Improvements in Pneumatic Ordnance and in its Carriage and Loading Truck.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Ordnance and in its Carriage and
Loading Truck.
I JOHN RAPIEFF of 71 Broadway New York City, New York, United States
of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to pneumatic ordnance particularly adapted to the firing
of projectiles containing high explosives. It consists of a gun barrel that is
provided from its breach to a point beyond the trunnions with a surrounding jacket
connected by openings with the breech end of the barrel and forming an annular
space or reservoir around the barrel for the passage of the fluid pressure to the
breech. The barrel and jacket are secured together to form a rigid structure and
the jacket carries the gun trunnions, both hollow, and connected by balanced swing
joints with fluid supply pipes, that lead and branch from a fixed main central supply
pipe, the connection between the branches and the main pipe being also balanced
and a swing joint.
The jacket is formed preferably of three or more sections, the trunnion section,
an intermediate section or sections, and the valve section, bolted together and the
trunnion and intermediate sections supported from the-barrel by radial webs or
studs, leaving ample space for the free passage of the fluid from the trunnions to
the breech. The breech end of the barrel contiguous to the main valve is continued
by an inner flanged bonnet having lantern openings for the admission of the fluid
pressure and having radial and longitudinal passages to obtain efficient work of the
valve. The valve section of the jacket is provided with ribs supporting an inner
jacket which with the bonnet forms a chamber for the main valve; from the back
portion of which chamber through one of the ribs a passage is formed to the
auxiliary valve.
The forward part of the barrel, which is free of jacketing, is supported by a truss
attached to the trunnion section of jacket by bolts and keys. The barrel is
supported on the truss by chairs which are adapted to transverse and vertical
motion so that the alignment of the barrel can be easily adjusted.
The gun carriage, mounted to turn upon a suitable base, is formed in the main of
sheet angle, I, and channeled irons, braced and also tied together; the vertical
sides each formed by a pair of legs are housed by sheet metal and secured at their
upper ends to inner and outer castings forming the trunnion bearings. The carriage
carries the motors, electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, &c., for training the gun and for
elevating.
The gun carriage is provided with locking wedges by which the carriage after
each training movement is securely held in its position upon the base. These
wedges are operated to release the carriage just in advance of the movement of the
motor to train the gun; and in the preferred arrangement the fluid before passing
to the motor will first pass to the cylinders to operate the wedge pistons and having
raised them will then pass to the motor to operate it. The arrangement is also such
that as soon as the carriage stops, the fluid acts to return the wedges to secure the
carriage. The wedges thus prevent any local motion of the carriage with respect

page_text: to its base, so that during the firing, the base and the foundation are brought to
resist recoil.
The carriage is formed with front and rear hooks to engage with flanges on the
base to reduce all lateral and vertical motions during recoil.
The carriage besides the platform to operate the firing, training and elevating
mechanism automatically, is also provided with means for training it by hand from
a special platform and with eyes and hooks for tackle training.
The balanced swing joints of the trunnions and the branch supply pipes with the
main pipe are in the main similarly constructed. They each consist of an inner
pipe having radial passages and an outer casing having an annular passage with
which the radial passages communicate, so that the both are constantly open, and
the joint balanced by the pressure of the fluid, whatever the relation between the
pipe and casing. The joint between the two is packed by suitable packing carried
by a packing carrying annulus, which surrounds the inner pipe, having openings
corresponding to the radial passages in the pipe and supports both the packings
arranged upon opposite sides of the joint, whereby upon the removal of the annulus
the packings are simultaneously bodily removed therewith and without the necessity
of disturbing, removing or dismantling any other parts. These packings are spaced
and supplied with a liquid for sealing and if need be lubricating the joint. To
prevent the leakage of the fluid through the metal of the casing, which being of
cast metal may be more or less porous, there is interposed between the carrying
annulus and the casing a ring or lining formed preferably of bronze or copper;
and in addition to the packings carried by the annulus the latter and also the ring
or lining is stepped and seated against packings held on corresponding steps on the
pipe and casing.
