IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING, TRAINING, AND LEVELLING CANNON ON BOARD OP VESSELS, AND IN FORTIFICATIONS, REDOUBTS, AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to, Thomas L. Braynard, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WORKING, TRAINING, AND LEVELLING CANNON ON BOARD OP
VESSELS, AND IN FORTIFICATIONS, REDOUBTS, AND OTHER PLACES."-A com-
munication from John J. Walsh, residing in the City and State of New
York, U. States.
Sealed the 28th December 1860, and dated the 3rd July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas L. Braynard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd July 1860.
I, THOMAS L. BRAYNARD, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING, TRAINING, AND LEVELLING CANNON
ON BOARD OF VESSELS, AND IN FORTIFICATIONS, REDOUBTS, AND OTHER PLACES," a
communication from John J. Walsh, a person resident in the City and State of
New York, U. States, to be as follows:-
The important feature of the Invention consists in so arranging a supporting
and propelling wheel under the breech of the gun, and connecting with it a
hand wheel to operate it, that the same wheel or combination of wheels may
be used to work the gun backward and forward, or train it sidewise in
different directions, and to elevate or depress the gun to give it any required

page_text: range. This is accomplished by placing a supporting wheel at the breech of
the gun, and making such wheel also a pivot wheel, so that the line of its
tread can be placed either parallel with or at right angles to the line of the
gun, according as the gun is to be worked forward and backward or in a side
direction. Such wheel has also a broad tread, around which and a little below
the face of the wheel is. a cog wheel or band; into this gears another cog
wheel, the shaft of which carries at its other end a larger wheel with arms to
be worked by one or more men, as necessary. These wheels and their shaft
are fastened to the framework supporting the pivot wheel and turn with it, the
band wheel sweeping a half circle at the rear of the gun. When the hand
wheel is at one side of the breech of the gun the pivot wheel has its tread
parallel with the line of the gun, so that as the hand wheel is turned the gun
will be moved forwards or backwards. When the hand wheel is swung around
in rear of the gun, the tread of the pivot wheel will be at right angles with
the line of the gun, and then as the hand wheel is turned the gun will be
moved sideways in either direction. If the hand wheel is swung still further
and to the opposite side of-the-gun, the tread-of-the-pivot wheel will again be
parallel with the line of the gun, but such movement of the hand wheel
slightly raises the pivot wheel so that it does not rest upon the deck, and can
therefore revolve without affecting the position of the gun. When the band
wheel is so placed the geared wheel on the other end of its axle meshes into a
geared sector fixed to the breech of the gun, so that as the hand wheel is
turned the breech of the gun will be elevated or depressed as desired. A
ratchet holds the gun in any desired position. As will thus be seen, the same
hand and geared wheels are available according to the position given them to
move the gun forwards and backwards or in a side direction, or to level it at
any required range. The supporting wheels at the side of the carriage are
also pivot wheels, and can be turned by levers fixed to their pivot rods, so that
their tread shall correspond with that of the rear pivot wheel. The forward
end of the gun carriage proper rests upon rollers, which roll on an under or
secondary carriage, which moves with the upper one as the gun is trained
sideways, but which does not move as the gun recoils, the upper carriage
moving upon it to lessen the force of the recoil. There are placed on each
side of the lower carriage strong horizontal rods,, on which play strong links,
which are also fastened to one end of a cam lever fixed to the upper carriage.
As the long arm of such lever is depressed, these links bind tightly against the
horizontal rods, thus increasing resistance and diminishing the sudden or
violent recoil of the gun. When the recoil is over, the levers are raised and
the links cease to bind, and the gun can be easily advanced.

