Improvements in Ammunition Hoists.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
TRUVIDIONAL SI MUITIATION.
Improvements in Ammunition Hoists.
I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR, of 8 Great George Street, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention is applicable mainly for raising cartridges or elongated projectiles
for quick firing guns from the handing room adjacent to a ships magazine into a
gun battery.
The cartridges or elongated projectiles to be raised are passed from the handing
room one by one into the lower end of a tube-the upper end of which is in the
gun battery or other suitable position from which charges may be readily conveyed
to the guns.
The tube is of a size to permit of the cartridge or projectile being passed endwise
through it.
A guide block fitting approximately to the tube is placed above the top of the
cartridge or projectile-the lower end of the cartridge is made to rest on a second
block the edge of which is lightly packed so that it may form an airtight piston in
the tube.
The cartridge with block and piston having been inserted into position in the
lower end of the tube the opening to the tube is closed by a door of suitable
internal form to complete the cylindrical bore of the tube, or the cartridge may be
passed in base upwards and simply provided with a gummet slipped on to bear
beneath the flange of the case and thus form a sufficient piston in the tube.
Compressed air in suitable quantity and pressure is now admitted through a pipe
into the tube beneath the piston under the cartridge and the latter is forced up
the tube to the outlet above where it is checked and retained by suitable catches or
other means and removed for use as required.
The quantity of air may be regulated so that when the cartridge reaches the
outlet the pressure falls approximately to that just sufficient to sustain its weight.
On removal of the cartridge the air would in the case of an outlet into a casemate
or confined space serve as an efficient means of ventilating the compartment. Air
may also be sent through the tube for that purpose to counteract the noxious fumes
arising on discharge of the guns which in certain directions of wind are blown into
the battery. Thus the tube serves not only for raising the cartridges but also for
supplying fresh air into the battery to any extent desired.
When cartridges or projectiles have to be lowered to the ships magazine they
may be lowered through the same tube-the air being then allowed to escape at a
suitable rate from the lower end.
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page_text: I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR, of 8 Great George Street, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex, 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 is applicable mainly for raising cartridges or elongated projectiles
for quick firing guns from the handing room adjacent to a ship's magazine into a
gun battery.
The cartridges or elongated projectiles to be raised are passed from the handing
room one by one into the lower end of a tube--the upper end of which is in the
gun battery or other suitable position from which charges may be readily conveyed
to the guns.
The tube is of a size to. permit of the cartridge or projectile being passed endwise
through it.
A guide block fitting approximately to the tube is placed above the top
of the cartridge or projectile-the lower end of the cartridge is made to rest on
a second block the edge of which is lightly packed so that it may form an airtight
piston in the tube.
The cartridge with block and piston having been inserted into position in the
lower end of the tube the opening to the tube is closed by a door of suitable
internal form to complete the cylindrical bore of the tube, or the cartridge may
be passed in base upwards and simply provided with a grummet slipped on to bear
beneath the flange of the case and thus form a sufficient piston in the tube.
Compressed air in suitable quantity and pressure is now admitted through a pipe
into the tube beneath the piston under the cartridge and the latter is forced up the
tube to the outlet above where it is checked and retained by suitable catches or
other means and removed for use as required.
The quantity of air may be regulated so that when the cartridge reaches the
outlet the pressure falls approximately to that just sufficient to sustain its weight.
On removal of the cartridge the air would in the case of an outlet into a
casemate or confined space serve as an efficient means of ventilating the compart-
ment. Air may also be sent through the tube for that purpose to counteract
the noxious fumes arising on discharge of the guns which in certain directions
of wind are blown into the battery. Thus the tube serves not only for raising
the cartridges but also for supplying fresh air into the battery to any extent
desired.
When cartridges or projectiles have to be lowered to the ships magazine they
may be lowered through the same tube-the air being then allowed to escape at a
suitable rate from the lower end.
The drawing annexed shews various views of an ammunition hoist constructed as
above described.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper part of the boist,
Figure 2 a side elevation of the lower part,
Figure 3 is another side elevation partly in section of this lower part.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the lower part and
Figure 5 a vertical section of the upper end of the hoist tube.
A is the ammunition hoist tube-at its lower end it is made adjustable in length
by an adjustable piece B as shewn in Figure 3. C is a horizontal table capable of
being turned on a vertical pivot D. E is a socket carried by the table into which
can be inserted base upperinost a cartridge F having a grummet G around its base
to form a piston within the tube.

page_text: HH are reservoirs of compressed air also carried by the table. I is a passage from
these reservoirs to the bottom of the socket E. J is a valve by which this passage
can be opened or closed. K is a hand wheel having on its circumference a cam.
projection K. L is a lever one end of which is acted on by the cam K¹ the other
end bears against the stem of the valve J. M is a feed table along which a
supply of cartridges may be brought forward into position to be placed one by one
into the socket E.
When a partial turn is given to the table so that the socket E is moved away
from below the end of the hoist tube A a cartridge is placed into the socket
and the table is then turned back again to bring the cartridge below the end of
the tube. One or more turns are then given to the hand wheel-at each turn
the air valve is opened by the lever L and a puff of air admitted to the bottom
of the socket-the cartridge is thereby carried upwards through the hoist tube.
When it arrives at the top it is upheld by catches N and can be taken away.
An electric or other suitable indicator may be fitted near the mouth of the tube to
show the presence of a cartridge at that position so as to prevent another being
sent up before removal of the first.
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. An ammunition hoist in which the projectiles or cartridges are raised by the
direct application of pneumatic pressure.
2. The construction of ammunition hoists substantially as hereinbefore described.
ليم
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1001