In this joint, and in others belonging to the gun, the connected pieces are arranged
metal to metal to ensure perfect alignment, and the packing recess has its sides
opposite to that of the fluid pressure angularly disposed so that the packing,
whether solid, hollow or cup shaped, is crowded toward the joint by the fluid
pressure. The recess is formed with a restricted portion so that the connected
pieces will bite upon the packing to obtain an initial sealing, and this restricted
portion is also large enough to receive any excess of the packing that may be forced
into it on the complete assembling of the pieces. This arrangement also permits
the use of many face to face joints properly packed.
The valves of the gun consist of a main firing valve controlling the openings
between the jacket reservoir and the gun breech behind the projectile; an auxiliary
valve arranged in a casing secured to the valve section of the jacket for opening
and timing the opening of the main valve, said auxiliary valve also embracing a
tappet fly-over valve, a tripping lever or detent and a supplemental valve for
moving the lever or detent; and a pilot valve located in a casing in the left hand
trunnion with a hand lever for operating it, the said valve controlling the admission
of fluid to automatically operate the auxiliary valve. The main valve is an annular
one normally seated to close the breech communication and held seated by the fluid
pressure on its back end; the auxiliary valve in its normal closed position con-
necting the fluid pressure passage for this purpose, which is also held in this position
by the fluid pressure. The auxiliary valve is a piston valve having differential
areas controlling passages for the fluid to hold the main valve closed and when
moved closes one of said passages on the pressure side and opens the other to the
atmosphere so that the pressure may exhaust from behind the main valve and allow
the fluid pressure on the other side of the main valve, acting upon a shoulder for
that purpose, to operate to move said valve open.
normally held closed and so allow the fluid pressure to act upon the larger area of
The tappet fly-over valve
the auxiliary valve as well as upon that of itself, has its initial movement imparted
by the movement of the tripping lever or detent by hand, or through the movement
of the supplemental valve by the admission of pressure from the trunnion on the
opening of the pilot valve. This movement of the tappet valve shuts off the
fluid pressure from the larger area (back chamber) of the auxiliary valve

page_text: and from the like area (back chamber) of itself, then opens connection with its
back chamber to the atmosphere. The back chamber of tappet valve being
exhausted the fluid pressure acts upon the differential shoulder of the valve and
automatically moves it the remaining part of its stroke till it seats on buffer in the
back chamber; thus avoiding all personal equation in firing. Its tappet participates
in this motion, having been further projected into the back chamber of auxiliary
valve. In this position of the tappet valve the back of auxiliary valve is open to
the atmosphere through bulb and tappet valve. This exhausts said back chamber
and the auxiliary valve moves open by the fluid pressure upon its first differential
shoulder; the second differential shoulder being idle. The auxiliary valve moves
under this pressure until the pressure is allowed to act upon the second differential
shoulder when the valve is forcibly seated to its buffer at end of the back chamber.
In the latter part of its stroke it meets the tappet of tappet valve and forces tappet
valve almost to its normal position when the pressure is admitted in back chamber
of the tappet valve which completes its movement. This also then admits the fluid
pressure to back chamber of the auxiliary valve and moves this valve back to its
normal position.
In the passage between the fluid pressure supply and the back chamber of the
auxiliary valve there is placed a regulating cock and the bulb by means of which
the duration of opening of the auxiliary and main valve is regulated. The
regulating cock being adapted to vary the size of the admitting orifice for the
pressure and the bulb its capacity; the passage being extended to near the bottom
of the bulb to ensure the effectiveness of the operation of the bulb.
The supplemental valve, operating the tripping lever is composed of two piston
valves, of different areas joined loosely together, the stem of one of the valves
being connected to the tripping lever. The smaller valve is normally seated by
pressure from the reservoir; while the pressure to the larger valve is admitted
during moment of firing by the opening of the pilot valve.
The tripping lever or detent is provided with a trigger held in position by a
spring arranged in such manner that when the movement of the lever is complete,
removes the trigger from the end of the tappet valve so that the latter may be free
to return.
