Improvements in Breech-loading Ordnance.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Breech-loading Ordnance.
We, SAXTON WILLIAM ARMSTRONG NOBLE and ALBERT GEORGE HADCOCK, both
of Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to breech loading guns having a divided screw breech block,
mounted either upon a carrying arm or in a carrying ring, hereinafter described as
the carrier, this carrier being hinged to the breech of the gun. The hinge spindle
of the carrier has an inclined groove or grooves cut in it. Around this spindle is
placed a sliding collar or part which gears with these grooves by means of pins with
or without rollers. On turning the hinge spindle the sliding collar traverses the
spindle to any required length. The sliding collar gears with the breech block and
thus rotates it the required amount to free the threads. A series of teeth are also
formed on the circumference of the sliding collar, which engage with a longitudinal
rack on the breech block to effect the withdrawal. The sliding collar is prevented
from turning when not required by means of a stud projecting from it into a groove
formed in the carrier.
The action in opening is that when the spindle is turned by a hand lever or other
convenient appliance, the sliding collar traverses the hinge spindle and the sliding
collar being engaged with the breech block the latter is turned into the unlocked
position. When the breech block is unlocked, the pins in the sliding collar stop
against the end of the grooves in the hinge spindle, and the toothed segment on the
sliding collar is engaged with the rack on the breech block, which can now be
withdrawn as the stud on the collar will now be free of the groove in the carrier.
When the required withdrawal of the breech block is obtained the further revolution
of the hinge spindle causes the carrier and the breech block to swing round clear
of the breech opening. In closing the breech corresponding movements occur in the
reverse order.
:
The grooves of the hinge spindle are formed at a gradually increasing pitch to
act most powerfully when completing the locking and commencing the unlocking
of the breech block. "
Immediately the withdrawal of the breech commences a catch is made to engage
with the sliding collar, locking the spindle and collar together.
..
The breech block is prevented from turning on the carrier when out of the gun
by the segment of teeth on the sliding collar engaging with the rack which is
recessed into the breech block or the breech block may be prevented from turning
when out of the gun by means of a key on the carrier engaging with a keyway in the
breech block immediately the withdrawal commences.
The carrier is prevented from leaving the rear face of the gun, until the breech
block has been withdrawn by means of a catch which is released immediately the
breech block is in its rearward position.
When the carrier commences to leave the rear face of the gun a catch engages
with the breech block which is thus locked fast upon the carrier, until, after loading
the carrier is again returned to its place against the gun.

page_text: Sometimes instead of placing a sliding collar around the spindle or using any
intermediary sliding piece between spindle and breech block, we engage the breech
block directly with a groove cut on a spindle by means of a pin, (with or without
a roller) attached to the breech screw. A segment of teeth as before mentioned is on
the same spindle but this spindle need not necessarily form the axis pin of the
carrier.
Immediately the breech block is disengaged from the threads of gun, the pin acts
in the groove as a first tooth, and the segment of teeth following engage
uninterruptedly with the rack on the breech block. The groove in this case is either
cut on a cylindrical spindle or on the segment of a curvilinear spindle the generatrix
of which is generally centred at the axis of breech block, the groove being cut
at right angles to the surface of the curve of spindle, thus always keeping the same
amount of surface in contact and preserving the maximum leverage throughout the
action of locking and unlocking.
Instead of a groove we may use a helical projection around the spindle.
We also when necessary interrupt the groove on the hinge spindle and forming it
into a varying, interrupted worm, gear it directly to suitable teeth cut in the
periphery of the breech block.
For breech blocks which require no withdrawal parallel to the axis of the gun, the
teeth or withdrawing arm are dispensed with and the groove in the spindle only
is used.
The grooved actuating spindle may be placed elsewhere than at the axis of the
carrier hinge.
We, SAXTON WILLIAM ARMSTRONG NOBLE and ALBERT GEORGE HADCOCK, both
of Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Engineers, 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 :-
The invention relates to breech loading guns having a divided screw breech block,
mounted either upon a carrying arm or in a carrying ring, hereinafter described as
the carrier, this carrier being hinged to the breech of the gun. In order to turn the
breech block to engage and disengage the screw threads, the hinge spindle of the
carrier has an inclined groove or grooves cut in it. Around the spindle is placed a
sliding collar or part which gears with these grooves by means of pins with or
without rollers. On turning the hinge spindle the sliding collar traverses the spindle
to any required length. The sliding collar gears with the breech block and thus
rotates it the required amount to free the threads. During this movement the
sliding collar is prevented from turning by means of a stud projecting from it into a
groove formed in the carrier. The grooves of the hinge spindle are formed at a
gradually increasing pitch to act most powerfully when completing the locking and
commencing the unlocking of the breech block.
