IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LINING OF GUNS, AND IN BREECH-LOADING APPARATUS FOR THE SAME.
Year: 1879

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Palliser, of Earl's Court Square, Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex, Knight, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE LINING OF GUNS, AND IN BREECH-LOADING APPARATUS FOR THE
SAME.
"
Sealed the 19th August 1879, and dated the 4th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Palliser at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1879.
WILLIAM PALLISER, of Earl's Court Square, Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, Knight. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LINING OF GUNS AND IN BREECH-
LOADING APPARATUS FOR THE SAME.'
My Invention relates to an improved method of lining or relining existing
ordnance, whether made of wrought iron or of cast iron, or of both wrought and
cast iron, and to improvements in breech loading apparatus for guns. For the
purpose of lining or relining a gun, I bore right through the gun and breech a hole
which is uniformly cylindrical from the muzzle down the greater part of the length
of the gun, and then abruptly becomes considerably less in bore and continues so to
and through the breech. I then cut a screw thread in the part of smaller diameter.
I forge a lining A tube of coiled bar iron, or it may be of iron plates rolled up and
welded into a tube, or part of its length, which is thinner towards the breech, may
be of plate, and the greater portion which is thicker may be of coiled bar. The use
of a tube made of plate rolled up and welded is of advantage, particularly in the
charge chamber, so as to avoid the risk of the circumferential opening of a weld
which sometimes occurs in a coiled tube. In order to form a rolled tube of the kind
referred to I take a plate of soft ductile iron and thoroughly cleanse its surface by
pickling or planing, I then roll it up cold to form a volute tube, heat it to a
welding heat in an air furnace, place it in a mould, and force through it a coned
mandril, either by hydraulic pressure or by the blows of a steam hammer, thereby
welding the convolutions together. On the thinner part at the breech end I shrink
a short length of tube, which is preferably of the rolled kind above described, so as
to make the total thickness up to that of the rest of the tube. This additional tube
I may term the B tube on which when it is secured on the A tube I cut a male
screw thread to fit the thread in the bore, and I continue this thread some distance
up the A tube beyond the junction of the A and B tubes. The barrel thus prepared

page_text: is then screwed into the gun from the muzzle, and when it has been screwed up
tight it is retained in its place by a thin screw collar at the muzzle or by several
key screws tapped half into the metal of the tube and half into that of the gun. In
some cases where it is desirable that the existing bore of a wrought iron gun should
be lengthened, the lining barrel is made of the required length, so that part of it
protrudes beyond the muzzle, and an extra length of coil is shrunk over the
protruding part as well as over a portion of the old muzzle which is reduced in
external diameter to receive it. The object of making the breech end of the lining
barrel in two thicknesses as above described is to prevent an internal rupture from
extending into the body of the metal. Also the screw thread is carried beyond the
B tube so as to include part of the A tube in order to prevent the A tube from
being blown forward out of or towards the muzzle by an escape of gas at the
breech or by the opening of a coil into circumferential flaw. The thin screw
collar or key screws at the muzzle, also keeps the tubes in place and prevents injury
from vibration there. If the gun is to be used as a muzzle loader I screw into the
breech end of the A tube a plug cupped to form a gas check, and behind it I screw
into the end of the B tube a solid plug. When the gun is to be used as a breech
loader I employ apparatus of the kind described in the Specification to Letters
Patent granted to me and F. G. Bolton on the 21st May 1868, No. 1667, with
certain modifications which I will now describe. I cause the hinged collar to project
in conical form some distance into the breech hole of the gun, and I arrange the
spring lock-bolt which keeps the collar in its forward position for firing in such a
manner that it cannot be withdrawn until the breech plug is so far unscrewed that
the gas check cup at its front has been brought within the collar so as to be
protected thereby from injury when the collar is folded back on its hinge. This I
effect by making the lock bolt with a tail piece within the collar, which bearing against
the periphery of the breech plug prevents the bolt from being unlatched until the plug
is screwed back so far as to present a recess formed in it for the tail piece of the bolt.