page_text: The rollers above referred to on the forward end of the upper carriage are
connected by an axle, around which winds a harness, the other end of which is
fixed to the forward cross piece of the secondary carriage. The tension of this
harness also serves to lessen the recoil, and when the gun is again advanced
the axle is revolved, and the harness again wound upon it. A single man on
each side of the gun is sufficient to work the cam levers referred to, and also
change the position or tread of the side supporting wheels.
With this Invention three or four men in addition to the gunners can work
and train the largest guns now cast, performing the labor of from fifteen to
twenty men as ordinarily applied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas L. Braynard in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
L. BRAYNARD, of the City and State of New York, United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas L. Braynard, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
L. Braynard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas L. Braynard, 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 nake, 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 APPARATUS FOR WORKING, TRAINING, AND
LEVELLING CANNON ON BOARD OF VESSELS, AND IN FORTIFICATIONS, REDOUBTS, AND
OTHER PLACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said. Thomas
L. Braynard, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas L. Braynard, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
The important features of this Invention consist in arranging a supporting
and propelling wheel under the breech of the gun, and connecting therewith a
hand wheel like a steering wheel, so that by such wheels the gun may be run
out or in, and trained sideways or in different directions, and may also by the
combination of such wheels with a geared sector on the breech of the gun be
elevated or depressed to give it any required range, such supporting wheel
being pivoted on a screw, so that it will elevate or drop the carriage as
required.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a gun and carriage, when the carriage is extended,
or the gun run back, and shewing the position of the wheel for running the
gun out and in; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same when the gun is run out;
Fig. 3 is a view of the rear of the carriage, showing the position of the wheels
when the gun is to be trained sideways; Fig. 4 shews the position of the
wheels to elevate or depress the gun; Fig. 5 is a front view of the carriage,
shewing the harness and its automatic or self-winding reel; Figs. 6, 7, shew two
positions of the heel of the carriage produced by the pivot screw of the sup-
porting wheel, as such wheel is in different positions.
At the breech of the gun G is placed a supporting wheel A, which is also a
pivot wheel, so that the line of its tread can be placed parallel with the length
of the gun, as seen in Fig. 1, or at right angles to it, as in Fig. 3, according
as the gun is to be run out or in, or trained sideways. Such wheel has a broad
tread, around which, and a little below the face of the wheel, is a cog or
geared band a. Into this gears the wheel B on the shaft C, the other end of
which shaft carries the wheel D, which is provided with arms like a steering
wheel to be handled by one or more persons, as necessary. The shaft C is
supported from the framework b, which supports the propelling pivot wheel,
and the outer end of such shaft and its hand wheel D sweep upon the half
circle E, at the rear of the gun, and as they move turn the wheel A, and
change the line of its tread. Such wheel A does not, however, turn upon a
stationary point, but in the top of the framework 6 there is fixed a screw 1,
which works in the female screw 2, inserted in the part F of the carriage.
The height of the frame band wheel A is such that when the hand wheel D
is placed, as shewn in Fig. 7, the wheel A will be clear of the deck or platform,
and the carriage will rest upon its heels s, s. When in this position the
screw 1 is wholly within the female screw 2, as shewn in Fig. 7. When the

page_text: wheel D is placed in the rear of the gun, as shewn in Fig. 3, the screw will be
drawn out of the female screw 2; a quarter revolution bringing the wheel A.
to and against the deck or platform, and elevating the heel of the carriage about
half an inch, so that it will not interfere with the easy travining of the gun.
When the hand wheel D is carried to the opposite side of the gun, as shown in
Fig. 6, the screw 1 will be drawn out still further, and the carriage elevated
about an inch. The gun carriage is thus raised clear from the deck or platform
and rests upon the wheel A, when it is desired to run it out or in, or train it,
but the carriage rests on the deck, and relieves the wheel A when it is to be used
to elevate or depress the gun to give it the required range. The surface of
the part E on which the shaft C sweeps is not level, but has an inclination,
as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, corresponding with the pitch of the screw 1, so that
such shaft C will rest upon the inclined surface, as a support in whatever
position it may be.
The operation of the supporting & pivot wheel A in connection with the
hand wheel D and sector J is as follows:-When the hand wheel D is placed
on one side of the gun, as shewn in Fig. 1, the supporting wheel A has the
line of its tread parallel with the length of the gun G. When so placed the
wheel A rests upon the deck or platform, and as the hand wheel is turned,
carrying the geared wheel B, the wheel A will be revolved, and the gun and
its carriage be run out or in. If the hand wheel D is swung around to the
rear of the gun, as shewn in Fig. 8, the tread of the wheel A will be placed at
right angles with the length of the gun, so that as such hand wheel is turned,
the rear of the carriage will be trained or moved sideways in either direction.
When the carriage and gun are to be thus trained, the small side supporting
wheels c, c, are to be turned so that their tread will correspond with that of the
wheel A. This is done by means of the levers d, d, fixed to the standards of
the wheels c, c. When the gun is trained the carriage turns upon the point H
as a centre. These two positions of the wheel A allow of all necessary motions
of the gun in running it out and in, and training it sideways, and as will
be readily apparent, such movements are easily controlled and produced by
Imeans of the hand wheel D, and with a great saving of labor and power,
as compared with the ordinary means of working and training cannon.
If now the hand wheel D is carried around to the other side of the gun,
as shewn in Fig. 4, the tread of the wheel A will again be parallel with the
line of the gun. When, however, the wheel D is in that position, the screw 1
has fully entered within the nut 2, and the wheel A is raised from the deck or
platform, and will revolve without affecting the position of the carriage.
When the hand wheel is so placed, the geared wheel B meshes into the geared

