THE PROTECTION OF MEN AND HORSES IN ACTION FROM THE RIFLE AND N MACHINE GUN FIRE OF AN ENEMY
Year: 1884

page_text: INO
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I, ROBERT SCIPIO MARSH DE RICCI Barrister-at-law of Molesey House Palace
Road Hampton Court do hereby declare the nature of the aforesaid invention for
-THE PROTECTION OF MEN AND HORSES IN ACTION FROM THE RIFLE AND N MACHINE
GUN FIRE OF AN ENEMY to be as follows:
The Rifle Screen, Pattern II the "Cambridge "consists of:-
L
:
A shield of A sheet or sheets of metal, or "partly of metal and partly of other
substances, divided into sections of convenient dimensions, each strongly' attache.I
to the adjoining one by a hinge connection, allowing of the sections being folded
together like a manifold screen,.or rolled up like a steel shutter.
Ich may or
A splinter mat made of fibre, or partly of. fibre and partly of wire, which
may not be suspended behind the shield.
Supports and attachments of metal for connecting and carrying the above shield
and mat.
"A bullet-proof, movable, concave metal plate, fitted to surround and be attached
to the chase of the gun, or corresponding part of the machine gun.
In action the Screen would hang in front of, and clear of the wheels of the gun,
suspended from two movable supports attached to the axles each support having
armis terminating in hooks to connect with the attachments at the extremities of
the upper edge of the Screen, and at intermediate points on the same edge.
The Screen being pierced to allow the muzzle of the gun to pass through, the
bullet plate is intended to stop any bullets which might come through that way.
The concave side of the plate should be turned towards the muzzle of the gun, and
it should have slots for sighting.
At convenient intervals the Screen may be pierced with a few slots for rifle firo,
The shields may be constructed of Steel, of Aluminium Bronze (Webster's patent)
or of Compressed Paper strengthened with one or more thicknesses of metal plate
or wire (Steel or Webster's Bronze) incorporated with it under Hydraulic pressure;
or all or any of these materials may be used together or separately.
The Splinter mats may be made of Manilla Hemp strengthened with one or more
thicknesses of Steel or Webster's Bronze wire in front or, at the back or incorporated
in it, or all or any of these methods may be used together or separately..
The Bullet-plate will be made of Stecl or of Webster's Bronze; and it may have
a hinged axis to enable it to be folded up when not in use on the Gun.
The splinter mat may be made strong enough to be used without the metal
shield, or the shield without the mat; and they may be made of various dimensions,
suitable for creating shelter from rifle or machine gun fire under every condition or
circumstances occurring in war.

page_text: I, ROBERT SCIPIO MARSH DE RICCI of Molesey House Palace Road Hampton
Court Barrister-at-law do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVED BULLET-PROOF SCREEN FOR USE IN WARFARE, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
"
A folding screen composed of sheets or plates of metal or partly of metal and
partly of compressed paper and fibre divided for convenience of transport and use
into two or more "parts" consisting of "sections of convenient width strongly
united to each other by hinges; when the Shield is being erected for use two or
more "parts" with or without additional sections are joined together, thus con-
stituting a shield of any desired dimensions. By means of the hinge action one or
more of the extreme sections may be drawn back thus affording protection from a
flank or enfilading, tire the cannon or machine gun is fired through a port hole or
embrasure in the shield, and when short guns are used, the muzzles of which do
not project beyond the wheels of the carriage, the shield may be recessed backwards
in the centre or the wheels of the gun carriage may be brought forward through
narrow apertures provided for that purpose; these, as well as well as the embrasure
are fitted with doors or shutters which may be worked from the inside by metal
rods or chains.
When Sections of the full height of the Shield can be used the Shield may stand
alone but it is advisable to use the props and stays provided to maintain it securely
in position.
In the case of Breech-loading and Machine Guns the supports may be mounted
above the axle on the Gun Carriage: the shields or screens for Muzzle-loading
Guns have a certain number of flanges pierced with holes projecting from the lower
inside edge of the screen to receive pins or picket posts driven through into the
ground; and blocks are laid close behind the screen in the track of the wheels to
prevent the gun carriage from coming against the screen when the Gun is being
run up for firing. Stays and props may have a flange at the lower ends pierced
with holes for spikes or picket posts. Long stays may be jointed, a sliding tube
or collar being fitted to cover the joint when the stay is extended thereby keeping
the latter rigid. Lifting hooks may be used to move the shield when necessary.
A central pivot post may be driven through a flange at the centre of the lower
edge of the screen to facilitate a change of front of the shield being executed by a
few men,
CLAIM

page_text: 4. The system of closing the apertures with doors or shutters which may be
worked from the inside by chains rods or otherwise.
5. The system of using blocks to stop the wheels at the proper point when the
Gun is being run up for firing.
6. The system of using sliding tubes or collars to keep the jointed stays rigid.
7. The system of using compound plates consisting of a hard front welded or
soldered on to a tough backing as in the following combinations.
Front.
8. Hard Steel
9. Hard Steel
10. Hard Aluminium Bronze
11. Hard Aluminium Bronze
12. Manganese Bronze
13. Manganese Bronze
14. Phosphor Bronze
15. Phosphor Bronze
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Back.
Tough Steel.
Aluminium Bronze.
Tough Steel.
Tough Aluminium Bronze.
Tough Steel.
Tough Aluminium Bronze.
Tough Steel.
Tough Aluminium Bronze.
16. Plates made of layers of compressed paper, sheets of any of the above
mentioned metals and layers of hard tough wire or any combination of these
elements incorporated together under hydraulic or other sufficient pressure.
17. Steel hooks with loop handles to be hooked into small holes or loops in the
shield if required to facilitate the shield being moved or shifted and to enable the
entire shield to be easily lifted bodily from one spot to another.
18. The system of mounting divided movable screens on the carriages of Breech-.
loading and machine guns.
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