunner pulls by hand the lever b fig 3 until
it reassumes its position indicated in fig 1. The hammer is cocked during the
opening or descent of the breech-block by the finger d on the shaft c.which
depresses the lever e in the position shown in fig 3; this action will be clearly
understood in reference to the specification and drawings of my above mentioned
previous patent.
The advantage of this mode of opening and closing the breech is that it is
effected in both cases (opening & closing) by traction, first on the lover a and
second on the lever b and this action is both more convenient and more efficacious
than alternately pulling and pushing one single lever such as 7.as described in my
previous patent.
SECOND IMPROVEMENT fig 1, 2, 3, and 4.
My second improvement consists in the application of soft rubber at différent
parts of the gun with the view of deadening or diminishing the recoil during the
firing. My first application of such means is to the shoulder piece in the shape of a
tubular piece or pad g its attachment being made either by cement flanges or ears
or in any other appropriate manner, the ends of the tube g may be either closed or
open, in the former case the elasticity of the air enclosed comes in aid to that of
the rubber Besides the deadening of the shock due to this arrangement, the rubber
is useful in producing greater solidity and adhesion between the gunners shoulder
and the shoulder piece f by which the cannon is pointed.
Fig 6. represents a modification of the above arrangement according to which
the rubber piece is fixed to the shoulder piece by means of an internal tongue or
flanchj forming a part of the tube g

page_text: Fig 7. represents another modification of the preceeding arrangement and in
which the rubber pad y is fixed to the shouldor piece by means of external flanges &
which may form part of the piece g. or simply surround such piece, in either case,
the attachment of these flanges is made by means of the bolts and nuts i
Although I have represented as a round, it may affect any other convenient form
in section and be hollow or solid according to circumstances
'My second application of rubber is made at the trunnions of the gun sec fig 1
and 5 and for this purpose between the metallic bearings k and the arms of the fork
pivot I interpose a soft rubber lining m either in the shape of an entire ring which
is extended over the flanches of k or of a band of rubber of the proper length to form
a ring when bent round over the said bearing k.
My third application is made around the pivot fig 1 and 5 and its socket n
between which parts I insert one or more soft rubber round rings o or one singlo
flat ring as the case may be
;
Having thus explained the nature of my improvements, as well as the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practise I claim
•
First For the working of a breach block the use of two arms a, b, fixed to a
coinnion shaft c each being operated on by traction successively for the purpose of
lowering and of raising the breach block as above described and represented in the
fig 1. 2. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
Second The application of soft rubber g to the shoulder piece f as above described
and illustrated in fig 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawing
Third The application of soft rubber in the shape of a ring m around the bearings
of the trunnions of a cannon as above described and illustrated in fig 1 and 5
of the accompanying drawing and
'
Fourthly The application of soft rubber in the shape of one or more rings,
between the pivot and socket of a cantion, as above described and illustrated in
fig-1 of the accompanying drawing.
ご
-
In witness whereof I the said Raphael Hunter Brandon have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and ·
1 eighty three
Witnesses:
Η ΜΕΛ
P. SHUILLIER
R. BRANDON (LS.)