Improvements in Disappearing Gun Mountings.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Disappearing Gun Mountings.
3, WILLIAM ANDERSON, of 3 Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in disappearing gun mountings and
relates to mountings such as are described in the Specification of my Patent No. 818
in the present year.
The
According to my present invention I construct a pivot mounting in which a frame
movable upon rollers around a circular track supports the gun. Levers jointed at
their lower ends to the fore part of the frame carry the trunnions of the gun.
breech of the gun is also connected with the frame by an adjustable radius rod. The
recoil is controlled by an hydraulic apparatus consisting of a cylinder fixed upon
the frame in an inclined position; it receives a trunk ram from the lower end of which
a connecting rod passes to the levers carrying the trunnions of the gun. This cylinder
is connected by a pipe with two storage cylinders fixed to the frame in a vertical
position and descending into a pit in which they are out of the way and protected from
injury. These storage cylinders contain disc springs and pistons abutting on the
springs. When the recoil takes place water is driven by the ram out of the inclined
cylinder into the upper parts of the storage. cylinders over the pistons and so the
springs are compressed. Any desired initial pressure may be given by means of a
pump. In the passage connecting the inclined cylinder with the storage cylinder is a
valve which allows the water to pass into the storage cylinders but prevents return
until the valve is opened by hand.
The inclined cylinder is bored larger in the middle than at the ends and the ram
has a piston like enlargement at its lower end which causes a throttling of the liquid
when the enlargement enters the contracted part of the bore and thus the gun is
brought to rest without shock both in recoil and in running out.
Where some degree of portability is required mount the ring rail on a carriage
to run upon a railway of standard gauge. In this case 1 place the storage cylinders
in an horizontal position beneath the ring rail but attached to the frame of the gun
mounting which runs upon the ring rail.
In gun mountings for the siege train or similar purposes the storage cylinder and
the cylinder receiving the ram are both mounted upon the trail and the levers carrying
the trunnions of the gun are mounted to turn about the axle of the road wheels. The
axle is anchored to the pivot by an hydraulic mechanism which serves to moderate
the strain on the pivot resulting from the recoil.
This mechanism consists of a cylinder jointed to the pivot and containing a piston.
The piston rod is forked and embraces the axle of the gun mounting. A spring within
the cylinder presses the piston forward. The cylinder contains liquid and its walls
are grooved so that the liquid is able to pass the piston but at a speed which is con-
trolled by the dimensions of the grooves.
Thus when the gun is fired the mounting is able to run back a short distance, the
liquid is driven through the grooves and the spring is compressed.
In consequence of the form of the grooves a great portion of the energy is absorbed
in driving the liquid past the piston. A part also is stored in the anchor spring which
immediately reacts to bring the gun forward again.
Dated this 14th day of November 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Disappearing Gun Mountings.
I, WILLIAM ANDERSON, of 3 Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster,
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
:-
1
This invention has for its object improvements in disappearing gun mountings and
relates to mountings such as are described in the Specification of my Patent No. 818
in the present year.
According to my present invention 1 construct a pivot mounting in which a frame
movable upon rollers around a circular track supports the gun.
Levers jointed at
their lower ends to the fore part of the frame carry the trunnions of the gun. The
breech of the gun is also connected with the frame by an adjustable radius rod. The
recoil is controlled by an hydraulic apparatus consisting of a cylinder fixed upon
the frame in an inclined position; it receives a trunk ram from the lower end of which
a connecting rod passes to the levers carrying the trunnions of the gun. This cylinder
is connected by a pipe with two storage cylinders fixed to the frame in a vertical
position and descending into a pit in which they are out of the way and protected from
injury. These storage cylinders contain disc springs and pistons abutting on the
springs. When the recoil takes place water is driven by the ram out of the inclined
cylinder into the upper parts of the storage cylinders over the pistons and so the
springs are compressed. Any desired initial pressure may he given by means of a
pump. In the passage connecting the inclined cylinder with the storage cylinder is a
valve which allows the water to pass into the storage cylinders but prevents return
until the valve is opened by hand.
The inclined cylinder is bored larger in the middle than at the ends and the ram
has a piston like enlargement at its lower end which causes a throttling of the liquid
when the enlargement enters the contracted part of the bore and thus the gun is
brought to rest without shock both in recoil and in running out.
In the annexed drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a pivot
disappearing gun mounting arranged in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the gun, the lever arms by which
it is carried and the recoil and storage cylinders.
A is the bed frame of the mounting it is supported upon a set of live rollers B and
these run upon a ring rail secured to a suitable foundation so that the bed frame A
pivots freely around the centre of the ring. C Care lever arms jointed to the bed
frame A; the trunnions of the gun are carried in bearings at the upper ends of the
levers C. D is a connecting rod jointed to the levers C and passing back from them
to the bottom of the trunk ram E to which also it is jointed. The ram E works in
the hydraulic recoil cylinder F which is fixed to the bed frame A. The recoil cylinder
is bored somewhat larger in the middle than at the ends and an enlargement at the
end of the ram approximately fits the cylinder so that it offers obstruction to water
passing from one end of the cylinder to the other during the recoil and the return
of the gun to the firing position after recoil. At the two ends of the cylinder
but a very small space is left for the passage of the water so that the gun comes
quietly to rest. G is a storage cylinder, one or more storage cylinders may be
provided and these are contained in a pit within the roller track, where they are
out of the way and protected from injury. His a pipe passing from the recoil
cylinder F to the storage cylinder G. During the recoil the water after passing
the enlargement at the end of the ram is forced out of the recoil cylinder to make
room for the entrance of the ram and by the pipe H it passes into the storage
cylinder. The storage cylinder as is seen in Figure 2 contains a piston which is
kept fluid tight by a cupped leather and underneath the piston there is a series of
steel discs which are hollowed or dished; they are placed face to face and back to
back and they form a spring of a well known type. At there is a valve which

page_text: normally allows liquid to pass from the recoil cylinder into the storage cylinder
but not to return. J is an arm on a screw stem by turning which the valve can be
lifted..
