IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN CARRIAGES AND MOUNTING OF GUNS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY CHARLES EDEN MALET, of Wilbury Lodge, Brighton in the County of
Sussex, a Lieutenant Colonel in Her Majesty's Reserve of Officers, late of the
Grenadier Guards, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN CARRIAGES AND MOUNTING OF GUNS" to be
as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of gun carriages and.
mounting of guns whether for field, land, battery or naval service-by means of
which I do away with or greatly lessen the destructive effects upon gun carriages
of the recoil which takes place after firing, and I am consequently able to construct
such carriages in a much lighter manner than has been customary or possible
heretofore, and thereby to render them easier of transport and manipulation.
In the ordinary method, the gun is attached directly to the carriage by its
trunnions, so that the whole force of the recoil is communicated instantly to the
carriage through the trunnions, but according to my Invention I suspend or sling
the gun by two or more suspension arms or links from the carriage, so that it is
free to swing or oscillate in the direction of its length in relation to the carriage.
Hence, the action of recoil after firing causes the gun to swing backwards, and
upwards in the arc of a circle, so that the force of the recoil is expended in raising
the weight of the gun from its normal position, and the strain which is communi-
cated to the carriage is of a gradually increasing character, commencing from zero,
and it will clearly be seen that the injurious effect of a strain of this nature is
insignificant compared with the sudden and violent blow which is the result of
recoil in the ordinary carriage.-In order more effectually to control the length of
the arc through which the gun shall swing, I employ one or more hydraulic or
pneumatic cylinders and pistons, or elastic. buffers of any of the usual methods
of construction, to connect the gun to the carriage, and by adjusting the area of the
orifice through which the fluid passes during the stroke of the piston, I can regulate
the swing with perfect facility and can also adjust the resistance to suit the
strength of various charges of powder-Another effect of the resistance offered by
the cylinders is that when the gun has swung up to the highest point permitted, it
returns slowly, and stops gently at the firing point, without shock or strain.

page_text: As regards elevation I make use of the ordinary screw and nut or rack and
pinion, or hydraulic cylinder, with such modifications as may be necessary to effect
the elevation and depression of guns mounted upon my system.
The suspension links are always attached at different points in the length of the
gun so that it always retains its parallelism when swinging, and after having been
trained and pointed always returns exactly to the same position no matter how
often it may be fired.
I do not limit myself to any particular number of suspension links, nor to any
precise points on the gun for their attachment, nor do I limit myself to the number
or position of the hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders employed, as the precise details
of arrangement have to be modified to suit the particular class of gun to which
they are applied, but the essential action of the apparatus remains the same in all
cases, viz:-the suspending the gun from the carriage by links, so that the force of
recoil causes the gun to swing upwards and raise its own weight, and the
combination with this of the application of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders to
control the motion.

page_text: I, HENRY CHARLES EDEN MALET, of Wilbury Lodge, Brighton, in the County
of Sussex, Lieutenant Colonel in her Majesty's Reserve of Officers, late of the
Grenadier Guards, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUN CARRIAGES AND IN MOUNTING OF GUNS
"
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 improvements in the construction of gun carriages and
in the mounting of guns, by means of which I avoid, or greatly diminish, the
destructive effects upon gun carriages of the recoil which takes place after firing;
and I am consequently able to construct my improved carriages in a much lighter
manner than has been customary or possible heretofore, and thereby to render them
easier of transport and manipulation.
My invention is applicable to all classes of guns, whether for use as field
artillery, or for batteries on land or at sea.
The great feature of my invention, is the manner in which I connect the gun
itself to the carriage-In the ordinary method, the gun is generally attached
directly to the carriage by trunnions, so that the whole force of the recoil is com-
municated instantly to the carriage through the trunnions; but by my improved
method, the gun is suspended or slung by means of two or more suspension arms
or links from the carriage, so that it is free to swing or oscillate in the direction of
its length, in relation to the carriage.
