IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING MECHANISM FOR HEAVY GUNS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Quick at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1879.
GEORGE QUICK, of 43, Warwick Road, Maida Hill, Paddington, in the County of
Middlesex, Chief Engineer Royal Navy. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH LOADING
MECHANISM FOR HEAVY GUNS."
These improvements which are applicable for converting muzzle loading guns
into breech loaders, as well as to new guns consist in boring a large cavity or recess
in the rear end of the gun, eccentric to but parallel with the bore or longitudinal
axis of the gun, and in cutting a fine female screw thread or series of grooves in
the cylindrical surface of the said cavity into which a large screwed block is fitted,
which block forms an eccentric carriage for a smaller screw or breech plug for
closing the rear end of the powder chamber of the gun.
In the large screwed eccentric carriage which is more than twice the diameter of
the bore of the gun, a hole is bored right through in a line with the bore of the
gun, and of sufficient diameter for the projectile and charge to be inserted in the
gun, which hole may be distinguished as "the loading hole." The screwed carriage
is then turned through half a revolution, and another hole is bored similarly
through the opposite part of the screwed carriage. A fine female thread is cut in
this hole into which a steel plug is fitted for closing the rear end of the powder
chamber, the front end of the steel plug or breech screw being fitted with a valve
face or ring for preventing the escape of the gas from the chamber on the gun
being fired. The rear end of the breech screw projects through the rear end
of the excentric carriage, and is fitted with a lever for unscrewing or screwing up
the breech screw.
On the periphery of the rear end of the excentric carriage teeth are formed into
which a worm is geared, the worm being fitted at right angles to the bore of the
gun, by which worm the excentric carriage may be caused to revolve as required;
but in the place of the worm one or more small wheels or pinions may be used to
cause the carriage to revolve as required.
To bring the breech arrangement into position for loading, the excentric carriage
is turned by means of the worm or wheels and pinions until the loading hole is
in line with the chamber of the gun, when the charge having been inserted, the
excentric carriage is turned through half a revolution, by which the breech screw
is brought in line with the chamber, so that the longitudinal axis of the breech
screw and of the bore of the gun coincide. The breech screw is then screwed up

page_text: by the lever at the rear, and the gun is ready for firing. There is a stop fitted on
the gun to prevent the excentric carriage moving more than half a revolution,
so that the loading hole and breech screw may always be at their proper positions
relative to the powder chamber, when the excentric carriage is arrested at either
end of the half revolution. In very large guns to facilitate the working the
excentric carriage may rest on friction rollers fitted at the bottom of the screwed
cavity. By this method of construction a strong and durable breech loading
mechanism is obtained at the smallest possible cost, as nearly all the work consists
in boring, turning, and screw cutting, whilst it occupies a minimum of space, and
requires but a very small amount of manual labour to work it with rapidity.