K is a lever handle coupled with the arm J so that by moving this handle the valve
can be opened and water can then pass back from the storage cylinder into the recoil
cylinder; thus the gun is raised to the firing position.
To train the gun the bed frame can be turned around the pivot or centre of the
circular roller track. This is done by means of a pinion I which gears into the teeth
of a fixed rack M. The pinion can be turned by the hand wheel N which is geared
with it.
More than one set of training gear is usually provided. O is the gear for giving
the required elevation to the gun it is of ordinary construction. P is a pump by
which liquid can be pumped into the storage cylinder G and the springs contained
therein compressed thereby to any desired extent.
According to another arrangement suitable for lighter guns and where some degree
of portability is required I mount the ring rail on a carriage to run upon a railway of
standard gauge. In this case I place the storage cylinders in an horizontal position
beneath the ring rail but attached to the frame of the gun mounting which runs upon
the ring rail.
Figure 3 is an elevation partly in section of a semi portable pivot disappearing gun
mounting thus arranged. Figure 4 is a plan of the same. In many respects the
mounting is similar to that shown by the Figures 1 and 2 and the corresponding parts
being marked with the same letters further description of the construction is for the
most part unnecessary.
In Figures 3 and the ring rail or track is marked Q'; it
is fixed to and forms part of a carriage Q which runs upon a line of railway. The
carriage can thus readily be conveyed from place to place along the railway. In the
arrangement here shown there are two storage cylinders G, their position is horizontal
and they lie side by side immediately below the gun; they are fixed to the bed frame A
and are beneath the ring rail Q
According to another arrangement where more complete portability is required as
in gun mountings for the siege train or similar purposes the storage cylinder and the
cylinder receiving the ram are both mounted upon the trail and the levers carrying
the trunnions of the gun are mounted to turn about the axle of the road wheels. The.
axle is anchored to the pivot by an hydraulic mechanism which serves to moderate the
strain on the pivot resulting from the recoil.
This mechanism consists of a cylinder jointed to the pivot and containing a piston.
The piston rod is forked and embraces the axle of the gun mounting. A spring within
the cylinder presses the piston forward. The cylinder contains liquid and its walls
are grooved so that the liquid is able to pass the piston but at a speed which is con-
trolled by the dimensions of the grooves.
Thus when the gun is fired the mounting is able to run back a short distance, the
liquid driven through the grooves and the spring is compressed.
In consequence of the form of the grooves a great portion of the energy is absorbed
in driving the liquid past the piston. A part also is stored in the anchor spring which
immediately reacts to bring the gun forward again.
Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section of a siege train disappearing gun
mounting. Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
In the former figure the gun is represented by full lines in the raised position which
it occupies before firing; dotted lines show the gun in the position to which it is
brought by the recoil. The latter figure (Figure 6) shows the gun in the lower
position only. In this arrangement the trail carried by the wheels and axle takes the
place of the bed frame A and the lever arms C which carry the gun are mounted upon
and are free to turn about the axle. The recoil cylinder F and the storage cylinder G
are carried under the gun and between the two sides of the divided trail.
The gun mounting when in position is anchored to a circular pivot R which is
firmly secured to a suitable platform or foundation. A clamp embraces a flange on

page_text: this foundation and this clamp is formed together with an hydraulic cylinder S: The
rod of a piston working in this cylinder is connected with the axle.
A spring T forces the piston to one end of the cylinder. When the recoil takės-
place liquid passes the pistontfrom one side to the other of it and the spring-T'is
compressed. After the recoil the spring reacts and brings the gun mounting back
into position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of .my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what. I.
claim is :-
⋅
1. A disappearing gun mounting with a base frame supported by and rotating upon
a. ring rail such base frame carrying lever arms supporting the gun; a recoil
cylinder; and a spring storage cylinder, the latter contained in a pit within the ring
rail substantially as described.
2. A semi portable disappearing gun mounting with a base frame carrying lever
arms supporting the gun; a recoil cylinder; and a spring storage cylinder; such
base frame being supported by and rotating upon a ring rail upon a carriage moveable
from place to place on a railway substantially as described.
3. A disappearing gun mounting with a trail carried upon an axle and wheels
lever arms supporting the gun; a recoil cylinder; and a spring storage cylinder
carried upon the trail substantially as described.
4. A disappearing gun mounting with a trail carried upon an axle and wheels;
lever arms supporting the gun; a recoil cylinder; a storage cylinder; and a spring
hydraulic anchoring mechanism connecting the mounting with a pivot substantially as
described.
5. Disappearing gun mountings substantially as represented by the annexed
drawings.
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