If from the form of the breech block, it be necessary to withdraw it axially from
the gun before the carrier turns about the hinge, a series of teeth are also formed on
the circumference of the sliding collar, which engage with a longitudinal rack on the
breech block to effect the withdrawal.
Sometimes instead of placing a sliding collar around the hinge spindle or using

page_text: any intermediary sliding piece between this spindle and the breech block, we engage
the breech block directly with a groove cut on a curvilinear block by means of a pin,
(with or without a roller) attached to the breech screw. If the breech block requires
to be withdrawn axially from the gun, a segment of teeth is provided. The spindle
of the curvilinear block does not form the axis pin of the carrier but is a separate
spindle mounted on the carrier.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is a rear elevation of the breech end of a gun
which is provided with breech closing mechanism in accordance with our invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section.
In these figures the parts are shown in the positions they occupy when the breech
is closed ready for firing.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views but with the parts in the positions they occupy
when the breech block has been turned so far as to disengage the screw threads.
Figure 3 is partly in section.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section shewing the parts in the positions they occupy
when the axial withdrawal of the breech block has taken place.
Figure 6 is a plan shewing the breech block withdrawn and removed by the carrier
turning around the hinge joint which connects the carrier with the gun.
Figures 7 and 8 shew a modification in which the carrier is of another form and
several teeth are provided upon the slide to impart rotation to the breech block
necessary to disengage the screw threads.
Figures 9 and 10 shew the arrangement in which the slide on the hinge pin is
dispensed with and the breech block engages directly with a groove in a curvilinear
block. Figure 9 is a rear elevation and Figure 10 is a horizontal section. In these
figures the breech is shewn closed ready for firing.
Figure 11 shews a horizontal section of the same gun with breech block turned so
far as to disengage the screw threads.
Figure 12 is a similar view to the last but with the axial withdrawal of the breech
block already accomplished.
In Figures 1 to 8 a is the breech of the gun, b is the divided screw breech block,
c is the carrier, d is the hinge spindle and d¹ are the inclined grooves of increasing
pitch formed around the spindle, e is the sliding collar or part which by means of
pins and rollers el engages with the grooves d¹ and by the projection e² with
the breech block b; the projection entering a recess b¹ in the breech block. e³ is a stud
on the slide and c¹ the groove in the carrier which receives the stud e³. et are the
gear teeth which are formed around the slide and 62 is the rack on the breech block
with which the teeth et enter into gear. f is a clutch piece, it turns with the spindle d
and it has on it a cam groove f¹. A pin c² on the carrier enters the groove f¹. These
parts so operate that at the proper time the slide e becomes clutched fast with the
spindle d.
The action in opening is that when the spindle d is turned by a hand lever or
other convenient appliance, the sliding collar e traverses upwards along the hinge
spindle, and the sliding collar being engaged with the breech block the latter is
turned into the unlocked position. When the breech block is unlocked, the roller
pins e¹ in the sliding collar stop against the end of the grooves d' in the hinge
spindle, and the toothed segment e₁ on the sliding collar is engaged with the rack b
on the breech block, which can now be withdrawn as the stud e on the collar will
now be free of the groove c¹ in the carrier. When the required withdrawal of the
breech block is obtained the further revolution of the hinge spindle causes the carrier
and the breech block to swing round clear of the breech opening. In closing the
breech corresponding movements occur in the reverse order.
Immediately the withdrawal of the breech block commences the clutch f is made
to engage with the sliding collar, locking the spindle and collar together.
1
The breech block is prevented from turning on the carrier when out of the gun by
the segment of teeth e on the sliding collar engaging with the rack 62 which is
recessed into the breech block. Or the breech block may be prevented from turning

page_text: when out of the gun by means of a key on the carrier engaging with a keyway in the
breech block immediately the withdrawal commences.
The carrier is prevented from leaving the rear face of the gun, until the breechi
block has been withdrawn by means of a catch which is released immediately the
breech block is in its rearward position.
When the carrier commences to leave the rear face of the gun a catch g engages
with the breech block which is thus, locked fast upon the carrier, until, after loading
it is again returned to its place in the gun.
In Figures 7 and 8 some minor differences from the preceding figures in the forms
of the parts will be observed.