The force of recoil after firing, causes the gun to swing backwards and upwards
in the arc of a circle, so that the force of recoil raises the weight of the gun from
its normal, or firing position, and the strain which is communicated to the carriage,
is of a gradually increasing character, commencing from zero; a definite amount of
time elapsing before its full force is reached, and it will clearly be comprehended
that the injurious effect of a strain of this nature is insignificant, compared with
the sudden and violent blow which a carriage of the ordinary construction has to
withstand as the result of recoil.
In order more effectually to control the length of the arc through which the gun
shall be permitted to swing, I employ one or more bydraulic or pneumatic cylinders
and pistons, or buffers, connected to the gun and the carriage, so that the gun, when
swinging, causes the piston or pistons to traverse the cylinder or cylinders, and as
the cylinder is filled with oil or other suitable fluid, which is transferred from one
side of the piston to the other during its traverse, through a valve, groove, or other
suitable orifice, a resistance is offered to the piston, which retards the swing of the
gun; and as I provide means for adjusting the area of the valve, groove, or other
orifice through which the fluid passes, the resistance to the traverse of the piston
can be varied to suit, the strength of different charges of powder, and the length
of the arc through which the gun shall swing, can be regulated with great
exactness.
Another advantage attending the employment of the cylinders, is that they
also offer a resistance to the descent of the gun, so that after it has swung up to
the highest point permitted, it returns slowly and stops gently at the firing point,
without shock or strain.
In order to effect the elevation and depression of guns mounted upon my system,
I make use of a screw and nut, or rack and pinion, or hydraulic apparatus, or other
usual device, with such modifications as may be necessary to suit various descriptiona

page_text: The suspension links are attached to the gun somewhat after the manner of an
ordinary parallel ruler, subject to the action of the elevating apparatus, so that,
while swinging, it remains parallel to the position it was in when fired, and always
returns exactly to the same position, no matter how often it may be fired.
I do not limit myself to any particular number of suspension links, nor to any
precise points on the gun for their attachment to it, nor do I limit myself to the
number or position of the hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or buffers employed;
as the precise details of arrangement have to be modified to suit the particular
class of gun to which my invention may be applied; but the essential action of the
apparatus remains the same in all cases, viz: suspending the gun from the carriage 1
by arms or links, so that the force of recoil causes the gun to swing backwards and
upwards in the arc of a circle, and raise its own weight, subject to the combination
with these suspension links of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or buffers, to
control the swinging motion.
In order more clearly to explain my Invention, and to show in what manner I
carry it out in practice, I will now proceed to describe, by reference to the accom-
panying four sheets of drawings, some examples of its application to guns of various
types, shewing the numbers and positions of the suspension links and hydraulic, or
pneumatic cylinders, or buffers, and the means employed to give the necessary
elevation and depression in each case.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheet I represent different views of a field gun and carriage,
with my improvements applied thereto..
Fig: 1, is a side elevation, shewing gun in firing position—Fig. 2, an end elevation,
and Fig. 3, a plan of same.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of gun limbered up for travelling.
In Figs. 1 and 4, one wheel is removed, in order to shew more clearly the
"arrangement of the carriage-The same letters refer to the same parts in each
figure.
The trail is composed of two girders or cheeks a, a, united by top and bottom
plates b, b, and terminating in a shoe and eye c, to engage with the hook on the
limber in the usual way.
The axle-tree is a tube d, passing through holes in the cheeks of the trail, and
firmly keyed, or fastened therein-Diagonal stays d¹ may also be provided if
necessary. Solid ends are provided to the axle-tree for the wheels to run upon.
The gun e is provided at, or about, its centre of gravity with trunnions e¹ e',
which may be placed centrally with its axis as shewn in Fig. 3, or, if preferred,
somewhat below the centre as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4-To these trunnions links ƒ, f,
are attached, by means of which the gun is hung from the cheeks of the trail-The
Baid cheeks being carried up the necessary height as shewn, and provided with
bearings, and caps g, g, to enable the gun to be removed from the carriage when
required By keeping the trunnions low as in Figs 1, 2 and 4, it is not necessary
to carry the cheeks of the trail up so high, as when the trunnions are central.
