Year: 1887

page_text: I CHARLES FREDERICK HENGST of 20 Burwash Road, Plumstead in the County of
Kent, Engineer do, hereby declare the naturo of this invention to be as follows :-
.
My Invention has reference to a novel construction of repeating ordnance, by which
constant and rapid firing may be maintained without the use of a magazine, or
receptacle for charged cartridges, and the consequent danger attending the employment
of the same is avoided.
In carrying out the construction of the novel device or contrivance according to
my Invention, I form a barrel of elliptical section, with an elliptical bore, said barrel
tapering from the breech towards the muzzle, so as to provide a greater thickness of
metal at the breech, according to the requirements of such ordnance. The breech is
formed of square section and the elliptical barrel before referred to is cast, welded up,
or forged in one piece with said breech. The trunnions are formed upon the barrel
in front of the breech, and the latter is cylindrically bored from face to face at right
angles to the bore of the barrel in a horizontal direction, to receive a cylindrical
breech block, which is mounted upon two spindles formed upon it, and taking into
two plates which form the bearings for said breech block to revolve upon. The plates
aforesaid are carefully fitted to the sides of the breech, and attached thereto by screws
or equivalent method. An elliptical funnel shaped hole is formed in the centre of the
breech, in a vertical direction, being tapered at the upper and lower surface of said
breech to form a double funnel or X section. An elliptical orifice is formed in the
cylindrical breech block, which is perfectly parallel and coincides with the bore of
the muzzle with each half turn; and, at each alternate half turn, coinciding with the
vertical double funnel shaped orifice in the breech before referred to. A toothed
wheel is keyed or otherwise attached to one of the ends of the spindle of the breech
block, which projects through the bearing plates above mentioned, and into said

page_text: .
toothed wheel is geared a pinion, upon the spindle of which is a hand fly-wheel or
fly-wheel and handle, for the purpose of revolving the cylindrical breech-block. Upon
the opposite spindle, outside the other bearing plate, is fitted a double cam, hereinafter
referred to as the firing cam, the projecting portions of which are opposite to each
other, and capable of giving motion to a lever, and of suddenly pressing same, twicò
during each revolution of the breech block.
A horizontal hole is bored through the after part of the square breech, and a suitable.
screw thread formed therein, for the reception of a nipple or plug, which is similarly
screwed and fitted to said hole, parallel with, and opposite to the bore of the barrel.
Within said nipple or plug is fitted a needle which passes through the nipple or plug,
and is provided with a suitable head, abutting against the striking or pushing lever
which is in contact with the firing cam before mentioned. A recess in the nipple or
plug contains a spiral spring, which, pressing against the bottom of the recess and a
collar formed upon the needle, keeps the latter outward away from the revolving
cylindrical breech block, and also maintains the striking or pushing lever in contact
with the firing cam. The cam and lever are so arranged that the needle is pressed
inwards each time that the revolving cylindrical breech block brings the elliptical
orifice formed through it parallel with, and opposite to the bore of the barrel, which
occurs twice during each revolution.
The piece of ordnance made up or formed as above described, is mounted by the
trunnions upon a sliding carriage, .and the requisite elevation or depression of the
muzzle may be carried out by means of a toothed quadrant or sector, hinged to
the breech of the gun, said quadrant or sector gearing with a pinion and handwheel
pivotted or suspended to the sliding carriage.
The carriage is fitted upon a slide bed, to which is attached the buffer cylinder and
valves. The buffer piston is attached by means of a suitable rod or rods to the sliding
carriage; and is so arranged that the recoil of the gun.at the moment of firing, is
checked by compression in the buffer cylinder before mentioned; whereupon the gun
returns to the firing position by gravity; the return action of the piston being so
controlled by automatic valves that the air or fluid which is to be compressed, is drawn
into the buffer cylinder, ready for compression during the next recoil. The slide bed
upon which the sliding carriage rests and slides, is centrally pivotted to the main
carriage, which is fitted with wheels for purposes of transport.
The method by which the novel gun, according to my Invention is operated, is as
follows, that is to say:
A cartridge of elliptical section, properly charged with explosive material and
detonator, and filled with a number of bullets, is formed to fit the elliptical orifice in
the cylindrical breech block, a flange upon said cartridge fitting a corresponding
recess formed upon both edges of the elliptical orifice in the breech block before
mentioned. In working the gun, one operator is stationed at the side of the gun to
feed the cartridges into the funnel shaped orifice formed at the top of the breech,
each cartridge dropping into the elliptical orifice in the breech block which is revolved
by another operator stationed at the handle coupled to the flywheel and gearing before
referred to. The cartridge drops in flush, the flango fitting the recess above mentioned,
and the rotation of the cylindrical breech block brings the detonator opposite the
needle, which latter is pressed back by the spring before mentioned, and kept from
contact with the flange of the cartridge until the latter is parallel with the bore of the
gun. The firing cam now, through the lever hereinbefore mentioned, presses in the
needle against the-tension of the spring and fires the cartridge, the bullets contained
being scattered laterally by reason of the elliptical bore-The continued rotation of
the cylinder brings the empty cartridge case flange downwards, opposite the lower
part of the elliptical double funnel shaped orifice in the breech, when the introduction
of the fresh cartridge from above, displaces the empty case, which falls out through
said lower orifice. Thus, at each half turn, loading and automatic firing may be
repeated, the recoil of the gun being absorbed each time by the buffer before mentioned.
All possibility of accident resulting from the premature firing of a cartridge is avoided
by means of the spiral spring herein before referred to, which keeps the needle from

