IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WORKING HEAVY GUNS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Wightwick Rendel, of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, in the County of Northumberland, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WORKING HEAVY
GUNS."
Sealed the 20th May 1873, and dated the 17th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Wightwick
Rendel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 17th December 1872.
I, GEORGE WIGHTWICK RENDEL, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the
County Northumberland, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WORKING HEAVY
GUNS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for
working heavy guns. I have designed mechanism to afford greatly
increased facilities for loading and working the heaviest guns now
made, or likely to be made.

page_text: upon
I mount the gun when placed in a turret upon a carriage running
fixed guides which are set at such an inclination that the gun will
always run out by itself. To run the gun in an hydraulic cylinder is
fixed within the turret and a ram is fixed upon the carriage. The
cylinder is supplied with water under a heavy pressure by means of a
pipe passing up at the centre of motion of the turret to the cylinder and
its valve. This pipe is connected with an air accumulator, into which
the water is forced by a steam engine in the manner in which the
motive power for hydraulic machinery is commonly supplied on board
ship. The same accumulator also supplies other apparatus hereafter
described.
In place of a ram a piston may be employed, and then the cylinder
may be used to control or aid in controlling the recoil of the gun.
Usually however I employ the "compresser" for this purpose, and I fix
the parallel plates thereof to the gun carriage, the vice and lever being
stationary; thus the man who has the control of the gun carriage
in its movement upon its guides is not required to pass from place to
place.
The port of the turret is small and the whole angle of elevation and
depression not being obtainable by turning the gun upon its trunnions
the carriage of the gun is so constructed that the trunnions can be
carried at a higher or lower level. This adjustment is made by means
of an hydraulic cylinder supplied from the air accumulator and fixed in
the floor of the turret. The ram when the gun carriage has been
brought over it is caused to rise and lift a block upon the gun carriage,
which coming against the under side of the gun raises it bodily; then
when a sufficient space has been obtained filling pieces are introduced
beneath the trunnion bearings; similarly the trunnions are lowered when
required, the weight of the gun being temporarily borne by the ram
whilst the filling pieces are removed.
The supporting block is hollowed upon its face, and the gun has a
corresponding convexity upon it, struck from the trunnion as a centre, so
that the gun beds truly upon the block whether its axis be level or
inclined.

page_text: To load the gun after it has been run in its muzzle is depressed either
by the ordinary gear or by an hydraulic cylinder provided for the pur-
pose, and this is easily done as the gun is balanced about its trunnions ;
then by means of a small lift worked by an hydraulic cylinder and fitted
in the lower part of the turret the shot is raised to the muzzle, it is then
rammed home by a telescopic hydraulic rammer which is mounted
immediately beneath the armoured part of the turret. The rammer is
pivotted in order that it may be able to adjust itself to the inclination of
the gun, which varies in consequence of the raising of the trunnions as
already described. The hydraulic lift and rammer are both supplied
from the air accumulator, and in place of sponging the gun I may
throw in a spray of water derived from the same source of power.
The shot is brought to the turret on a shot trolly running upon ways
on the under deck, and in any position of the turret the trolly can be
run on to the shot lift and raised to the muzzle of the gun.
In place of mounting the shot lift and rammer upon the turret,
they may be upon the lower deck, and the shot lift may be of such a
width ȧs to take also the powder cartridge.
After firing, the gun is run in until its muzzle is clear of the port, the
muzzle is then depressed and the turret turned until it comes to the
loading gear, of which there may be several sets around the turret.
The loading ram. cylinder need not in this case bo telescopic, nor need it
be pivotted, as its length will be such as to ensure such flexibility in the
ram as to render this adjustment unnecessary, or if the space is limited
the telescopic rammer may be used, or a jointed rammer passing
around a roller or toothed wheel which works it in and out of the gun.
When the gun is loaded from outside it may be of larger size than
heretofore in relation to the turret, and in each of the arrangements
herein described the persons engaged in loading are below out of the
way, and under the cover of the ships' sides and the upper deck.
In loading by the methods above described, the muzzle of the
gun is
at the time considerably depressed, and to prevent the shot falling back
after it has been rammed home, the grooves of the gun and the shot are
so adjusted to each other that the shot binds in the grooves when it has
been rammed home sufficiently to prevent it moving.
The place where the fire of the guns is masked by the smoke stack or
in other way, may be utilised as a loading space, the deck being there

