IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GUN-CARRIAGES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I CHARLES TIMOTHÉE MAXIMILIEN VALÉRAND DE BANGE, of Paris in the
Republic of France Engineer do bereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GUN-CARRIAGES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to an improved gun-carriage which is mounted on a
pivotted platform and provided with a hydraulic brake, and to apparatus connected
therewith.
By reason of the progress made in the construction of artillery, light guns can
now be used for throwing very heavy projectiles to which a considerable initial
velocity is imparted. But in the endeavour to provide a cheap construction which,
its weight being reduced to a minimum, may be inanaged with facility, great
difficulties are met with as regards the fixing of carriages, in consequence of the
dimensions, the weights, the recoil, the feeble resistance of the ground and other
circumstances. It is from these circumstances that in the case of large guns thore
har been up to the present, a limit, despite the employment of platforms, to the
angle at which the guns could be fired, and consequently part of the power of the
gun has not been utilized.
The new gun-carriage which forms the subject of this invention obviates this
disadvantage by means of the improvements hereinafter described.
According to the said invention the gun carriage is formed on a sharp curve and
comprises two parallel sides each formed of two iron-plates placed edgewise and
united at the tops by angle-irons with cover-plates, and at their bottoms with
curved plates which belong to both sides and extend over the whole length and
width of the gun-carriage; the sides are united at half their height by an interior
curved iron-plate occupying the whole space between the sides and fixed by
angle-irons.
The gun-carriage is at its fore-part mounted on two sets of four wheels or rollers
arranged underneath the said sides and which carry. directly the plates supporting
the trunnions of the gun. These two trunnion-plates, each of which consists of
wrought-iron forged in one piece, are rivetted between the side plates and pass at
their bottom portions through the said curved plate which is strengthened around
the opening thus created, by a strengthening plate.

page_text: The trunnion-plates are provided at their lower portions with two circular
T-shaped grooves in cross-section which serve for the attachment of bent swivel
brackets whose extremities carry the axles of the supporting wheels which run on
the upper surface of the platform, where they are guided by U-shaped rails. The
fastening of the axles of the wheels with the brackets is effected by means of
swivels which permit them to make small transverse movements with respect to
the plane of these brackets.
The said two swivel brackets placed under each of the sides of the carriage are
united by a strong pin or shaft around which they can freely revolve, and which is
firmly fastened to the trail of the carriage by means of a strong plate fixed to the
said curved plate.
The back part or trail of the gun-carriage is provided with rollers arranged
between the two side plates. These rollers are mounted loosely on an eccentric
which is keyed to an axle secured in two side plates. The said axle carries in the
middle a tappet or arm which strikes against the centre of a counter-plate, behind
which three sets of springs act. The tension of the said springs can be altered by
means of an adjusting screw.
In this manner the springs acting on the said arm cause the axle to revolve a
certain distance thereby lowering the axis of the rollers, and consequently, if tho
tension of the spring be sufficient, a lifting of the carriage-trail takes place which
then does not press upon the upper surface of the platform except through the
medium of the rollers.
At the moment of firing, the reactive pressure exerted upon the carriage, and
consequently upon the said roller, causes the springs to give way and the lower
extremity of the trail then pushes directly upon the platforin during the recoil.
As soon as the recoil is at an end, the springs lower the roller again and the
replacement of the battery becomes easy and can be made automatic by placing the
platform at a suitable inclination. This is an important advantage facilitating and
accelerating the firing of the piece.
The platform on which the carriage with curved sides is mounted is composed of
two sides cach consisting of two iron-plates and two cover-plates connected by
means of angle-irons. The two sides are united at their ends by two strong
cross-pieces, and at intervals between these, by smaller cross-pieces.
This platform carries at its fore-part the hydraulic brake whose pistons are held
steadily in place by rods fastened to the aforesaid cross-pieces and whose two
movable cylinders, combined together in front and at the back, are guided in their
backward movement by a guide-bar placed at the centre of the platform and
fastened to the intermediate cross-pieces, and in their forward movement by bars
sliding on the edges of the upper cover-plate of the platform and on the edge of
the angle iron by which the same is fastened.
To a cross-piece connecting the two cylinders of the brake at their front part is
swivelled one end of a strong connecting rod arranged obliquely, whose head at the
opposite end is, in the same manner, united with the aforesaid shaft connecting the
two brackets.