page_text: approaching the detonator until the cartridge is properly enclosed, and is opposite to
and concentric with, the bore of the gun, when the action of the cam is such as to
produce a sudden pressure in the needle which discharges the cartridge by impinging
upon the detonator.
The operators may, if desired stand upon a platform fitted to each side of the upper
or sliding carriage, in which case said operators would not be subject to the risk of
injury through the rapid recoil of the gun.
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, CHARLES FREDERICK HENGST of 20 Burwash Road, Plumstead in the County of
Kent, 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:—
My invention has reference to a novel construction of quick firing ordnance whereby
constant and rapid firing may be maintained without the use of a magazine or
receptacle for containing charged cartridges, at the same time the danger attending
the employment of magazines is avoided.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are respectively left and
right handed elevational views of the improved gun according to my invention;
Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the breech; Figure 4 is a plan of the breech
showing the charging aperture; Figure 5 is a view showing the method of mounting
the gun upon its carriage; Figure 6 is a plan of a device for training the gun, and
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a nipple or plug with firing needle.
In carrying out my invention I form a barrel A of elliptical section tapering from
the breech B towards the muzzle, so as to secure a greater thickness of metal at the
breech according to the requirements of such ordnance, and having an elliptical
bore a.
The breech B is preferably square in section, and is cast, welded up or
forged in one piece with the barrel A of the gun. The trunnions are formed
upon the barrel A in front of the breech B, and the latter is cylindrically bored
from face to face at right angles to the bore of the barrel in a horizontal direction
to receive a cylindrical breech block-shown by the dotted lines at C-which is
mounted upon two plates D and D¹ Figures 1 and 2, said two plates being recessed
upon the inner faces thereof to serve as bearings for the breech block C, which latter
is provided with short spindles c, c¹ for the purposes to be hereinafter more particularly
described. The plates D, D' aforesaid are carefully fitted to the sides of the breech B
to which they are attached by screws or equivalent means. An elliptical funnel-
shaped aperture E is formed vertically in the centre of the breech B and tapered or
bevelled at the upper and lower surfaces thereof so as to form a double funnel section,
as shown by the dotted lines at-d, d'; Figures 1 and 2. An elliptical aperture is
formed in the cylindrical breech-block which becomes perfectly parallel and
coincident with the bore of the gun A at each semi-revolution of said breech-block C,
and at each alternate semi-revolution, coincides with the vertical funnel shaped
apertures d d above mentioned in the breech B. To the spindle c of the breech
block is keyed or otherwise attached a mitre wheel e with which gears a second
mitre wheel secured to a spindle carrying a handle F, or fly-wheel and handle,
for the purpose of revolving the breech block C. Upon the spindle c¹ is fitted a
double cam O hereinafter referred to as the firing cam, the projecting portions of
which are opposite to each other, and in rotating, said double cam gives motion to

