IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GUN-CARRIAGES AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ted him.
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake
and Co. Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GUN-CARRIAGES AND APPARATUS TO
BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH communicated to him from abroad
by Hermann Gruson, of Buckau-Magdeburg, in the Empire of Germany.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd April 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patents Agents
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GUN-
CARRIAGES AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH "
[a commu-
nication to him from abroad by Hermann Gruson, of Buckau-Magdeburg, in the
Empire of Germany.]
This invention relates to gun-carriages with minimum embrasures and to
apparatus to be used in connection therewith.
In similar gun-carriages as hitherto constructed the lower frame of the gun-
carriage is stationary and the lifting cylinder is connected with the upper part, so
that the barrel only is lifted.
But according to the present invention I make only the lifting cylinder stationary
and the gun-carriage as a whole is vertically raised or lowered in order to point
the gun or place the same in position for firing. To this end a hydraulic cylinder
is firmly connected with two bearers by means of a cross-piece-A piston carries
by means of a cross-head the lower portion of the gun-carriage the sides of which
extend in the form of two shoulders arranged to move up and down in four guides
when the gun-carriage is raised by the said piston The upper portion of the gun-
carriage, which portion is supported by friction rollers, rests upon a frame, and the
walls thereof serve as bearings for the trunnions. The barrel may be caused to
turn around the front pivotal point in various manners, for example by means of
a guide-rail or an embrasure ring.

page_text: The guides do not form part of the present invention and therefor it need only
be mentioned that the barrel is mounted on a block sliding upon a guide-rail which
lies parallel to the axis of the barrel, and this rail turns upon a pivot so that the
axis of the barrel must coincide in every position with the centre of the embrasure.
The arrangement of the guiding devices is simpler when the guiding is effected
by means of an embrasure ring which turns upon two pivots. If a horizontal
movement is required, then pulleys are placed under the aforesaid bearers and a
pivot is placed beneath the aforesaid pivot for the rail.
Another improvement consists in a peculiar arrangement of the brake-cylinders
for the purpose of diminishing the effect of the recoil, (hydraulic brake-cylinders
as is well known are filled with a fluid which is forced through the perforated
pistons when the piece of ordnance recoils). The brake cylinders, contrary to the
mode of construction hitherto employed, are according to the present invention
not attached to the gun-carriage frame but to the barrel itself, while the piston
rods are firmly secured to some part outside of the gun-carriage. In one form
of construction the brake cylinders are attached to a sliding block connected with
the barrel, while the piston rods are attached to a guide-rail by means of a cross-
piece.
In another arrangement the cylinders form the sliding block, while the piston
rods form the two guide-rails which are suitably pivotted, and the number of parts
is thus reduced by two.
I sometimes employ, as a barrel-guide, an embrasure ring. The brake cylinders
are each provided with an eye fitting on to the trunnions, and the piston rods are
similarly connected to extensions of the pivots of the embrasure ring.
The reverse of this arrangement may be adopted if desired, that is to say, the
piston rods can be connected to the barrel and the cylinders can be secured firmly
to a point outside of the gun-carriage.
By connecting the brake cylinders with the barrel, the embrasure is completely
protected from the strain caused by the recoil of the gun and for this reason it
can be considerably reduced in its dimentions as compared with those heretofore
employed.

page_text: with the barrel, and I secure the piston rods firmly to the guide-rail H by means
of the cross-piece L.
·
The reverse of this arrangement may be adopted if desired, that is to say, the
piston rods can be connected to the sliding block J and the cylinders can be secured
firmly to the guide-rail H.
By employing the brake cylinders in connection with the barrel, the gun-carriage
is completely protected from the strain caused by the recoil of the gun, and for
this reason it can be considerably reduced in its dimensions as compared with those
heretofore employed:
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim:-
First. The gun-carriage so arranged in combination with the hydraulic cylinder
and its supports that the entire carriage with the gun can be raised or lowered
to obtain the desired elevation or depression of the gun, substantially as above
set forth.
Second. The construction of the lower portion or frame of the gun-carriage with
the arms E, E capable of sliding up and down in the guides F¹, F1, substantially
as, and for the purpose, set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
M DODT TAUN
al