IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE AND GUN CARRIAGES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Broadhead, Captain;. R.N., and George.
Murdoch, Inspector of Machinery in the Royal Navy, both of Ports-
mouth, in the County of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL-SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Broadhead and
George: Murdoch at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition on the 3rd July 1868.
We, HENRY BROADHEAD, Captain, R.N., and GEORGE MURDOCH; Inspector
of Machinery in the Royal Navy; both of Portsmouth, in the County of
Hants, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE AND GUN CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists, first, of improvements in the construction of breech-
loading ordnance whereby great facility in loading is obtained together
with additional security, combined with simplicity, in the arrangement of the
breech piece.
For this purpose a gun or piece of ordnance constructed according to our
Invention is bored throughout from the muzzle to the breech end where the
bore is increased in circumference, and a screw thread cut therein to receive a
screw plug or breech piece, a quarter of a turn of which after the charge is
inserted effectually closes the rear end of the gun. The screw-thread on this

page_text: breech piece is removed for about one-quarter of its circumference on opposite
sides, dividing it into four parts, two screwed and two plain, and channels are
cut in the screwed chamber of the gun so that by bringing the screwed
portions of the plug or breech piece opposite to these channels or broad grooves
the plug can be slid into the chamber, and then by giving it a quarter of a
turn the male and female threads of the screwed parts will engage and the
conical end of the plug will be forced up to the corresponding conical seating
formed in the breech end of the gun. The plug is formed hollow for part of
of the "vent" passes through the solid
gun.
The
its length to reduce its weight and part
end thereof, so that the gun cannot be fired until it is brought into correct
position with the other part of the "vent" formed in the body of the
plug or breech piece on being withdrawn is received in a sling or cradle attached
by hooks or otherwise to the rear end of the gun, so that it can be allowed to
descend out of the way whilst the loading takes place, and then be readily
brought into position again to close up the breech, all which will be readily.
understood on examining Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
of
The second part of our Invention relates to the arrangement and construction
of g
gun carriages, which combine the advantages fa pivot gun without having
pivots or rings fitted in the deck or platform from which it is fired, requires
no slide, and can be worked as an ordinary broadside or.truck gun with great
facility in "training."
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings show the means we prefer
to employ in carrying out this part of our Invention.
I
a, a, are two cranked shafts or axes (placed at an angle to one another)
supported and turning in bearings a¹, a', fixed to the lower part of the carriage
of the gun. The front cranked ends a³, a³, of, these shafts or axes carry a-foot
or pivot a, and the cranked rear ends a, a, (which radiate from the pivot a³)
carry trucks or wheels a, a, which together with the foot or pivot a can be
raised or depressed. from time to time as required by means of lever arms. b. b,
fixed on the shafts and connected to suitable ropes or tackle b', 6', as shown.
When the pivot and wheels a, a, are depressed so as to support, the gun
and carriage the gun can then be readily turned upon the pivot a
"train" the gun into any required position; c, c, are balance, weights, carried
by lever arms fixed to the shafts or axes a, a, to aid in lifting the pivot aand
wheels as from off the deck or platform; d, are whe
are wheels upon
which the
carriage rests when the pivot a and wheelsaal. De tite va
as, raised, and by which the
gun and carriage can be run in and out of position. Th
The rear wheels.d', d',
are carried by lever arms fixed on axes carried by the. framing so as to be
capable of being raised and depressed by the lever arms d², d², fixed on their
66
1.
1. 19. T
as-to

page_text: axes when required, and when raised they are retained in that position by the
bolts &, d, as shown; e is the screw and apparatus for elevating and depressing
the muzzle of the gun.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Broadhead and George Murdoch in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd January 1864.
"
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
BROADHEAD, Captain, R.N.; and GEORGE MURDOCH, Inspector of Machinery.in
the Royal Navy, both of Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, send greeting. :
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give, and grant unto us, the said
Henry Broadliead and George Murdoch, Her special licence that we, the said
Henry Broadhead and George Murdoch, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Broadhead and George Murdoch;
öur executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channet
Islands; and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING
ORDNANCE AND GUN CARRIAGES," upon the condition. (amongst others) that we,
the said Henry Broadhead and George Murdoch, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or. their. hands and seals,
or, under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe.
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and. in what manner, the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal.
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date:
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Broadhead and George Mur-
doch, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and.
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
Our Invention consists, first, of improvements in the construction of breech-
loading ordnance whereby great facility in loading is obtained together with:
additional security, combined with simplicity, in thé arrangement of the breech.:

