Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Heavy Guns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar.. 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Heavy Guns.
We, Sir ANDREW NOBLE, K.C.B., late Captain Royal Artillery, of Jesmond
Dene House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Manufacturing Engineer, and CHARLES
HENRY MURRAY of Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
When guns are mounted in revolving turrets and are not required to have
continuous rotative movement, we arrange to load the guns in whatever position
of training they may be, by the following device :-
We provide a tube or shaft preferably of a circular section reaching from the
magazine and shell room up to the deck which supports the turret.
The centre
line of this shaft coincides with the axis of revolution of the turret. This shaft is
built as a fixture in the ship. We then arrange to strain tightly from top to
bottom of this shaft a flexible diaphragm. The bottom end of this diaphragm is
fixed to the ship, and the top end is fixed to the revolving turret, so that as the
turret is trained on either side of the centre line of the ship, the flexible diaphragm
will he twisted into a right or left hand helix according to whether the turret is
trained to port or starboard. This twisting is never excessive since the angle of
possible training seldom exceeds an angle of 120 degrees on each side of the fore
and aft positions. The flexible diaphragm we strain tight by springs or similar
appliances at the top or bottom. On each side of the diaphragm we fix metal
rails made in short lengths, so that the flexibility of the diaphragm is very little
interfered with. These metal rails are constructed to guide the cages containing
the ammunition, and are continued above the top of the flexible diaphragm into
the turret and may be curved or bent to the rear so as to guide the ammunition
cage into the most convenient position for the discharge of its load near the breech
end of the gun.
The ammunition cages may be constructed according to the
method described in our Patent No. 12391 or in that described in No. 10216° or
in other suitable way and its load discharged into a rammer loading bogie
constructed also in accordance with the said Patents.
Sometimes, we construct the flexible diaphragm of leather, cotton, or canvas
belting, and sometimes we form it of two chains at a distance apart each composed
of metal blocks pivotted on horizontal pivots at the ends of arms passing across
from one chain to the other the abutting ends of the metal blocks being also
coupled to one another by short links-central bosses on the arms may also be
pivotted to one another by vertical pivots which allow the arms to approach or
recede from one another.
Vertical guide grooves or projections are formed on opposite sides of the metal
blocks for corresponding guides on the cages to engage with.
We also provide horizontal bars at intervals of a few feet or so, the ends of
which are loosely attached or pivotted across the diameter of horizontal hoops
placed in the vertical circular shaft. The object of this arrangement is to keep
the vertical diaphragm from being forced out of place by the weight of the
ammunition cages when the vessel rolls. These hoops are loosely held in place in
the shaft so that they may revolve slightly but always remain in a horizontal
position. The advantages obtained by this invention are that the ammunition
cages can be charged down in the shell room on a fixed line in relation to the

page_text: centre line of the ship, and the training of the turret does not interfere with the
charging operation down below.
In the second place the ammunition is always brought up into the turret in
whatever position is desired.
Dated this 19th day of June 1894
A. NOBLE:
C. H. MURRAY.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists for Heavy Guns.
We, Sir ANDREW NOBLE, K.C.B., late Captain Royal Artillery, of Jesmond
Dene House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Manufacturing Engineer, and CHARLES
HENRY MURRAY, of Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 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:—
When guns are mounted in revolving turrets and are not required to have
continuous rotative movement, we arrange to load the guns in whatever position of
training they may be, by the following device:
We provide a tube or shaft preferably of a circular section reaching from the
magazine and shell room up to the deck which supports the turret. The centre
line of this shaft coincides with the axis of revolution of the turret. This shaft is
built as a fixture in the ship. We then arrange to strain tightly from top to
bottom of this shaft a flexible diaphragm. The bottom end of this diaphragm is
fixed to the ship, and the top end is fixed to the revolving turret, so that as the
turret is trained on either side of the centre line of the ship, the flexible diaphragm
will be twisted into a right or left hand helix according to whether the turret is
trained to port or starboard. This twisting is never excessive since the angle of
possible training seldom exceeds an angle of 120 degrees on each side of the fore
and aft positions. The flexible diaphragm we strain tight by springs or similar
appliances at the top or bottom. On each side of the diaphragm we fix metal
rails made in short lengths, so that the flexibility of the diaphragm is very little
interfered with. These metal rails are constructed to guide the cages containing
the ammunition, and are continued above the top of the flexible diaphragm into the
turret and may be curved or bent to the rear so as to guide the ammunition cage
into the most convenient position for the discharge of its load near the breech end
of the gun. The ammunition cages may be constructed according to the method
described in our Patent No. 12391º or in that described in No. 10216° or in other
suitable way and its load discharged into a rammer loading bogie constructed also
in accordance with the said Patents.
Sometimes we construct the flexible diaphragm of leather, cotton or canvas
belting, and sometimes we form it of two chains at a distance apart each composed
of metal blocks pivotted on horizontal pivots at the ends of arms passing across
from one chain to the other, the abutting ends of the metal blocks being also
coupled to one another by short links-central bosses on the arms may also be
pivotted to one another by vertical pivots which allow the arms to approach or
recede from one another.
Vertical guide grooves or projections are formed on opposite sides of the metal
blocks for corresponding guides on the cages to engage with.
We also provide horizontal bars at intervals of a few feet or so, the ends of
which are loosely attached or pivotted across the diameter of horizontal hoops
placed in the vertical circular shaft. The object of this arrangement is to keep the
vertical diaphragm from being forced out of place by the weight of the ammunition
cages when the vessel rolls. These hoops are loosely held in place in the shaft.

