IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTS FOR HEAVY GUNS
Year: 1873

page_text: 86
LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Noble, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the
County of Northumberland, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENTS FOR HEAVY GUNS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Noble at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1873.
I, ANDREW NOBLE, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of Northum.
berland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN VENTS FOR HEAVY GUNS," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention has for its object the prevention of the wear of the
vents of heavy guns due to the scour of the gas escaping through the
vent.
In my Invention I prevent the escape of the products of combustion
through the vent by the arrangement shown in the accompanying plan.
In this plan A is a plug provided with an interrupted screw so

page_text: arranged that by ¼ of a turn it is released and can be lifted out, or by
the reverse motion can be again closed. The plug A carries a piston B
provided with a metal gas check C and a pointed pin D. This apparatus
is intended to be employed with a priming tube E as in ordinary use,
but provided with a special detonating head. When the gun is to be 5
fired the piston B is struck a blow and the tube is fired, the force of the
explosion sends the piston with the gas check back to its initial position,
and the escape of gas is prevented.
Although I prefer the arrangement shown in the Drawing, I may
employ for the same purpose a conical plug such as I have used in my 1
experiments on the firing of charges of powder in closed vessels, or I
may ignite the charge by electrical or other means.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Noble in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 12th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
NOBLE, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of Northumberland, send
grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Andrew Noble, Her special license that I, the
said Andrew Noble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Andrew Noble, my exccutors, 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, excrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,, the Channel Islands
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTS FOR HEAVY
GUNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Andrew.
Noble, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention and in what

page_text: manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Offico within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of tho said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Noble, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the prevention of the wear of the
vents of heavy guns due to the scour of the gas escaping through the
vont.
In my Invention I prevent the escape of the products of combustion
through the vent by the arrangement shewn in the accompanying plan.
In this plan A is a plug provided with an interrupted screw so arranged
that by, of a turn it is released and can be lifted out, or by the reverse
motion can be again closed. The plug A carries a piston B provided
with a metal gas check C and a pointed pin D. This apparatus is
intended to be employed with a priming tube as in ordinary use, but
provided with a special detonating head. When the gun is to be fired
the piston B is struck a blow and the tube is fired, the force of the
explosion sends the piston with the gas check back to its initial position,
and the escape of gas is prevented.
Although I prefer the arrangement shewn in the Drawing I may
employ for the same purpose a conical plug such as I have used in my
experiments on the firing of charges of powder in closed vessels, or I
may ignite the charge by electrical or other means.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Noble, have hercunto set.
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.