Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1886
Complete Left, 2nd Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 30th Nov., 1887
the same.
I, WILLIAM TRANTER of Colmore Terrace Summer Lane Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to means or appliances whereby cannon or ordnance are
automatically run into and out of position for firing and reloading without changing
the position of the gun-carriage; that is, the gun is so mounted, that the recoil on
firing, makes the gun retreat or pass backwards, so as to take the muzzle of the said
gun from out of or before the port or loop holes or other apertures of a ship or fort,
for the gunners to reload, and sponge the arm-The running back of the
gun without
disturbing the gun carriage, is effected solely by the recoil of the arm on firing,
thereby saving considerable labour and expenditure of power, by employing the force
thus incidentally created-The cannon is loaded by a rising and falling block at the
breech end, and is made gas tight by means of a powder chamber or cartridge herein-
after described, and the gun is raised and lowered for the sighting, by screw and
tangent wheel mechanism hereinafter referred to.
For convenience of descripton, I will describe my invention with regard to a breech
loading cannon, although the working by the recoil is equally applicable to muzzle
loading guns.
The carriage of the arm is pivotted and turns upon its front end as a centre of the
ordinary kind, and the back of the carriage is provided with the usual rollers or
wheels for changing its angular position; and trunnioned to the sides of the carriage
is a rectangular frame or support upon which the gun rests and slides; that is, the gun
does not turn upon trunnions, as is common with guns of the ordinary construction,
but the frame upon which the gun slides, is trunnioned instead of the gun itself-The
gun carries at its body part, a boxed or saddle slide, which rests and slides upon or
within the framing-The saddle slide which is fixed to, or is solid with the gun, has
tubes or holes formed on each side of the said slide, and running parallel with, and in
the same plane as the bore of the gun, and situated near the front or forward ends of

page_text: The said tubes or passages, vertical or upright air chambers or cavities are formed,
leading to the horizontal passages which contain oil, grease, or other suitable material;
and working within the back open ends of the tubes or passages, are pistons or
plungers which are fixed and carried by the framing on which the saddle slide rests-
The forward end of the tube is closed by a valve and cap ends, and through the valve
opening, air is forced by a hand pump, provided for the purpose; thus, to charge the
chambers, oil or grease is placed within the horizontal tubes or cavities in which the
piston works, and air is forced under considerable pressure into the chambers, which
is prevented from returning by the valve-This combined pneumatic and hydraulic
arrangement constitutes the means whereby the recoil of the gun is utilized, for
returning it to its former position, when it is required to be run forward; thus, the
recoil on firing, slides back the gun upon its frame, and carrying with it, the piston
or plunger tubes-The backward movement of the tubes over the pistons or plungers,
forces the oil into the air chambers, and so compresses the air above it, equivalent to
the recoil-The gun is held in its loading or backward position by a catch on the
fixed framing, which engages with the teeth of the rack carried and moving with the
gun-Or the catch or pawl may move with the gun, aud the rack remain stationary.
Instead of employing a series of air chambers or cavities, a single chamber on each
side of the gun may be used with like effect-Or the piston or plunger may be carried
by the saddle slide of the gun, and the passage and air chambers may be made to
form a part of the carriage-This is simply an alternative method of arranging the
combined hydraulic and pneumatic expedient for utilizing the recoil for the placing
of the gun again in position.
After the gun has been sponged and reloaded, it is run automatically forward, by
simply liberating the catch from the rack teeth, which allows the compressed air to
expand itself to its former bulk, and so move forward the gun.
The breech of the gun is opened and closed by a vertical sliding taper square plug,
passing through the breech end from top to bottom-The said plug or bolt is raised
or lowered for opening and closing the breech, by means of an endless screw worming
within a section of a screw on the side of the plug or bolt; that is, the section of the
screw on the plug is similar to inclined rack teeth-There is also a groove cut within
the plug, so as to allow it to slide only a limited distance, and to free the plug from
the face of the bore or chamber of the gun-The fitting of the bolt is made gas-tight
by means of the powder chamber or cartridge. The screw and tangent teeth on the
face of the plug are disposed in the direction of the said plug-The taper of the upper
part of the breech-loading plug, presses fully home the charge into the chamber,
should it not have been done; that is, on the introduction of the charge through the
breech end of the gun when the gun is down, the plug forces the charge forward into
position, when the breech is closed.
The gun is elevated and lowered by vertical screws taking into screw boxes, carried
by the ends of the fixed frame; the lower terminal ends of the screws are provided
with rectangular taper feet or stops which move in guides or slots in the gun carriage,
which prevent the rotation of the screws.