To the underside of the breech of the gun, a rack h, curved to a radius from the
centre of the trunnions e¹, e¹, is firmly attached. Two light suspension links i, i,
equal in length to the links f. f, are hung from bearings, i, on the cheeks of the
trail, and carry at their lower ends, by means of pivots, a flat box or sheath j,
through which the rack passes, this sheath is provided with a pinion k, gearing
into the teeth of the rack h, and upon the shaft of this pinion, a worm wheel Z is
keyed, which is capable of rotation by means of the tangent screw and hand
wheel m.
The elevation and depression of the gun is accomplished by turning the hand-
wheel. The positions of the centre line of the gun, when at an elevation of 20°,
and a depression of 7° with the horizontal, are shown in Fig. 1. The links i, i, not
only support this elevating apparatus, but they also preserve the parallelism of the
gun, when it swings back under the influence of the force of recoil.
'
To check the velocity of this swinging motion, and to restrain it within proper
limits, a cylinder n, is provided-It is hinged to the axletree by the tube o, and its
4

page_text: piston rod head p is pivotted to the gun under the breech-This cylinder is filled
with oil or other suitable fluid, and an orifice or valve, capable of adjustment is pro-
vided in the piston, or otherwise, so that the resistance offered to the passage of the
piston through the fluid can be regulated as desired.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the gun is fired, the force of
recoil tends to cause the gun to swing backwards and upwards in the arc of a circle,
of a radius equal to the length of the suspension links, and at the same time, to
pull the piston through the fluid in the cylinder n. The valves of the said cylinder
being so adjusted, that when the gun has ceased to move, in relation to the carriage,
it will be in about the position indicated by the dotted lines q, q-Thus the force
of recoil will have raised the weight of the gun through a certain height, and at
the same time encountered and so far overcome the resistance of the fluid in the
cylinder, which, however, being adjusted to allow of no further compression, arrests
the movement of the gun after it has traversed an arc of from, say, about 70° to
90°, and causes what remains of the strain of recoil to be now transferred as a
pressing or pushing force to the gun carriage.
As the cylinder will offer a resistance to the descent of the gun, it will come back
slowly, and will be stopped by the piston abutting on the end of the cylinder
exactly in the position it was in when fired-The gun when adjusted to the
required angle, may therefore be fired any number of times, without affecting such
adjustment.
The strains upon the carriage, caused by recoil, will be compounded principally
of the pull of the cylinder upon the axletree, and the pull upon the bearings g, g,
through the links f, f, as the gun rises in the arc of a circle-This latter pull causes
a strain of a gradually increasing character, which theoretically commences from
zero, if the pressure caused by the dead weight of the gun be neglected-A small
portion of the latter strain may probably be taken by the links i, i. It will thus
be seen that there is no sudden blow or shock communicated to the carriage, on the
firing of the gun, and the parts of the carriage may therefore be constructed as
lightly as is possible, consistent with sufficient strength being retained to resist the
strains and shocks incident to travelling.
When the gun is to be limbered up for travelling, it is only necessary to depress
the breech as far as possible by means of the elevating apparatus, when it will
present the appearance shown in Fig. 4, and in order to relieve the links f, f, from
the strain of the weight of the gun when in that position, a small seating r, working
in a slide 8, is forced up under the gun, near its centre of gravity, by means of a
screw and hand wheel t, or other suitable device.
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Sheet II, represent a mode of applying my Invention to a gun
for use in a battery, on land or at sea.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation, Fig. 2, an end elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of gun in
position ready for firing; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of gun shewing effect of
recoil after firing. The same letters refer to the same parts in each figure.
a is the gun, provided with trunnions b, b, as usual, which rest in bearings in a
frame o, composed of two sides, united by a plate or bed underneath the gun-The
frame c, with the gun attached thereto, is slung from the carriage & by four
links ff. ff. One or more hydraulic cylinders g, are hinged at h to the carriage,
having their piston rod heads pivotted to the underside of the frame c, at i-In
the drawing only one such cylinder is shewn.