page_text: raised above the port, so that the gun may be loaded through the port
hole in place of below the armoured sides of the turret, the port is thus
closed when the gun is in the loading position, so as to exclude both an
enemy's fire, and also water in rough weather.
raised above the port, so that the gun may be loaded through the port
hole in place of below the armoured sides of the turret, the port is thus
closed when the gun is in the loading position, so as to exclude both an
enemy's fire, and also water in rough weather.
The arrangements above described are applicable also to guns mounted
on turntables and otherwise, and either with or without the protection
of armour plating.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Wightwick Rendel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WIGHTWICK RENDEL, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the County of
Northumberland, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Wightwick Rendel, Her special
license that I, the said George Wightwick Rendel, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Wightwick Rendel, my 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 Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WORKING HEAVY
GUNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Wightwick Rendel, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Wightwick Rendel, 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 :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for
working heavy guns. I have designed mechanism to afford greatly
increased facilities for loading and working the heaviest guns now made
or likely to be made.
I mount the gun when placed in a turret upon a carriage running
upon fixed guides, which are set at such an inclination that the gun will
always run out by itself. To run the gun in an hydraulic cylinder is
fixed within the turret and a ram is fixed upon the carriage. The
cylinder is supplied with water under a heavy pressure by means of a
pipe passing up at the centre of motion of the turret to the cylinder and
its valve. This pipe is connected with an air accumulator into which
the water is forced by a steam engine in the manner in which the motive
power for hydraulic machinery is commonly supplied on board ship.
The same accumulator also supplies other apparatus, herein-after
described, or I may employ the ordinary cylinder accumulator, in which
the pressure is obtained by weights carried on the plunger; or I may
pump direct into the pipes, supplying the hydraulic machinery without
using an accumulator.
In employing the air accumulator I may use a diaphragm of india-
rubber or other suitable material to separate the air from the water and
thereby to prevent the absorption of the air by the water. Figure 6,
Sheet VIII., shews an air vessel or accumulator with such a diaphragm
introduced; when the water is low in the vessel the diaphragm follows
it down by the expansion of the air on the other side, and it is evident
that the diaphragm may pass from the bottom to the top surface of the
interior of the cylinder without injury. The water enters by a passage
in the bottom through a perforated plate which covers the opening and
presents a smooth surface for the diaphragm to rest in should the water
be entirely withdrawn. A similar plate covers the entrance for the air
which is in the upper half of the cylinder above the diaphragm.
In place of a ram for running in a piston rod and piston may be
employed, and the cylinder may be used to control or aid in controlling
the recoil of the gun by the resistance of the water which has to be