All the valves are constructed so that the leakage of the pressure is prevented by
seating them endways against seats and buffers in their respective chambers; and
their seating faces may be concaved or grooved to ensure more complete seating
and longer life of the seat.
The pilot valve controlling the admission of fluid from the jacket reservoir to
the supplemental valve is held closed by the fluid pressure, a spring being provided
to return the valve closed should the pressure be absent. The stem of this valve is
perforated longitudinally and with radial openings so that should the pressure leak
past its valve when seated it will pass to the atmosphere without danger of passing
to the supplemental valve; the exhaust from the chamber of the latter being
regulated by screws adjacent the stem of the pilot valve.
The gun breech is opened for the insertion of the projectile and tightly closed
by a packed breech gate pivoted to the breech casting and adapted to turn and
swing open and closed. The breech gate has an interrupted flange so that it and
its gate lever need be moved but a fraction of the circle to release the gate. With
the gate is connected a locking gear which as the lever is first moved to release the
gate the latter moves the locking gear into position to positively lock the auxiliary
and supplemental valves and tripping lever against accidental movement from their
normal closed position, as for instance by inadvertently moving the pilot valve hand
lever. The locking gear is provided with a spring or similar device so that upon
the opening of the gate it is automatically locked against accidental movement until
the gate is closed.
The gun breech is also provided with a vent opening just in rear of the projectile
that is normally open to the atmosphere so that should the fluid pressure leak past
the main valve into the barrel the projectile will be in no danger of being pre-

page_text: maturely fired therefrom. This vent may be controlled by a spring-pressed valve
held open against any pressure caused by a leakage into the barrel but which will
automatically close upon the sudden admission of the pressure into the barrel. It
may however be controlled positively by a valve movable positively in unison with
the auxiliary valve so that upon the early movement thereof the vent valve will
have closed the vent and thus prevent the leakage of the fluid pressure when the
projectile is to be fired.
The loading carriage consists of a wheeled truck running on a circular way
having the training axis of the gun carriage as its centre. The wheeled carriage
supports a pair of rails, inclined to an angle of loading. On these rails is supported
the projectile trough, that is adapted to move back and forth through a pinion and
rack, or winch, operated by a hand lever to deliver the projectile into the breech of
the gun.
The trough is held in position by a spring-pressed detent, carried by the truck
acting against a stop on the trough. The trough also carries a loading ram moved
by rope and pulleys connected with a hand operated winch supported by the truck
to force the projectile into the gun barrel. The truck is also adapted if necessary
to run into a magazine for receiving projectiles and carry them onto the truck.
Dated this 31st day of March 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Ordnance and in its Carriage and
Loading Truck.
I JOHN RAPIEFF of 71 Broadway New York City, New York, United States of
America, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to pneumatic ordnance, of the kind described in the
Specifications of Alfred Julius Boult No. 6369 A.D. 1889, No. 17185 A.D. 1889,
and No. 18690 A. D. 1890, particularly adapted to the firing of projectiles containing
high explosives, and relates particularly to the general construction and arrange-
ment of the gun and its carriage and its connection with the central swing joint for
the supply of the fluid pressure so that the recoil of the gun is taken through the
carriage to the base plate or foundation without injury to the central swing joint.
It also relates to the construction and arrangement of the means for causing the
operation of the auxiliary valve and hence of the main valve, eliminating all
personal equation and rendering the operation entirely automatic, not controlled
either in time or in duration of opening upon the operator.
It also relates to the locking gear by which the auxiliary valve is locked except
when the breech gate is entirely closed.
It also relates to the construction of the central swing joint and in the various
packing carrying annulus by which all the swing joints may be properly packed,
which packings may be readily removed without disconnecting the gun.
It also relates to the carrying of the motor fluid through the central swing joint
connection so that such fluid may at all times be ready to operate the carriage
locking wedges and the gun training motors in any position of the carriage on its
foundation.
And it finally relates to the general details of construction fully shown in the
accompanying drawings.
In said drawings:
:-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the gun and the carriage, the forward end of the
gun being broken away and omitted.