page_text: so that they may revolve slightly but always remain in a horizontal position..
The advantages obtained by this invention are that the ammunition cages can be
charged down in the shell room on a fixed line in relation to the centre line of the
ship, and the training of the turret does not interfere with the charging operation.
down below.
In the second place the ammunition is always brought up into the turret in
whatever position is desired.
The drawings annexed shew an ammunition hoist constructed
described.
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations partly in section of the hoist and
Figure 3 is a cross section through the trunk or shaft, and
Figure 3* is a section through the line A. A. Figure 3.
as above
A is the trunk or shaft built into the ship and extending from the magazine up
to the floor which supports the turret. B is the turret concentric with the trunk.
B' is a casing extending downwards from the centre of the bottom of the turret
and entering the top of the trunk. B' is a plate extending outwards from the
casing B and covering the remainder of the top end of the trunk. B' is a metal
plate fixed across the centre of the casing B'. C is the flexible diaphragm secured
at its upper end to the bottom of the plate B³ and extending downwards through
the centre of the trunk A. The diaphragm may be composed of a single band or
of two, three or more. From the lower end of the diaphragm bands C¹ pass
around pulleys D to rods E which are pressed upwards by the action of coiled
springs bearing against nuts E¹ screwed on to the rods-the pressure can be
adjusted by screwing the nuts up or down-any desired degree of tension can thus
be maintained on the flexible diaphragm. C2 C² are rods fixed across the upper
and lower ends of the diaphragm-when the diaphragmn is twisted the ends of
those rods which are at the top bear against curved bars C³ C³ fixed to the portion
of the trunk which revolves with the turret and the ends of those at the bottom bear
against similar curved bars C³ secured to the fixed casing of the lower part of the
hoist. Care horizontal hoops fitting loosely within the trunk-they are attached
to the ends of rods C which are fixed at intervals of a few feet across the
diaphragm and keep the diaphragm central.
G G G are three lines of rails in short lengths fixed to the opposite sides of
the diaphragm. HHH are three guide pins projecting out from the back of each
ammunition cage K they are formed with heads which can slide in the rail grooves,
as shewn in Figure 3. The two outer oues project from the upper part of the cage
the central one from the lower part.
At the upper part of the hoist the lines of rails G are continued along the two
opposite sides of the metal plate B³ and as shewn at Figure 1 this plate is inclined
and brought in rear of and between the breech ends of a pair of guns Z so that
when the cage at one side of the plate is raised it comes into position for the
ammunition carried up by it to be delivered to one gun and when the cage on the
opposite side is raised the ammunition carried by it can be delivered to the other
gun. The cages can be raised and lowered by cords passing from them and over
guide pulleys I to a drum I* which can be driven by a small hydraulic or other
engine J.
L L are bars for keeping closed the outlet doors of the various compartments of
the cages K whilst the cages are being raised or lowered through the trunk-they
may be formed in lengths, each suspended at its upper end to one of the horizontal
hoops C and passing loosely through a clip on the next hoop below as shewn at
Figure 3*.
In Figures 4 and 5 we have shown how the flexible diaphragm may if desired
be made of two chains held at a distance apart as above described. Figure 4 is an
elevation of part of the chain and Figure 5 a horizontal section of the same with
ammunition cages in plan on either side. Mare metal blocks pivotted on horizontal
pivots at the ends of horizontal arms N. OO are short links jointing together
the ends of the blocks M. N' are bosses at the centre of the arms N they are

page_text: jointed to one another by vertical joints as shewn. P P are guide grooves cut on
opposite sides of the blocks M and bosses N¹ for projections on the .cages to
slide in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An ammunition hoist in which the cages as they are raised and lowered
between a magazine and turret or turntable are guided by a flexible diaphragm
fixed at its ends to the turret and magazine respectively so that the cages always
occupy the same position when lowered to the magazine and when raised are
always brought into the same position relatively to the turret whether the turret
be turned to the one side or the other.
2. The construction of ammunition hoists substantially as herein before described.
3. The construction of the flexible diaphragm of such hoists substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated at Figures 4 and 5.
7
A. NOBLE.
C. H. MURRAY.