The screw boxes through which the screws pass, carry at their lower ends, tangent
wheels, which engage with the threads of endless screws, carried by an axis crossing
the back framing of the gun, a winch being attached at one or at both ends for the
rotation of the axis, which turns the tangent wheel and thereby raises the framing
upon which the saddle carrying the gun slides.
Dated this Tranter nighth dove of Ontahan 1006

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cannon or Ordnance and the Means for Mounting
the same.
I, WILLIAM TRANTER of Colmore Terrace, Summer Lane, Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Gun Maker, 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:-
My invention relates to means or appliances, whereby cannon or large bore guns is
or are automatically run into, and out of position for firing and reloading, without
moving or changing the position of the gun carriage; that is, the gun is so mounted,
that the recoil on firing, causes the gun to retreat or pass rearwards, so as to take
the muzzle of the said gun from out of, or before the port or loop holes, or other
apertures of a ship or fort, for the gunners to reload, and sponge the arm.
The running back of the gun without disturbing the gun carriage or line of fire,
is effected solely by the force incidentally created by the recoil of the arm on firing,
thereby saving considerable labour and expenditure of power.
The cannon is closed by a rising and falling block at the breech end; and the gun
is raised and lowered for sighting, by screw and tangent wheel mechanism.
For convenience of description, I will describe my invention in connection with a
breech loading cannon, although the working by the recoil, is equally applicable to
muzzle loading and large bore guns, or other guns requiring such a recoil.
The carriage of the arm, turns, and is supported as is usual, in gun carriages of
this kind, upon a front pivot, and back rollers, which thus allows the carriage to change
its angular position.
The gun (and supplementary parts of the gun as hereinafter described) is supported,
and slides into, and out of position, upon a supplementary frame or support, extending
from the front of the top of the carriage rearwards, to the breech end; and which
said frame carries the trunnion arms, commonly carried by the gun itself; so that
the gun is carried by the framing, and the forming supported by the carriage.
The gun carries a winged body part, forming as it were, a saddle, and with the
opposite wings or flange parts resting upon the top of the carrying frame, as
slide rest.
a
This saddle frame which is fixed to, or made in one piece with the gun, has plunger
holes or channels formed in the two opposite sides, of the wings of the said saddle
part, and which said holes or channels run parallel with, and in the same plane as the
bore of the gun.
Situated in a midway position, and near the front ends of the plunger tube, as
aforesaid, vertical upright air chambers or cavities are formed, and with their lower
parts leading to, or communicating with the said horizontal passages, which contain
oil, grease, glycerine or other suitable semi-liquid substances for preventing leakage
of air between the joints.

page_text: Within the back open ends of the passages as aforesaid, fixed plungers or pistons
work, and with the back ends of the said pistons, secured to, and carried by the end of
the trunnion framing, on which the saddle, or the winged parts of the gun slide and
rest.
The forward ends of the horizontal channels or tubes, are closed by valves, and
cap ends; and through the valves of which, atmospheric air is forced, by an air pump,
provided for that purpose.
To charge the chambers with air, first introduce oil, grease or glycerine, into the
horizontal cavities or tubes, wherein the plungers as aforesaid, work; then force the
air which is under considerable pressure, through the oil or grease in the horizontal
passagos into the vertical chambers, which is done when the gun is in position for
firing, or with the gun run out to its fullest extent upon the slide supported by the
carriage.
The combined pneumatic and hydraulic arrangement, as described, constitutes the
means whereby the recoil of the gun is utilized for returning it to its normal position,
that is, a position for firing.
Thus, a gunner has only to pull a string for firing a fuse or moving a hammer,
when the gun is discharged, and then run back by its recoil, and held there in position,
by a catch, until sponged and reloaded.
The running back by the recoil, compresses the air within the chambers and there
stores up the energy or power necessary for running or sliding out the gun, on the
releasing of the catch, which is jointed to the fixed part of the framing.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents partly in vertical section, and partly in elevation, a cannon,
and carriage, constructed according to this invention, and which said gun is provided
with automatic means for taking the gun into and out of position, for firing and
reloading. The section is taken directly through the air chambers and plunger
channel, situated on the side of the gun, and which said view also shows the position
of the gun ready for spongeing and reloading, only on close quarter firing.-The air
in the air chambers in this view is shown compressed, and with the oil or grease,
taking the vacated space of the air.
Figure 2 represents a like view as figure 1, but with the gun run out.
Figure 3 represents a top side plan, of the said cannon, and carriage, in the position
which it assumes, as in figure 1-This views shows the position of the air-chambers,
catch arrangement, raising and lowering mechanism, and the breech end in section.
