IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING AND PROTECTING ORDNANCE AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE MEN IN CHARGE OF SAME.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Evelyn Liardet, of 21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, late of
Waverley, New South Wales, Gentleman, for the Invention of
IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING AND PROTECTING
ORDNANCE AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS, AND FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE MEN IN
CHARGE OF SAME.
"
Sealed the 26th March 1872, and dated the 3rd October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Evelyn Liardet
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd October 1871.
I, JOHN EVELYN LIARDET, of 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross,
5 Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, late of Waverley, New South
Wales, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING AND PROTECTING

page_text: ORDNANCE AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS AND FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE MEN IN CHARGE
OF SAME," to be as follows:-
These improved mechanical arrangements have reference to the
adaptation of turntables or circular traversing mechanism to ordnance
and other fire-arms, and to the protection and defence of the men in
charge thereof, whether the said ordnance or fire-arms aro stationary, or
battery, or pit guns, or are travelling field pieces.
When the guns are stationary guns the turntable is secured to a fixed
sole plate or base, on which a platform is placed mounted on wheels,
the same being secured in position by tramways and by strong springs
(tension by preference) attached to the platform and to the turntable.
This platform has an opening through the same allowing standards for
carrying the ordnance or fire-arm or arms to be secured to the said
platform, and for the raising of the ordnance or fire-arms for firing off the
same, and for lowering thereof immediately after firing so as to bring
the gun below the rampart wall, pit, or bulwark, strong tension springs
being secured to the said standards so as to accomplish the objects
abovo named. A small sliding pad carriage is provided for receiving
the breech after firing. All the proper adjuncts of artillery are also
adopted.
When I apply the turntable and protecting arrangements for
travelling or field pieces then I place the sole plate with the turntable
secured thereto upon travelling wheels, and in this case, the same
springs instead of being applied to elevating and lowering the gun
are applied to taking off the recoil of the gun when fired (as
elevating and lowering are not here required), and as in this case the gun
is not placed underground in a pit, or behind a stationary rampart, wall,
or bulwark, therefore I place a bulwark or shield around the gun with
an embrasure for the same to be fired through. And behind this
bulwark or shield the men may be screened from sight and shot.
The turntable is to be large enough to allow space for the riflemen.
The gun carriage is to work in guides on rollers, the springs aforesaid
taking off the recoil. The front travelling wheels can be made to turn
under the body of the carriage somewhat like those used in most four-wheel
pleasure carriages. Sometimes it might be desirable for travelling guns
nearly the same form of arrangement (with the addition of travelling

page_text: wheels) as that for stationary guns. And sometimes the arrangements
for travelling guns (without travelling wheels) might be used for
stationary guns. Also the travelling guns might be provided with
ammunition and other receptacles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Evelyn Liardet in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EVELYN LIARDET, of 21, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, late of Waverley, New South Wales,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Evelyn Liardet, Her special
licence that I, the said John Evelyn Liardet, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Evelyn Liardet,
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 "IMPROVED MECHANICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING AND PROTECTING
ORDNANCE AND OTHER FIRE-ARMS AND FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE MEN IN CHARGE
OF SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Evelyn Liardet, 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
Datent

page_text: •
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Evelyn Liardet, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
These improved mechanical arrangements have reference to the
adaptation of turntables or circular traversing mechanism to ordnance
and other fire-arms, and to the protection and defence of the men in
charge thereof, whether the said ordnance or fire-arms are stationary, or
battery, or pit guns, or are travelling field pieces.
When the guns are stationary guns the turntable is secured to a fixed
sole plate or base, on which a platform is placed mounted on wheels,
the same being secured in position by tramways and by strong springs
(tension or draw springs by preference) attached to the platform and to
the turntable. This platform has an opening through the same allowing
standards for carrying the ordnance or fire-arm or arms to be secured
to the said platform, and for the raising of the ordnance or fire-arms for
firing off the same, and for lowering thereof immediately after firing so
as to bring the gun below the rampart, wall, pit, or bulwark, strong
tension or draw springs being secured to the said standards so as to
accomplish the objects above named. A small sliding pad carriage is
provided for receiving the breech after firing. All the proper adjuncts
of artillery are also adopted.
When I apply the turntable and protecting arrangements for
travelling or field pieces then I place the sole plate with the turntable
secured thereto upon travelling wheels, which may be common road
wheels or traction or railway wheels, which I prefer to construct in
manner hereafter described, or I provide each of my machines with both
kinds of wheels so that it may travel either on common roads or rail-
ways. In this case the same springs as before described instead of
being applied to raising and lowering the gun are applied to taking off
the recoil of the gun when fired by securing the springs to the gun and
to the turntable platform. As raising and lowering are not here
required, and as in this case the gun is not placed underground, in a
pit, or behind a stationary rampart, wall, or bulwark, therefore I place a
bulwark or shield around the gun, with an embrasure for the same to be
fired through. And behind this bulwark or shield the men may be
screened from sight and shot. The turntable is to be large enough to

