Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Guns.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Guns.
I, JOHN EDWIN SHERMAN of First Avenue Hotel, High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be us
follows:-
The primary object of this invention is to dispense with the expensive process at
present usually adopted of casting or forming the guns solid and boring out the hole ;
I also dispense with the necessity for building up the gun in the usual manner by
means of jackets.
In carrying out my invention I provide a core for which I prefer to employ a
wrought iron tube, this tube in the case of breech-loading guns may be carried
entirely through the mould and supported at both ends. In the case of muzzle loaders
however as it is important that this core should remain in the centre of the mould it
necessary that it should be supported beyond the extremity of the mould so that it
may project into the mould and remain securely fixed in its proper position. To effect
this provide in connection with the box or pit in which the mould is formed a
suitable bracket which can be firmly secured in any convenient manner; generally 1
prefer to employ a bracket of cast iron of a horse shoe shape with one or two con-
necting frames, each of these frames and the contral part of the hoop being recessed
in the form of bearings provided with caps in the usual manner. The openings in
these bearings are formed larger than the diameter of the tube and in these bearings
are screws preferably four in number by screwing up or slackening which the exact
alignment of the tube can be secured. The tube or core itself may with advantage be
formed at its outer end with a collar so that when placed in the previously described
bearings as far in as it will go its inner end will reach to the proper position in the
mould; it may also have a suitable loop or equivalent by which it can conveniently be
moved about, the inner end of the tube would be formed up solid. Other means how-
over may be employed for securing the proper adjustment of the tube. In making
guns according to this invention the mould may be formed in the usual manner the
When
core or tube is then inserted and the casting carried out in the usual manner.
the gun is removed from the mould it will be found that the tube is practically welded
homogeneously with the metal of the gun and closer examination will generally reveal
the fact that while the interior or bore of the tube is of soft iron the outer surface of
it where it unites with the steel has practically been transformed into steel.
The gun having been removed from the mould is carried to the bore machine or
lathe and the whole of the soft portion of the core or the whole of the core is removed
by boring in the usual manner with this important difference that whereas in the
ordinary process the whole of the solid metal to the diameter of the required bore
has to be removed, in my process only the thickness of the metal tube or there-abouts
has to be cleaned out.
Where the bore of the gun is required to be of any particular quality of metal
which perhaps may be different from that of the body of the gun this can by means
of my invention be easily and satisfactorily accomplished by employing for the core a
tube of the requisite material and thickness so that instead of boring out the whole of
the core tube only enough need be removed to form the bore of the required
diameter.
By this important process I am able to weld up as it were a gun in several portions
that is to say I can pour into the mould one charge of metal and follow that with
others until the mould is full, each charge as it enters the mould uniting with the last
up

page_text: in a perfect solid or junction so that a homogeneous mass of metal is eventually pro-
duced and it will thus be seen that a gun of any required strength, size, shape or
other peculiarities can be cheaply and perfectly produced by this process.
Dated this 15th day of November 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Guns.
I, JOHN EDWIN SHERMAN of First Avenue Hotel, High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil 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 primary object of this invention is to dispense with the expensive process at
present usually adopted of casting or forming the guns solid and boring out the hole:
also dispense with the necessity for building up the gun in the usual manner by
means of jackets.
In carrying out my invention I provide a core for which I prefer to employ a
wrought iron tube; this tube in the case of breech-loading guns may be carried
entirely through the mould and supported at both ends. In the case of muzzle loaders
however as it is important that this core should remain in the centre of the mould it
is necessary that it should be supported beyond the extremity of the mould so that it
may project into the mould and remain securely fixed in its proper position. To effect
this I provide in connection with the box or pit in which the mould is formed a
suitable bracket which can be firmly secured in any convenient manner; generally I
prefer to employ a bracket of cast iron of a horse shoe shape with one or two con-
necting frames, each of these frames and the central part of the hoop being recessed
in the form of bearings provided with caps in the usual manner. The openings in
these bearings are forined larger than the diameter of the tube and in these bearings
are screws preferably four in number by screwing up or slackening which the exact
alignment of the tube can be secured. The tube or core itself may with advantage be
formed at its outer end with a collar so that when placed in the previously described
bearings as far in as it will go its inner end will reach to the proper position in the
mould; it may also have a suitable loop or equivalent by which it can conveniently be
moved about. The inner end of the tube would be formed up solid. Other means
however may be employed for securing the proper adjustment of the tube. In making
guns according to this invention the mould may be formed in the usual manner the
core or tube is then inserted and the casting carried out in the usual manner.
When
the gun is removed from the mould it will be found that the tube is practically welded
homogeneously with the metal of the gun and closer examination will generally reveal
the fact that while the interior or bore of the tube is of soft iron the outer surface of
it where it unites with the steel has practically been transformed into steel.
The gun having been removed froin the mould is carried to the boring machine or
lathe and the whole of the soft portion of the core or the whole of the core is removed
by boring in the usual manner with this important difference that whereas in the
ordinary process the whole of the solid metal to the diameter of the required bore has
to be removed, in my process only the thickness of the metal tube or there-abouts
has to be cleaned out.
Where the bore of the gun is required to be of any particular quality of metal
which perhaps may be different from that of the body of the gun this can by means
of my invention be easily and satisfactorily accomplished by employing for the core a
tube of the requisite material and thickness so that instead of boring out the whole
of the core tube only enough need be removed to form the bore of the required
diameter.
By this important procoss I am able to weld up as it were a gun in several portions