Figure 4 represents a tranverse vertical section on the dotted lines A B figure 2.
This view shows more clearly, the connection of the trunnions with the carrying
frame of the cannon, and upon which, the said cannon slides and rests, while its
vertical movement is acquired, through the turning of the frame upon its trunnion
centres.
Figure 5 is an end view of the gun and carriage, raising and lowering mechanism,
and breech mechanism in section.
Figures 6 represents a longitudinal section of breech end, showing the breech block
out of position.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
a is the carriage of the gun, which is pivoted at its front a², about which it turns
as a centre, while the back end a³ travels upon rollers and makes the necessary
angular movement as is common with ordinary gun carriages. bis a supplementary
framing, independent of the carriage framing, and upon it, the gun c reciprocates to
and fro, as hereinafter described, without the moving of the carriage or the slide; so
that the gun itself, has a free, and independent movement, both of its carriage, and
carrying frame.
The carrying frame, is mounted upon trunnion arms 62, while the gun, which has
extended or winged sides, and marked c² ² (best seen in plan figure 3) slides or
traverses upon slide rests 6³, disposed at the two opposite sides of the framing b. These

page_text: rests are simply upward extensions of the gun carrying framing, which is raised and
lowered upon its trunnion centres, by worm and tangent gearing, d, e, as hereinafter
described.
This framing extends from the front of the body of the carriage rearwards, under
the gun, and to the breech part thereof, and forms the rest upon which the gun is
supported and slides, when run into and out of position, while the said rest also forms
the means for elevating and lowering the gun, by its trunnion centres turning within
suitable bearings made in the upper part of the carriage.
The underside of the winged part of the body, which is marked c³ is made convex,
and follows a like concave part made up the middle of its carrying framing b.
The gun is limited in its backward motion, by the wings c², at its rear end abuting
against 64, carried at the rear of the framing b, as best seen in the plan figure 3, while
the forward movement is limited by stops c, on the underside of the body of the gun,
coming against a like stop 65 on the front inside part of the carrying framing b.
The gun is kept from rising from its carrying frame, by an overhanging flanged
guide 6, as best seen in figures 3 and 4.
The back end a³ of the gun carriage a has an upstanding incline plane, (flat at
top) up which, the breech end of the gun slides, on the said gun, being fired at an
elevation; thus, when the gun is fired at an elevation, it is returned to a horizontal
positon, (as in figures 1 and 2) for reloading and sponging; but in all other positions
the gun recoils axially throughout; so that on the gun being fired at at depression,
or point blank, the gun will not alter its axial position during recoil.
g are vertical air chambers, or cavities closed at top, and open at bottom; and with
the said open bottoms, leading into longitudinal channels or passages h, wherein a
fixed plunger i, works; this said plunger is secured at back to the back b' of the
gun carrying frame b; so that the sliding in and out of position of the gun, makes
the piston like plungers work within the channels; and on oil, grease, glycerine or
other like semi-liquid substance being placed in the said channels, and atmospheric air
forced therethrough, into the air chambers or cavities, the said air forms a means
whereby the energy of recoil is stored up, for the sliding or running out of the gun
into position for firing. The grease or semi-liquid substance enclosed within the
cylindrical tubes, and by means of which the air in the air chambers is compressed, is
marked j. The tops of the air chambers are closed by caps g² while the forward ends
of the channelsh are closed also by caps 2, and provided with air stop valves h³; so that on
air requiring to be pumped into the chambers, the cap h² is removed, and air forced
by means of an air pump, through the orifice h*, into the chambers, while the back
pressure keeps the valve to its seat.
The plungers may be provided at their ends with hydraulic cup leathers, in order
to prevent any possibility of escape of oil or grease between the joints.
kis a jointed pawl or catch, carried by the gun framing, and is a rack carried by the
gun, and with which the catch k engages and holds the gun in position, on recoil.
Thus, on the gun running or sliding back, after firing, on its recoil, the catch engages
with the rack teeth, and prevents the gun's return, or keeps it in position until it is
again required to be run out; as it must be understood, the act of running in, has
compressed the air within the air chambers, and if no means were provided for its
retention, then the gun would pass back to its original position.
The means for the raising and lowering of the gun framing, and the gun, resting
upon it, is by worm and tangent gearing d, e, and vertical screws m, working within
screw boxes e in the middles of the said tangent wheels e.