Fig. 2, is a plan of the breech end of the gun.

page_text: Fig. 3, is a rear elevation of the gun and its carriage.
Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the gun and its carriage, showing
the connection with the central swing joint and the manner in which the carriage is
supported upon the base plate so as to take the thrust and recoil of the gun without
effecting the connection with the swing joint.
Fig. 5, is a partial cross section and elevation of the gun and its carriage,
showing the connection of the jacket reservoir and hollow trunnion with the central
swing joint.
Fig. 6, is an enlarged detail sectional view of the main valve, auxiliary valve
and pilot valve in the trunnion, the parts being shown in their normal inactive
positions with the main valve closed.
Fig. 7, is a similar view, the pilot valve being open and the air admitted to
operate the tripping lever and having caused the tappet fly over valve to have
operated and the auxiliary valve to have started in its movement, the main valve
still being closed.
Fig. 8, is a similar view, the auxiliary valve having moved to its extreme position
and the main valve being open; the parts being ready to return to their normal
position shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 9, is an enlarged elevation of the breech of the gun, showing the breech
gate and its connection with the locking gear for locking the auxiliary valve closed
against accidental movement.
Fig. 9 is an irregular section through the breech gate; and
Fig. 9B is two detail views of the spring that holds the locking gear in position,
which is locked and released upon the opening of the gate.
Fig. 10, is a substantially vertical section through the breech gate and the
locking gear, and
Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of the valve for controlling the vent from the
breech of the gun.
Fig. 11, is an enlarged detail sectional elevation of the central swing joint
through which the pressure passes from the reservoirs through the trunnions to the
jacket reservoir; also the passages through which the fluid passes to operate the
wedges for locking and unlocking the carriage from the foundation and allowing
the gun to be turned horizontally without disturbing such connections.
Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional elevation on the line 11ª of Fig. 11; and
Fig. 11B is a sectional elevation on the line 11b of Fig. 11, showing the arrange-
ment of ports and passages for the admission and exhaust of the fluid to and from
the wedge cylinders and training motors.
Fig. 12, is a sectional elevation of the trunnion and its pilot valve and the
operating lever.
Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the cam by which the pilot valve is pressed
inward to open it.
The improvement consists of a gun barrel A that is provided from its breech to
a point beyond the trunnions with a surrounding jacket B connected by openings
with the breech end of the barrel and forming an annular space or reservoir C
around the barrel for the passage of the fluid pressure to the breech. The barrel
and jacket are secured together to form a rigid structure and the jacket carries the
gun trunnions D, both hollow, and connected by balanced swing joints E with fluid
supply pipes F, that lead and branch from a fixed main central supply pipe G, the
connection between the branches and the main pipe being also balanced and a swing
joint H.
The jacket is formed preferably of three or more sections, the trunnion section,
an intermediate section or sections, and the valve section, bolted together and the
trunnion and intermediate sections supported from the barrel by radial webs or
studs, leaving ample space for the free passage of the fluid from the trunnions to
the breech. The breech end of the barrel contiguous to the main valve 4 is con-
tinued by an inner flanged bonnet 6, having lantern openings c, for the admission of
the fluid pressure and having radial and longitudinal passages to obtain efficient

page_text: work of the valve. The valve section of the jacket is provided with ribs supporting
an inner jacket which with the bonnet forms a chamber for the main valve; from
the back portion of which chamber through one of the ribs a passage is formed to
the auxiliary valve.
The forward part of the barrel, which is free of jacketing, is supported by a
truss attached to the trunnion section of jacket by bolts and keys. The barrel is
supported on the truss by chairs which are adapted to transverse and vertical
motion so that the alignment of the barrel can be easily adjusted.
The gun carriage K, mounted to turn upon a suitable base L, is formed in the
main of sheet, angle, I, and channeled irons, braced and also tied together; the
vertical sides each formed of a pair of legs are housed by sheet metal and secured
at their upper ends to inuer and outer castings forming the trunnion bearings. The
carriage carries the motors, electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, &c., for training the
gun and for elevating.
