Year: 1889

page_text: ..
1 BENJAMIN TALBOT BABBITT, of 82 Washington Street, in the City and State of
New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and 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 ordnance, in and through the walls of which are provided,
parallel with the bore, tubes for the circulation of water from a water box, at the
breech, for the purpose of cooling the walls of the gun between the successive
discharges thereof, as described in my British Letters Patent No. 4941, dated
April 21, 1885.
In such ordnance, it is desirable, owing to the greater thickness of the walls at
and near the breech, as compared with the portions in front thereof, to have a
greater number of water circulating tubes in the first mentioned portion, and when
a greater number of tubes is provided in that portion, the circulation of the water
through the tubes farther from the bore, cannot be continued through the tubes
which extend through the forward and thinner portion of the walls.-The object of
this invention is to provide for the circulation of water through, and its escape from
the tubes which do not extend through the whole length of the gun.
1 will first describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, of
a cannon, the length of which is made up of three sections, and will then point out
the novelty in claims :-
In describing the cannon, its three sections will be hereinafter referred to respectively
as the breech-section, the second section, and the third section.
Fig. 1 represents a central longitudinal section of the complete cannon.
Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the breech-section thereof.
Fig. 3 represents a rear view of the second section; and
Fig. 4 a rear view of the third section.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A designates the breech-section, B the second section, and C the third section.-
These sections are represented as screwed together by screw-threaded projections 6 c
on the second section B, and third section C, screwing respectively into female screw
threads provided respectively in the breech-section A and second section B.---The ends

page_text: of the screw-threaded projection b on the second section, meets the corresponding
portion of the breech section A with closely abutting faces d, and the shouldered
portion of the said second section B, outside its screw-threaded projection, meets the
corresponding front end of the breech-section A, with closely abutting faces e, in such
manner, that perfectly tight joints are formed both at d and at e.The second and
third sections come together with abutting faces d and e, precisely similar to those
between the breech section and the second section.
At the rear end of the breech-section is a water box D,, which covers the entire
breech, but which, in case of a breech-loading cannon, such as is represented, has a
central opening for the passage of the breech piece and for loading the gun. This
water box is provided with an inlet pipe for the entrance of cold water, and it is
connected by water-tight joints with the water tubes g g g², which are provided in
the breech-section A running parallel with the bore thereof.
The second section has provided in its walls, tubes h h², parallel with the bore, and
the third section C has tubes 2 provided in it, parallel with the bore.-The tubes in
the several sections are arranged in circles concentric with the bore.--The tubes ¹ h³
in the second section, are arranged in circles corresponding in circumference with the
circles in which the inner tubes g¹g of the breech section A are arranged, and the
tubes in the third section are arranged in a circle corresponding in circumference
with those in which the innermost tubes g2, 2 of the breech section and second section
are arranged. In order to form communication between the tubes g² ² ², without
the necessity of the said tubes in the several sections being exactly in line with each
other, circular channels are provided between the abutting faces d, the circum-
ference of the circles of the said channels corresponding with those of the circles of
the tubes g2 and 2-In this way, circulation is provided from the water box D at the
breech, through the tubes 2, 3, to and through the muzzle of the gun. A circular
channel is provided between the abutting faces d d of the breech section and second
section, to form communication between the tubes g' and h¹.
y are
A circular channel k¹ is provided between the abutting faces e of the second and
third sections, the circumference of this channel corresponding with that of the circles
of the tubes h³, and from this circular channel are provided one or more lateral
channels, extending to the outer edge of said abutting faces, for the escape of the
water that circulates from the water box through the tubes g h of the breech-section
and second section, without circulating through the third section. Circular channels m,
corresponding in circumference with the circles in which the several tubes
arranged, are provided between the abutting faces, e, of the breech section and
second section, and these channels are all connected by lateral channels n, which
also extend outwards to the edges of said abutting faces e, and form outlets at the
sides of the gun for the water which has circulated through the outer tubes of the
breech-section. The channels 4, 1, and the channels m n, provide for the escape of
the water from those tubes which are not continued, or made to communicate through
the whole length of walls of the gun. It is obvious that the outer tubes of the breech
section and second section could not be so continued or made to communicate.
The several circular channels between the abutting faces are formed by grooving
the said faces. These grooves may be male in only one of any two abutting faces, or
in both faces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination in a cannon, of a breech-section having a series of tubes
provided within and through its walls parallel with a bore, a water box at the breech
communicating with said tubes for introducing water through them for cooling the
cannon, and a second section connected with the first-mentioned section in front
thereof, the two sections having between their abutting faces, channels communicating
with said tubes, and lateral channels for the escape of the water at the side of the
cannon, substantially as herein described.

page_text: 2. The combination in a cannon, of a breech-section having a series of tubes
provided within and through its wall parallel with the bore, a water box at the breech
communicating with said tubes for introducing water through them for cooling the
cannon, a second section connected with the first mentioned section, and also provided
with tubes for water, and a third section connected with the said second section, the
first and second sections having between their abutting faces, channels through which
the tubes in both communicate, and the second and third sections having between
their abutting faces, channels communicating with the tubes of the second section,
and lateral outlet channels for the escape, at the side of the gun, of the water which
has circulated through the tubes of the first and second sections, substantially as
herein described.