Improvements in or relating to Recoil Apparatus for Guns and Gun-carriages.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Recoil Apparatus for Guns and
Gun-carriages.
1, EMIL RITTER VON SKODA, of Pilsen, Bohemia, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a gun-brake, in which the recoil produced by the firing
is destroyed, without any shock, by the friction of rigid lamellæ which rotate
relatively to one another and which are pressed against one another by spring
pressure, whilst, at the same time, by the compression of elastic devices, there is
stored up the power which is necessary for running out the gun or parts of the gun,
and which afterwards effects the running-out movement without shock in consequence
of the braking of the lamellæ.
The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of brakes of this kind.
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical and a horizontal longitudinal section of a
braking-device for regulating the running-back and the running-out movements of a
gun-barrel that is capable of moving independently of the gun-carriage; and
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail-views relating thereto.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate in the same manner, a similar braking device for guns, in
which the gun-barrel recoils together with the gun-carriage, and
Figs. 7 and 8 are detail-views thereof.
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 illustrate three different positions of operation of a gun-barrel
breach-closing mechanism to which a braking-device of this kind may be applied.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of enabling the gun-barrel to execute
a movement independently of the gun-carriage, the gun barrel is mounted in the
arms of a drum b, which contains a number of rigid lamellæ c and d, of which the
lamellæ c are held by means of grooves to fillets b¹ that engage in the said grooves
and are fixed to the internal surface of the drum, whilst the lainellæ d engage, by
means of their fillets d', in grooves of a brake-sleeve 62, which is mounted loose on
the drum-axle 68. On the sleeve 62 there is keyed a ratchet-wheel fin which enters
a pawl, which is pivoted to the stationary gun-carriage and which holds the
ratchet-wheel, together with the sleeve 62, fast, whilst the drum b, together with the
lamelle c engaging with the said drum, receives its rotation from the gun, which
recoils in consequence of the firing.
The lamellæ c and d are pressed tightly against one another through the medium
of interposed elastic discs g of caoutchouc or spring steel, so that the braking action
is produced by the friction generated between the rotating lamellæ c and the fixed
lamellæ d.
Now in order that the recoil produced by the firing may not be opposed
Immediately by a constant braking resistance, there are arranged in the drum, discs h

page_text: and which are formed with helical surfaces and of which the former, which are held
by the cross bolt h¹ that carries the ratchet-pawl f³, can move only in an axial direction,
whilst the discs are in engagement with the fillets 61, and consequently rotate with
the drum. In this rotation, the mutually adjacent helical surfaces come into
operation, and the elastic discs are therefore gradually compressed until the constant
resistance is produced.
By the rotation of the drum that is produced by the recoil, the running-out spring i
is at the same time placed in tension. This spring i is arranged in the usual manner,
and, in effecting the running-out of the gun, rotates the drum in the opposite
direction so that the teeth of the ratchet-wheel slip past under the pawl f, and the
helically faced dises are rotated back into their initial position, and the lamelle c, d,
which are pressed by spring pressure against one another until the termination of the
running out movement, complete their backward rotation without rotating relatively
to one another, the braking being effected by the friction between the discs h and k,
If the gun-barrel is to execute its recoil-movement together with the gun-carriage,
then, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the drum b, the limelle c and d, the elastic discs g,
and the helically faced dises h and k, are influenced by the spur m, which is arranged
on the limber-piece or the gun carriage. The said spur then rotates the brake-
sleeve 62, and also rotates, through the medium of the lamellæ cd, the drum, which
is provided with ratchet-teeth n on its outer periphery, and which is held fast,
during the recoil-movement, by paws n¹, which are fixed to the gun carriage and
engage with the said teeth n.
In this recoil-movement, which is effected, as in the preceding case, without shock,
caoutchouc buffers or springs i¹, which are mounted upon the drum-axle 63 (which in
this case is prevented from rotating by means of the discs h) and are compressed at
the same time by means of sleeves p, q, which have helical faces, and of which one
set can move only in an axial direction, whilst the other set forms one piece with the
hub of the spur and rotates with the latter.
For the running-out movement, the buffers give up their force, effecting a
rotation of the sleeves 9 and of the spur connected to these latter. At the same
time the gun is run out without shock into the normal position by means of the
ratchet-wheel o (or a number of such wheels), which is arranged between the elastic
discs on the drum axle, and which here acts as a lamella and in which there engages
a pawl o' that is fixed to the gun-carriage and that holds the said ratchet-wheel fast,
so that the lamella o is caused to act with a braking-action upon the discs which
may or may not be fixed on the axle 63. In this case also the lamellæ c, d, share the
forward movement without rotating relatively to one another.