The gun carriage is provided with locking wedges d, by which the carriage after
each training movement is securely held in its position upon the base.
These
wedges are operated to release the carriage just in advance of the movement of the
motor to train the gun; and in the preferred arrangement the fluid passing through
passages t, in the head of the central supply pipe G, before passing to the motor
will first pass to the cylinders M to operate the wedge pistons N and having raised
them will then pass to the motor to operate it. The arrangement is also such that
as soon as the carriage stops, the fluid acts to return the wedges to secure the
carriage. The wedges thus prevent any local motion of the carriage with respect
to its base, so that during the firing, the base and the foundation are brought to
resist recoil, and take all strain off the central main pipe and swing joint.
The carriage is formed with front and rear hooks e, to engage with flanges on
the base to reduce all lateral and vertical motions during recoil.
The carriage besides the platform f to operate the firing, training and elevating
mechanism automatically, is also provided with means for training it by hand from
a special platform g, and with eyes and hooks for tackle training.
The balanced swing joints of the trunnions and the branch supply pipes with the
main pipe are in the main similarly constructed. They each consist of an inner
pipe h, having radial passages and an outer casing i, having an annular passage
with which the radial passages communicate, so that the both are constantly open,
and the joint balanced by the pressure of the fluid, whatever the relation between
the pipe and casing. The joint between the two is packed by suitable packing
carried by a packing carrying annulus k, which surrounds the inner pipe, having
openings corresponding to the radial passages in the pipe and supports both the
packings, arranged upon opposite sides of the joint, whereby upon the removal of
the annulus the packings are simultaneously bodily removed therewith and without
the necessity of disturbing, removing or dismantling any other parts. These
packings are spaced and supplied with a liquid for sealing and if need be
lubricating the joint. To prevent the leakage of the fluid through the metal of the
casing, which being of cast metal may be more or less porous, there is interposed
between the carrying annulus and the casing a ring or lining m, formed preferably
of bronze or copper; and in addition to the packings carried by the annulus the
latter and also the ring or lining is stepped and seated against packings n, held on
corresponding steps on the pipe and casing.
In this joint, and in others belonging to the gun, the connected pieces are
arranged metal to metal to ensure perfect alignment, and the packing recess has its
sides opposite to that of the fluid pressure angularly disposed so that the packing,
whether solid, hollow or cup shaped, is crowded toward the joint by the fluid
pressure. The recess is formed with a restricted portion so that the connected
pieces will bite upon the packing to obtain an initial sealing, and this restricted
portion being also large enough to receive any excess of the packing that may
be forced into it on the complete assembling of the picces. This arrangement
also permits the use of many face to face joints properly packed.

page_text: The valves of the gun consist of a main firing valve 4, controlling the
openings c, between the jacket reservoir and the gun barrel behind the pro-
jectile; an auxiliary valve 32 arranged in a casing secured to the valve section
of the jacket for opening and timing the opening of the main valve, said auxiliary
valve also embracing a tappet fly-over valve 47, a tripping lever or detent 60
and a supplemental valve 66 for moving the lever or detent; and a pilot
valve 70 located in a casing in the left hand trunnion with a hand lever for
operating it, the said valve controlling the admission of fluid through the
pipe 69 to automatically operate the auxiliary valve. The main valve is an
annular one normally seated to close the breech communication and held seated
by the fluid pressure on its back end; the auxiliary valve in its normal closed
position connecting the fluid pressure passage for this purpose, which is also
held in this position by the fluid pressure. The auxiliary valve is a piston
valve having differential areas controlling passages 26, 31, for the fluid to hold
the main valve closed and when moved closes one of said passages 31 on the
pressure side and opens the other 26 to the atmosphere so that the pressure
may exhaust from behind the main valve and allow the fluid pressure on the
other side of the main valve, acting upon a shoulder for that purpose, to operate
to move said valve open. The tappet fly-over valve normally held closed and
so allow the fluid pressure to act upon the larger area of the auxiliary valve
as well as upon that of itself, has its initial movement imparted by the move-
ment of the tripping lever or detent by hand or through the movement of the
supplemental valve by the admission of pressure from the trunnion on the
opening of the pilot valve. This movement of the tappet valve shuts off
the fluid pressure from the larger area (back chamber 53) of the auxiliary
valve and from the like area (back chamber 42) of itself, then opens connection
with its back chamber to the atmosphere through opening 58. The back
chamber of the tappet valve being exhausted, the fluid pressure acts upon the
differential shoulder of the valve and automatically moves it the remaining part
of its stroke till it seats on buffer in the back chamber; thus avoiding all
personal equation in firing. Its tappet 59 participates in this motion, having
been further projected into the back chamber 53 of auxiliary valve. In this
position of the tappet valve the back of auxiliary valve is open to the
atmosphere through bulb 51 and tappet valve to opening 58. This exhausts
said back chamber and the auxiliary valve moves open by the fluid pressure
upon its first differential shoulder; the second differential shoulder being idle.