A rack j is fixed on one side of the gun, and a short shaft, passing through the
frame c, is provided at one extremity with a pinion k, engaging with the rack j,
and at the other extremity with a worm wheel l, which is rotated by means of the.
worm m, and hand wheel n, to elevate or depress the gun-In the drawing, a
maximum elevation of 20°, and depression of 7° is provided for, the bed plate of
the frame c, forming the stops.
The carriage d is supported by the bearers, or main carriage o, which is capable-
of being traversed in the usual manner on the pivot p.

page_text: The action of the apparatus is as follows:-the force of recoil when firing, causes
the gun a, with the frame o, to swing backwards and upwards, and at the same
time to pull the piston in the cylinder g, through the fluid contained therein, as
shewn in Fig. 4; the force of recoil being thus absorbed by raising the weight of
the gun, and overcoming the resistance of the hydraulic cylinder, or cylinders,
exactly as in the case of the field gun before described. The arc through which
the gun swings is determined by adjusting the resistance of the cylinder, or
cylinders, and the said cylinder or cylinders, also cause the gun to return slowly
to the firing position.
In the drawing, the carriage d, is shewn so that it can slide back on the bearers o
until stopped by the buffers q, and one or more hydraulic cylinders, may, if desired,
be applied between the carriage d and the bearers o, and a rack and pinion or other
device, be employed to run the carriage back in the usual way, or if preferred, the
carriage d, may practically form part of the bearers o, and have no sliding
movement thereon.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Sheet III, represent another mode of applying my invention
to heavy guns. The same letters refer to the same parts in each figure.
Fig, 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 an end elevation; and Fig. 3 a plan.
a, is the gun, provided with trunnions b, b, at or near its centre of gravity. c is
the carriage, having two standards or uprights d, d, from which the gun is suspended
by links e, e The said links working on the trunnions b, b, and in bearings f,f,
on the standards d, d. Hydraulic cylinders g, g, are provided, pivotted to the
carriage at h, h, and having their piston rod heads pivotted to extensions of the
links e, e, at i, i. A rack j, is fixed on one side of the gun, the said rack being an
arc of a circle, having the centre of the trunnion b, as its centre; behind the rack,
and concentric with it, is a curved dovetailed slide k; a carriage l, fits the said slide
and is capable of motion up and down thereon. The carriage l, carries a short
shaft, having a pinion p, fixed on one end, to engage with the teeth of the rack j,
and a worm wheel q, fixed on the other end; a worm 7, on the end of the shaft 8,
engages with the teeth of the worm wheel 9. The shaft s, is supported in a
bearing m, on the carriage L, and can be rotated by the hand wheel t.
A link n,
pivotted to the carriage L, and the standard d, supports the said carriage, and
enables the gun to be elevated or depressed by turning the hand wheel t, as will
be clearly seen. The link n, also preserves the parallelism of the gun when
swinging, but the weight of the gun is practically borne by the links e, e.
The carriage and gun may be traversed on a pivot, as at o, in the usual way.
Fig. 4, Sheet III, represents a side elevation of the gun after firing, and when
swinging under the action of recoil as previously described.
Fig. 5, Sheet III, shews an alternative method of arranging the hydraulic
cylinders, the piston in this case being pushed down instead of being pulled out,
when the gun swings back as shown, and this arrangement might be of use on
board ship in a sponson battery.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3, Sheet IV, represent a mode in which my invention may be
applied to guns in rotating armoured turrets, where the traverse of the gun is
given by the rotation of the turret, and only the elevation and depression have to 4
be provided for in the gun carriage.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an end elevation, both partly in section,
of a gun mounted in a rotating turret; and Fig. 3, is a section through the line A, A,
in Fig. 1. The same letters refer to the same parts in each figure.
