Improvements in Electric Firing Gear for Guns.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 1st June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Firing Gear for Guns.
I, ANDREW NOBLE, late Captain in the Royal Artillery, of Jesmonddene House,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Manufacturing Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in electric firing gear for guns.
In such firing gear it is usual to provide an insulated needle in the breech block
which being pressed forward by a spring establishes electrical contact with the primer
in the base of the cartridge. Now I so arrange that this insulated needle is con-
trolled by the lever which locks the breech block in its place. When the breech
block is in place and locked the needle is able to advance; but when the breech
block is unlocked the needle is drawn back out of contact with the primer.
By the same movement also the needle itself is disconnected from the firing key.
The locking lever carries a cam surface and when the lever is turned in locking
and unlocking the breech block the cam acts against a forked lever which embraces
the outer and of the insulated needle. On the outer end of the needle there is also
a projection which makes contact with an insulated button carried upon the breech
block.
When the needle is drawn back the projection upon it passes away from the button.
The button is carried in a bracket and is supported by a spring which presses it
forwards at right angles to the needle.
I also so arrange that the firing current passes to the needle through a pair of
insulated contact buttons the one on the gun and the other on the saddle or part in
which the gun recoils so that the firing circuit can only be completed when the gun
is forward in the firing position.
The insulated contact buttons and the electric cable which connects them in circuit
are carried by metal brackets attached where required to the gun and to the breech
block. Holes are bored in the gun and in the breech block and these receive stems

page_text: formed on the brackets. Springs are provided upon the stems and these engage with
recesses formed within the holes so that when the stems are thrust into the holes
the brackets become securely fixed but nevertheless they can be readily detached by
a strong pull.
Improvements in Electric Firing Gear for Guns.
I, ANDREW NOBLE, late Captain in the Royal Artillery, of Jesmonddene House,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Manufacturing 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in electric firing gear for guns.
In such firing gear it is usual to provide an insulated needle in the breech block
which being pressed forward by a spring establishes electrical contact with the
primer in the base of the cartridge. Now I so arrange that this insulated needle is
controlled by the mechanism which locks the breech block in its place. When the
breech block is in place and locked the needle is in contact with the primer ; but
when the breech block is unlocked the contact between the needle and the primer is
broken.
By the same movement also the needle itself is disconnected from the firing key.
In the arrangement I now describe the locking lever carries a cam surface and
when the lever is turned in locking and unlocking the breech block the cam acts
against a forked lever which embraces the outer end of the insulated needle. On
the outer end of the needle there is also a projection which makes contact with an
insulated button carried upon the breech block.
When the needle is drawn back the projection upon it passes away from the button.
The button is carried in a bracket and is supported by a spring which presses it
forwards at right angles to the needle.
I also so arrange that the firing current passes to the needle through a pair of
insulated contact surfaces the one on the gun and the other on the saddle or part in
which the gun recoils so that the firing circuit can only be completed when the gun
is forward in the firing position.
The insulated contact surfaces and the electric cable which connects them in
circuit are carried by metal brackets attached where, required to the gun and to the

page_text: generally the arrangements have pr
i
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a gun provided with electric firing gear in general
accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal and vertical section taken at the breech end of the said
gun-this figure shows the breech closed and locked.
Figure 3 is a similar sectional view showing the breech still closed but unlocked.
Figure is a horizontal section the full lines showing the breech closed and locked.
The dotted lines show in plan the position occupied by the breech block when open.
A is the breech end of the gun. B is the breech block engaging with the same
by means of screw threads, and these screw threads are divided into sections, as
appears in Figure 4. C is a lever handle jointed to the breech block and used for
turning it. When it is employed for this purpose it occupies the position indicated
in Figure 3 at right angles to the axis of the gun. When the breech is locked the
lever occupies the position shown in Figure 2, and the arc C¹ upon it then enters
a corresponding notch made to receive it in the rear part of the gun. D is the
insulated needle. In Figure 2 it is shown bearing against the base of the electric
primer E and in a position to convey to it the firing current. D is a spring which
presses the needle forward; it bears on a brass collar carried by a vulcanite tube which
surrounds the needle. The rear part of the needle is also encased with vulcanite so
that the needle is effectually insulated. F is a lever forked at its end and embracing
a collar surrounding the insulation on the rear part of the needle. This lever can
turn about a pivot at F¹ provided for it upon the breech block, and the lever has a
second arm F and this rests against the arc Con the hand lever. This arc is
eccentric, and when the hand lever is turned to the position shown in Figure 3, it
moves the lever F so as to draw back the firing needle out of contact with the electric
primer. The firing needle D receives the firing current by means of an arm D'
provided upon it, and this arm, when the breech is closed and locked, abuts upon a
button G, as is seen in Figure 4; but, when the breech is unlocked, then the arm D'
is drawn back out of contact with the button G, and no current can be conveyed to
the needle. The button G is contained in a bracket or box H but it is insulated by a
bush of vulcanite, as the drawing indicates. A coiled spring I presses the button
forward. K is a cable containing the insulated conductor passing from the button G
to the firing key and to the battery. The cable passes freely through the thimble H¹
which closes the box H in rear. The box or bracket H is provided with a stem H*
and into one side of this stem a steel spring H is inserted. The breech block is
bored to receive the stem H' and spring H³ and the hole at its inner end is enlarged,
so that when the stem H' is thrust into it the nose of the spring H engages with
the enlarged inner end of the hole as soon as it reaches it. So the box is securely
attached to the breech block but nevertheless in such a way as admits of its being
instantaneously removed by a strong pull whenever the occasion may arise.
The cable K passes through guides L L, the one on the breech block and the
other upon the gun, and so it is brought to a press button M, which is similar in all
essential respects to the press button G. The press button M bears against and
makes contact with a similar press button N, and this is fixed upon the saddle or
part along which the gun moves when it recoils. Thus, it will be seen, that no
electric current can pass from the firing key to the electric primer unless the gun
be fully run out, for otherwise there is no electric contact between the buttons M

page_text: and N. Nor can any current pass to the electric primer unless the breech be closed
and locked for otherwise there is no contact between the button G and the arm D'
of the insulated needle; besides which, the insulated needle will not be in contact
with the electric primer E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner I prefer to have the same performed I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. In electric firing gear for guns so arranging the locking mechanism that in
unlocking the breech it operates to break the contact between the insulated needle
and the electric primer and to allow it only to make contact when the breech is closed
and locked.
2. In electric firing gear for guns so arranging the locking mechanism that in
unlocking the breech it breaks the contact between the insulated firing needle and
the contact piece by which the firing current is transmitted to the needle and only
allows it to make contact with this contact piece when the breech is closed and
locked.
3. In electric firing gear for guns so arranging the firing circuit that the current
has to pass from a contact piece on the saddle or part along which the gun recoils
to another contact piece carried upon the gun or upon some part moving with it, in
such manner that the firing circuit can only be completed when the gun is fully
forward in the firing position.
4. Electric firing gear for guns substantially as herein described and illustrated by
the annexed drawings.