Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aor., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 18th May. 1889
I, JOHN MOORE GURNELL TONGUE, Colonel, H.M.S., of Hythe, in the County of
Kent, do hereby declare tho nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to gun-carriages chiefly designed for machine or quick-firing
guns, and its main object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby such a
carriage may be very readily and quickly converted into a tripod when the gun is to
be used for firing, and re-converted into a carriage when the gun is to be transported.
For this purpose I utilize the shield which, in such carriages, is usually suspended
from the axle to protect the gunner against an enemy's fire. I pivot this shield in
any convenient manner excentrically with the axle of the wheels, and I make it of
such length or height that, by turning it down into a vertical, or nearly vertical
position, it will be brought into contact with the ground and the wheels will be raised
a short distance from the ground, the said wheels and the axle being then supported
by the said shield.
.
I prefer to provide the said shield with projections at its lower edge adapted to
bear against or engage with the periphery of the wheels when the shield is turned
down as above described.
The turning of the said shield upon its pivot to move it into and out of its
operative position can be conveniently and advantageously effected by means of a
sliding seat upon the trail of the gun-carriage. For this purpose I connect the said
shield in any suitable manner with the said seat and arrange the latter so that it can
be moved through the required distance upon the trail, and I provide means whereby
the said seat may be secured in any desired position on the said trail.
When the seat is not in use, it is to be moved backward upon the trail, and, in this
movement, will turn the aforesaid shield into an inclined position so that it is clear
of the ground and the gun-carriage is free to be transported upon its wheels.
By moving the said seat forward into its proper position for use, the said shield
will be turned down as hereinbefore described.
By reason of the excentricity of the pivots of the said shield relatively to the axle,
the projections or shoes at the lower edge of the said shield will, when the latter is

page_text: thus turned down, tightly grip the wheels and take up their position between the
wheels and the ground. The gun-carriage can thus be rendered very rigid whilst the
gun is in use for firing.
The said shield muy, if desired, be connected with any other suitable device for
effecting its adjustment for the purpose specified.
I provide, moreover, suitable means for adjusting the said shield or its support or
connections for the purpose of ensuring its efficient operation for the purpose above
specified.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that my improved carriage possesses
the advantages both of a tripod and of a carriage mounted upon wheels, that is to
say, it can be instantaneously converted into a tripod to ensure steadiness while firing,
the wheels then assisting by their weight to hold down the carriage, and can bo
instantaneously re-converted when the gun is to be moved from one place to
another.
If desired, instead of utilizing the shield as above described, I employ two rods
provided with flanges or shoes to engage with the wheels and pivoted excentrically
with the axle, the said rods being connected with the sliding seat or other means
for adjusting them substantially as above described.
The improved carriage above described is so provided with ammunition (say 2000
rounds), spare parts, &c. as to make it entirely independent of a limber and easily
movable on line of march or on any battle-field by man-draught with drag-ropes.
Reserve ammunition and water-kegs could be carried on mules." Or, if desired, the
carriage is provided with a limber for carrying reserve ammunition, water-kogs,
spare parts, &c.
I make the limber with a pivot so fixed on the boxes as to admit of the gun being
carried upon it, and fought from it when in movement. This arrangement affords
great additional power for machine or quick-firing guns when with a rear-guard
protecting the retreat of an army. Two seats are provided on the limber-boxes one
for a driver and one for the gunner who is to fight the gun. The gun itself is
pivotted slightly on one side of the centre (on the gunner's side) so as to admit of
its being worked freely without inconvenience arising from the position of the driver.
A movable seat is arranged for the gunner and a dash-board provided so as to afford
him support and thus enable him to fire with comparative accuracy. A wire nelting
is also provided when the limber is to be used with a Maxim gun, to prevent the
entanglement of the empty cartridge-belts with the wheels.
The carriage and limber are to be drawn by one or two horses or mules as may be
found necessary; the gun and carriage being unlimbered in action.
I adapt all the above described improvements in the limber to "galloping" carriages
for the mounting of machine or quick-firing guns that may be attached to cavalry.
Dated this 4th day of July 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampion Buildings, London. W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JOHN MOORE GURNELL TONGUE, Colonel, H.M.S., of Hythe, in the County of
Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
My invention relates to gun-carriages chiefly designed for machine or quick-firing
guns, and its main object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby such a
carriage may, without the necessity for removing the wheels from the axle, be very
readily and quickly converted into a tripod when the gun is to be used for firing, and
re-converte i into a carriage when the gun is to be transported.
