Improvements in Vehicles for Guns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
Improvements in Vehicles for Guns.
I, ROBERT JOHN BILLINTON, of Leahurst, Preston Park, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide for the ready transport by railway or.
tramway and use at any point along a line of railway or tramway of guns such as
field guns, quick firing guns and the like without its being necessary to unlimber
such guns-though they may be unlimbered if desired.
For the purpose mentioned I combine with a suitable truck a turntable adapted
to receive the carriage on which the gun is ordinarily mounted and with transversely
arranged extending girders that can be drawn out and supports therefor in order to
afford the requisite support and steadiness when it is desired to fire a gun in a
direction at an angle to the longitudinal centre line of the truck.
A. shield of circular or other form in plan is or may be provided on the turntable ;
so that there will be practically a turret mounted upon the truck that can
accommodate a gun of any suitable kind which can be readily run into the turret
after which the vehicle can be run alone or as part of a train of similar or other
vehicles (which may include a vehicle or vehicles with electric search light or
lights for use with the gun or guns) to any part of the line; where the gun can
be forthwith used, the extending girders being first drawn out and their supports
screwed down on to suitable blocks or otherwise adjusted according to the particular
construction adopted and the requirements of the case.
For field guns and the like the turntable is furnished with ways to receive the wheels
of the ordinary gun carriage and with recoil cylinders or equivalent devices
connected to the turntable and adapted to be readily connected to the gun
carriage; but with some constructions of gun carriages themselves provided with
means for taking up recoil the recoil cylinders or equivalent devices above referred
to may be unnecessary.
When the gun is to be unlimbered the turntables may be provided with a stand
with trunnion blocks to support the gun and with suitable recoil appliances.
The turntables and shields armour or turrets may be made removable so as to
enable the trucks to be used separately and the trucks may be provided with
removable sides and ends which can be replaced when the turntables are removed.
As will be evident vehicles according to my invention may be constructed in
various forms, the trucks may be of the low-sided type known as machinery trucks,
or of other type; and in lieu of or in addition to the extending girders may be
furnished with holding down clamps; or any suitable construction of struts' or
anchors or other holding devices may be applied to support bold and steady the
truck when the gun is to be fired in a direction at an angle to the longitudinal centre
line of the truck.
10th day of
1001
:

page_text: 1, ROBERT JOHN BILLINTON, of Leahurst, Preston Park, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Mechanical 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 object of my invention is to provide for the ready transport by railway
or tramway and use at any point along a line of railway or tramway, of guns
such as field guns, quick firing guns, and the like without its being necessary
to unlimber such guns-though they may be unlimbered if desired.
For the purpose mentioned I combine with a suitable truck, a turntable
adapted to receive the carriage or slide on which the gun is ordinarily mounted
.and with transversely arranged extending girders that can be drawn out, and
supports therefor in order to afford the requisite additional support and steadiness
when it is desired to fire a gun or guns of heavy calibre in a direction at an
angle,to the longitudinal centre line of the truck.
A shield of circular or other form in plan is or may be provided on the
turntable, so that there will be practically a turret mounted upon the truck that'
can accommodate a gun of any suitable kind which can be readily run into or
placed in the turret after which the vehicle can be run alone, or as part of a
train of similar or other vehicles (which may include a vehicle or vehicles with
electric search light or lights for use with the gun or guns), to any part of the
line, where the gun can be forthwith used, the extending girders being first
drawn out and their supports screwed down on to suitable blocks, or otherwise
adjusted according to the particular construction adopted, the nature of the ground
and other requirements of the case.
For field guns and the like, the turntable is furnished with ways to receive
the wheels of the ordinary gun carriage, and with recoil cylinders or equivalent
devices connected to the turntable and adapted to be readily connected to the
gun carriage; but with some constructions of gun carriages themselves provided
with means for taking up recoil, the recoil cylinders or equivalent devices above
referred to may be unnecessary, or can be combined with the slide or attachments
necessary for fixing the gun on the revolving table.
When the gun is unlimbered, the turutable may be provided with a stand with
trunnion blocks to support the gun, and with suitable recoil appliances.
The turntables and shields armour or turrets, may be made removable so as to
enable the trucks to be used separately, and in the case of railway trucks to be
easily and quickly prepared for ordinary traffic or the reverse to suit requirement,
and the trucks may be provided with removable sides and ends which can be
replaced when the turntables are removed.
J
As will be evident, vehicles according to my invention may be constructed in
various forms; the trucks may be of the low-sided type known as machinery trucks,
or of other types that can be most readily obtained; and in lieu of or in addition
to the extending girders, may be furnished with holding down clamps; or any
suitable construction of struts or anchors or other holding devices may be applied
to support, hold and steady the truck, when the gun is to be fired in a direction at
an angle to the longitudinal centre line of the truck.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 shows partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, a vehicle
constructed according to my invention and suitable for the transport and use of a
field gun, such as indicated in dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan, the section being taken partly through the turret and
partly through the turntable.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a cross section partly on the line xx and partly on the line y y of
Fig. 1.