The bolt being then unlatched it is held in position by a spring catch, and its
tail piece entering the recess of the breech plug prevents it from being turned so as
to screw it inwards. When the collar is again swung forwards so as to close the
breech of the gun the spring catch is released, and the lock bolt becomes latched,
releasing the breech plug, which can then be screwed forward. There is also
arranged in the collar a spring pin, which entering a recess in the screw plug pre-
vents it from being screwed too far back, but one side of this recess being sloped
off the plug can be screwed forwards, the slope raising the spring pin out of the
recess. I further so arrange the position of the tappet lever which screws up the
breech plug that its weight prevents the breech plug from moving forwards and
exposing the cup, which consists of a separate piece in the form of a ring screwed
on to the face of the breech plug, the joint of their junction being covered by the
metal of a cup overlapping the plug. The cup is prevented from unscrewing by a
lateral set screw. When worn or damaged it can be replaced by a fresh cup
screwed on the same plug. The cup may have a single or a double projecting rim.
When the rim is single it should enter an annular recess in the bore of the gun so
as to be overlapped internally by the metal of the bore in cases where the vent
enters the bore beyond the plug. If however the vent enters through the breech
plug the rim of the cup should be inside, overlapping the metal of the bore. When
the cup is made with a double rim the outer one enters an annular recess at the
end of the bore, so as to be overlapped by the metal at the bore, and the inner one
overlaps internally the metal of the bore. The outer rim may be situated behind
the inner one. When the cup has a single rim, which is made to overlap internally
the metal of the bore, I make a thin oblique cut into the metal of the cup from the
outside inwards and backwards, so as to allow the metal and rim in front of the cup
to spring a little. The effect of the pressure on exploding the charge being to force
the front metal of the cup backwards, the cup above mentioned allows it to spring
back a little, the rim being thereby sprung outwards so as to press tightly against
the metal of the bore and prevent passage of gas.

page_text: In order to prevent the internal screw for the breech plug from being damaged
by the projectile when it is introduced into the gun, I adopt the following arrange-
ment for guiding the projectile truly into the bore:-On the hinge pin provided at
the side of the gun for carrying the screw collar of the breech plug I fit a sleeve,
from the lower end of which projects a radial arm fitted at its outer end to receive
the cradle carrying the projectile. The sleeve with its arm can turn on the hinge
pin through about one quarter of a revolution, but is prevented by a stop from
turning farther. The joint of the breech collar is fitted to turn on the sleeve
through about half a revolution, and the breech collar has at its lower side a stud,
which when the collar is swung forwards to close the breech catches the radial arm,
and takes it forwards with it. The operation of charging the gun is conducted as
follows: After discharge the breech plug is screwed back as far as the stop pin
will permit, and that must be sufficiently far to allow the lock bolt to be released.
The bolt being released it is held by its spring tumbler in its released attitude, in
which attitude it prevents the breech plug from being screwed in either direction.
The collar is now swung back, bringing with it the radial arm, but whilst the collar
itself swings through about half a revolution the radial arm is stopped when it has
turned through about a quarter of a revolution. The cradle carrying the projectile
is now placed on the end of the radial arm, its position thereon being definitely
fixed by studs or steady pins entering holes in the arm. The arın is then turned
forwards, directing the front of the projectile truly into the bore of the gun without
its touching the internal screw threads at the breech. The front of the projectile
being thus introduced into the bore while its back part rests on the cradle the
projectile is pushed forwards off the cradle, which is then removed from the radial
arm. The cartridge or powder charge being then introduced behind the projectile
the collar is swung forward and latched, and the breech plug is screwed home,
whereupon the gun can be fired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Palliser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
September 1879.
WILLIAM PALLISER, of Earl's Court Square, Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, Knight. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LINING OF GUNS, AND IN BREECH
LOADING APPARATUS FOR THE SAME."
My Invention relates to an improved method of lining or re-lining existing
ordnance, whether made of wrought iron or of cast iron, or of both wrought and cast
iron, and to improvements in breech loading apparatus for guns. For the purpose
of lining or re-lining a gun I bore right through the gun and breech a hole, which
is uniformly cylindrical from the muzzle down the greater part of the length of
the gun, and then abruptly becomes considerably less in borc and continuous so to
and through the breech. I then cut a screw thread in the part of smaller diameter.
I forge a lining A tube of coiled bar iron, or it may be of iron plate rolled up and
welded into a tube; or part of its length, which is thinner towards the breech,
may be of plate, and the greater portion, which is thicker, may be of coiled bar.
The use of a tube made of plate rolled up and welded is of advantage, particularly
in the charge chamber, so as to avoid the risk of the circumferential opening of a
weld, which sometimes occurs in a coiled tube. In order to form a rolled tube of
the kind referred to I take a plate of soft ductile iron and thoroughly cleanse its
surface by pickling or planing; I then roll it up cold to form a volute tube, heat it
to a welding heat in an air furnace, place it in a mould, and force through it a
coned mandril either by hydraulic pressure or by the blows of a steam hammer,
thereby welding the convolutions together. On the thinner part at the breech end
I shrink a short length of tube, which is preferably of the rolled kind above
described, so as to make the total thickness up to that of the rest of the tube. This
additional tube I may term the B tube, on which when it is secured on the A. tube
I cut a male screw thread to fit the thread in the bore, and I continue this
thread some distance up the A tube beyond the junction of the A and B tubes.
The barrel thus prepared is then screwed into the gun from the muzzle, and when
it has been screwed up tight it is retained in its place by a thin screw collar at the
muzzle or by several key screws tapped half into the metal of the tube and half
into that of the gun. In some cases where it is desirable that the existing bore of
a wrought iron gun should be lengthened the lining barrel is made of the required
length, so that part of it protrudes beyond the muzzle, and an extra length of coil
is shrunk over the protruding part as well as over a portion of the old muzzle,
which is reduced in external diameter to receive it. The object of making the
breech end of the lining barrel in two thicknesses, as above described, is to prevent
an internal rupture from extending into the body of the metal. Also the screw
thread is carried beyond the B tube, so as to include part of the A tube in order to
prevent the A tube from being blown forward out of or towards the muzzle by an
escape of gas at the breech, or by the opening of a coil into a circumferential flaw.
The thin screw collar or key screws at the muzzle, also keeps the tube in place and
prevents injury from vibration there. If the gun is to be used as a muzzle loader
I screw into the breech end of the A tube a plug cupped to form a gas check, and
behind it I screw into the end of the B tube a solid plug. When the gun is to be
used as a breech loader I employ apparatus of the kind described in the Specification
to Letters Patent granted to me and F. J. Bolton on the 21st May 1868, No. 1667,
with certain modifications which I will now describe. I cause the hinged collar
to project in conical form some distance into the breech hole of the gun, and I
arrange the spring lock-bolt which keeps the collar in its forward position for
firing in such a manner that it cannot be withdrawn until the breech plug is so far
unscrewed that the gas check cup at its front has been brought within the collar,

page_text: so as to be protected thereby from injury when the collar is folded back on its
binge; this I effect by making the lock bolt with a tail piece within the collar, which
bearing against the periphery of the breech plug prevents the bolt from being
unlatched until the plug is screwed back, so far as to present a recess formed in it
for the tail piece of the bolt. The bolt being then unlatched it is held in position
by a spring catch, and its tail piece entering the recess of the breech plug prevents
it from being turned so as to screw it inwards. When the collar is again swung
forwards so as to close the breech of the gun the spring catch is released and the
Jock bolt becomes latched, releasing the breech plug, which can then be screwed
forward. There is also arranged in the collar a spring pin, which entering a
recess in the screw plug prevents it from being screwed too far back; but one side
of this recess being sloped off the plug can be screwed forwards, the slope raising the
spring pin out of the recess. I further so arrange the position of the tappet lever
which screws up the breech plug that its weight prevents the breech plug from
moving forwards and exposing the cup, which consists of a separate piece in the
form of a ring screwed on to the face of the breech plug, the joint of their junction
being covered by the metal of the cup overlapping the plug. The cup is prevented
from unscrewing by a lateral set screw. When worn or damaged it can be replaced
by a fresh cup screwed on the same plug. The cup may have a single or a double
projecting rim. When the rim is single it should enter an annular recess in the
bore of the gun, so as to be overlapped internally by the metal of the bore in cases
where the vent enters the bore beyond the plug. If however the vent enters
through the breech plug the rim of the cup should be inside, overlapping the metal
of the bore. When the cup is made with a double rim the outer one enters an
annular recess at the end of the bore, so as to be overlapped by the metal of the
bore, and the inner one overlaps internally the metal of the bore. The outer rim
may be situated behind the inner one. When the cup has a single rim, which is
made to overlap internally the metal of the bore, I make a thin oblique cut into
the metal of the cup from the outside inwards and backwards, so as to allow the
metal and rim in front of the cup to spring a little. The effect of the pressure on
exploding the charge being to force the front metal of the cup backwards, the cup
above mentioned allows it to spring back a little, the rim being thereby sprung out-
wards so as to press tightly against the metal of the bore and prevent passage of gas.