The lower ends of the screws, are provided with rectangular wedge feet m² (either
jointed at their bottom ends, or the worm wheel axis pivoted) which work within like
channels or grooves at, in the base of the back end framing of the carriage a; so that
the angular rising and falling movement of the gun, allows the raising and lowering
mechanism to be always kept up to its bearing, and the screws prevented from
rotating. The screws d are connected by a spindle d³, and worked by a winch or
handle d³, while the spindle of winch and wheels work within hanging bearings 68,
at the extreme rear end of the gun carrying framing..

page_text: The breech c of the gun is opened and closed, by a square taper plug n which
works transversely, and vertically through the breech end, as best seen in the sectional
view Figure 5.
The taper of the plug is in the line of the gun, or fore and aft, so that the taper
part of the said plug, presses fully home the case containing the charge of powder
into the chamber c' of the gun, should it not have been properly done on loading;
that is, on the introduction of the powder case through the breech end, the plug forces
the charge into position on being closed.
The plug is raised and lowered for opening and closing the breech, by means of an
endless screw o, worming within a tangent rack p, cut within the side of the plug; so
that the rotation of the spindle o² of the screw o, raises and lowers the plug.
The tangential rack teeth on the side of the plug are best seen in figure 5.
Instead of employing a series of air chambers or cavities, a single air chamber on
each side of the gun may be used with like effect. Or the piston plunger may be
carried by the gun, and the passages and air chambers made to form a part of the
carriage. This is simply the converse of the means already described in carrying out
my new or improved combined hydraulic and pneumatic arrangement, for utilizing
the recoil of the gun, for again automatically placing it in position, without
employing auxiliary power or means; so that an arm of any calibre, can be worked
or run into and out of position by a single gunner, as the whole of the recoil of the
gun is taken up by the air, and given out again when required. Thus, a gunner after
recoil, has only to raise the catch, when the gun is automatically run into position;
the gun is then sighted, and fired, and then run back by the recoil (in a line parallel
with the bore of the gun, so that with the recoil the muzzle would not catch the side
or top of a port hole) and held in its run-back position, by the catch, so as to again be
ready for running out after spongeing and reloading.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
First. The means herein described, of utilizing the recoil of cannon, or other guns
and ordnance, for automatically bringing or running them into position for firing,
substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. Working cannon and other guns and ordnance by recoil, in connection
with pneumatic, and hydraulic arrangements, substantially as described and set
forth.
Thirdly Combining with a gun, vertical air chambers g, and oil or grease
channels h, disposed on the two opposite sides of the winged hody part c², or at the
back front or bottom parts of the supplementary parts; and which said parts are
arranged, constructed and worked in connection with a solid and fixed plunger or
plungers i substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. Arranging the air chambers and oil channels, within the gun carriage,
or parts carried by it, while the plunger is made movable, and carried by the gun
itself, substantially as described.
Fifthly. Mounting and resting cannon, or other guns, upon an independent
trunnioned framing, which thereby allows the gun resting thereon, to slide into and
out of position, without the necessity of changing the position of the gun carriage, as
described and illustrated.
Sixthly. Making cannon, or other guns and ordnance slide or run into and out of
position, independent of their carrying frame or carriage, substantially as described
and set forth.
Seventhly Utilizing the recoil of cannon, or other guns, for automatically taking
them back, by a sliding motion, from their fired position, and independent of
the gun carriage, or parts in connection with either of them, substantially as set forth.
Eighthly. Combining with a gun carriage, a supplementary gun carrying framing,
substantially as set forth.
Ninthly. Retaining the gun. in its recoiled position, and while the combined

page_text: pneumatic and hydraulic arrangement is in a state of action or tension, by a catch
fastener, substantially as described and illustrated.
Tenthly Returning the gun to a horizontal position, (when fired at an elevation)
for reloading and sponging, by making the breech end of the said gun, on recoil,
travel up an inclined plane, f, substantially as described and set forth.
Eleventhly Combining with a gun of the kind herein described, raising and
lowering mechanism, consisting of screws, worm and tangent wheels, and means for
preventing the rotation of the screws, which are constructed, arranged and worked,
substantially in the manner as described and set forth.
Twelfthly Making breech blocks square and with taper front and rear sides, which
fit into a like hole or recess made transversely, and vertically through the breech end,
substantially as set forth.
Thirteenthly. Raising and lowering breech blocks, by a screw and tangent rack, of
which the latter is cut within one of the faces of the said block, as described and set
forth.
Fourteenthly. The general construction, arrangement and combination of the
parts of carriage and ordnance, and their carriages or supports, as herein described
and set forth, and which said parts operate and work, substantially as described.
Dated this Twenty ninth day of July 1887.
WILLIAM TRANTER.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.