page_text: a slotted bolt or slider G, which latter sliding in suitable brackets or guides actuates
the striking lever H pivoted upon the end of the breech B at g. A hole is bored
horizontally through the after part of the breech B having a suitable screw thread
formed therein for the reception of a recessed or chambered nipple or plug I
(shown more particularly in Figure 7) which, being provided with preferably a
hexagonal head is screwed in said hole parallel with and opposite to the bore a of
the barrel A. The centre of said nipple or plug I is bored to receive a needle i which
passes therethrough, and is tapered towards its inner end as shown at i¹. A collar ¿¹¹
is loosely fitted to the needle i allowing to the latter a limited movement within said
collar. Within the recess or chamber of the nipple or plug I is inserted a powerful
spring J pressing against the collar, and against the tension of which spring the
needle is either raised from or pressed against the cartridge by the lover H on the
rotation of the firing cam O above referred to. A fine spring surrounds the head of
the needle outside the nipple or plug I, and is of sufficient strength to hold the
needle away from the cartridge without affecting the tensile strength of the
spring J.
The firing cam O and lever H are so arranged that the needle presses or strikes
inwards each time that the revolving breech block C brings the elliptical aperture
formed therein opposite to, and parallel with the bore of the barrel, which action is
effected twice in each revolution of said breech block C.
The piece of ordnance made up or formed as above described is mounted by the
trunnions & upon a sliding carriage in the manner shown in Figure 5, the requisite
elevation and depression of the muzzle being effected by means of a toothed quadrant
or sector fitted to or near the breech B of the gun, said quadrant or sector
gearing with a pinion and handwheel pivoted or otherwise fitted to the sliding
carriage.
A quadrant or sector K Figure 6 is provided to allow of the training of the
gun, and has a portion of a screw thread or worm formed upon the outer periphery
thereof, into which takes and works a screw L, the spindle of which is suspended
or otherwise fitted to the sliding carriage aforesaid, a suitable flywheel (shown in
dotted lines) and handle / or equivalent being keyed or screwed on to said spindle k
for the purpose of imparting motion thereto."
The mode of operating my improved gun is as follows, that is to say :-
A cartridge of elliptical section is charged with detonator, explosive material and a
number of bullets or equivalent, and is formed to pass freely through the aperture L
and fit the elliptical aperture in the cylindrical breech block C, a flange upon said
cartridge taking into and fitting a corresponding recess formed upon the two edges of
the elliptical aperture of the breech block (aforesaid. In working the gun, one
operator would occupy a position at the side of the gun to feed the cartridges by
means of a hinged shoot provided for the purpose, into the aperture E each cartridgo
dropping into the elliptical aperture in the breech block C, which latter would be
revolved by a second operator stationed at the handle F above referred to; in turning
which, and with a view to check a too constant or rapid motion, a check plate M is
provided, having four notches or recesses m formed equidistant thereon, into which
notches or recesses takes a pin N secured to the under side of the handle F; said
handle F, which is hinged near the spindle end, being pressed against the check
plate M by the flat spring n. The cartridge having been inserted in the aperture E,
falls by its own gravity into the elliptical aperture of the breech block C, the flango
of said cartridge fitting into the recess formed for its reception. The breech block
being now revolved, the detonator is brought opposite the needle i, which latter is
kept from contact with the cartridge by means of the spring j until it arrives at a
position exactly parallel with the bore of the gun. At this moment the end of the
lever H actuated by the cam O and slotted bolt or slider G suddenly presses or strikes
the, head of the pin i against the tension of the spiral spring Jexploding the cartridge,
the bullets contained therein being discharged and scattered laterally by virtue of the
elliptical formation of the bore of the gun. Continuing the rotation of the breech
block, the now empty cartridge case is brought flange downwards to a position

page_text: opposite the discharging aperture in the underside of the breech through which it may
be displaced and forced out by the introduction of a fresh cartridge into the aperture E,
or the empty cartridge case may be extracted by means of a suitable device provided
for the purpose. Thus, loading and automatic firing is effected at each alternative
quarter of a revolution of the breech block C, and premature firing of the cartridge
is avoided until brought to a position exactly parallel with the bore of the gun.
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
First In the production of quick firing guns the elliptical formation of the bore
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Second In the improved quick firing gun having an elliptical bore referred to in
the preceding claim the formation therewith of a breech square in section and bored
horizontally to receive a cylindrical breech block substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and set forth.
Third-In the improved gun lierein described and referred to in the preceding
claims the employment therewith of a cylindrical breech block revolving in a. hori-
zontal plane at right angles to the bore of the gun substantially as herein described.
Fourth-The mode of and means employed for rotating the cylindrical breech
block substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fifth In an improved quick firing gun the adaptation thereto of a compound
cam F which actuates twice in each revolution thereof a slotted bolt or slider G
substantially as herein described and shown.
"
Sixth In combination with the cam F and bolt or slider G the employment of a
striking lever H substantially as herein described and set forth.
Seventh-In an improved quick firing gun the employment of a plug or nipple I
needle and spring J in combination with a cam F bolt or slider G and lever H
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Eighth The improved quick firing gun substantially as heṛein described and
shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of June 1888.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant,