AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OPERATING GUNS IN FORTIFICATIONS. AND FLOATING BATTERIES, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTATING TOWERS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to, William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the.
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OPERATING GUNS IN FORTIFICATIONS.
AND FLOATING BATTERIES, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTATING TOWERS
FOR THE SAME."-A communication from James Buchanan Eads, of Saint
Louis, Missouri, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 7th March 1865, and dated the 5th December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th December 1864.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OPERATING GUNS
IN FORTIFICATIONS AND FLOATING BATTERIES, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTATING
TOWERS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel or improved mode of working heavy guns
on land and water, and has for its object to work them in such a manner as
to admit of the use of a port hole just large enough to receive the muzzle of
the gun, and yet to permit of the necessary elevation and depression and hori-

page_text: zontal training of the gun with the utmost facility, all the movements of the
gun being effected in such a manner that the muzzle of the gun forms the
central point or pivot of motion.
The Invention also relates to an improved mole of constructing rotating forts
or towers.
This part of the Invention consists in adapting to the rotating
tower working gear for actuating the same separate from the gear which
actuates the platform in which the guns are mounted, so that the gun plat-
form within the tower, and upon which the guns are mounted may be rotated
independently of the tower, so that the guns within the tower may command
the entire horizon through different port holes without moving the tower, and
the tower may also in like manner be turned independently of the platforms,
so that if the portion of the tower exposed to the enemy becomes injured it
may be turned away and an uninjured portion exposed without interrupting
the use of the guns except for the few moments occupied in turning the
tower partly round.
gun
The advantages to be derived from the use of these improvements consist
in the increased security to the men working the guns, as much smaller port
holes than heretofore can be used in the walls of the fort, tower, or casemate
in which the guns are placed. The strength of the walls is also preserved, as
the small port holes weaken them much less than large ones. By the im-
proved system of working the guns the walls can be male equally as thick as
when the guns are worked in any other plan, the small port being at the same
time maintained in it, all of the directive movements being imparted to the
from points and mechanism entirely inside of the inner line of the wall, and
hence its integrity is preserved unimpaired. The gun is mounted on a strong
frame, in which it is capable of being raised and lowered by means of a
arrangement of jointed levers worked by a long screw and nuts connected to
the levers by a link motion. The gun frame is mounted on a moveable
chassis, which is capable of being moved round a stationary pivot as a centre
of motion. On this pivot is mounted a bevil wheel which gears into and
drives a similar wheel on a horizontal shaft whereby motion is imparted to the
chassis through a screw or other equivalent mechanism. The centre pivot
whereby these parts are worked may be actuated either by hand labour or
by steam or other power adapted to a crank on the lower end of the pivot
below the deck or flooring of the tower. In fixed towers, or on board ship
for broadside guns, the central pivot on which the gun carriage and chassis
move must be placed as near the port hole as possible, but in towers which
are made to rotate on their centres as above mentioned the actuating pivot
should be placed at the centre or axis of the tower, and motion should be

page_text: transmitted therefrom by means of bevil gear to another pivot which forms
the central pivot of motion of the chassis, and which central pivot will be
placed near the port holes as in the other instance. Although the gun, gun
carriage, and chassis can be worked by means of steam power transmitted
through the central axis, yet all the advantage of the small port hole may be
obtained by working the various parts by the simplest applications of hand
power. The chassis may be moved from side to side on its pivot, and the gun
may be run into battery by pullies, and ropes, or by any other well known
means, and the vertical levers which lift the gun may be actuated by hand
screws, hydraulic jacks, or in any other desirable manner. The Invention
admits of being worked by steam, hand, or any other convenient power..
The essential features of novelty in the above-mentioned improvements
are,-
First, supporting a gun at two different points in its length by a combina-
tion of levers or other equivalent devices adapted to a gun carriage, and
acting in connection with each other so as to rigidly compel the gun whenever
it is moved in a vertical plane to oscillate about a point in advance of the
levers, and at or near the muzzle of the gun.
.
Second, controlling the horizontal movements of the chassis or lower carriage
which supports the gun carriage by a combination of bevil toothed wheels,
racks, and screws acting in connection with each other so as to rigidly compel
the longitudinal axis of the chassis whenever moved horizontally to rotate
about a central point at or near a vertical line drawn through the exterior of
the centre of the port hole, the centre of rotation being in advance of the
chassis and the mechanical arrangements which control its movements, so
that the centre of motion may be on the exterior side of a vertical defence
wall while the chassis and mechanism are on the interior side or some con-
siderable distance from the centre of motion.
Third, the use of the central pivots as a channel for the conveyance of
power to operate the gun.
Fourth, the mounting of one or more guns on a rotating platform, the
power to direct the aim of the same, or to run them into battery, being con-
veyed through the axis of the platform's rotation.
Fifth, the combination of a revolving fort with a revolving platform, so as
to admit of either one being revolved separately and independently of the
other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex; Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OPERATING GUNS IN FORTIFICATIONS
AND FLOATING BATTERIES, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROTATING TOWERS FOR THE
SAME," being a communication from James Buchanan Eads, of Saint Louis,
Missouri, in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to a novel or improved mode of working heavy guns
on land and water, and has for its object to work them in such a manner as to
admit of the use of a port hole just large enough to receive the muzzle of the
gun and yet to permit of the necessary elevation and depression and horizontal
training of the gun with the utmost facility, all the movements of the gun