In order to prevent the internal screw for the breech plug from being damaged
by the projectile when it is introduced into the gun I adopt the following arrange-
ment for guiding the projectile truly into the bore. On the hinge pin provided at
the side of the gun for carrying the screw collar of the breech plug I fit a sleeve,
from the lower end of which projects a radial arm fitted at its outer end to receive
the cradle carrying the projectile. The sleeve with its arm can turn on the hinge pin
through about one quarter of a revolution, but is prevented by a stop from turning
farther. The joint of the breech collar is fitted to turn on the sleeve through about
half a revolution; and the breech collar has at its lower side a stud, which when
the collar is swung forwards to close the breech catches the radial arm and takes it
forward with it. The operation of charging the gun is conducted as follows:-
After discharge the breech plug is screwed back as far as the stop pin will permit,
and that must be sufficiently far to allow the lock bolt to be released. The bolt
being released it is held by its spring tumbler in its released attitude, in which
attitude it prevents the breech plug from being screwed in either direction. The
collar is now swung back, bringing with it the radial arm; but whilst the collar
itself swings through about half a revolution the radial arm is stopped when it has
turned through about a quarter of a revolution. The cradle carrying the projectile
is now placed on the end of the radial arm, its position thereon being definitely
fixed by studs or steady pins entering holes in the arm. The arm is then turned
forwards, directing the front of the projectile truly into the bore of the gun without
its touching the internal screw threads at the breech. The front of the projectile
being thus introduced into the bore while its back part rests on the cradle, the
projectile is pushed forwards off the cradle, which is then removed from the radial

page_text: whereupon the gun can be fired.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a section of a 35 ton 12 inch muzzle loading Woolwich gun as at
present constructed, this being taken as an example to shew how my Invention
may be applied thereto; Fig. 2ª is a section of the said gun altered according to
my Invention to serve as a breech-loader; and Fig. 3a is a section of the same gun
altered according to my Invention to serve as a muzzle-loader. According to the
construction shewn in Fig. 2a the wrought iron tube marked A, coiled or rolled as
above described, is reduced in thickness at the breech end, and on this reduced part
the wrought iron B tube is shrunk with sufficient tightness to make a good fit
without material tension or compression. A screw thread is cut in the exterior of
the B tube and extends for a few threads along the A tube. The gun being suitably
bored and screwed internally the tubes are inserted from the muzzle and screwed
home as shewn, the breech loading apparatus hereinafter described being then
applied thereto. C is the collar which is screwed into the mouth of the casing and
bears against a tapered part of the A tube so as to hold it steadily in the casing
and prevent vibration. In this Figure I have shewn the A tube as extending a
.considerable distance beyond the casing, thus obtaining a greatly lengthened bore,
whereby the full efficiency of the slow burning powder is secured. In the modified
.construction shewn in Fig. 3ª as applicable for a muzzle loader the screw thread
extends only over a portion of the length of the B tube and a portion of the A
tube beyond the junction of the tubes, the B tube behind the thread being of
smaller diameter. D is the gas-check cup screwed into the end of the A tube, and
E is the plug for closing the breech which is screwed into the casing and butts
against the end of the lining tube and the base of the gas-check cup. It will be
seen that the breech end of the B tube is made to engage behind a should on the
A tube, thereby imparting additional longitudinal strength thereto. Fig. 3b shews
another construction of breech loader with solid casing extending the whole length
of the gun into which the A and B tubes are passed from the breech end and
secured by the screwed C tube.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew how my Invention may be applied in extending the
length of an ordinary lined gun so as to render it suitable for slow burning
powder. In this case the lining tube A is bored out for some distance from
the muzzle leaving a projecting lip a. A screw thread is then cut in the
mouth of the gun and a lengthening tube L is screwed in its hinder part, fitting
tightly round the lip a. The A and B tubes are made of coiled wrought iron bar
or rolled plate, as above described; they may however be of mild steel, each tube
being made either in one piece or welded up in coils or rolls when the steel is of
such a nature as to admit of sound welding. In all cases however it is essential
that the metal of the lining should be of such an extensible nature that whilst the
tube in the first instance is fitted to the bore of the casing with sufficient freedom
to allow of its being screwed in, it will be expanded by the pressure of the fired
gunpowder so as to fit the casing tightly.