This mode of connecting the carriage with the platform by the medium of the 4
hydraulic brake utilizes a certain portion of the resistance offered by the brake to
prevent the carriage being lifted at the moment of firing, and to obviate in this
manner violent shocks.
The carriage is normally held in position by chains one end of each of which is
fixed to the trail of the carriage and the other to the back part of the platform 5
through the medium of springs. The shape given to the upper cover-plate of the
platform has the tendency to constantly bring the rollers belonging to the trail back
to the desired position so that the gun occupies the proper place on the platform.
I thus avoid the lifting of the trail which is caused to take place when a gun, in
returning to its position for shooting, recoils with a certain velocity against the 5
buffers generally placed at the front part of the platform to arrest the same. 1

page_text: The said chains are, moreover arranged so as to arrest the carriage in its recoiling
motion in case the brake does not operate. Buffers fixed to the back-ends of the
platform sides, serve also for stopping in the recoil of the carriage.
The pivot of the platform is placed exactly underneath the centre of gravity of
the whole apparatus including the gun, the carriage in its position for firing, and the
platform. Under these circumstances the rollers generally placed underneath the
platform are dispensed with and the latter rests only on its pivot and on a circular
support or road, through the medium of shoes fastened underneath the sides of
the platform. The friction created by these shoes may be easily overcome in
consequence of the small diameter of the circular road.
When once the carriage is placed in a certain direction the wedges employed
under the back-part of the platform make it possible for the latter to support the
carriage and gun during the recoil.
In order to secure the perfect tightness of the cylinder of the hydraulic brake,
1 arrange in the orifice for the passage of the piston-rod, in the bottoms of these
cylinders, an elastic closing device similar to that described in a specification bearing
the same date as this application and numbered 8288. In order to create in com-
partments of the device the requisite initial pressure for its proper action and to
make up for the occasional small losses of the elastic material employed therein the
cover is provided with an interior depression filled with the said material which
depression communicates with a hole in which a screw is inserted having at its
front a projection of very small size. By screwing this screw into the said hole,
part of the material contained therein is forced into the larger. space thus replacing
the material which may have been lost and securing at all times the necessary
tightness.
The gun-carriage is provided with hoisting mechanism for loading the gun, which
mechanism comprises a bent lever turning round a fixed axis. At one end of this
lever a cradle is suspended and to the other a handle is fixed by means of which
the gunner operates the hoist. A pawl provided with a balance-weight prevents the
lever from falling back and holds it in position when the projectile is opposite the
breech of the gun.
By means of this contrivance the projectile is lifted with rapidity by the gunner.
The hoist may be mounted on the platform or be independent of it.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I CHARLES TIMOTHÉE MAXIMILIEN VALÉRAND DE BANGE, of Paris, Franco,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING ΤΟ GUN-CARRIAGES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
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 an improved gun-carriage which is mounted on
a pivotted platform and provided with a hydraulic brake.
By reason of the progress made in the construction of artillery, light guns can
now be used for throwing very heavy projectiles to which a considerable initial
velocity is imparted. But in the endeavour to reduce their weight to a minimum
so as to provide cheap guns which may be managed with facility, great difficulties
are met with, us regards the fixing of their carriages, in consequence of the
dimensions, the woights, the recoil, the feeble resistance of the ground and other
circumstances. It is from these circumstances that, in the case of large guns, there
has been up to the present a limit, despite the employment of platforms, to the
angle at which the guns could be fired, and consequently part of the power of the
gun has not been utilized.
The gun-carriage which forms the subject of this invention obviates this
disadvantage by means of the improvements hereinafter described with reference
to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a gun-carriage constructed
according to my invention.
Figure 2 shows in two views a detail.
Figure 3 is an end view of the carriage partly in section.
Figuro 4 is a view of a detail.
Contrary to what has hitherto been the case with gun-carriages placed on
platforms, the improved gun-carriage is vertically curved, and comprises two
parallel sides each formed of two iron-plates A. A placed edgeways and united at
the top by anglo-irons and a cover-plate B, and at the bottom by a curved plato C,
which extends to the opposite side and throughout the whole length of the gun-
carriage. The sides are united at the middle of their height by an interior curved
iron plate D occupying the whole space between the sides and fixed by angle-irona.
The gun-carriage constructed in this manner, is at its fore-part mounted on two
sets of four wheels or rollers arranged underneath the said sides A A and which
carry directly the standards E E supporting the trunnions of the gun. These two
standards, each of which is a single piece of wrought-iron, are rivetted between the
side plates A A their lower portions passing through the curved plate C which is
strengthened around the openings formed, by plates F.
