An Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Mounting and Working Ordnance.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
[Communicated from abroad by ROBERT STEWART LITTLEJOHN. of 137, Elizabeth
Street, Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Civil Engineer.]
An Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Mounting and Working
Ordnance.
I PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, l'atent Agent, 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 :-
This invention is specially adapted for mounting and working heavy ordnance in
fortifications. The principal difficulty attending the use of heavy guns arises from
the enormous and destructive force of the recoil. This powerful force of recoil is, in
this invention, utilized, not only to take the gun, that has just been fired, below the
parapet for the purpose of reloading, but at the same moment to bring another gun
into position to be fired. Several guns, preferably three, are mounted in a frame
or carriage that is capable of revolving vertically in bearings that are supported
on standards. The longitudinal axes of the guns are maintained approximately in
a horizontal position by an excentric that is mounted on the axis of the revolving
frame or carriage; this excentric is connected to the trunnions of the guns in such
a manner that the guns shall always occupy the same position, much in the same
way as the paddles of a feathering paddle wheel are maintained in a vertical plane,
notwithstanding the revolution of the wheel.
In the accompanying drawings :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of three guns mounted according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the side, the reverse of that shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation shewing a modified arrangement for "elevating" the
guns.
A is the usual turntable, which may be constructed in any suitable manner.
Upon the turntable A are fixed the standards B B. The standards carry stout
heavy bearings C C that support the trunnions d d' of the gun carriage D D'.
The guns E E E² are placed at equal distances apart between the cheeks D D' of
the gun carriage, which, in the drawings, is shown of triangular form, the trunnions
of the guns being supported in bearings e e¹ e at the angles of the triangular
checks D D. One of the trunnions of each gun is provided with a crank
arm F F F that is slotted to receive a sliding block ff. The sliding blocks
are connected by connecting rods G GG2 to the strap, H, of an excentric sheave J,
which is immovable, it being formed in one piece with the bearing C, (in Figs. 1
and 2). On referring to the drawings, it will be manifest that as the gun carriage
revolves on its trunnions d d', the crank arms FF1 F2, and consequently the guns,
must always maintain an approximately horizontal position, the action being
similar to that of a feathering paddle wheel. In order to elevate" the guns, the
connecting rods G G G are formed in two pieces, the adjacent ends of the two
pieces being formed as right and left handed screws, and connected together by
nuts g99
Each nut constitutes the axis of a pinion g¹ g¹g¹. A vertical shaft K,
provided with bevel gearing at the bottom, and with a long pinion k at its top end,
is carried in bearings secured to the standard B. As the gun carriage revolves,
and when each gun in succession arrives at its highest point, the pinion g¹ on the
nut will
g engage with the pinion on the shaft K. The gun is "elevated" by
turning the hand wheel k¹, the motion of which is imparted to the pinion g' through

page_text: the vertical shaft K'and the pinion k. The turning of the nut will cause a
lengthening or shortening of the connecting rod G GG, according to which gun
is being manipulated, and the consequent elevation or depression of the gun thereby
obtained. The crank arms F F F are slotted in order to enable the connecting
rods G G G² to pass over the dead centres, as the gun carriage revolves, otherwise
a dead lock would occur at those points, owing to the lengthening or shortening of
the connecting rods when "elevating" the gun.
Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, L is a circular rack or face
wheel, which is secured to the cheek D₁ of the gun carriage, and gears with a
pinion, which pinion is in communication, direct or indirect, with an oil break M.
In the drawings it is shewn indirectly connected to the oil break M by the bevel
gearing m. The object of the oil break to regulate, to some extent, the force of
the recoil. This gearing also affords a means whereby the gun carriage may be
rotated by hand, independently of the recoil of the gun.
If found necessary, a suitably constructed stop may be used to arrest the gun
carriage, and retain the gun in position for firing. This stop is not shewn in the
drawings, as its form and position may be greatly varied.
In Fig. 1, the gun carriage is shewn in such a position that the uppermost gun is
in a proper position for "clevating" and firing, whereas the two lower guns are
below the parapet, and in position for sponging and loading. In the drawings, the
guns are shewn as muzzle-loaders, but it is evident that breech-loaders may also be
used in connection with this apparatus. When the top gun is fired, the recoil will
cause the gun carriage to make a partial rotation, and bring the fired gun to the
lowered position shewn to the left of the drawing (Fig. 1), while at the same time
the loaded gun, shewn to the right of the drawing, will be raised to the top
position, ready to be "elevated and fired, and this rotary movement of the gun
carriage will take place each time a gun is fired.
Referring now to Fig. 4, a modification of the mode of " elevating" the guns is
shewn, the nearest side standard being removed. In this case, the excentric
sheave J is movable, and the connecting rods G G G² are replaced by rigid
arms N N N it is thus unnecessary to slot the crank arms F FF, as the rigid
arms do not vary in length. In order to obtain the necessary elevation or
depression of the guns, the excentric sheave J is itself partially rotated, thus
causing a corresponding movement of the crank arms, and a consequent elevation
or depression of all the guns simultaneously. An advantage is thus gained,
insomuch that the guns on arriving at the top or firing point are approximately
"elevated." This motion of the excentric sheave may be effected in a variety of
ways, but the means shewn in the drawings consists of a nut p and slow-motion
tangent screw P, which may be operated by hand or power.
Fig. 5 is a rear view of the lower end of the tangent screw P, and shews the
mode of mounting it, whereby it is capable of receiving motion in two planes at
right angles to one another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to ime from abroad, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Mounting heavy guns in a carriage having a horizontal axis, and being
capable of receiving a continuous rotary motion in a vertical plane as herein set
forth.
2. A gun carriage for carrying several heavy guns mounted on a horizontal
axis, and capable of receiving a continuous retary motion in a vertical plane, in
combination with an excentric whereby, as the gun carriage revolves, the guns
shall be maintained in a position approximately horizontal, as herein set forth.
3. A gun carriage for mounting several heavy guns, consisting of two cheeks
between which the guns are mounted at equal distances apart, and provided with
an excentric whereby the guns are maintained in a position approximately.

page_text: horizontal, and with a suitable break for taking up part of the force of the recoil of
the guns when fired, and with suitable apparatus for "elevating" the guns, and
with suitable hand or power apparatus for working the gun carriage independent of
the recoil, as herein specified.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.