page_text: allow space for the riflemen, and inside the shield or bulwark I arrange
lockers or receptacles for ammunition, and I provide the sole plate
aforesaid with a hollow space which is to be used as a receptacle for
tools, spare wheels, et cetera. The gun carriage is to work in guides
on rollers, the springs aforesaid taking off the recoil. The front travelling
wheels can be made to turn under the body of the carriage somewhat
like those used in most four-wheel carriages or brewers' drays.
Sometimes it might be desirable to use for travelling guns nearly the
same form of arrangement (with the addition of travelling wheels) as
that for stationary guns, and sometimes the arrangements for travelling
guns (without travelling wheels) might be used for stationary guns.
Also the travelling guns should be provided with ammunition and other
receptacles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND OF THE PRACTICAL DETAILS OF
THE INVENTION.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represent the stationary or pit gun. Fig. 1 being a
plan in position for loading, and Fig. 2 side view; Fig. 3 being a breech
end view in position for firing. A denotes the turntable secured to the
fixed sole plate (A*); B denotes the platform mounted on wheels C, as
shewn, such wheels moving on the trams or rails a secured to the turn- -
table; D are draw springs secured to the centre of the platform (B) and
to the turntable A. These keep the platform in position.
E are
standards which rise through an opening in the turntable and carry the
ordnance or fire-arm (F), such standards being secured by centre pins ƒ
to suitable bearings fitted to the platform, and having draw springs G
also secured to the lower ends of such standards and to the turntable, as
shewn. His the elevating and depressing screw for pointing the gun or
regulating the firing; I is the small sliding pad carriage working on the
platform to receive the breech of the gun as it lowers after firing.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, shew the modified arrangements adopted for
travelling or field pieces. Here the sole plate (A*), which is hollowed,
is shown mounted on travelling wheels (6), to which sole plate the turn-
table (A) is secured, as shewn (see Fig. 4). D are springs secured to the
gun (as shewn) so as to take off the recoil; (c) is the bulwark or sides of
the platform; (d) denotes the receptacles for ammunition; the elevating
and depressing screw is marked F; H is the tramway for running the
gun upon or into the turntable platform A; L carriage of gun running

page_text: on wheels I; M is the receptacle formed in the sole plate for holding
spare wheels and tools.
At Figs. 8 and 9 several details of the construction of a wheel of my
improved construction are shown, which wheel can be readily monded in
case of accident, being capable of being taken to pieces and made up t
again with facility. This wheel (6) has in its centre a nave composed of
a metal disc (d) with dovetailed grooves to fit the end of the spokes into
the same, as shown. This disc is also provided with dovetails on its faco
to secure it to a cap or another disc into which the inner ends of the
spokes are fitted, the other ends of the spokes being dovetailed into tho
felloes or rim. Each felloe or section of the rim being rebated or dove-
tailed and secured by screws which pass through the fellocs or rim,
having nuts screwed on their ends. The carriage has a railway incline
(k) hinged thereto, also props or stays hooked to ring bolts on the
carriage. Those props or stays being for keeping the carriage firm ]
in position when in action. The front travelling wheels (6) are secured.
to the carriage in the manner shewn at Fig. 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the a
Invention as hercin-before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings, it being understood that I do not claim nor do I limit myself
to the use of the mére forms and details of construction independently of
the objects and purposes of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I; the said John Evelyn Liardet, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Second day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
J. EVELYN LIARDET. (L.S.)
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Ass., Limited,
21, Cockspur Street.