The trunnion plates E are provided at their lower portions with two circular
T-shaped grooves which serve for the attachment of bent swivel brackets H, whose
extremities carry the axles I of the supporting wheels J which run on the upper
surface of the platform, where they are guided by U-shaped rails N. The connection

page_text: of the axles II of the wheels with the brackets is effected by means of swivels
which permit the said axles to make small transverse movements with respect to
the plane of these brackets.
19
:
The said two swivel brackets H H placed under each of the sides of the carriago
are united by a strong pin or shaft G around which they can freely revolve and
which is firmly fastened to the trail of the carriage by means of a strong plate K
fixed to the curved plate CC.
The results obtained by these arrangements aro the following:-
1st The shape of the carriage which has the effect of materially raising the axis
of the trunnions of the gun, enables the latter to be placed at the inclinations
necessary for obtaining the maximum range.
2nd The curved form of the carriage permits the latter to yield by flexion instead
of offering a rigid resistance at the moment of recoil as is the case with carriages
having straight sides, so that for a given force of recoil the point of application of
such force is displaced to a greater extent in the improved carriage the reactions of
which upon the platform are consequently correspondingly less than with carriages
having straight sides.
3rd The employment of the swivelling brackets and the mode in which they are
connected with the lower portions of the trunnion-plates ensure the equal distri-
bution upon all the rollers of the weight of the carriage and of the shock produced
in recoiling.
The back part or trail of the gun-carriage is provided with rollers P arranged
between the two side plates AA of the carriage. These rollers are mounted
loosely on an eccentric which is keyed to an axle L secured in the two side plates
The said axle carries in the middle a tappet or arm M which strikes against the
centre of a plato, behind which three sets of springs act. The tonsion of the said
springs can be altered by means of an adjusting screw.
In this manner the springs O acting on the said arm M cause the axle L
to revolve a certain distance thereby lowering the axis of the rollers P and
consequently, if the tension of. the spring be sufficient, a lifting of the carriage trail
takes place which then does not press upon the upper surface of the platform
except through the medium of the rollers.
At the moment of firing, the reactive pressure exerted upon the carriage and
consequently upon the rollers P causes the springs O to give way and the lower
extremity of the trail then pushes directly upon the platform during the recoil.
As soon as the recoil ceases the springs O lower the rollers P again and the
replacement of the battery becomes easy and can be made automatic by placing
the platform at a suitable inclination. This is an important advantage, facilitating
and accelerating the firing of the piece.
The platform on which the carriage with curved sides is mounted is composed of
two sides each consisting of two iron plates Q and two plates R connected by
means of angle-irons. The two sides are united at their ends by two strong cross
pieces and at intervals between these by smaller cross-pieces T.
This platform carries at its fore-part a hydraulic brake whose pistons are held
steadily in place by rods U fastened to the cross-pieces S and whose two movable
cylinders V combined together in the front and at the back, are guided in their
backward movement by a guide-bar X placed at the centre of the platform and
fastened to the two intermediate cross pieces T, and in their forward movement by
the guide-plates Y sliding on the edges of the upper cover-plates R of the platform
and on edges of the angle-irons by which the same are fastened.
To a cross piece Z connecting the two cylinders V of the brake at their front
part is swivelled one end of a strong connecting rod W arranged obliquely, whose
hend at the opposite end is in the same manner united with the aforesaid shaft G
connecting the two brackets H.
This mode of connecting the carriage with the platform through the medium of
the hydraulic brake utilizes a certain portion of the resistance offered by the brake

page_text: to prevent the carriage being lifted at the moment of firing and to obviate in this
manner severe shocks,
The carriage is normally held in position by chains a one end of each of which
is fixed to the trail of the carriage and the other to the back part of the platform
through the medium of springs.
The shape given to the upper cover-plate of the platform has the tendency to
constantly bring the rollers P belonging to the trail back to the desired position, so
that the gun occupies the proper place on the platform. I thus avoid the lifting of
the trail which is caused when a gun in returning to its firing position strikes with
a certain velocity against the buffers generally placed at the front-part of the
platform to arrest the carriage..
The said chains a are, moreover, arranged so as to arrest the carriage in its
recoiling motion, in case the brake does not operate.
Buffers c fixed to the rear end of the platform sides, serve also for limiting the
recoil of the carriage.
