Year: 1898

page_text: We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH AND COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, SAXTON WILLIAM ARMSTRONG NOBLE, and CHARLES HENRY MURRAY,
both Engineers, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In order to reduce the time required to load heavy guns it is desirable that the
mechanical rammer and the hoist for bringing up the charge should be so arranged
that the gun can be charged at any angle of elevation or depression.
We arrange for this to be done in the following manner:-
At the rear of the turntable on, which the guns are mounted we build a
structure having on its outer face guides placed about vertically on which can slide
a carriage carrying the mechanical rammer. If the turntable carries two guns
side by side in the usual manner the built up structure is situated radially parallel
with and in rear of the guns. The upright guides for the carriage carrying the
rammer belonging to one gun are on one face of this structure and the guides for
the carriage of the rammer belonging to the other gun on the opposite face.
The mechanical rammer may be a rule-jointed chain rammer worked by a
hydraulic engine, or it may be a direct acting telescopic hydraulic rammer or other-
wise as convenience of the design may dictate.
Whatever class of rammer is mounted on the carriage we arrange that the
carriage is held in place by a hydraulic cylinder powerful enough to easily and
quickly move it up and down the guides fixed to the gun turntable. Next, in order
to automatically bring the carriage and the rammer in line with the bore of the
gun, in whatever position the gun may be placed, we arrange a hunting valve
which is opened by a toothed rack attached to some part of the gun, the gun
carriage or the gun slide or anything that moves in accordance with the move-
ment of the gun when elevated or depressed such as the automatic sighting gear.
Preferably we drive this toothed rack from the hydraulic elevating ram by which
elevation is given to the gun.
The first slight movement of the elevating ram to change the position of the gun
in elevation will then throw open the hunting valve and supply water to the
hydraulic cylinder supporting the carriage with the rammer. In moving to take
up a new position the hydraulic ram or the carriage or the rammer will move a
toothed rack attached to one or other of them, and this rack will restore the hunting
válve to its closed position again.
In this way the mechanical rammer will always follow the movements of the
gun and remain in sufficiently accurate line with the bore of the gun for the charge
to be rammed home at any time.
In order to ensure that the ammunition cage always stops also in line with the
gun, we arrange that the carriage carrying the rammer shall be provided with a
ston against which the cage will strike.

page_text: If the gun is moved to less elevation while the loading is going on the rammer
and its carriage will rise up and the stop being also carried up the cage will rise
higher at the same time.
If on the contrary more elevation is given to the gun the carriage with the
rammer will sink lower and will carry the ammunition cage down against the
action of the lifting mechanism of the cage.
To reduce the resistance of the cage to being forced down, we arrange that the
action of the stop on pressing down the cage shall open a valve by which the water
in the hydraulic cylinder supporting the cage shall be comparatively free to flow
away.
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH AND COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, SAXTON WILLIAM ARMSTRONG NOBLE, and CHARLES HENRY MURRAY,
both Engineers, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed is be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In order to reduce the time required to load heavy guns it is desirable that the
mechanical rammer and the hoist for bringing up the charge should be so arranged
that the gun can be charged at any angle of elevation or depression.
We arrange for this to be done in the following manner:
At the rear of the turntable on which the guns are mounted we build a
structure having on its outer face guides placed about vertically on which can slide
a carriage carrying the mechanical rammer. If the turntable carries two guns
side by side in the usual manner the built up structure is situated radially parallel
with and in rear of the guns. The upright guides for the carriage carrying the
rammer belonging to one gun are on one face of this structure and the guides for
the carriage of the rammer belonging to the other gun on the opposite face.
The mechanical rammer may be a rule-jointed chain rammer worked by a
hydraulic engine, or it may be a direct acting telescopic hydraulic rammer or other-
wise as convenience of the design may dictate.
Whatever class of rammer is mounted on the carriage we arrange that the
carriage is held in place by a hydraulic cylinder powerful enough to easily and
quickly move it up and down the guides fixed to the gun turntable. Next, in order
to automatically bring the carriage and the rammer in line with the bore of the
gun, in whatever position the gun may be placed, we arrange a hunting valve
which is operated by a toothed rack attached to some part of the gun, the gun
carriage, or the gun slide, or anything that moves in accordance with the move-
ment of the gun when elevated or depressed, such as the automatic sighting gear.
Preferably we drive this toothed rack from the hydraulic elevating ram by which
elevation is given to the gun.
The first slight movement of the elevating ram to change the position of the gun
in elevation will then throw open the hunting valve and supply water to the

