Improvements in Recoil Apparatus for Ordnance.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Recoil Apparatus for Ordnance.
I, ANTON VON KERPELY, of I Krugerstrasse, Vienna, Austria, Manager of
Smelting-works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to recoil apparatus for ordnance. For this purpose the
gun tube or barrel, which is movable with relation to its carriage or mounting,
transmits the recoil force to bolts which are adapted to move in helical guide
grooves of a pitch gradually decreasing toward the rear of the gun, and serve to
transmit the pressure exerted upon them by the rearward movement of the gun
barrel, to the carriage, the arrangement and construction of the grooves being such
that the said pressure is constant and is smaller than the resistance opposed by the
entire gun to the rearward movement of the same. My recoil-checking apparatus
is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gun provided with my recoil checking apparatus
the latter being shown in longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the same.
As shown, the gun barrel or tube A, or of a cylinder fixed thereto, is provided
with a number of grooves a, which are distributed uniformly on the exterior of
the tube or cylinder, and the pitch of which gradually diminishes towards the rear
end thereof. Bolts a¹, a³, a³, a of cylindrical cross-section are rigidly fixed to the
casing or sleeve C and project into the said grooves, the number of the bolts being
equal to that of the grooves. The sleeve or casing C is mounted in a rotatable
manner on a cylinder O which is provided with two trunnions o that rest in the
bearings of the carriage B. The barrel A, or the cylinder fixed thereon, is
provided with a longitudinal key or feather which is interrupted by the
grooves a, and the cylinder O is provided with a corresponding longitudinal
groove.
On pressure being exerted upon the barrel A in the direction of the arrow, the
barrel will be moved rearwardly in the cylinder O. By reason of the helical
grooves a in which the bolts a' a² a³ a, are compelled to move during the rearward
movement of the barrel, there is a tendency to rotate the barrel which however is
prevented from executing this rotary movement by means of the key that moves
in the groove. Consequently, instead of the barrel rotating, the sleeve or casing C,
that contains the bolts, rotates to the extent caused by the pitch of the grooves.
As the barrel A is moved rearwardly in consequence of the force acting upon it,
a part of this force will, through the medium of the grooves, exert a pressure upon
the bolts, which pressure is transmitted to the sleeve or casing C and through the
latter to the cylinder O, and finally to the carriage B. If the force acting upon
the barrel is a constant one, the pressure transmitted to the bolts during the recoil
movement of the barrel will be an increasing force in consequence of the decreasing
pitch of the grooves. But if the barrel A be jerked backwards in the cylinder O
in consequence of a momentary generation of power, as is the case in firing, then
with a proper construction of the grooves a, that is to say, with a properly
arranged decrease of the pitch, the result will be that, during the whole of the
rearward movement, the pressure exerted upon the bolts a', a a³ a, and therefore
also exerted indirectly upon the carriage B, will be approximately constant,
exactly as is the case in hydraulic brakes with decreasing outlet apertures. If the
possible rearward movement of the barrel is of a suitably large amount, which can
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page_text: be readily effected in the arrangement described, without exceeding the allowable
weight, then the pressure exerted upon the bolts may be arranged so as not to
exceed the resistance opposed by the entire gun to its being moved along the
ground in the field, that is to say, the gun itself will not have any rearward or
recoil movement. It will be seen that in the construction herein described, the
distance through or during which the bolts are placed under strain is, by reason of
the sliding of the same in the helical grooves, rendered proportionately longer than
the amount of the rearward movement of the gun barrel proper, which is of
considerable advantage for the distribution of the action or effect of the entire
recoil. The pressure exerted through the bolts or through the sleeve or casing C
upon the cylinder O, need not be transmitted directly to the carriage, but if
desired, may be effected indirectly, such for instance, as by means of the
interposition of springs or other brakes or buffers.
The running-out again of the barrel into firing position may be effected by hand
or by means of any suitable mechanism.
Dated this 8th day of June 1895.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Recoil Apparatus for Ordnance.
I, ANTON VON KERPELY, of I Krugerstrasse, Vienna, Austria, Manager of
Smelting Works, 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 relates to improvements in recoil apparatus for ordnance.
According thereto the gun tube or barrel, which is movable with relation to its
carriage or mounting, transmits the force of recoil to pins or bolts which are
adapted to move in helical guide grooves of a pitch gradually decreasing towards
the rear of the gun, and serve to transmit the pressure exerted upon them by the
rearward movement of the gun barrel, to the carriage, the arrangement and
construction of the grooves being such that the said pressure is constant and is
smaller than the resistance offered by, the entire gun to rearward movement
thereof.