If the energy of the recoil is to be destroyed at the moment of its generation, the
hereindescribed braking-apparatus is arranged on the breech-closing mechanism of
the gun-barrel. In this case the constant resistance can be so arranged that the
breech-closing mechanism will have traversed a part of its travel (in opening) before
the projectile will have issued from the muzzle of the gun.
In this case the breech-closing mechanism, as shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, consists
of a simple piston s, which contains the firing mechanism and whose movement, in
opening and clearing the loading-chamber of the gun, is composed of a rectilinear
movement and a swinging movement.
The rectilinear movement of the piston is produced by means of links 2 and
cranks fixed at the two sides of the breech-piece, to a shaft r. When the piston
has left the gun-barrel, the cranks 1 are fixed relatively to the latter, and the swing-
ing movement. cominences about the pins of the cranks with the aid of the
breech-block cranks t, which are capable of rotating about an axle that is mounted
likewise in the breech-piece.
The recoil acting upon the breech-block is destroyed by an arrangement comprising
a drum, together with its lamellæ, helically faced discs and sleeves, and springs
which is mounted on the crank-shaft r, and a second drum provided only with
helically faced sleeves and springs, which is mounted on the axle t¹ of the breech

page_text: block cranks, the first mentioned drum being arranged in a manner analogous to
that of the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1898.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Recoil Apparatus for Guns and
Gun-carriages.
I, EMIL RITTER VON SKODA, of Pilsen, Bohemia, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention ani in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to brakes for guns and gun-carriages, in which the recoil
produced by the firing is destroyed, without any shock, by the friction of rigid
lanellae which rotate relatively to one another and which are pressed against one
another by spring pressure, whilst, at the sume time, by the compression of elastic
devices, there is stored up the power which is necessary for running out the gun,
gun-carriage or part of a gun and which afterwards effects the running-out novement
without shock in consequence of the braking of the lamellae.
The drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification illustrate examples of
brakes of this kind.
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical and a horizontal longitudinal section
of a braking-device for regulating the running-back and the running-out movements
of a gun that can make such movements independently of its carriage; and
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views relating thereto.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate in the same manner, a similar braking device for a gun
which recoils together with its carriage, and
Figs. 7 and 8 are detail-views thereof.
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 illustrate three different positions of operation of a gun breech-
closing mechanism to which a braking-device of this kind may be applied.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of enabling the gun to execute a move-
ment independently of the gun-carriage it is mounted upon the arms a of a drum b,
which contains a number of rigid lamellae c and d, of which the lamellae c are held
by means of grooves to fillets 6' that engage in the said grooves and are fixed to the
internal surface of the drum, whilst the lamellae d engage, by means of their
fillets d', in grooves of a brake-sleeve 62, which is mounted loosely on the drum-
axle 6. On the sleeve 62 there is keved a ratchet-wheelf in which engages a pawl f¹,
which is pivoted to the stationary gun-carriage and which holds the ratchet-wheel,
together with the sleeve 62, fast, whilst the druin 6, together with the lamellae c
engaging with the said drum, receives its rotation from the gun, which recoils in
consequence of the firing.
The lanellae c and d are pressed tightly against one another by means of
interposed elastic dises I of caoutchouc or spring steel, so that the braking action is
produced by the friction generated between the rotating lamellae c and the fixed
lamellae d.
Now in order that the recoil produced by the firing may not be opposed
immediately by a constant braking resistance, there are arranged in the drum,
discs h and k which are formed with helical surfaces and of which the former, which
are held by the cross bolt h' that carries the ratchet pawl f, can move only in an

page_text: axial direction, whilst the discs
consequently rotate with the drum.
are in engagement with the fillets 6¹, and
In this rotation, the mutually adjacent helical
surfaces coine into operation, and the elastic discs are therefore gradually
compressed until the constant resistance is produced.
By the rotation of the drum that is produced by the recoil, the running-out
spring is at the same time placed in compression. This spring i is arranged in the
usual manner, and, in effecting the running out of the gun, rotates the drum in the
opposite direction, so that the teeth of the ratchet-wheel slip past under the pawl f¹,
the helically faced discs are rotated back into their initial position, and the
lamellae c, d, which are pressed by spring pressure against one another until the
termination of the running out movement, complete their backward rotation without
rotating relatively to one another, the braking being effected by the friction between
the discs h and k.