page_text: sector J fixed to the breech of the gun, so that the breech of the gun will be
clevated or depressed as the wheel D is turned. A ratchet or cog-faced piece f,
which is carried to or from the sector J by a screw shaft o, and lever p, or
which may be fastened in any reliable manner, supports the gun at any elevation
desired. The shaft C may be held in its proper positions on the circle E by
means of a band passing over it and fixed with bolts, or by means of any
device securing the same end.
As will thus be apparent, the arrangement of the wheels D and B, and
causing them to be thrown into gear with the wheel A and sector J, as
required, is such that by them the gun can be run out or in, or trained sideways,
or elevated or depressed to any desired range. The arrangement of the wheels
A and D is also applicable & useful in changing the position of the gun to
different places.
The carriage consists of an upper carriage F and lower one K. The
forward end of such upper carriage rests upon rollers g, g, which rest and
move upon the lower one K. When the gun is trained, both carriages F, K,
move together, but when the gun recoils or is run out or in, -the upper_
carriage only moves, running upon the under one. By thus making the
carriage in two parts, the one rolling upon the other, all necessary motion of
the gun is permitted, while the carriage is much more compact, and when the
is housed, no part of the carriage projects much beyond the breech of
the gun.
gun
To lessen the force and extent of the recoil of the gun, and render a
shorter carriage possible, there are fixed to each side of the under carriage
strong rods L, L, around which pass and on which slide the strong links h, h, s
which are fastened to the cam levers k, k, attached to the upper
carriage. When the long arm of these levers is depressed, as shewn in
Fig. 2, the link k is forced tightly against the rod L, thus creating resis-
tance and diminishing the extent of the recoil. When the gun is to be
run out, the levers are raised, as shewn in Fig. 1, when the links cease
binding, and the gun is quickly and easily moved by the hand wheel D. There
may also be attached to the forward end of the upper carriage a reel or drum
M, as shewn in Fig. 5, having at each end rollers m, m, which roll upon the
under carriage. Around such reel winds a harness, one end of which is fixed to
the rings n, n, in the forward part of the under carriage. The resistance and
tension of the harness as the gun recoils, tend to lessen the extent of such
recoil, and as the gun is run forward, the rollers m, m, revolve the reel, and
wind the harness without the labor of any one. A single man on each side of
the gun works the cain levers k, k, to make the links h, h, fast upon

page_text: and loose from the rods L, and when necessary change the tread of the
side wheels c, c. These men can also relieve the gunners, when desired.
By the arrangement and application of the hand wheel D, in connection with
the wheel A and sector J, three or four men in addition to the loaders can
work and train the largest guns, performing the labor of from fifteen to twenty
men, as ordinarily applied.
What I claim as the Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,
the use and arrangement of the hand wheel D and gear wheel B, in com-
bination with the supporting wheel and pivot wheel A, substantially as described,
for the purpose of running out and in and training cannon as described.
The use and arrangement of the said wheels D and B, in combination with
the sector J, for the purpose of elevating or depressing the gun, substantially
as described.
The arrangement of the rods L, links h, h, and levers k, k, in combination
with the two carriages F and K, substantially as described, for the purpose of
lessening the force and extent of the recoil of the gun.
And the arrangement and combination of the screw I and wheel A, substan-
tially as described, for the purpose of elevating and lowering the gun carriago
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
ninth day of December, A.D. 1860.
T
מסיימת