The pivot d of the platform, is placed exactly underneath the centre of gravity
of the whole apparatus including the gun, the carriage in its position for firing,
and the platform. Under these circumstances the rollers generally placed underneath
the platform are dispensed with and the latter rests only on its pivot d and on
a circular support or track e through the medium of shoes f fastened underneath
the sides of the platform.
The friction created by these shoes is easily overcome in consequence of the
small diameter of the circular track e.
When the carriage is placed in a certain direction, wedges employed under the
back part of the platform enable the latter to support the carriage and gun during
the recoil.
In order to secure the perfect tightness of the cylinders of the hydraulic brake
I arrange around the piston rod Ü in the bottoms of these cylinders, an elastic
closing device similar to that described in the specification of Letters Patent
No 8288 bearing the same date as the present. In order to create in the
compartments g of the device the requisite initial pressure for its proper action and
to make up for the occasional small losses of the elastic material employed
therein the cover h is provided with an internal depression i filled with the said
material, which depression communicates with a hole in which a screw j is inserted
having at its front a projection of very small size. By screwing this screw into the
said hole i part of the material contained theroin is forced into the larger spaco,
thus replacing the material which may have been lost and securing at all times
the necessary tightness.
The gun-carriage is provided with hoisting mechanism for loading the gun,
which mechanism comprises a bent lever k turning upon a fixed axis 7. At one
end of this lever a cradle m is suspended and to the other a handle n is fixed, by
means of which the gunner operates the hoist. A pawl q provided with a balance
weight p prevents the lever from falling back and holds it in position when the
projectile is opposite the breech of the gun. By means of this contrivance the
projectile is lifted with rapidity by the gunner. The hoist may be mounted on
the platform or be independent of it.
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: A gun-carriage placed upon a pivotted platform and having a hydraulic
brake, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Second-The employment, upon a pivotted platform, of a gun-carriage having
curved sides, which carriage yields by flexion for the purpose specified, and has a
free space for the breech of the gun so as to enable the latter to be placed at an
inclination adapted to its maximum range.
Third:-The special mode of mounting the improved gun-carriage by means of
Iron plates arranged in the specified- manner,

page_text: Fourth-The employment, as supports for the front-part of the gun-carriage, of
two sets of rollers placed below the sides of the said carriage, each set being
carried by a swivel bracket and being capable of turning upon an axle common to
both sets, the said axle being united with the lower portions of the plates carrying
the trunnions by means of arms having circular grooves, the method of fixing the
swivel brackets with the axles of the rollers, enabling shocks and the weight of the
apparatus to be equally distributed between the eight rollers of the two sets.
Fifth-The arrangement at the rear of the carriage, of rollers mounted
eccentrically on an axle acted upon by springs, which are so arranged that, at the
moment of firing, the reaction of the carriage upon the platform causes the rollers
to be raised so that the trail bears directly upon the platform at the moment when
the recoil takes place, the said rollers re-assuming their original position as soon
as this reaction has ceased, whereby the gun is rapidly replaced into position for
firing.
Sixth-The method of connecting the gun-carriage with the hydraulic brake
through the medium of an oblique connecting-rod whereby the lifting of the
carriage is opposed by a portion of the resistance offered by the brake, one end of
this connecting-rod being swivelled to the brake and the other connected with the
axle uniting the two brackets, this axle in turn being fixed to the trail of the
carriage by an iron plate.
Seventh-The application of chains and springs fixed to the platform behind
the gun-carriage, these chains serving to arrest the forward motion of the gun when
returning to the firing position and also to limit the recoil of the gun in case the
brakes does not operato.
Eighth-The arrangement of the pivot of the platform below the common
centre of gravity of the gun, and the gun-carriage in the position for firing, and the
platform, in order to dispense with rollers, the rotation of the platform taking
place on a circular support or track, through the medium of shoes, placed at small
distances from the pivot under the sides of the platform.
Ninth The application, to the ends of the cylinders of the hydraulic brake, of
a closing device provided with a hole filled with clastic material which can be
forced into the closing device so as to maintain the initial pressure and compensate
for the loss of any of the said materials during the operation of the gun.
Tenth-The application, to the platform, of a loading hoist; composed simply of
a bent lever, one arm of which carries the cradle, and the other arm a handle upon
which the gunner operates, and a pawl with a counter-weight for holding the
suspended projectile at the height required for loading.