I is a four wheeled truck provided with a turntable 2 and with transversely
arranged adjustable girders 3 each provided at one end with a support 4. 5 is a
shield secured to the turntable and serving practically as a movable turret for a
gun located thereon. The truck and turntable are built of suitably arranged and
strengthened metal plates and angles as shown and are made of such mass or
weight that the displacement of the truck caused by the recoil of the gun, will
not injuriously affect the permanent way. Upon the turntable 2 are fixed ways 6
to admit of a gun carriage 7, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, being run onto it.
These ways which may be formed of channel iron as shown, are each preferably
bent so as to form inclines 6 and 6, and a stop 6 in order to keep the gun
carriage 7 in position on the turntable, and to reduce its recoil. 6d are wood
The turntable is
supports placed between the inclines 6" 6' and the turntable 2.
shown detachably connected to the truck 1 by a pivot 8 secured to the underside
of the turntable and adapted to work in a socket 9 forming part of the truck; if
desired, however, the pivot may be fixed to the truck and project into a socket in
the turntable.
The girders 3 in their normal position extend from side to side of the truck and.
are arranged in pairs in trough or box shaped supports 10 which are secured to the
underside of the truck and are covered from end to end by plates 11. Each of the
girders is capable of being drawn out laterally from one side of the vehicle, so as
in effect to increase the base of the vehicle, and provided at the outer end with
the vertically adjustable support 4 consisting, in the example shown, of a screw-
threaded post adapted to be screwed up and down in a block 12 fixed on the said
end of the girder. The upper end of the said post is provided with a hand-wheel 13
and the lower end thereof with a spiked-piece 14, which is connected by a swivel
to the post and is adapted to take firm hold of a block of wood or the ground,
when screwed down thereon, so as to afford the requisite support and steadiness
to the truck when it is required to fire the gun in a direction at an angle to the
longitudinal centre line of the truck. The two vertical supports 4 of the pairs of
girders 3 contained in each of the supports 10, are arranged on opposite sides of
the truck.
For the purpose of rotating the turntable 2 on the truck 1 from inside the shield 5,
there may be provided a vertical shaft 15 furnished with a hand-wheel 16 and a
pinion 17 which gears into a toothed ring 18 fixed to the truck 1. The turntable
may however be rotated in any other suitable way, as for example by removable
hand spikes inserted in sockets on the end plate of the turntable 2 or in the
shield 5.
The turntable may be locked in its normal position by any suitable means whilst
the vehicle is being transported from place to place. Means suitable for this
purpose are shown in sectional elevation in Fig. 4, and comprise a pin 19 adapted
to extend through a socket 20 in the turntable 2 and into a socket 21 in the
truck.
The turntable is mounted to run on a circular track 22 through the intervention
of antifriction rollers 23 which are pivoted in bearings 23" fixed to the underside of
the turntable. Any suitable means may be provided for clamping the turntable
in any position into which it may have been turned for firing. In the example
shown in Fig. 4, the circular track 22, for this purpose formed with a projecting
lip 24 against which the hooked lower end 25 of a rod 26 can be tightly pressed by
screwing up the said rod by means of a hand-wheel 27 which works through a
suitable support 28 on the turntable. This clamping arrangement may advan
tageously be arranged just under the gun and near the lower end of a recoil
cylinder 29, but it may be placed in any other suitable position. The said recoil,
cylinder is pivoted to the turntable at 30, and is adapted to be readily connected:
to the carriage 7 of the field gun.

page_text: In addition to the shield 5 for the protection of the gun and gunner, armour may
of course be arranged for the purpose of protecting the truck 1.
In using my improved vehicle when the same is at the proper position on the
line, the girders 3 are, if necessary, drawn out and blocks of suitable material such
as wood, are placed under the supports 4, which are then screwed down on to them
so as to prevent the truck from being tipped laterally to any appreciable degree
upon subsequently firing the gun at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the
vehicle. The turntable is then unlocked by lifting the pin 19 out of its sockets,
and turned about its centre until the gun points in the desired direction, & after
sighting the gun, is clamped in position for firing.
In the modified construction of vehicle shown in Fig. 5, the turntable 2 is
provided with a stand 31 furnished with a slide 32 having trunnion blocks 32* for
carrying an unlimbered gun 33. The stand 31 is connected to the slide and trunnion
blocks by suitable recoil apparatus as well understood for quick firing guns.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation and Fig. 6A a part end elevation showing a vehicle in
which two turntables 2 are combined with a single truck 1, having eight wheels.