In Figures 9 to 12 which represent the other arrangement in which the slide is
dispensed with, a is a part of the gun, b is the breech block, c is the carrier, it is
binged to the gun at c, k is a pin or spindle, it connects the lever handle with
the carrier, m is the curvilinear block with its groove m' it is formed with or mounted
upon the lever handle . 6x is the pin or projection on the breech block which
engages in the groove m¹.
m² m² are the teeth on the block m which gear with corresponding teeth 6** on
the breech block. In Figure 11 four positions of the handle are indicated. No. 1
is the closed and locked position. No. 2 is the unlocked position. No. 3 is the
position after the axial withdrawal of the breech block as shown by full lines in
Figure 12. No. 4 is the position after the carrier has been swung aside; this position
is indicated in dots in Figure 12. The first movement of the handle simply rotates
the breech block whilst the pin 6x traverses the groove m¹.
Immediately the breech block is disengaged from the threads of the gun, the pin
acts in the groove as a first tooth, and the segment of teeth m² following engage
uninterruptedly with the rack 6** on the breech block.
The groove m' in this case is either cut on a cylindrical spindle or on the segment
of a curvilinear spindle the generatrix of which is generally centred at the axis of
breech block, the groove being cut at right angles to the surface of the curve of
spindle, thus always keeping the same amount of surface in contact and preserving
the maximum leverage throughout the action of locking and unlocking.
Instead of a groove we may use a helical projection around the spindle.
According to another arrangement we employ a worm of peculiar construction
mounted on the hinge spindle and gearing, with corresponding teeth upon the
periphery of the breech block.
The thread of the worm is interrupted or divided into sections, each section having
a different pitch :-the first section is but slightly inclined to the axis, and it operates
powerfully to start the breech block from its seat.
As the first tooth on the breech block passes out of gear with the first section of
the worm, another tooth on the breech block comes into gear with a second section
of the worm, which is more steeply inclined to the axis and imparts a more rapid
movement to the breech block. Then in succession the second tooth of the breech
block passes out of gear and a third tooth on the breech block engages with a third
section of the worm, which again may be more steeply inclined than the second
section. Each successive tooth on the breech block is of a different form suitable
to the groove of the worm with which it engages.
As the breech block is unlocked other teeth in connection with the worm come into
gear with rack teeth on the breech block as already explained.
The arrangement is more fully explained by the drawings 13 to 21.
Figure 13 is a rear elevation of one half of the breech block.
Figure 14 is a side elevation of the rear end of the same.
Figure 15 is a side elevation, Figure 16 a plan of the divided worm, which is fixed
on the hinged spindle.
Figure 17 is a development of this worm, and also the teeth of the breech block
are shown engaged with it in various positions.
Figures 18, 19, 20 are sections taken on the lines A A, B B, and C C in Figure 17
respectively.

page_text: Figure 21 is a section on the pitch circle of the teeth of the breech block, by which
the turning of the block is effected.
The tooth p on the breech block is in the first position engaged in the groove q of
the divided worm.
The second tooth on the breech block afterwards enters the grooves of the worm
and finally the tooth t of the breech block operates in the groove u of the worm. By
this time the spur teeth v of the worm have been brought into engagement with the
teeth of rack or the breech screw and then the further rotation of the hinged spindle
withdraws the breech block axially.
For breech blocks which require no withdrawal parallel to the axis of the gun, the
teeth or withdrawing arm are dispensed with and the groove in the spindle only is
used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Mechanism in which an actuating spindle by an inclined groove or grooves gives
motion to a slide which is engaged with the breech block, in such manner as to
effect the rotation of the breech block and lock and unlock the screw threads upon it
with the threads in the gun, substantially as described in respect to Figures 1 to 8.
2. Mechanism as detailed in Claim 1, and with the groove or grooves on the spindle
of increasing pitch to give the maximum thrust to the slide when the breech block
is nearly home.
3. Mechanism as detailed in the preceding claims and so arranged that when the
screw threads on the breech block have been disengaged the slide turns with the
spindle and operates by means of withdrawing teeth upon it and a longitudinal rack
on the breech block to withdraw the breech block in the axial direction.
4. Mechanism in which a groove cut on a curvilinear surface carried on a spindle
mounted on the carrier at a distance from the hinge spindle engages directly with
and gives motion directly to the breech block to effect its rotation for the purpose of
freeing it from the threads of the gun substantially as described in respect to
Figures 9 to 12.
5. Mechanism as detailed in Claim 4 and with teeth effecting the withdrawal of
the breech block in the axial direction.
6. Mechanism in which an interrupted worm of varying pitch gearing with suitably
formed teeth on the periphery of the breech block, effects the rotation of the breech
block for the purpose of freeing it from the threads in the gun substantially as
described in respect to Figures 13-21.
7. Mechanism as described in Claim 6 and with teeth effecting the withdrawal of
the breech block in the axial direction.
8. Mechanism substantially as herein specified and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1897.