page_text: displaced in the cylinder as the piston moves along it, and which may
cbo made to pass through a valve loaded to any desired pressure to give
such resistance, as described in the Provisional Specification lodged by
me on the 27th March, 1873, No. 1149.
When a piston is used the cylinder is available for running the gun
out as well as in, the hydraulic pressure being admitted to either side
of the piston at will by means of suitable valves as is also described in
the before mentioned Provisional Specification. In this case it is of
course not necessary to give the rails on which the carriage runs an
inclination to cause the gun to run out of itself. Usually however I
employ the plate "compressor" for the purpose of checking recoil either
in conjunction with the hydraulic cylinder or alone, and I fix the
parallel plates thereof to the gun carriage, the vice and lever being
stationary, thus the man who has the control of the gun carriage in its
movement upon the slide is not required to pass from place to place.
When the port of the turret is so small that the whole angle of
elevation and depression required is not obtainable by turning the gun
upon its trunnions, the carriage of the gun is so constructed that the
trunnions can be carried at a higher or lower level. This adjustment
is made my means of an hydraulic cylinder, supplied with water under
pressure as before described, and fixed in the floor of the turret. The
ram when the gun carriage has been brought over it is caused to rise
and lift a block upon the gun carriage, which coming against the under
side of the gun raises it bodily. Then when a sufficient space has been
obtained filling pieces are introduced beneath the trunnion bearings,
similarly the trunnions are lowered when required, the weight of the
gun being temporarily borne by the ram, whilst the filling pieces arc
removed.
The supporting block is hollowed upon its face and the gun has a
corresponding convexity upon it, struck from the trunnion as a centre
so that the gun beds truly upon the block whether its axis be level or
inclined.
Where space admits of sufficient length being given to the lifting
press the block in the gun carriage may be dispensed with and the head
of the ram be made to come directly in contact with the gun. To load
the gun after it has been run in its muzzle is depressed either by the
‘ordinary gear which is easily done, when the gun is balanced about its

page_text: trunnions, or an hydraulic cylinder with plunger or with a piston and
piston rod may be used for this purpose. Then by means of a small lift
worked by an hydraulic cylinder and fitted in the lower part of the
turret, the shot is raised to the muzzle. It is then rammed home by an
hydraulic rammer which is mounted immediately beneath the armoured
part of the turret. The rammer is pivotted in order that it may be ablo
to adjust itself to the inclination of the gun, which varies in consequence
of the raising of the trunnions as already described.
The hydraulic lift and rammer are both supplied with water under
pressure in the same manner as the other hydraulic machinery, and in
place of sponging the gun I may throw in a spray of water derived from the
same source of power. The shot is brought to the turret on a shot trolley
running upon ways laid round the turret on the under deck, and the
trolly can be run on to the shot lift in any position of the turret and be
raised to the muzzle of the gun and the shot rammed home even while
the turret is revolving.
An arrangement of the nature described is shewn on Sheet I. of the
Drawings annexed. A, A, are cylinders fitted with rams B, B, for
running the gun in by hydraulic pressure; O is the pipe to lead the
water under pressure into the turret for supplying the hydraulic
machinery; c, the pipe to return the water; D, D, are the plates of
the compressor shewn in section in Figure 3 and attached to the
carriage; E, the compressor vice bars; and F the lever acting by means
of right and left screws cut on the shaft G, and by rocking bars K, K,
to clamp the plates in the carriage with those on the platform which
interlock them. A tripper H, Figure 4, pivotted on the carriage serves
to make the compresser self-acting when not applied by the lever F.
It acts on recoil to turn the bar I keyed on the screw shaft G, but
rises and passes over the bar I without moving it in running out. A
hollow nut L, Figure 3, with right and left screws cut in it, moving
rockers M, M, and connected by pinion wheels N, N, with a lever O
placed alongside the working lever F serves to alter the guage or zero
point of the vice, from which the compression commences when the
lever F is applied, and so regulates, as required, the friction applied.
P is the hydraulic press for raising the gun to the different positions in
the carriage, shewn by the dotted circules representing the trunnions;
Qis the block in the carriage against which the press plunger acts. The
upper surface of this block is cylindrical and of a radius corresponding.

page_text: to that of the under surface of the gun at R. The block Q is attached
to the carriage so as to be free to rise vertically, but not to get displaced
horizontally. By this arrangement of lifting the bow piece or cross
head hitherto used in similar cases between the gun and the press to
bear the gun by the trunnions is avoided: Chocks S, S, are inserted
under the trunnions as the gun is lifted to carry it in the different firing
positions, or similiarly are removed when the gun is to be lowered; and
these are attached together by dovetail sliding joints for convenience in
lifting. T is the hydraulic lift for raising the shot to the muzzle of the
gun when it is in loading position. The lift consists in this case of a
platform raised between guides by a chain acted on by a hydraulic
press V, which may be placed in any convenient position, the chain
being led up to the platform by conveyance sheaves. The platform of
the lift is made in this case hollowed and with an upper table, which
can be rocked and locked in position to suit the different angles at
which the gun is loaded in the different positions of the trunnions.
W is a short bogey or trolley shewn in detail in Sheet IX. It runs on
rails shaped so as to guide it and confine it to the desired path, and is
provided with a break consisting of a plate engaging the under side of
the rail flanges, and tightening against them when the handle X is
depressed, so that the carriage cannot get off the rails or break away
with the motion of the ship. A. spring catch holds the bogey on the
lift platform, and a pawl Z on the shank of the handle X serves to
tighten the break before the handle X is removed for lifting the shot.
A is the rammer, which in this case is made telescopic, i.e., one
cylinder within another to save space. It is pivotted on trunnions at B¹
and supported in the different loading positions by bolts on an arc as
at C. D' is a nozzle by which the water under pressure is directed
into the gun for cleaning the bore and putting out fire.
"
Figure 8, Sheet VIII., shews a general section of the telescopic
hydraulic rammer; Figure 4 an enlarged section of the pistons and
glands; and Figure 1 an enlarged section of the rammer head. The
water is admitted permanently under pressure to the front side of the
piston E¹ through the pressure pipe F", and has access along the
passages G, G, to the front side of the inner piston, also H' is a supply
pipe by which the water under pressure is admitted past a working
valve which can be opened or closed at will to the rear side of the
pistons; a similar working valve provides for the escape of the water

page_text: when desired. When water is admitted the area of the front side of the
pistons being less than that of the rear, the rammer is forced out
pressing the water on the front side out of the cylinders or tubes into the
supply pipes, but when the water is allowed to escape from the rear the
constant pressure on the front acts to drive the rammer in.
It is obvious that several concentric pistons may be used and the
water pressure may of course instead of being constant in the front side
of the pistons be admitted and allowed to escape on each side alternately;
where space permits I prefer to use the rammer not telescopic but
consisting of one piston rod and piston working in a single cylinder.
Figure 1, Sheet VIII., shews an arrangement of self-acting valve which
I may employ in place of a fixed nozzle to throw a jet of water against
the back of the bore. It is fixed in the head of the rammer which acts
also as a sponge to clean the bore. The sponge head is hollowed to fit
the head of the projectile so that the valve is not opened in ramming
home the projectile, but when the sponge is passed up the bore alone so
as to come in contact with the end of the bore, the valve is pressed in
and opened and the water under pressure having access to the valve up
the rammer rod which is made hollow for the purpose, a discharge takes
place which covers the bore and the sponge with a spray that must
effectually extinguish fire if any exists and also soften the powder
deposit for removal by the sponge as it returns. On the withdrawal of
the rammer the valve closes of itself by the action of the water pressure
against it or of a spring. The resistance of the valve to being opened is
sufficient to prevent its action when the rammer is used to push home
the cartridge or is pressed against the cartridge in the bore.
Another method I employ is as follows:-In place of mounting the
shot lift and rammer upon the turret so as to revolve with it, I fix them
upon the lower deck outside the turret, and when the gun is run in and
depressed I bring it into loading position opposite the shot lift and
rammer by revolving the turret, and in order to obtain greater security
against accident and consequent disablement of the gun as well as to
give a choice of loading position I may place more than one set of the
apparatus round the turret.
Sheet No. II. shews an arrangement of this nature in which the
different parts are indicated by the same letters as previously used to
distinguish them. The rammer need not in this case be telescopic, nor