For this purpose, I prefer to utilize the shield which, in such carriages, is usually
suspended from the axle to protect the gunner against an enemy's fire. I arrange
this shield in any convenient manner so that it will turn about the said axle or about
hinge-joints connected therewith, and I make the said shield of such length or height
that, by turning it down from a horizontal, or nearly horizontal position into a vertical,
or nearly vertical position, it will be brought into contact with the ground, and the
wheels will thus be raised a short distance from the ground.
I find it advantageous to arrange the said shield to turn in an arc of a circle
excentric to the axle, and to provide the said shield at its lower corners with lateral
projections or shoes adapted to bear against, or engage with the periphery of the
wheels when the shield is turned down as above mentioned, and thus act as a brake to
prevent rotation of the wheels upon the axle.
For turning the said shield upon its hinge or pivot to move it into and out of its
operative position, it is advantageous to employ a sliding seat upon the trail of the
gun-carriage. In some instances, however, the said shield is connected with other
suitable devices for effecting its adjustment for the purpose specified.
If desired, instead of utilizing the shield in the manner above described, I employ
rods which are preferably provided with lateral projections or shoes adapted to engage
with the wheels, and are arranged to turn about the axle or about hinge-joints con-
nected therewith. These rods are connected with a sliding seat on the trail or with
other means for moving them into and out of their operative position for the purpose
specified.
My said invention, moreover, comprises improvements in limbers whereby I adapt
the same for carrying a gun mounted upon a pivot arranged at one side of the limber,
so that the gun can be conveniently worked while the limber is in motion, the move-
ments of the gunner not being impeded by the driver.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, of one form of my
improved gun-carriage.

page_text: Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the said carriago, partly in transverse section on the
line,, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan.
Figure 4a side elevation, partly in vertical section, and
Figure 5 a front elevation of my improved limber.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Reforring to Figures 1, 1, and 2, A is the axlo, B, B are the wheels. is the
trail, which may be advantageously formed of a hollow rol or tube fixed in a socket("
mounted upon the axle A.
Dis the shield, which is connected by hinge-joints D₁ to short lubes or sleeves E
fixed upon the axle A. This shield is provided with lateral projections or shoes 1)*
adapted to bear against and support the wheels B as shown in full lines in Figures 1
and 2. The said shield is coupled, by means of a rol or link F, to a sleeve G, which
is fitted to slide longitudinally upon the trail (and on which is formed or fixed a
sent for the gunner. The said sleeve G is formed with a suitable koyway
through which extends a long key J secured by rivets or otherwise to the trail U;
this key prevents turning of the sleeve G and seat H upon or about the trail, whilst
permitting them to slide freely thereon towards and away from the axle A. The
key J is formed with a groove J' in which are pivoted two spring stop-levers or
catches K, K₁ for retaining the sleeve G at either extremity of its movement.
Lisa socket formed with, or firmly attached to the socket (and adapted to receive
a pivot-pin extending downward from a frame in which the gun is supported by its
trunnions or otherwise.
The parts are shown in full lines in the position which they occupy when the
enrringo is fixed for firing, that is to say, when it is converted into a tripod. By
reason of the position of the pivots or hinge-joints 1)' of the shield D relatively to
the axle A, the projections or shoes will move in an are of a circle excentric to
the said axle, and will, when the shield is moved down, tightly grip the wheels and
act like a brake to prevent rotation of the said wheels; the said shoes will, moreover,
support the said wheels a short distance above the ground. The gun-carriage is thus
rendered very rigid whilst the gun is in use for firing.
When the gun is to be transported, the tripod is re-converted into a carriage by
depressing the lever or catch K and moving the sleeve G and seat H backward upon
the trail until the lever or catch K'ongages with the said sleeve. The said sleeve
and seat and the shield D then occupy the position indicated by dotted lines in
Figures 1 and 1, in which position they will bo securely retained by the said lever or
catch K. The wheels then rest upon the ground and the carriage can be readily
transported in the usual manner. The catch K' must be depressed to allow the
sleeve G and seat H to be moved forward upon the trail for the purpose of again con-
verting the carringu into a tripod.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that my improved carriage possesses
the advantages boil of a tripod and of a carriage mounted upon wheels, that is to say,
it can, without the necessity of removing the wheels from the axle, be instantaneously
converted into a tripod to ensure steadiness while firing, the wheels then assisting
by their weight to hold down the carriage, and can be instantaneously re-converted
when the gun is to be moved from one place to another.