page_text: piece. For this purpose a gun or piece of ordnance, constructed according to
our Invention, is shewn by the several Figures in the accompanying Drawings,
and as the nature of each Figure is written thereon, and marked with
corresponding letters of reference, it will not be necessary to repeat the same
here. The gun A is bored throughout from the muzzle to the breech, and
where the bore is increased in circumference, and a screw thread cut therein,
to receive a screw plug or breech piece B, a quarter of a turn of which (after
the charge is inserted) effectually closes the rear end of the gun. The screw
thread on this breech piece B is removed for about one-quarter of its circum-
ference on opposite sides, dividing its outer surface into four parts, two screwed
.and two plain, and channels are cut in the screwed chamber of the gun so that
by bringing the screwed portions of the plug or breech piece B opposite to
these channels or broad grooves the plug can be slid into the chamber, and
then by giving it a quarter of a turn the male and female threads of the
screwed parts will engage, and the conical end B¹ of the plug B will be forced
up to the corresponding conical seating formed in the breech end of the gun.
The plug B is formed hollow for. part of its length to reduce its weight, and
part of the vent C passes through the solid end thereof, so that the gun cannot
be fired until the part C¹ of the vent is brought into correct position with
the other part of the vent C, formed in the body of the gun. The plug.or.
breech piece B on being withdrawn is received in a sling or cradle D, attached
by hooks D¹ to eyes D³ (or otherwise) at the rear end of the gun A, so that
it can be allowed to descend out of the way whilst the loading takes place, and
then be readily brought into position again to close up the breech, all which
will be readily understood on examining the several Figures of the accompany-
ing Drawings.
The second part of our Invention relates to the arrangement and con-
struction of gun carriages which combine the advantages of a pivot gun without
having pivots or rings fitted in the deck or platform from which it is fired,
requires no slide, and can be worked as an ordinary broadside or truck gun,
with great facility in " training."
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the accompanying Drawings shew the means we
prefer to employ in the arrangement and construction of gun carriages for the
purpose of carrying out this part of our Invention. a, a, are two cranked
shafts or axes placed at an angle to one another, 'supported and turning in,
bearings a¹, a¹, fixed to the lower part of the carriage of the gun as shewn.
The front cranked ends a³, a², of these shafts or, axes, carry a foot or pivot a³,
and the cranked rear ends at, at, (which radiate from the pivot a³), carry'
trucks or wheels a³, a³, which, together with the foot or pivot a³, can be raised.

page_text: or depressed from time to time as required by means of lever arms b, b, fixed
on the shafts a, a, and connected to suitable ropes or tackle 6, 6¹, as shewn.
When the pivot a³ and wheels a', a³, are depressed, so as to support the gun
and carriage, the gun can then be readily turned upon the pivot a³, so as to
train the gun into any required position. c, c, are balance weights, carried by
lever arms fixed to the shafts or axes a, a, to aid in lifting the pivot a³ and
wheels a from off the deck. or platform. d, d, are wheels upon which the
carriage rests when the pivot a³ and wheels a are raised, and by which the
gun and carriage can be run in and out of position. The rear wheels d', d',
are carried by lever arms fixed on axes carried by the framing, so as to be
capable of being raised and depressed by the lever arms d³, d³, fixed on their
axes when required, and when raised they are retained in that position by the
bolts d³, ds, as shewn. shews the screw and screw nut pinion e¹, actuated by
a worm wheel on the axis e, this being the arrangement of apparatus I prefer
to employ for elevating and depressing the muzzle of the gun, the nature of
which will be readily understood on examining the Drawings.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the best means we
are acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, we would have it
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein shewn
and described, but what we claim is,―
First, the improvements herein shewn and described in reference to breech-
loading ordnance.
Secondly, we claim the improvements in the arrangement, construction, and
working of gun carriages, as herein described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Broadhead and George Murdoch,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.
II. BROADHEAD. (L.S.)
G. MURDOCH.
(L.S.)