Improvements in the Joints of Revolving Turrets and other Gun Shields.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Joints of Revolving Turrets and other Gun
Shields.
I, WILLIAM DURELL STIVERS, residing at No. 20, Storm Avenue, in Jersey City,
County of Hudson, in the State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Engineer, 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:-
The invention applies more especially to that class of war vessels in which guns
are operated in revolving turrets, and I will describe the invention as thus applied.
It is common to make the aperture in the turret only a little wider than the dia-
meter of the gun, and to give sufficient vertical dimensions to allow for a liberal
elevation and a slight depression. The invention is more important in vessels of
the Monitor class, in which the base of the turret is elevated but a few feet above
the mean water line. On the open ocean the seas often wash across the deck and
would enter the turret through the spaces left un-stopped by the gun; and as
these gun-ports are obliged to be stoppered with close-fitting blocks or other
means, the guns are rendered inoperative when the ports are closed. My inven-
tion by excluding the water without interfering with the movement of the guns.
allows the efficient use of the guns under any condition of wind or waves. The
parts will also protect the men in the interior of the turret against being injured
by small projectiles which would otherwise enter the aperture in the turret around
the gun.
I provide a slide mounted on a casing which projects sufficiently outward from
the turret. The gun plays through a universal joint in such slide, and the slide
rises and falls in the ways of the casing as the gun is elevated and depressed. I
will term such slide a shutter; its function is to shut the aperture around the
gun.
The universal joint is formed by a spherical ring with trunnions supported in
a spherical zone in the shutter.
The invention also includes a ship or floating support having such turret pro-
vided with a shielded gun and a yielding diaphragm closing the joint between
said support and turret.
Parts of the invention will apply to guns which are mounted in connection with
revolving shields less than a complete turret.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what
I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the turret on the line 1-1 in Fig. 2. This view
also gives an outline of other parts, including one of the guns, elevated.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the turret.
The remaining figures represent portions on a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a front view,
Fig. 4 a side view, and
Fig. 5 a horizontal section of the casino
.

page_text: Fig. 6 is a vertical section in the plane of the axis of one of the guns. The full
lines show the gun point-blank, the dotted lines show it elevated.
Fig. 7 is a corresponding plan view.
Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive are on a still larger scale.
Fig. 8 is a front view of the vertical slide or shutter;
Fig. 9 is a plan view partly in horizontal section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8; and
Fig. 10 is a part central vertical section of the same.
Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the spherical ring which is mounted within the
shutter; and 1
Fig. 12 is a corresponding section on the line 12-12 in Fig. 11.
Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the application of my invention to a single gun
mounted in a revolving shield. All the parts may be substantially the same as
with turrets where two guns are employed, except that the casing must be shaped
to adapt it to its radial position relatively to the center of motion of the revolving
shield.
The figures represent the novel parts with as much of the ordinary parts as is
necessary to indicate their relation thereto.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where
they appear.
A is the deck of the vessel, B the turret, mounted on a stout support A³ in the
ship, and revolving on conical rollers C, traveling in a circular path, as the tur-
ret is revolved. The machinery to effect the revolving of the turret, the carriage
for supporting the gun and allowing the recoil and the provisions for elevating
and depressing the gun, may be all of the ordinary and long approved character,
and need not be specially represented.
The gun is allowed to move axially on a support M which turns on a center m
in the interior of the turret nearly adjacent to and below the port aperture through
which the gun plays. This arrangement allows a large variation in the elevation
of the gun with but little rising and sinking at the point where it extends through
the side of the turret, thus requiring only a moderate vertical depth of the aper-
ture.
Dis a diaphragm extending out horizontally from the turret and revolving there-
with in one direction and the other in a plane a little above the deck. This dia-
phragm, or a shoe carried thereon, is received in a deep circular recess in the
interior of a series of segments A4, A5 bolted on the ordinary coaming A¹, which
is supported on the deck. This is ordinarily concentric to the turret, but the dia-
phragm allows the turret and the ship to move to a considerable extent relatively
to each other, due to any irregularities in the structure, and accommodate the
springing of the vessel and of the turret support under strains in a sea-way, and
especially to yield to the immense strain temporarily imposed when the guns are
fired with heavy projectiles.
There are two guns, F, F, which may be of any ordinary or suitable pattern,
and carried in the usual manner. My invention as applied to one being the coun-
terpart of the same applied to the other, a description of one will suffice for both.
B is a sufficiently stout casing of brass or other suitable material, bolted on the
exterior of the turret and extending outward therefrom. B2, B2, are vertical ways
(see Fig. 5) in which is mounted a slide or shutter G, which performs important
functions. I will designate certain portions of this shutter when necessary, by
super-numerals. G¹ is a nearly complete zone of a hollow sphere forming a por-
tion of the shutter, and cast integral therewith. G³ is a corresponding portion, the
counterpart of G¹, and bolted in place. The inner surfaces of these portions, which
together constitute a nearly complete zone, coincide. Two exceptions to the
spheroidal form of the interior, are flat surfaces g at the mid-height on each side.
In the center of each of these flat surfaces is a cylindrical hole adapted to support
a trunnion.
H is a ring of just sufficient diameter, the exterior of which is mainly spherical,
and is smoothly finished to fit water-tight and move easily in the corresponding