page_text: being effected in such a manner that the muzzle of the gun forms the central
point or pivot of motion.
The Invention also relates to an improved mode of constructing rotating
forts or towers.
This part of the Invention consists in adapting to the rotating tower work-
ing gear for actuating the same separate from the gear which actuates the
platform on which the guns are mounted, so that the gun platform within the
tower
upon which the guns are mounted may be rotated independently of the
tower, so that the guns within the tower may command the entire horizon
through different port holes without moving the tower, and the tower may also
in like manner be turned independently of the platforms, so that if the portion
of the tower exposed to the enemy becomes injured, it may be turned away
and an uninjured portion exposed without interrupting the use of the guns,
except for the few moments occupied in turning the tower partly round. The
advantages to be derived from the use of these improvements consist in the
increased security to the men working the guns, as much smaller port holes
than heretofore can be used in the walls of the fort, tower, or casemate in
which the guns are placed. The strength of the walls is also preserved, as
the small port holes weaken them much. less than large ones. By the im-
proved system of working the guns the walls can be made equally as thick
as when the guns are worked in any other plan, the small port being at the
same time maintained in it, all of the directive movements being imparted to
the gun from points and mechanism entirely inside of the inner line of the
wall, and hence its integrity is preserved unimpaired.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the appa-
ratus, shewing the chassis or lower carriage or truck upon which is mounted
the gun carriage, and also the different parts which actuate the chassis. Fig. 2
is a plan shewing the chassis and the levers for controlling the movements
thereof, and also the screw shaft and the universal joint in the same, with some
other parts of the machinery which will be understood by the explanation
herein-after given. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the gun carriage mounted
on the chassis or truck. Fig. 4 is a top view of the gun and the levers which
raise the same, with a portion of the sides of the gun carriage under them.
Fig. 5 is a section through the line 1, 2, of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is another verti-
cal section through the line 4, 5, of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a vertical section
illustrating the means by which the platform may be rotated independently
of the walls surrounding it, while the power to operate the gun is conveyed
through the central point or pivot of the platform from the engine or crank,
to the chassis and gun carriage. This Figure also shews how the walls sur-

page_text: rounding the platform as a turret, tower, or cupola may be rotated indepen-
dently of the platform. The sides of the walls may be vertical 'as shewn in the
Drawings, or they may be inclined or dome-shaped. In Fig. 7 the wall,
floor, and platform are indicated by different letters of reference from those
used on the other Drawings. a, Fig. 1, is a section of the defence wall shewing
he port hole 6 in the same. c is the platform or floor on which the chassis
or truck d moves for training the gun horizontally. On the chassis d is placed
the gun carriage e. In order, to give the gun different inclinations in the
vertical plane, rotary motion is imparted to the crank f which drives the bevil
wheel gearing into a similar wheel h on the shaft i, which is made to slide.
through the wheel h so as to permit the necessary elongation when the shaft.
is bent in the universal joint l. The shaft i is formed of two parts, j and k,
connected together by a universal joint 1, the construction of which may be:
varied. Round the part k of the shaft i is a hollow threaded shaft m bearing-
a nut n.. The two shafts m and k are connected by means of a clutch o.
The hollow shaft m is loose upon the shaft k, and the clutch o is so arranged.
as to slide upon the shaft k, but in such manner as to turn constantly there-
with by means of a feather formed within the clutch which slides in a longitu-
dinal groove formed upon the shaft k. By causing the clutch o to move against
the end of the hollow shaft this clutch is made to adhere thereto, either by
frictional or other well known devices, so as to make the hollow shaft turn..
If therefore the crank f is rotated then the nut n will receive through this
movement a rectilinear motion in one direction or the other upon the shaft
m, which is held in a cross piece fixed to each side of the gun carriage,
but as the rods p, p, Figures 1 and 2 are connected to the nut n they will
follow its movements and will cause the segmental levers q, q, to which they
are attached at q, q', to oscillate round the fulcrums r, r, (Figures 1 and 5)
when the ends 8, 8, of the levers will be raised or depressed according to the
direction given to the crank f, and the breech of the gun will follow the
movements of the end of the levers q, q, as it is attached to the ends of the
latter by means of the cross piece t, which itself is attached to the end of the
gun. At the same time the levers 9 are elevated the levers u will be set in
motion. These levers u support the gun vat one of their ends a by means
of two pins placed on the opposite sides of a collar surrounding the gun at.
this point. These pins enter slots formed on the ends of the levers u, which
slots are to be long enough to permit horizontal motion of the gun produced
by the vibrations of the levers q, q. The other ends y, y, of levers u are
held at the same point of elevation by means of two rods joined at 1
to the gun carriage e, and by their upper ends to the lovers u, u, which

page_text: upper ends constitute the centre of oscillation of the levers u, u. At
the same time the rods z, z, permit of the necessary longitudinal movement'
of the levers u, u, caused by the vibrations of the levers q, q. The levers u, u,
are pivotted at 2, 2, to the levers q, q, by which means they are elevated or
depressed according to the direction given to levers q, q. The axes 2, 2, of
the levers u, u, traverse the levers q, q, one arm of the levers u, u, being on
one side of the levers q, q, and the other arm on the other side. By this"
arrangement of levers the onds y, y, of q, q, move more rapidly, but always
in the same direction that the ends x, x, of the levers u, u, move in, and
impart to the breech of the gun and to that part supported at a, a, the proper
velocity required to rotate them in an are in a vertical plane, the central
point of which will be at the muzzle of the gun. The means of giving the
gun the various inclined positions in the vertical plane being understood, I will
describe the means by which the gun carriage is made to assume a longitu-
dinal motion upon the truck or lower carriage. The gun carriage e being
mounted on the truck d, its movements are guided thereon by means of four
guides 3, 3, 3, 3, screwed on the sides of the carriage; the lower ends of theso
guides slide in grooves 4, 4, (Figures 3 and 5) formed in the sides of the
truck to receive them; by this means the carriage is not liable to any derange-
ment in its position; and in order to reduce friction rollers may be placed
between the gun-carriage and the lower carriage. The screw shaft k is of a'
size to admit of an independent movement in the hollow shaft m, and on this
inner shaft k there is a nut 5 formed of two equal parts, so that when these
two parts are separated the shaft is allowed to rotate freely between them
without actuating the nut 5, but when the two parts are brought together the
rotation of the shaft k will impart to the nut 5 a rectilinear motion in one or
the other direction, according to the motion of the crank f, and as the nut 5
is attached to the end of the carriage e, the latter will follow the rectilinear
movements thereof. The two parts of the nuts will move in grooves transverse
to the axis of the shaft k, and may be set apart or brought together at will by
means of any suitable devices operated by a hand lever; they may also be'
made to open automatically when the nut has reached either end of its course
by such or similar devices as are used in reversing the motion of the bed of a
planing machine, and thus all danger of straining the machine if the nut be
kept closed on the revolving shaft will be avoided; all that is requisite is
the opening of the nut sufficiently apart for liberating the shaft and closing the
same firmly enough to permit of its seizing upon the thread. This rectilinear
movement of the gun carriage upon the lower carriage or truck being under.
stood, I will describe the means whereby I give the gun different directions

page_text: in the horizontal plane. These means
are the same as those already
described for giving the gun variable vertical inclinations, except that but one
set or pair of levers is required, and these levers move in a horizontal manner
and control the movements of the truck or chassis in such a way as to cause
its motions to have for their centre a point in a vertical line drawn through
the centre of the exterior of the port hole. To allow of an easy oscillation
of the truck its two ends are provided with four rollers 7*, 7*, and 71, 71. The
screw shaft k has on its end a friction roller 8, or a pinion gearing with the
two wheels 7, 7*, so that when the friction roller and the shaft k are engaged
the wheels 7, 7*, will turn and cause the truck to pivot. A lever 7 joined to
the end of the truck at 8*, and free to oscillate round the axis 6, corresponds
to the levers 9, 9, on the gun carriage; another lever 9, joined on one part to
a stationary plate 10 by means of a pin 11 and a slot, and on the other part to
the lower carriage likewise by means of a pin 12 and a slot, corresponds to the
levers u, u, on the gun carriage; this is intended to permit the necessary
longitudinal movement of 9 caused by the vibration of the long lever 7; the
lever 9 is attached by means of a pivot or axis 13, fixed through the said
lever 7; the bearings 14 and 15 which support the shaft j are joined together
under the shaft in such a manner as to allow the bearings to move apart to
accommodate the elongation of the shaft caused by the deflections of the
universal joint. The two parts forming these bearings are pivotted around
the axis 6, and at the point 16. If the great lever 7 is displaced by causing
the rollers 7, 7*, to rotate, the conditions will be exactly the same as those
described with regard to the vertical inclinations to be given to the gun, only
in this case the gun is replaced by the truck; now the truck being displaced
the lever 7 will oscillate round the stationary point 6, during this oscillating
motion the lever 9 in pivotting at the point 11 will be displaced, for in the
oscillating movement of the lever 7 the point 13 where the two levers are
joined together has been displaced; now the end 12 of the lever 9 being
connected to one end of the truck, the latter will follow the movement of the
end 12 of the lever 10, whilst the other end of the same truck will follow
the same movement as the end 8 of the great lever 7; and all these move-
ments are arranged and combined (like those heretofore described in alluding
to the movements of the gun) in such a manner as to have for their centre of
oscillation the horizontal projection of the gun muzzle.
Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the lower carriage, drawn in different
positions in order to better shew the working of the various pieces and parts
in the movement of the truck round the point 17. The gun carriage which
slides on the truck is also shewn in two positions. The gun thus placed on

page_text: the two carriages as described may assume all the desired inclinations in both
vertical and horizontal planes, still preserving as centre of its movements the
muzzle, and consequently the latter not moving sensibly will require but very
small port holes; and in the second place it may assume movements to and
fro on the lower carriage. The use of a shaft with a central joint is not
absolutely necessary, as one stiff shaft may be used having its axis always
parallel to the long lever under the truck, whilst the nut and hollow shaft may
be arranged to slide from side to side of the gun carriage according as the
truck is trained and as may be required by the changing position of the shaft.
The manner of arranging these levers may be considerably varied and yet
produce the same effect. For instance, the short horizontal lever 9 may be
placed off to one side or the other of the chassis, and have the end 11 secured
to the floor. If the long lever be then placed perpendicularly to the defence
wall, and the lever 9 be placed parallel to the latter lever, and the two be
joined by a connecting rod at the point 13 in each levor, and the end 12 of
the short lever be secured by a second connecting rod to the chassis at 12, the
long lever being secured at the other end of the chassis as described, the
latter will be controlled in its movements exactly as by the arrangement
described. Again, the lever 9 can be secured by a pivot at the point 12 on
the chassis without the slot at that place, and the long lever may be secured
at the other end of the chassis with a slot or sliding movement there, to com-
pensate for the elongation and contraction of the space between the ends of
the levers which are attached to the chassis, caused by the rotation of the
latter. By this arrangement the muzzle of the gun will not be thrust for-
ward and back, as it is slightly in the above description, in moving from one
side to the other. The elongation can also be compensated for by a similar
slot or sliding arrangement at the point 13. It will be plain to any engineer
that these variations may be also applied, if desirable, to the vertical levers.
The floor or platform upon which the truck or chassis traverses, may itself be
made to rotate (within, and independently of the walls of the fortification)
upon a pivot or central point, through which centre may be transmitted by a
combination of toothed wheels, and shafting, or other convenient means, the
power necessary to rotate the vertical shaft which passes through the axis 6,
Fig. 1.
In Figure 7, A is the permanent floor; B, B, the revolving floor; C, the
defence wall; E, the second axis or centre, around which the floor B, B,
rotates. The power is conveyed through the second axis or pivot E, by means
of a vertical shaft D, which will turn a horizontal one G, between the
platform and the permanent floor. The horizontal shaft G is supported by