The walls, roof and floor of the turret, are indicated by the diagonal section 5
lines.
To the roof and wall of the turret just above the porthole q, a bracket h is fixed,
by strong bolts or other suitable means, provided with bearings carrying a shaft d.
To the shaft d, two beams c, c, are fixed as shewn; their outer ends being supported
by the hydraulic cylinders k, k, which have their piston rod ends keyed into a 5

page_text: forked cross head i, the said crosshead being pivotted to the beams c, c, at j. j. The
cylinders k, k, are supported by trunnions in bearings t, t, t.
The gun a is hung from the beams c, c, by four links f. f. g. g. The links, f. f,
embracing the trunnions b, b, on the gun, and being pivotted to the beams c, c,
at e, e; and the links g, g, embracing trunnions fixed on the gun near its muzzle,
and being pivotted on the shaft d. The gun is thus free to swing from the
beams c, c.
One or more hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders m, pivotted to the turret at n, and
to the gun at o; are provided to control the movement of the gun, in the manner
hereinbefore described; or, if desired, in place of the cylinders being fixed under
the gun as shewn, a cylinder may be fixed on each side of the gun, to trunnions on
the hoop p, Fig. 1, as indicated by the dotted circles x, x, in Fig. 2.
To depress the muzzle of the gun, water or other suitable liquid, is admitted at
sufficient pressure under the pistons of the cylinders k, k, to raise the beams, c, c,
and the breech of the gun a; to elevate the muzzle of the gun, the liquid is
permitted to escape, when the pistons, beams c, c, and gun will descend. The
liquid under pressure may be conveniently brought to the cylinders k, k, through a
pipe, passing through a stuffing box in the trunnion, as indicated at 1, Fig, 2. in
dotted lines.
A simple three-way cock or valve in the pipe l, could be employed to place the
cylinders in communication with the liquid under pressure, and also to permit the
said liquid to escape, for the purposes just described.
Fig. 3, Sheet IV, is a section through the line A, A, in Fig. 1 showing that only
a very small area of porthole is required in this mode of mounting a gun, and that
the men in the turret are consequently well protected.
The position of the gun, when swinging under the action of recoil, is indicated
in dotted lines at 8, 8, Fig. 1.
To prevent smoke from entering the turret, canvas or other suitable flexible
material, rendered fireproof by any of the ordinary methods, may be fastened
round the interior face of the porthole, and round the gun near the muzzle, so that
the muzzle will be completely shut off from the interior of the turret. The canvas
or material employed, must be sufficiently loose to allow the gun to swing, and may
be lined or covered with chain mail, so as to form a mantlet.
The various kinds of guns above described and shewn in the accompanying four
sheets of drawings, are given as examples of different modes of applying my
invention, but are not intended to include all possible methods of carrying the same
into effect, and I do not necessarily confine myself to the precise details herein
shewn and set forth.
I do not lay claim to the use, by themselves, of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders
or buffers, for opposing a resistance, between the gun and the carriage, to the action
of recoil, as such hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or buffers, are well known, as
are also various forms of valves and devices, hereinbefore referred to, for regulating
or adjusting the resistance of such cylinders or buffers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
1. The combination of the suspension of a gun from or in its carriage by links,
with the employment of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or buffers, so that the
force of recoil may be wholly or partially absorbed in swinging and raising the
weight of the gun, and in overcoming the resistance of the said cylinders or buffers,
substantially in the manner herein before described and shewn.
2. The combination of the suspension of a gun from or in its carriage by links,
with the employment of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or buffers, so that the
space through which the gun swings under the influence of recoil, and the velocity
of such swinging motion, may be under control, substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described and shewn.

page_text: 3. The combination of the suspension of a gun from or in its carriage by links,
with the employment of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or buffers, so that the
gun after swinging up while under the influence of recoil, shall automatically return
to the firing position, without shock or strain, substantially in the manner herein-
before described and shewn.
LL
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