Improvements in or connected with Gun Carriages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Gun Carriages.
'
I, AUGUST REICHWALD, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London, Steel,
Iron, Metal and Mineral Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from abroad by the Firm of Fried. Krupp, of Essen, in
the German Empire, Cast Steel Manufacturers) and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
A spur which is not capable of being thrown out of operation, and which projects
beyond the under side of the carriage wall, is attended by the disadvantage that
the said spur is very liable to catch into the ground when the gun is being moved
over an uneven surface, and in such a manner as to offer resistance to the move-
ment of the gun, especially when there is a considerable distance between the
limber hook and the limber axle. When the gun is travelling at a quick speed,
this resistance offered by the penetration of the spur into the ground may become
so great as to suddenly arrest the vehicle, whereby serious damage to the horses
is almost unavoidable; the gun may even be thereby brought to a stop, and a
favourable moment for going into action may be lost.
But
It is therefore very desirable in the case of a limbered gun, that the spur should
be capable of being so arranged as to prevent its entering into the ground.
as the time to be occupied in limbering up is cut down as much as possible, the
alteration in the position of the spur must be capable of being easily and rapidly
effected, and must not be liable to be hindered or rendered appreciably more
difficult by the spur being covered with soil or dirt, which is unavoidable.
Now the object of the constructions hereinafter described is to provide means
whereby these requirements may be fulfilled, and further that in firing on very
hard ground, for example on road paving, the spur can be thrown out of operation.
Referring to the construction shewn at Figures 1 to 5, Sheet 1, the spur consists
of three main parts, namely the two loose arms A, and the spur blade or palm C,
with the arms 13 fixed thereto. Each loose arm A embraces with an eye the
pivot bolt D about which it can turn. Near to and under the pivot bolt each arm
is provided with a recess d (Figure 5), and a somewhat flatter groove e which
extends almost up to the lower end of the arm, and is closed at that point.
lower end of each arm A is cut out at f. Each of the arms B fixed on the spur
blade C, is provided at its upper end (Figure 1) with an eye g, in which the spring
bolt H and the spring J are mounted. The spur blade is formed at two points
to correspond with the cavities of the arms A, so that it can enter the said cavities
in the arms.
In using the spur the arms A are connected with the arms B, and
with the spur blade in the following manner: -
The
The pins of the spring bolts H are situated in the recesses d of the arms A,
and are held therein by means of the springs J, whilst the spur blade engages
with its cut-out upper side into the corresponding recesses in the arms A. In
this manner the spur blade C is rigidly and immovably connected with the arms A
by means of its arms B, and the spur operates just as if it were suspended by
means of fixed arms from the pivot bolt D.

page_text: In order to throw the spur out of gear, after the gun is limbered up, the spring
bolts H are drawn back until their pins pass out of the recesses d; the spur blade
with its arms then falls down as far as allowed by the spring bolt pins, which
slide in the groove e. In this movement the spur blade passes out of the
recesses of the arms A, and the said blade can be rotated about the spring
bolts H which are now situated at the lower end of the groove e. The whole
arrangement can in this manner be easily brought into the inoperative position
shewn dotted in the drawing (Figure 2), in which the spur blade is fixed by means
of the key bolts K for which suitable holes are provided in the spur and also in
the gun carriage body.
The cutting edge of the spur blade is in this position turned away from the
direction of travel; this renders it impossible for the spur to engage, catch, and
fix itself into the ground, even when it touches in the case of very rough ground.
The spur is moved back again into its operative position by slacking the key
bolts K, turning the spur to the rear, and raising it until the spring bolt pins
enter the recesses d, and the spur blade enters the recesses f of the armis A.
Referring to the construction shewn at Figures 1 to 4, Sheet 2, the arms B fixed
to the spur blade A, are provided on the widened eye c with which they embrace
the pivot bolt D, with an extending arm E, which is mounted on the eye c, and is
pivotted to the carriage wall by means of the bolt F, and thus forms with it a
second fixing for the spur.
The spur is provided, in addition to the eyes c, also with eyes g, to which
correspond the bearings H on the carriage. The pivot bolt D is enclosed during
the firing, in the tube J, the tube preventing the pivot bolt D becoming soiled,
and the said bolt is constructed as a key bolt and is attached by means of a thin
wire cord K or of a chain etcetera, to the carriage.
While in use during firing, the spur is situated in the position indicated in full
lines in Figure 2. If it is to be thrown out of operation, the key bolt (or pivot
bolt) D is pulled out, and the spur is turned into the position shewn in dotted lines
in Figure 2, whilst the extending arm E maintains the connection with the
carriage. The spur is fixed in the inoperative position by inserting the bolt 1)
into the eyes g of the spur, and into the bearings H on the carriage. The cutting
edge of the spur is thus turned away from the direction of travel, whereby it is
impossible for it to catch and become fixed in the ground. It is turned into its
position of use by reversing the operations described.
In any of the above described constructions the spring column does not hinder
the throwing out of action of the spur, because it is so regulated that the spur
in the initial stage of its position for use has no pressure, and therefore is not
pressed by the spring column hard up against its point of support on the gun
carriage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. A gun carriage spur whose arms can be extended so that the spur can be
removed from the ground for the purpose of being thrown out of operation during
the travel of the gun, and can be turned over with its cutting edge facing the
opposite way to that of the travel.
2. A form of construction of the carriage spur specified in Claim .1, in which the
extension of the arms taken place with simultaneous shifting of the pivot or
centre of rotation about which the spur turns on the carriage walls.
Dated this 15th day of December 1897
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.