page_text: and rotated with the platform B, B, in the bearings II, H, and receives the
power through the bevil wheels at the second axis E, and imparts the power
through similar wheels at J, below the hollow shaft 6 to the vertical shaft in
the latter. The crank f is shown as applied below the permanent floor to the
.vertical shaft D.
The rotating platform could be partially or entirely surrounded with the
walls of the fortification, the axis of its rotation being placed in the centre of
the walls. By piercing the walls with port holes facing different points of the
compass, the gun may be made to command any part of the horizon by
rotating the platform B, so as to bring the gun directly opposite any port hole
that may be desirable. The platform B may be supported upon rollers or
wheels at K, placed at different points near its circumference to facilitate its
rotation and to prevent it from being strained by the weight of the guns. It
may be rotated in the same manner as revolving turrets or as turntables on
railroads are turned. The platform may be large enough to have two or more
guns upon it, and these may be placed on opposite sides of it, or may be placed
side by side and trained separately, as may be desired. If it should be desirable
to employ cylinders for steam, air, or other element on the platform for the
purpose of running the guns into their ports and to check their recoil, the
-steam or other element may be brought through the shaft D, and the shaft 6,
by making these shafts hollow and of sufficient size to receive the necessary
pipes, and rotate around them. The axes of the steam-tight joints and the
steam pipes must be coincident with the axes of rotation, so as to admit of
the horizontal parts of the pipes rotating with the platform and chassis. The
piston rod of the cylinder would be attached to the gun carriage to move it
back and forth on the chassis or truck.
The circular wall surrounding the above-described devices may rest upon a
suitable circular bed as at L, Fig. 7, on which it may be rotated independently
of the platform and guns within it by means of hydraulic cylinders placed
outside of it and protected by a glacis, or within it near its base, or by toothed
pinions working into a circular rack attached to the wall at or near its base,
or by other strong and simple and well known devices, and moved by suitable
engines or machinery. The great advantage of this arrangement would be
that in case an enemy's battery obtained a position enabling him to injure the
part of the wall exposed to his fire, that portion if injured could be turned out
of the reach of his guns and could be repaired in safety without interfering
with the ability of the fort to return his fire. In this manner the walls of the
fort could be kept in constant good order while replying with unabated vigour
to the fire of the enemy. A fort thus constructed with such small port holes,

page_text: with port shutters arranged to close from within, with loop holes for musketry
and properly covered on the top, could not be taken by assault, whilst at the
same time it would command the whole horizon with its guns, and would
require but a few men to maintain the position. Its walls could be made of
iron and could resist the most powerful guns, for they could be from three to
five feet thick without interfering with the working of the guns or the rotation
of the platform, if the guns used be of the usual length of large guns now in
use. Although the gun, gun carrriage, and chassis can be worked by means
of steam power transmitted through the central hollow axle E, and the axle 6,
yet all the advantage of the small port hole may be obtained by working the
various parts by the simplest applications of hand power. The chassis may be
moved from side to side and the gun may be run into battery by pullies and
ropes or by any other well-known means, and the vertical levers which lift the
gun may be actuated
hand screws, hydraulic jacks, or in any other manner.
The Invention admits of being worked by steam, hand, or any other convenient
power.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to me
as aforesaid, and having explained the means of carrying the same into effect,
I desire to observe that I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to
the precise arrangement set forth herein, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature and object of the Invention, what I claim and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First, supporting a gun at two different points in its length by a combination
of levers or other equivalent devices adapted to a gun carriage, and acting in
connection with each other so as to rigidly compel the gun, whenever it is
moved in a vertical plane, to oscillate about a point in advance of the levers
and at or near the muzzle of the gun.
Second, controlling the horizontal movements of the chassis or lower carriage
which supports the gun carriage by a combination of bevil toothed wheels,
racks, and screws acting in connection with each other so as to rigidly compel
the longitudinal axis, of the chassis, whenever moved horizontally, to rotate
about a central point at or near a vertical line drawn through the exterior of
the centre of the port hole, the centre of rotation being in advance of the
chassis and the mechanical arrangements which control its movements, so
that the centre of motion may be on the exterior side of a vertical defence
wall, while the chassis and mechanism are on the interior side or some
considerable distance from the centre of motion.
Third, the use of the hollow central pivots as a channel for the conveyance
of steam or other power to operate the gun.

page_text: Fourth, the mounting of one or more guns on a rotating platform when
the power to direct the aim of the same or to run them into battery is conveyed
through the axis of the platform's rotation.
Fifth, the combination of a revolving fort with a revolving platform, so as
to admit of either one being revolved separately and independently of the
other.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the First day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)