page_text: hydraulic cylinder supporting the carriage with the rammer. In moving to take
up a new position the hydraulic ram or the carriage or the rammer will move a
toothed rack attached to one or other of them, and this rack will restore the hunting
valve to its closed position again.
In this way the mechanical rammer will always follow the movements of the
gun and remain in sufficiently accurate line with the bore of the gun for the charge
to be rammed home at any time.
In order to ensure that the ammunition cage always stops also in line with the
gun, we arrange that the carriage carrying the rammer shall be provided with a
stop against which the cage will strike.
If the gun is moved to less elevation while the loading is going on, the rammer
and its carriage will rise up and the stop being also carried up the cage will rise
higher at the same time..
If on the contrary more elevation is given to the gun the carriage with the
rammer will sink lower and will carry the ammunition cage down against the
action of the lifting mechanism of the cage.
To reduce the resistance of the cage to being forced down, we arrange that the
action of the stop on pressing down the cage shall open a valve by which the water
in the hydraulic cylinder supporting the cage shall be comparatively free to flow
away.
The drawings annexed shew mechanism arranged in the above way.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, Figure 2 a part plan view, & Fig. 3 is an enlarged
view of part of the apparatus for operating the exhaust of the ammunition cage
elevating cylinder.
Z is the turntable on which are mounted two guns A parallel with one another.-
B is one of the gun slides.-C is a gun carriage.-1) is an arm on the gun slide by
which the gun slide can be turned about its trunnions and the required elevation
so given to the gun. EE are hydraulic cylinders acting upon the lower end of
the arm to incline it in either direction.
Z is a vertical wall or structure extending from the turntable vertically between
the guns. To it are secured guides for guiding the ammunition cage F in its
up and down movements. Other guides K are also secured to it for guiding the
rammer carriage I. The rammer G shewn in the drawing is a rule jointed chain
rammer. His a small hydraulic or other engine for turning a worm H and thereby
turning the chain wheel H2 over which the rammer passes. These parts are
mounted upon the rammer carriage. J is a hydraulic cylinder for lifting and
lowering the rammer carriage.
L is the hunting valve for controlling the admission of water to it or its escape
from either end of the cylinder J.
Preferably the valve we employ is a slide valve with a valve rod extending from
it carrying a pinion L'-one side of the pinion gears with a toothed rack M which
is jointed to the rod of the elevating cylinders E-the opposite side gears with a
pinion which by bevil wheel gearing is driven from a toothed wheel which is
itself driven by a toothed rack N fast with the rammer carriage I. When the ram
of the elevating cylinders E is moved in either direction the toothed rack M which
is coupled to it turns the pinion L' and causes it to roll around the pinion P
thereby shifting the valve L in one or other direction and admitting water
under pressure to one or other end of the hydraulic cylinder J and allow it to escape
from the opposite end to raise or lower the rammer carriage. As the rammer
carriage is raised or lowered the toothed rack N which is fast with it turns the
pinion P and thereby revolves the pinion L' in a direction to cause it to roll along
the rack in a direction to shift the valve in the opposite direction to that in which
it was previously moved and closes the valve. The above arrangement thus causes
the rammer carriage to follow the movement of the gun.
R is a hydraulic cylinder for lifting the ammunition cage F. Q is a stop on
the rammer carriage up to which the cage is held. When more elevation is being
given to the gun and the rammer carriage is consequently lowered it forces down

page_text: Merentas
the ammunition cage against the action of the 'lifting cylinder R. The resistance
of the cage to being forced down is reduced by 'the 'stop'Q acting on a lever S which
is carried upon the ammunition cage. 'One end of this lever has a striking piece
which takes against the stop on the rammer carriage and the other end of it is
fitted with a quick pitch screw, which works into 'a similar quick pitch screw on
the top of the spindle T. This spindle is made telescopic. The upper half is
carried by the ammunition cage. When the lever is moved it twists the spindle
and operates the valve. A spring U returns the lever into its striking position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
1.The combination of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the drawings annexed for loading heavy guns.
2. The combination of the gun-the rammer carriage in rear of the gun-the
hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the rammer carriage
the hunting valve
for controlling the admission of liquid under pressure to this cylinder opened by
the elevating or depressing of the gun and closed by the subsequent up or down
movement of the rammer carriage.
3.The combination of the gun-the rammer carriage the hydraulic cylinder for
raising and lowering it the hunting valve for controlling the admission of liquid
under pressure to this cylinder opened when the gun is elevated or depressed and
closed by the subsequent movement of the rammer carriage and the cage, of an
ammunition lift which when raised is held up to a stop on the rammer carriage.
P
1
Dated this 16th day of December 1898.
SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & Co., LIMITED,
S. W. A. NOBLE,
S. W. A. NOBLE, Director.
T. M. FALKNER, Secretary.
C. H. MURRAY.