The auxiliary valve moves under this pressure until the pressure is allowed to
act upon the second differential shoulder when the valve is forcibly seated to
its buffer 35 at end of the back chamber. In the latter part of its stroke it
meets the tappet 59 of tappet valve and forces the tappet valve almost to its
normal position when the pressure is admitted in back chamber of the
tappet valve which completes its movement. This also then admits the fluid
pressure to back chamber of the auxiliary valve and moves this valve back to
its normal position.
In the passage composed partially of the pipe 56 between the fluid pressure
supply 31 and the back chamber of the auxiliary valve there is placed a regulating
cock 55 and the bulb 51 by means of which the duration of opening of the auxiliary
and main valve is regulated. The regulating cock being adapted to vary the size
of the admitting orifice for the pressure and the bulb, its capacity; the passage
being extended to near the bottom of the bulb to ensure the effectiveness of the
operation of the bulb.
The supplemental valve, operating the tripping lever is composed of two piston
valves 66, 67, of different areas jointed loosely together, the stem of one of the
valves being connected to the tripping lever. The smaller valve is normally seated
by pressure from the reservoir through pipe 68; while the pressure to the larger
valve is admitted by pipe 69 during moment of firing by the opening of the pilot
valve.

page_text: The tripping lever or detent is provided with a trigger 61 held in position by a
spring 63 arranged in such manner that when the movement of the lever is
complete, removes the trigger from the end of the tappet valve so that the latter
may be free to return.
All the valves are constructed so that the leakage of the pressure is prevented
by seating them endways against seats and buffers in their respective chambers;
and their seating faces may be concaved or grooved to ensure more complete seating
and longer life of the seat.
The pilot valve 70 controlling the admission of fluid from the jacket reservoir to
the supplemental valve, is held closed by the fluid pressure, a spring being provided
to return the valve closed should the pressure be absent. The stem of this valve is
perforated longitudinally and with radial openings so that should the pressure leak
past its valve when seated, it will pass to the atmosphere without danger of passing
to the supplemental valve; the exhaust from the chamber of the latter being
regulated by screws 73 adjacent the stem of the pilot valve.
The gun breech is opened for the insertion of the projectile and tightly closed by
a packed breech gate O, pivoted to the breech casting and adapted to rotate and
swing open and closed. The breech gate has an interrupted flange so that it and
its gate lever o, need be moved but a fraction of the circle to release the gate.
With the gate is connected a locking gear p, which as the lever is first moved to
release the gate, the latter moves the locking gear through connecting rods p² and
lever p' into position to positively lock the auxiliary and supplemental valves and
tripping lever 60 against accidental movement from their normal closed position, as
for instance by inadvertently moving the pilot valve hand lever. The locking gear
is provided with a spring 9, or similar device, so that upon the opening of the gate
it is antomatically locked against accidental movement until the gate is closed.
The gun breech is also provided with a vent opening r, just in rear of the
projectile that is normally open to the atmosphere so that should the fluid pressure
leak past the main valve into the barrel the projectile will be in no danger of being
permanently fired therefrom. This vent may be controlled by a spring pressed
valve held open against any pressure caused by a leakage into the barrel but which
will automatically close upon the sudden admission of the pressure into the barrel.