page_text: up
that is to say I can pour into the mould one charge of metal and follow that with
others until the mould is full, each charge as it enters the mould uniting with the last
in a perfectly solid junction so that a homogeneous mass of metal is eventually
produced and it will thus be seen that a gun of any required strength, size, shape or
other peculiarities can be cheaply and perfectly produced by this process.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the mould and apparatus adapted for a breech
loading gun.
Fig. 2 is a similar view for a muzzle loading gun.
Fig. 3 shows the outer end of the core tube.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line a-b of Fig. 1.
Like letters represent similar parts in the different figures.
A is the mould and B the space to be filled with metal. C is the core tube and D
the bracket which supports in Fig. 1 one end and in Fig. 2 the whole of the core tube.
E are the bearings formed in the bracket and provided with caps E' which can be
secured to the bearings by bolts F and removed when required for the purpose of
withdrawing the tube C when the casting is complete. The same object could be
attained by making the whole bearing removable with the core tube from which it
could afterwards be detached but the divided bearing is preferred. G are any
required number of set screws preferably four by adjusting which the core tube can
be exactly spaced within the bearing EE' which as shown in Figure 4 is much larger
than the diameter of the tube.
By means of the two sets of bearings E the precise position of the core tube C can
be accurately adjusted to the centre of the mould.
A third bearing H is provided at the top or end of the bracket D this also is of a
larger diameter than the core tube and is provided with a cap H. Upon the end of
the core tube C is a collar C to which is connected the eye-bolt or equivalent I by
which the core may be lifted and placed in position. When in position in the bracket
it is supported by the collar C' resting upon the bearing H.
The outside of the tube may be turned up before it is inserted in the mould.
In the case of a muzzle loading gun the core tube C would be plugged up at its inner
end as at 0³.
By this means the core can be readily and accurately centred and held securely in
position during the casting of the gun.
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. Adjusting and fixing the hollow core of a gun casting by means of two bearings
of larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the tube and provided with
adjusting screws substantially as described.
2. In the casting of a gun the employment in combination with the mould of a
bracket such as D having two bearings E whose internal diameter is larger than the
external diameter of the core tube and provided with adjusting screws for the purpose
of adjusting and fixing the said core tube in its proper position in the mould substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a bracket for use in combination with the mold for casting a gun the com-
bination with two adjusting bearings such as E of a bearing such as H adapted to
carry the weight of the core tube substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with the core tube of a gun casting having a collar such as C₁
of a bearing such as H of larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the
tube for the purpose of supporting the said tube while allowing of its adjustment sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. A bearing such as E for the core tube of a gun casting of larger internal
diameter than the external diameter of the core tube provided with adjusting screws

page_text: and having a cap such as E' to admit of the withdrawal of the core tube substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In the casting of a gun the employment in combination with the core tube of a
divided or removable bearing such as E substantially as described.
7. A core tube for a gun casting having a collar such as O¹ and eye-bolt or equiva-
lent hanging device such as I substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of August 1889
J. E. SHERMAN.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.