My recoil-checking apparatus is illustrated in the drawings, filed with my
Provisional Specification. Referring to these drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gun provided with the recoil checking apparatus
which is shown in longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.
As shown, the gun barrel A, or a cylinder fixed thereto, is provided with a
number of grooves a, which are distributed uniformly on the exterior of the barrel
or cylinder, and the pitch of which gradually diminishes towards the rear end
thereof. Pins a, a, a³, a' of circular cross-section are rigidly fixed to the sleeve C
in which the gun is mounted and project into the said grooves, the number of pins
being equal to that of the grooves. The sleeve C is mounted in a rotatable
manner on a cylinder O which is provided with two trunnions o that rest in the
bearings of the carriage B. The barrel A, or the cylinder O fixed thereon, is
provided with a longitudinal key or feather a which is interrupted by the
grooves a, and the cylinder O is provided with a corresponding longitudinal
groove.
On pressure being exerted upon the barrel A in the direction of the arrow, the
barrel will be moved rearwardly in the cylinder O. By reason of the helical

page_text: grooves a in which the pins a¹, a², a³, a', are compelled to move during the
rearward movement of the barrel, there is a tendency to rotate the barrel which
however is prevented from executing this rotary movement by means of the key
which then moves in the longitudinal groove in the cylinder O. Consequently,
instead of the barrel rotating, the sleeve C, carrying the pins, will be caused to
rotate to an extent determined by the pitch of the grooves a.
As the barrel A is moved rearwardly in consequence of. the force acting upon it,
a part of this fore will, through the medium of the grooves, exert a pressure upon
the pins, which pressure is transmitted to the sleeve C and through the latter to
the cylinder O, and finally to the carriage B. If the force acting upon the barrel
is a constant one, the pressure transmitted to the pins during the recoil movement of
the barrel will be an increasing force in consequence of the decreasing pitch of the
grooves. But if the barrel A be jerked backwards in the cylinder O in
consequence of a momentary generation of power, as is the case in firing, then
with a proper construction of the grooves a, that is to say, with a suitable decrease
of the pitch, the result will be that, during the whole of the rearward movement,
the pressure exerted upon the pins a' a² a³ a, and therefore also that exerted
indirectly upon the carriage B, will be approximately constant, exactly as is the
case in hydraulic brakes with decreasing outlet apertures. If the possible rear-
ward movement of the barrel is of a suitably large amount, which can be readily
provided for in the arrangement described without exceeding the allowable weight,
then the pressure exerted upon the pins may be so arranged as not to exceed the
resistance opposed by the entire gun to its being moved along the ground in the
field, that is to say, the gun itself will not have any rearward or recoil movement.
It will be seen that in the construction herein described, the relative distance
through which the pins travel whilst under strain is, by reason of the sliding of
the same in the helical grooves, rendered proportionately greater than the distance
through which the gun barrel proper moves rearwardly; this is a feature of
considerable advantage for the proper distribution of the action or effect of the
entire recoil. The pressure exerted through the pins, or through the sleeve C
upon the cylinder O, need not be transmitted directly to the carriage, but may, if
desired, be transmitted indirectly thereto, as for instance, through interposed
springs or other brakes or buffers."
The running-out again of the barrel into firing position, may be effected by
hand, or by means of any suitable mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what.
I claim is :-
1. Recoil-apparatus for ordnance wherein a cylinder that is constituted either by
the gun barrel or by a cylinder connected thereto so as to directly take up the
recoil, is provided with helical grooves of diminishing pitch, and is arranged to
slide endways but not to rotate in an outer or guiding cylinder that is connected
to the gun carriage and carries a rotatable sleeve provided with pins or bolts that.
engage in the aforesaid helical grooves, the arrangement being such that during
the rearward rectilinear movement of the gun barrel or its cylinder, there, will be
exerted upon the pins or bolts a pressure which will be transmitted by the outer or
guiding cylinder to the gun carriage, and which in consequence of the decreasing.
pitch of the grooves and the extent of rearward movement, of the gun barrel or
cylinder will remain practically constant and smaller than the resistance offered by
the entire gun to the force of the recoil, substantially as described.
2. My improved recoil apparatus for ordnance as described and shown.
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CM1 1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Loudou, W.C., Agent for the Applicant..