The improved carriage above described is sometimes provided with means for
carrying ammunition, spare parts and other articles, so as to make it entirely
independent of a limber and easily movable on line of march or on any battle-field
by un-draught with drag ropes or otherwise, reserve ammunition and water-kogs
being carried on mules. Or, if desired, the carriage is provided with a limber for
carrying reserve ammunition, water-kegs spare parts and other articles.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, somewhat modify the construction of the
improved gun-carriage above described. For instance, instead of using the shield
for the purpose above specified. I can. ns hereinhufore mentioned, employ rods con-
neeted by hinge-joints to the sleeves E and provided with projections or shoes adapted

page_text: to bear against or engage with the wheels, the said rods being coupled to the sliding
sleeve G; in this case a separate shield may be suspended from the axle in the usual
or other suitable manner. Moreover I can substitute for the levers or catches K, K¹,
other convenient devices for retaining the sleeve G and seat H at either extremity of
their movement upon the trail C. Or I can use separate devices for moving the
shield or its equivalent, viz. :-the aforesaid rods, into and out of their operative
position. The said shield or its equivalent may, if desired. be arranged to turn about
the axle instead of being connected by hinge-joints to sleeves fixed thereon. In this
case. the wheels would be lifted from the ground in converting the carriage into a
tripod, but rotation of the said wheels on the axle, when thus lifted, would not be
prevented.
-
The gun-carriage or limber shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is provided at one side
thereof with the pivot M so fixe! on the ammunition-box N as to admit of the gun
being carried upon it and fought from the carriage or limber when in movement.
An ammunition-box N' is arranged at the other side of the carriage and the top
of the said box serves as a scat P for the driver. A seat P' is arranged on the
platform, for the gunner who is to fight the gun. The gun, being arranged on one
side of the centre of the carriage, can be worked freely without the movements of
the gunner being impeded by the driver. The seat P1 may be made movable if
desired. A dash-board Q is provided to afford support to the gunner and thus enable
him to fire rapidly and with comparative accuracy while the carriage or limber is in
motion. Wire-netting R is also provided, when the carriage or limber is to be used
with a Maxim gun, to prevent entanglement of the empty cartridge-belts with the
wheels. S is a shield which is secured to the gun and through which the gun protrudes.
This shield is arranged to turn with the gun about the pivot M.
I adapt the above described improvements in the limber to galloping carriages
for the mounting of machine or quick-firing guns intended to be attached to
cavalry.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood
that I do not claim generally or irrespectively of my improvements herein described
a gun-carriage which is convertible into a tripod, as I ain aware that gun-carriages
so convertible have been devised in which it is necessary to remove the wheels from
the axle in order to effect the conversion. I am not aware, however, that the construction
of a gun-carriage in such a manner that it is convertible into a tripod without the
necessity for the removal of the wheels has ever been heretofore suggested. I am,
moreover, aware that limbers having guns mounted thereon have been constructed
with the gun arranged centrally between the wheels; but my improved limber is so
constructed that the gun can be mounted at one side thereof, thus enabling the gun
to be very readily worked without inconvenience arising from too close proximity of
the driver to the gunner, and leaving a space at the other side of the limber available
for an ammunition-box of larger dimensions than can be used when the gun is
arranged in the centre of the carriage or limber. And I wish it understood that
I claim :-
First. A gun-carriage which is convertible into a tripod without the necessity for
the removal of the wheels from the axle.
Second. A gun-carriage having a shield or rods suspended from, or connected by
hinge-joints with the axle, and provided with means for moving them into and out of
their operative position for the purpose above specified.
Third. The shield or rods provided with the lateral projections or shoes and con-
nected by hinge-joints with the axle so that, in the turning of the shield or rods
about the joints, the said projections or shoes will move in an arc of a circle excentric
to the said axle, for the purpose above specified.
->
Fourth. The combination, with the shield or rods suspended from, or connected by
hinge-joints with the axle, of a seat or sleeve fitted to slide on the trail and coupled
Lo the said shield or rods, for the purpose above specified.

page_text: Fifth. The combination of parts comprising the sleeve fitted to slide upon the trail,
the key formed with the groove, and the spring stop-levers or catches, substantially as,
and for the purposes, set forth.
Sixth. The improved gun-carriage constructed substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1, 1 and 2 of the drawings for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The improved carriage or limber having the gun mounted at one side
thereof and constructed substantially as described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5
of the drawings for the purpose specified.
Duted this 4th day of Anril 1880