In this case, in order further to distribute the weight on the rails, and also to
stiffen the middle portion of the truck, a thick block of wood or the like 36 may
be put across the rails and a screw or other jack 37 placed thereon and tightened up
between the block and the frame of the truck as shown. The trunnion blocks for
supporting each gun 33, form, in this case, part of the slide 32 which is arranged
to work on inclined ways 38 carried by the corresponding turntable 2. The recoil
cylinder not shown, but which is attached to the said slide and to the turntable,
may conveniently be placed between the inclined ways 38, or in any position
suitable to the class of gun used.
To prevent each gun from coming into collision with other vehicles or objects
during transport, the slide carrying it may, if necessary, be drawn as far as possible
up the inclined ways 38. The truck when intended for heavy orduance may be
mounted on bogies.
In lieu of or in addition to the extending girders 3, trucks provided with
turntables such as described may, as herein before mentioned, be furnished with
holding down clamps; or any suitable construction of struts or anchors, or other
holding devices may be applied to support hold and steady the truck when the gun
is to be fired in a direction at an angle to the longitudinal centre line of the truck.
Thus in Fig. 6, the vehicle is shown provided with holding down devices, each
comprising a pair of tongs 39 jointed to a frame or support 40 which is connected
by a right and left handed screw 41 to a similar frame 42 suspended from the
vehicle, the arrangement being such that by causing the jaws of each pair of tongs
to tightly grasp one of the carrying rails 43, by slipping a ring or link 44 down
over them, and turning the corresponding screw 41 in the proper direction, the
vehicle will be held down tightly on the said rail.
To increase the weight of vehicles for the purpose of making them suitable for
larger and heavier guns, an additional weight or weights may obviously be placed
on any suitable part or parts of the truck or turntable, or of both of them; or the
weight or weights may be arranged so that it or they can be moved along a bar or
bars from one side of the vehicle to the other so as to correspond to the side of the
vehicle from which the gun is to be discharged, and thus avoid the necessity of
turning the vehicle. These weights can also be forged, cast, or clamped on one or
more of the axles of the truck as shown at 45 in Figs. 6, 6 where they are shown
as cylinders cast ou the axles, and at 45" where the weight is shown as a rectangular
mass secured to the underside of the truck.
When guns of very large calibre are required to be used such, as it would be
inadvisable, on account of the recoil, to fire from a single vehicle, I employ two
vehicles placed side by side on a double line of rails, and I mount on each of them
a large gun as shown in the diagrammatic plan view Fig. 7, and end view Fig. 7.
In this case, preparatory to firing, the two vehicles are firmly connected together.

page_text: This may conveniently be done by drawing out the girders 3 at the adjacent sides
of the vehicles, clamping or bolting these girders firmly together and bolting them
to strong flap plates 46 hinged to the sides of the vehicles. In this way a very
stiff connection can be easily and quickly made between the vehicles. The hinged
hanging plates 46 at the outer sides of the vehicles, if made sufficiently thick, will
serve as armour to protect the sides of the vehicles.
By thus using two trucks, the base for firing from, and the mass for reducing
the extent of recoil, are considerably increased. If the guns are placed towards
the opposite ends of the combined vehicles as shown, and not both in the middle
thereof, the two guns can be fired in the same direction either alternately or
simultaneously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For the transportation by a railway or tramway and for ready use at any
point along a line of railway or tramway of a gun or guns such as field guns,
quick-firing guns and the like, a vehicle comprising a truck mounted on wheels and
provided with a turntable furnished with ways or supports adapted to receive the
carriage or slide on which the gun is ordinarily mounted and with transversely
arranged extending girders that can be drawn out laterally from the truck and
supported at their outer ends, the arrangement being such as to afford the requisite
support and steadiness when it is desired to fire a gun, carried by the vehicle, in a
direction at an angle to the longitudinal centre line of the truck substantially as
herein described.
2. The modified construction of the vehicle referred to in the preceding claim in
which the truck with turntable and ways or supports for a gun, is, in lieu of or in
addition to the extending girders, furnished with holding down clamps or devices
adapted to hold and steady the truck when a gun thereon is to be fired in a direction
at an angle to the longitudinal centre line of the truck substantially as herein
described.
3. Providing a railway or tramway vehicle adapted to receive and hold a gun
and transport the same along a railway or tramway so that it can be readily used
at any point in the length of such railway or tramway with transversely arranged
girders capable of being drawn out laterally and of being supported at the outer
ends or with holding down clamps or devices adapted to hold and steady the truck
when the gun thereon is to be fired, or with both of said devices, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described.
4. For transporting guns along a railway or tramway and enabling them to be
fired at any point along such railway or tramway, vehicles constructed and arranged
substantially as herein before described with reference respectively to and shown in
Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive; in Fig. 5; in Fig. 6 and 6^; and in Figs. 7 and 7 of the
drawings annexed.
W. Lloyd Wise,
R. J. BILLINTON.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.