page_text: تابات بعيد
the different loading positions.
The powder charge may be in most cases easily inserted by hand and
pushed home with the shot, but if preferred it may of course be lifted by
the hoist either together with the shot, sufficient space being provided
on the lift, or separately, and be rammed home also either with the shot
or separately.
.
In place of raising the gun to the different firing positions by lifting
it and chocking it at different points in the carriage, I may hinge the
rear end of the slide and cause the press to act to raise the front end of
the slide with the carriage and gun on it, and place the resting chocks
under the slide. Sheet No. IV. shews an arrangement of this nature.
In this case I prefer to employ the hydraulic cylinder with a piston
rod and piston for running in and out as described in the Provisional
Specification before mentioned, and I convey the water under pressure to
the cylinder through the hollow pins F, F, by means of a water-tight
revolving joint on the pipe of the same nature as that shewn on
Sheet VIII., Figure 5, which represents the double water pipe. for
leading the-water into and out of the turret by the central hollow pivot
shewn in Sheets I., II., III., IV., and V., or a simple coil of wrought-iron
or copper pipe will suffice to give elasticity enough to enable the pipe to
maintain a connection between the slide and the turret floor without
injury notwithstanding the angular movement of the slide. K', Sheet IV.,
shews an hydraulic press for giving elevation and depression to the gun.
The hydraulic press acts on the cascable through a connecting rod L³; it
may either be fitted with a piston so as to be double acting, i̟.e., put the
gun both up and down by the water pressure, or it may be fitted
with a plunger to act upwards, only the gun being made with breech
preponderance so that the breech may fall by its own weight when
water is allowed to escape from the press as described in the Provisional.
Specification above mentioned. The water passes to the press through
a telescopic pipe of sufficient length to meet the travel of the carriage
on the slide, and its admission to and escape from the press is controlled
by a slide or other suitable valve which may be placed upon the carriago
cheek and worked by a lever in any suitable position.
In loading by the methods described the gun muzzle is at the time

page_text: rammer is withdrawn, I either employ a suitable wad, or I so adjust the
grooves or the bore of the gun at the seat of the shot to the form and
dimensions of the shot itself as to cause it to jam itself when pushed
home. Figure 1, Sheet VIII., shews a wedge wad, which answers the
purpose of holding the shot securely. It is put over the nose of the shot,
and pushed home with it, the wedges being clear of the shot in going up
but the shot running on them and jamming if it begins to run forward.
The wedges are of wood, and secured in a circle on a rope or junk ring
as a basc. Wads of this construction have before in some cases been
employed, and I make no claim in respect to them.
The place where the fire of the guns is masked by the smoke stack,
or in other way, may be utilized as a loading space, the deck being
there raised above the port so that the gun may be loaded through the
port-hole in place of below the armoured sides of the turret. The port
is thus closed when the gun is in the loading position, so as to exclude
both an enemy's fire and also water in rough weather.
Sheet 3 shews an arrangement of this nature, Figure 1 being a vertical
section through one of the ports of a double gun turret, and Figure 2 a
view of the ports in front, shewing the port screen. I lock the turret in
loading position by means of a bolt, which may be made to enter of
itself as the turret revolves. One form of bolt suitable for this purpose
is shewn in plan and side view in Sheet IV. It consists of a pair of
powerful hooks, which are pressed into the bolt hole by the action of a
hydraulic press supplied with water under pressure in the same manner
as the other hydraulic apparatus. By adjusting the dimensions of the
hook, the angle of the holding surface, and the area and pressure of
the press, this locking arrangement may be made to clear itself when-
ever the strain on it exceeds a given amount, and so to avoid all risk of
the dangerous strains which might otherwise be caused by the sudden
arresting of the turret when in rapid motion. The bolt may be with-
drawn by the action of the press or by a spring or weight. Another
form of of locking bolt is shewn on Sheet V., Figure II.
Sheet V. shews an arrangement similar to those proviously described
applied to an earthwork barbette battery; the slide itself being made to
pivot round to bring the gun into loading position, and a similar arrange-
ment is applicable to any battery where the gun can be revolved and
brought into position for loading clear of the parapet or embrasure.