Fig. 1 is an end view of the breech loading gun with the apparatus in position
for firing; Fig. 2 is a plan, chiefly sectional, of the same; Fig. 3 is an end view;
and Fig. 4, a sectional plan with the plug and its collar supposed to be removed in
order to show more clearly the charging gear; and Fig. 5 is a plan of the breech
shewing the position of the plug and collar and charging gear when the gun is
about to be charged; Figs. 6 and 7 are two part sections at right angles to each
other through the spring catch marked A in Fig. 1; and Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are
part longitudinal sections shewing several modified constructions of the cup that
forms the gas-check. The breech plug B, which is partly hollowed out for the sake
of lightness, is screwed into a collar C which is coned in front so as to enter a

page_text: conical recess in the breech of the gun, and which is hinged on a sleeve E fitted on
a pin
D that is passed through two ears D¹, D¹, projecting from the breech at one
side thereof. The plug B is turned by means of a tappet lever B' having a stud
acting against a projection B' from the plug, that projection being so situated that
when the plug is fully screwed back up to a stop hereafter to be described the
weight of the tappet lever B' bears upon it, tending to screw it still farther back,
and this weight serves to prevent the plug from being accidentally screwed forward,
holding it back always except when it is purposely screwed forward by means of
the tappet lever for closing the breech. The plug, besides screwing in the collar C,
screws also into a thread F formed in the body or lining tube of the gun. The
collar C is provided on its upper side with a spring pin C, the point of which bears
on the bottom of the screw thread of the plug. At one part C, Fig. 8, this is cut
a little deeper in a sloping direction, so that when the plug is screwed back
sufficiently far, the point of the pin C¹ being pressed by its spring into the hollow C
acts as a stop against the end of that hollow, preventing the plug from being screwed
farther back. If however it should be desired to screw the plug quite out of the
collar C, then the pin C¹ can be raised by the finger and the plug can be screwed out
if desired. The hollow C is sloped in one direction so that the pin C' has no
effect in preventing the plug from being screwed forwards, the slope raising the pin
gradually as the plug is turned. The collar C is also fitted with a latch lever C³,
which, when the collar is closed in engages over a latch F¹, projecting from the
breech of the gun. The latch lever C³ has a tail piece forming a pawl tooth C+,
which, when the lever Cs is raised to the position indicated by the dotted lines C³
in Fig. 1, is set forward as shewn at C, engaging in a notch cut in the screw thread
of the plug B. As this notch occurs only at one particular place in the screw.
thread, the lever C can only be raised when the plug has been unscrewed to the
extent that brings the notch to face C, that is, quite out of the thread F, at which
point its farthest unscrewing is stopped as already described by the spring pin C'.
The plug having been so far unscrewed, the latch lever Cs can be raised to the
position C³ clear of the latch F¹, and the collar C can then be folded back on its
hinge joint D, exposing the breech of the gun open for charging. The latch lever
C3, having been raised so that the tail C+ catches in the notch of the plug thread, is
kept in the raised position by a spring pin A fitted to slide in the collar, as shewn
by the sections Figs. 6 and 7. It is pressed by a spring acting against its collar, so
that its tail A¹ projects a little beyond the conical surface of the collar C. When
the collar is shut against the breech of the gun, the tail A¹ meets a shoulder A² of a
notch in the coned part of the gun breech, and is pressed back so that its head A
comes clear beyond the tail C of the latch lever 03, leaving the lever free to drop
into the position C³ where it is engaged with the latch F¹. The plug B having its
thread now freed from C can be screwed in, and when it is so screwed the
latch lever C cannot be raised out of the latch because the notch for C+ is no
longer in the place to receive it. When the gun has been fired, the plug is
unscrewed as far as the pin C¹ will permit; the lever C3 is then lifted so that
C catches in the notch, and on the collar C being moved a little back, the
spring pin A comes behind C and prevents the tail C from coming out of the
notch, so preventing the plug from being farther turned in either direction.