If the gun is to execute its recoil-movement together with the gun-carriage, then,
as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the drum b, the lamellae c and d, the elastic discs g, and
the helically faced dises h and k, are influenced by the spur m, which is arranged on
the trail of the gun-carriage. The said spur, therefore, rotates the brake-sleeve b²,
and also rotates, through the medium of the lamellae c d, the drum, which is pro-
vided with ratchet-teeth n on its outer periphery, and which is held fast, during the
recoil-movement, by pawls n¹, which are secured to the gun-carriage and engage with
the teeth n¹.
In this recoil-movement, which is effected, as in the preceding case, without shock,
caoutchouc buffers or springs & mounted upon the drum-axle 63, which during the
recoil-movement is prevented from rotating by means of the dises h, are simul-
taneously compressed by means of sleeves p q, which have helical faces, and of which
one set can move only in an axial direction, whilst the other set forms one piece with
the hub of the spur and rotates with the latter.
For the running-out movement, the buffers give up their force, effecting rotation
of the sleeves q and of the spur connected thereto. At the same time the gun-carriage
is run out without shock into the normal position by means of the ratchet-wheel o (or
a number of such wheels), which is arranged between the elastic dises on the drum
axle, and which here acts as a lamella and in which there engages a pawl o' that is
secured to the gun-carriage and that holds the said ratchet-wheel fast, so that the
lamella is caused to act with a braking-action upon the discs g, which are loosely
mounted on the axle 63. In this case also the lamellae c. d, share the forward movement
without rotating relatively to one another.
If the energy of the recoil is to be destroyed at the movement of its generation, the
herein described braking-apparatus is arranged on the breech-closing mechanism of
the gun.
In this case the constant resistance can be so arranged that the breech-
closing mechanism will have traversed a part of its travel (in opening) before the
projectile will have issued from the muzzle of the gun.
In this case the breech-closing mechanism, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 consists
of a simple pistons, which contains the firing mechanism and whose movement, in
opening and clearing the loading-chamber of the gun, is composed of a rectilinear
movement and a swinging movement.
The rectilinear movement of the piston is produced by means of links 2 and
cranks fixed at the two sides of the breech-piece, to a shaft r. When the piston
has left the gun, the cranks are fixed relatively to the latter, and the swinging
movement commences about the pins of the cranks with the aid of the breech-block
cranks t, which are capable of rotating about an axle t¹ that is mounted likewise in the
breach-piece.
The recoil acting upon the breech-block is destroyed by an arrangement comprising
a drum, together with its lamellae, helically faced discs and sleeves, and springs, which
is mounted on the crank-shaft r, and a second drum provided only with helically faced
sleeves and springs, which is mounted on the axle 1 of the breech block cranks, the
first mentioned druin being arranged in a manner analogous to that of the construction
shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Apparatus for regulating the recoil movement and the running out movement of
guns, or parts of guns, or gun-carriages in which the recoil of the gun, the gun
breech-closure, or the gun together with the gun-carriage, is transmitted to a drum b
in which are arranged rigid lamellae c and d, which are pressed against one another
by interposed elastic means (dises g), are connected partly with the moving part of
the gun or the gun-carriage and partly with the stationary part of the gun or the gun-
carriage, and are rotated relatively to one another for the purpose of producing a
braking resistance, whilst the running out movement of the recoiling part of the gun
or the gun-carriage is effected by means of a running-out device (spring i) connected
to the drum.
2. A recoil apparatus according to the preceding claim, in which for the purpose of
producing a recoil of the gun or gun-carriage part without shock, and a constant
braking resistance, the lamellae c d are pressed against one another by helically faced
discs and k, which are rotated relatively to one another.
3. A recoil-apparatus according to Claim 1, in which during the rec il movement,
springs or buffers &¹ (which effect the running out) are pressed together by the relative
rotation of helically faced sleeves p g, whilst shock in the running out is obviated by
the braking action of the discs on one or more lamellae o which are, during running-
out prevented from rotating.
4. Recoil-apparatus for guns and gun-carriages, constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 4
inclusive or in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive of the drawings of my Provisional Specification.
Dated this 20th day of February 1899
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.