page_text: To avoid exposure to enemy's fire, the press for elevating and
depressing the gun may be fixed horizontally between the carriage
cheeks, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet V., and made to act upon a
bar clamped or keyed on the trunnions of the gun, instead of on the
cascable as previously described.
Sheet VI. shews the hydraulic rammer and shot hoist applied to a
casemate carriage. Here the rammer cylinder M' is placed overhead,
and works the ramrod N¹ by means of a guided prolonging bar O¹ pro-
vided at the outer end with a cross head P¹ to which the ramrod Q¹ is
attached by a joint, enabling it to be turned up out of the way of the 1
gun when not in use.
Figure 1 shews the position of the rammer when in position for
sponging or pushing home the shot; Figure 2 shews the rammer pushed
home in the gun. The dotted lines in Figures (1 and 2), and the
sections, Figure (3) and (4) shew the position of the ramrod when laid 1
up out of the way. The cross head P¹ is hinged sideways to clear the
gun, and to facilitate lifting the ramrod out of the way. In this
arrangement it is not necessary to revolve the gun, but only to train it
sideways to a position opposite the shot lift and rammer.
In place of using an hydraulic cylinder acting direct upon the rammer, 2
as shown in Sheets 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, or through a prolonging bar as in
Sheet 6, I may employ a jointed rammer made to revolve over a toothed
drum driven by hydraulic or other power. Figures 1 and 2, Sheet VII.,
shew such a rammer. The middle pins on the links engage the teeth of
the drum, the revolutions of which in opposite directions causes the 2
rammer to enter or leave the bore of the gun. It will be seen that the
method of jointing is such that the rammer can only bend in one
direction, and cannot yield laterally.
An hydraulic cylinder with a piston and piston rod acting upon a
rack and pinion may be used to produce the required revolution of the a
rammer. drum, or it may be turned by any other suitable mechanical
appliance. Or instead of driving a jointed rammer in and out by a
revolving drum I may use an ordinary rod rammer of wood or other
material carried between friction rollers pressed together on the rammer
and one or both driven by hydraulic presses or other mechanical 3
appliances in the same manner as the toothed drum. Or I may use a
jointed rammer composed of discs strung together on a rope and having

page_text: a diameter a little less than that of the bore of the gun, the meeting
surfaces of the discs being rounded so that they may roll on one
another sufficiently to give the required flexibility, and the rammer
so formed working in a tube of suitable diameter which may be bent
to the extent of the flexibility of the rammer so as to lead up to the
shot in any convenient manner.
In place of a rope metal links may be used for connecting the discs,
and the rammer may be driven from the rear end by the direct action
of a hydraulic press or by other mechanical means, the tube in which
it runs directing its action upon the shot. I may also apply mechanical
'power to the ordinary ramrod by means of ropes or chains attached
to one or both ends of the rammer and passed round conveyance
sheaves to hydraulic presses, such as that shewn for the shot lift, in
Sheet I., or to other mechanical hauling appliances in substitution of
manual power.
In the arrangements herein described the persons engaged in loading
and the mechanism employed for the purpose are under cover and
protected from an enemy's fire. The pumps or other machinery
supplying the water power can also be completely protected, as the
water can be conveyed to the machinery from a distance in a small
pipe laid perfectly under cover.
•
On board ship the pumps may be placed below the water line, while
in land batteries they may be placed in the rear or in any sheltered
position.
Great rapidity of fire may also be obtained independently of the size
of the gun.
Where the Invention is applied to turrets to load from the outside,
as shewn in Sheets 2, 3, and 5, the gun may be of much larger
dimensions than heretofore, in relation to the turret, since no allowance
of space has to be made for loading inside the port in front of the
muzzle.
Much fewer men are required than heretofore to work the gun, the
operations being independent of manual power.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my
improvements in machinery for working heavy guns,-

page_text: 13. The combined arrangements of machinery for working heavy
guns, substantially as herein described and shewn on Sheet 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5, whereby the guns are enabled to be loaded from under cover.
•
In witness whereof, I, the said George Wightwick Rendel, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of Junc, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.