It may however be controlled positively by a valve s in a casing 5, movable
positively in unison with the auxiliary valve, or any other movable part of system as
through the rods p² with the tripping lever 60, so that upon the early movement
thereof, the vent valve will have closed the vent and thus prevent the leakage of
the fluid pressure when the projectile is to be fired.
The loading carriage consists of a wheeled truck running on a circular way
having the training axis of the gun carriage as its centre. The wheeled carriage
supports a pair of rails, inclined to an angle of loading; on these rails is supported
the projectile trough, that is adapted to move back and forth through a pinion and
rack, or winch, operated by a hand lever to deliver the projectile into the breech
of the gun.
The trough is held in position by a spring-pressed detent carried by the truck
acting against a stop on the trough. The trough also carries a loading ram moved
by rope and pulleys connected with a hand operated winch supported by the truck
to force the projectile into the gun barrel.
The trough is also adapted, if necessary, to run into a magazine for receiving
projectiles to carry them onto the truck.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I am
aware of the Specifications of Alfred Julius Boult, No. 6369 A.D. 1889 No. 17185
A.D. 1889 and No. 18690 A.D. 1890 and I lay no claim to anything described
and claimed therein, but what I claim is :-
1. The hereindescribed gun carriage formed of the described irons and housed by
sheet metal.

page_text: 2. The hereindescribed gun carriage provided with a training mechanism and
with locking wedges by which the carriage is automatically locked to its base after
each training movement.
3. The hereindescribed gun with fluid pressure supply pipes leading thereto having
balanced swing joints with an interposed packing carrying annulus such as k,
Figs. 4, 5, 11; and with a ring or lining such as m to prevent leakage of the fluid,
all arranged substantially as best shown in Fig. 11.
4. The hereindescribed gun and its connections made up of sections bolted together,
provided with packing recesses substantially as specified, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. The hereindescribed gun provided with a main firing valve, an auxiliary
valve controlling it, a fly-over valve and a tripping lever for starting the latter
valve; and with a pilot valve located in one of the gun trunnions, all arranged
substantially as set forth.
6. The hereindescribed gun provided with proper firing valves, a breech gate
connected with a locking gear to lock the valve closed during the opening of the
breech gate; and with a vent opening from the gun barrel controlled by a valve,
all arranged substantially as set forth.
7. The construction and arrangement of the gun and its carriage substantially as
shown in the drawings.
8. The construction and arrangement of the pilot valve on the trunnion substan-
tially as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 12ª.
Dated thin 15th dov of Tonuary 1800
J. C. CHAPMAN, C.P.A.,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Filing Agent for Applicant.

page_text: 2. The hereindescribed gun carriage provided with a training mechanism and
with locking wedges by which the carriage is automatically locked to its base after
each training movement.
3. The hereindescribed gun with fluid pressure supply pipes leading thereto having
balanced swing joints with an interposed packing carrying annulus such as k,
Figs. 4, 5, 11; and with a ring or lining such as m to prevent leakage of the fluid,
all arranged substantially as best shown in Fig. 11.
4. The hereindescribed gun and its connections made up of sections bolted together,
provided with packing recesses substantially as specified, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. The hereindescribed gun provided with a main firing valve, an auxiliary
valve controlling it, a fly-over valve and a tripping lever for starting the latter
valve; and with a pilot valve located in one of the gun trunnions, all arranged
substantially as set forth.
6. The hereindescribed gun provided with proper firing valves, a breech gate
connected with a locking gear to lock the valve closed during the opening of the
breech gate; and with a vent opening from the gun barrel controlled by a valve,
all arranged substantially as set forth.
7. The construction and arrangement of the gun and its carriage substantially as
shown in the drawings.
8. The construction and arrangement of the pilot valve on the trunnion substan-
tially as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 12ª.
Dated this 15th day of January 1892.
J. C. CHAPMAN, C.P.A.,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Filing Agent for Applicant.