page_text: smoothly finished interior of the zone G¹; G². The main portion of the exterior is
perfectly spherical but a considerable area at each side is flattened, as indicated
by h. There are stout, short trunnions H1, H2, each in the center of one of the
flat areas h on each side.
I is a sleeve fitted upon the gun, and having a smooth cylindrical exterior, fitting
the correspondingly cylindrical interior of the ring H.
As the gun is elevated or depressed, the shutter G rises and falls in the ways B²,
and the varying angles at which the gun stands are accommodated by the rolling
of the spherical ring H within the concave zone G¹, G². The gun with the sleeve I
attached, moves freely outward and inward through the spherical ring.
The light trunnions H1, H2, on the nearly spherical ring are fitted in the holes
in the respective centers of the areas g in the shutter, and are favorably con-
ditioned to support the weight of the shutter and to compel the latter to move up
and down as the gun is elevated and depressed.
The turning of the spherical ring H will be obvious; so also will the outward
and inward movement of the sleeve I through it, as the angle changes in elevating
and depressing the gun.
I use the term "deck" to imply not only the part commonly so called on a
vessel, but also the corresponding foundation or floor of a barbette, fort, or other
place where my invention may apply.
As illustrated in Fig. 10, the slide or shutter G at a point a short distance above
the zone, may be provided with a suitable sight opening h¹.
Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing
the advantages of the invention.
I have shown the casing B¹ as made of only moderate thickness and strengthened
by a web extending longitudinally on its upper and lower portion, (see Fig. 4)
but those webs may be omitted and an increased thickness given to the other por-
tions. The zone G1, G2, may be secured together by other means than bolts.
Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. The cylindrical sleeve I
may be omitted, and the spherical ring H, may be applied directly to the exterior
of the gun. Such construction may be worked very successfully where that por-
tion of the gun is cylindrical. It may be expedient where the gun is finished
with reference to this invention, to make a sufficient portion of the length exactly
cylindrical.
Instead of making the main surface of the ring H spherical, it may be trans-
versely cylindrical or slightly conical, the interior of the parts G1, G2, being cor-
respondingly formed, so that the parts will fit and turn relatively to each other
like the plug in a horizontal stop-cock; but I prefer the spherical form shown,
for obvious reasons.
The aperture h¹ for sighting may be dispensed with and the means now com-
monly used for sighting, such as connected parts in the conning tower, may be
relied upon instead. All these means may be provided for alternate use as
exigencies shall require. The opening h¹ is more especially adapted for guns and"
revolving shutters of moderate size. With either or all means for sighting, the
interior of the turret or shield is practically defended against wind and water,
and against small projectiles.
I have shown the spherical ring H as hollowed to reduce the weight, but this
may not be essential. It may be preferred in some cases to make it solid.
The invention is not confined to turrets. It is applicable for closing ports in
shields carried on gun carriages, and the shields carried on revolving platforms
on ships and on land fortifications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A revolvable turret having two obliquely located ports or gun apertures,
guns correspondingly arranged one on each side of the radial line, each elevated and

page_text: depressed by turning on an axis m arranged squarely relatively to the gun near the
corresponding oblique aperture, and an angularly projecting casing. B₁ rigidly
connected to the turret and surrounding each aperture, and extending outward
parallel to each other, provided with parallel ways one on each side, equi-distant
from the axis m, in combination with a shutter engaged with each gun and with
the ways so as to traverse up and down in the latter as the gun is elevated and
depressed, all arranged for joint operation substantially as herein specified.
2. A turret or shield arranged to turn horizontally, and carrying a gun turning
therewith, a shutter connected to the gun and moving with it up and down as the
gun is elevated and depressed, and having a spherical aperture, in combination
with a spherical ring arranged to turn in such aperture and also to allow the gun
to move longitudinally through it, substantially as herein specified.
3. A turret or shield arranged to turn horizontally and carrying a gun-turning
therewith, a shutter connected to the gun and moving with it up and down as
the gun is elevated and depressed, and having a spherical aperture, and flat por-
tions gg, each with a hole therein, in combination with an enclosed spherical
ring H having trunnions H1, H2, engaged in such holes so as to aid in supporting
the shutter on the gun and allow the free turning of the ring H therein, all sub-
stantially as herein specified.
4. The combination with a revolving turret or shield B, of a gun F turning
therewith and having a cylindrical exterior along its mid-length, a ring H hav-
ing a generally spherical exterior form enclosing such cylindrical portion of the
gun and an enclosing part G1, G2, matching to the spherical exterior of said ring,
the gun extending outward and adapted to move longitudinally within the ring
and to accommodate the elevation and depression by the rolling of the ring, all
substantially as herein specified.
5. A ship or floating support, a turret projecting above the upper deck thereof,
and capable of being revolved horizontally, a gun enclosed therein and turning
therewith, elevated and depressed on an axis within the turret contiguous to the
gun port, an externally projecting casing rigidly connected to the turret and
having guide-ways in which a shutter plays up and down to accommodate the
elevation and depression of the gun, a device H rocking in such shutter adapted
to permit a cylindrical portion of the gun to work longitudinally through such
device, all combined and arranged for joint operation substantially as herein
specified.
6. A turret or shield arranged to turn horizontally and carrying a gun turning
therewith, a shutter connected to the gun and moving with it up and down as
the gun is elevated and depressed, and having a spherical aperture, in combina-
tion with an enclosed spherical ring and with a sleeve I, carried on the gun, all
arranged for joint operation substantially as herein specified.
7. A ship or floating support, a revolvable turret carried thereon enclosing a
gun elevated and depressed in a suitable gun port in said turret, a yielding dia-
phragm closing the joint between the turret and ship, allowing liberty for both
a revolving and lateral movement, and a shutter closing the joint between the
gun and turret, all substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 24th day of May 1898.
WILLIAM DURELL STIVERS.
F. Wise Howorth,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.