The above described arrangement for locking and freeing the latch may ob-
viously also be applied to a latch for covering or uncovering the vent in such a
way as to prevent this from being uncovered until the breech is screwed quite
bome; Figs. 6ª, 6b, 6º, shew respectively a front view, a horizontal section, and a
vertical section of such an arrangement where the vent a is covered by the latch b
until by the pressing outward of the stop c, the latch can be moved back as
shewn at Fig. 6. The notch for the piu C¹ and also that for the tail C*, Figs. 1
and 2, are so situated that the plug when unscrewing is held so far back as to
bring the gas check cup H within the front face of the collar C, so that it is
protected from injury when the collar is folded back, as shewn in Fig. 5. This gas

page_text: Or
check cup
Η may be made of several forms, as shewn in Figs. 2, 8, 9, 10, and 11,
heing in all cases made as a separate piece from the plug B, and screwed on it so
that it may be readily replaced when it is damaged or worn. As shewn in Figs. 2
and 8, it is simply coned to fit a slightly coned mouth of the bore of the gun.
it may be a little larger, as shewn in Fig. 10, so that its lip enters an annular
recess in the bore of the gun, which consequently overlaps the cup as shown.
The outer edge of the cup may be made not quite to bear on the face of the plug,
but to have between it and that face a sloped groove, as shewn in Fig. 9, 80
that when the pressure of the discharge acts on the face of the cup it tends to
bend it a little backwards, and so make its front lip bear hard against the interior
of the bore. It may be made with a double lip, as shewn in Fig. 11, the inner
lip fitting the interior of the bore, and the outer lip entering an annular recess
in the breech end of the bore.
In combination with the parts above described which are all for the purpose
of opening the breech for charging the gun, and closing it for discharging, I employ
mechanism for facilitating the loading which I will now describe. The collar C as
already explained swings on a hinge joint consisting of a pin D surrounded by a
sleeve E¹. This sleeve is in one piece with an arm E projecting from it below
the collar C. This arm can swing round the pin D as on a hinge being steadied
by the long bearing of its sleeve E'. It has on its under side a stud E², which
when it is swung back through an arc of about 90° meets a stud D2 fixed on the
ear D¹ so as to prevent it swinging farther, the collar C being nevertheless free to
swing still farther back, as shewn in Fig. 5. The arm E being in the attitude
shewn in Fig. 5 presents an end on which is placed the cradle E³ (Fig. 3) carrying
the projectile; this cradle or shot carrier being steadied in position by a stud on
its lower side projecting down into a hole E' in the end of the arm E, the shot
carrier being placed on the arm when it is in the position shewn in Fig. 5. The
front end of the projectile is directed into the bore of the gun by turning the
arm E towards the breech, and its weight being supported on the arm E, it does
not injure the screw threads F by bearing on them. When the arm E is closed in:
against the breech, the projectile will rest by its front part in the bore of the gun,
and by its hinder part on the cradle E, and it can then be pushed in by hand
into the bore. The cartridge or powder charge being afterwards inserted and
pushed somewhat forwards, the collar C swinging round to the breech till the latch
lever C³ engages with the latch F¹, whereupon the plug B is screwed home by
means of the tappet lever B¹, and the gun is in condition for firing. When the
collar C is swinging forwards, a stud E³ (Fig. 8) on its lower side takes into a notch
E in the end of the arm E, and carries the arm E with it and keeps it close up to
the breech. After firing, the plug B is unscrewed the required distance as
determined by the stop to the pin C, the latch lever C³ is lifted and the collar C is
swung back, bringing with it the arm E until that is stopped after traversing
about 90°. The collar itself being swung still farther back, the parts occupy the
position shewn in Fig. 5, leaving the breech open for spunging and re-charging
the gun.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I claim,-
First. Securing lining tubes in guns by screwing them into the casings without
shrinkage, the said tubes being of such material as will be expanded by the pressure
of the fired gunpowder.
Second. The herein described mechanism whereby a latch is prevented from
being raised until the breech plug is screwed quite home.
Third. In breech loading apparatus wherein a breech plug is screwed through a
collar hinged to the breech of the gun, the combination of the latch lever, spring
pins, and suitable notches in the plug, whereby the collar is prevented from being
folded back unless the plug is in such position that the gas check is protected

page_text: within the collar, and whereby the plug is prevented from being screwed forward
unless the collar is seated in the breech, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The construction of gas check cup with rim entering an annular recess
in the bore of the gun, so as to be overlapped internally by the metal bore,
substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 10 of the Drawings.
Fifth. The construction of gas check cup with a sloping notch behind it,
substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 9 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Sixth. In breech loading apparatus of the kind referred to in the third claim,
combining with the hinged collar the charging arm E and its sleeve E¹, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Seventh. The construction of breech loading and charging apparatus herein
described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Palliser, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. PALLISER. (L.S.)