MODE OF AIMING. GUNS BY THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AND MEANS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
.I, WILLIAM HENRY MAW, of N° 35 and 36 Bedford Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention
for "MODE OF AIMING. GUNS BY THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AND MEANS OR
APPARATUS THEREFOR" to be as follows:
According to my invention the direction of a gun is indicated by a beam of
light projected from an electric or other suitable lamp; the connexion between the
lamp and the gun to be aimed being such that the axis of the beam of light
projected from the lamp is either parallel with or forms a certain known angle
with the axis of the gun. Thus in the case of point blank range when the axes of
the gun and beam of light are parallel the gun covers a point which is distant
from the centre of the spot of light thrown by the beam by an amount equal to
the distance apart of the two axes. At longer ranges any desired elevation can be'
given to the gun by causing the axes of the gun and beam of light to converge:
In carrying out this invention the lamp provided with suitable lenses or with a.
reflector or reflectors may be either mounted directly upon the gun to be aimed,
or it may be so connected to the latter by mechanical means as to partake of all
its movements.
In applying my invention to heavy guns trained and elevated by hydraulic or
other power, I in some cases so couple the lamp throwing the beam of light to the
valves controlling the hydraulic or other motive power acting upon the gun, that
a movement of the beam of light is accompanied by a corresponding movement of
the gun.
In some cases I couple the gun and the lamp throwing the beam of light as
regards training movements only, any movements of the lamp causing elevations
or depressions of the beam of light not being accompanied by corresponding
movements of the gun but being so indicated as to enable the elevation of the gun
to be readily adjusted.
:

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY MAW, of N° 35 and 36 Bedford Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for "MODE OF AIMING GUNS BY THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AND MEANS OR
APPARATUS THEREFOR," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
According to my invention the direction of a gun is indicated by a beam of.
light projected from an electric or other suitable lamp; the connexion between the
lamp and the gun to be ained being such that the axis of the beam of light
projected from the lamp is either parallel with or forms a certain known angle with
the axis of the gun. Thus in the case of point blank range when the axes of the.
gun and beam of light are parallel the gun covers a point which is distant from the
centre of the spot of light thrown by the beam by an amount equal to the distance
apart of the two axes. At longer ranges any desired elevation can be given to the
gun by causing the axes of the gun and beam of light to converge.
In carrying out this invention the lamp provided with suitable lenses or with a
reflector or reflectors may be either mounted directly upon the gun to be aimed; or
'it may be so connected to the latter by mechanical means as to partake of all
its movements.
"
In applying my invention to, heavy guns trained and elevated by hydraulic or
other power, i in some cases so couple the lamp throwing the beam of light to the
valve or valves controlling the hydraulic or other motive power acting upon the
gun that a movement of the beam of light is accompanied by a corresponding
movement of the gun.
In some cases I couple the gun and the lamp throwing the beam of light as
regards training movements only, any movements of the lamp causing elevations.
or depressions of the beam of light not being accompanied by corresponding
movements of the gun but being so indicated as to enable the elevation of the gun
to be readily adjusted.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, shows the application
of my invention to a Nordenfelt. 6-pounder shell gun mounted on a Nordenfelt
recoil carriage. In this mode of mounting a gun (an arrangement which forms no
part of my invention) the gun 1 is supported-by its trunnions at the upper end of
a pair of levers 2, these levers turning on centres at 3, and being connected at their
lower ends to a combined spring and hydraulic compresser 4.. At the rear the gun.
is further supported by a pair of links 5 which connect it to a pair of beams 6, on
which the elevating gear operates; these beams 6 have also their fulcrum at the
point 3. The effect of this arrangement is that when the gun is fired it recoils to
the extent permitted by the compresser 4, the latter subsequently restoring it to
its original position. Owing to the manner in which it is carried the axis of the
gun during the recoil remains parallel to the centre line of the beams 6.- In
applying my invention to this arrangement of gun and carriage the lamp 7 by
which the directing beam of light is thrown, and which lamp may be fitted with

page_text: an electric or other suitable powerful light, is mounted on a plate 8 furnished with
a pair of supporting arms 9 which connect it to the centre 3. At the rear end the
plate 8 is further supported by the link 10 which connects it to one of the beams 6.
The link 10 is made in two parts having right and left-handed screws formed on
then, these screws entering the long. boss of the hand-wheel 11 by turning which
the length of the link 10 can be varied and the axis of the lamp 7 adjusted so as
to be parallel to, or to make any desired angle with the centre line of the beams 6,
and consequently also with the axis of the gun.
The parallelism or otherwise of the axis of the lamp with the axis of the gun is
indicated by a graduated quadrant 12 attached to one of the arms 9. It is to bo
noted that the gun moves horizontally around the centre 13 to which the lower
frame 14 of the carriage is pivotted. The effect of the arrangement described is
that the axis of the lamp partakes of all movements of the axis of the gun during
the operation of training and adjusting the elevation but is unaffected by the recoil
of the gun when fired.
Fig. 2, Sheet 2, shows the application of my invention in the case when a
heavy gun (or guns) mounted in a-turret or on a revolving platform has its
training movements effected by a hydraulic or other fluid motor the controlling
valve of which is external to the turret or platform. In this case a suitable
powerful lamp 7 such as one of M. M. Sautter and Lemmonnier's projectors is.
mounted on a base 15 which is free to revolve on the top of the supporting
column 16. Around the periphery of the base 15 is a geared ring 17 which
engages a wheel 18 fixed on the upper end of a spindle 19. For a portion of its
length this spindle has a screwthread cut on it as shown and on the part so screwed
is a nut 20, this nut having formed on it teeth engaging with the wheel 21. This
wheel 21 is fixed on the upper end of a shaft 22 which shaft is by means of a
horizontal shaft and bevel gear or other suitable mechanical means connected
to the turret or platform, the proportions of the gear being such that the turning
of the turret or platform through a certain angle and in a certain direction
produces the same movement of the nut 20 as would be produced in the spindle 19
by the movement of the axis of the lamp 7 through the same angle and in the*
same direction as the turret or platform is supposed to have been turned.
The lower part of the nut 20 has a groove formed in it, and into this groove fit
the arms of a crosshead or cap fixed on the upper end of the valve spindle 23.
This spindle actuates a slide valve 24 covering three parts 25, 26, and 27 as'
shown. The water or other motive fluid under pressure enters the valve chest
at 28, and according as the slide. valve is moved up or down it is admitted to the
port 26 or 25, thus causing the motion of the turret or gun platform in one!
direction or the other. The adjustment of the gear is such that when the.axis of
the beam of light thrown by the lamp 7. is parallel to the axis of the gun or guns
in the turret, the slide valve 24 covers both ports 25 and 26. The central port 27
is the exhaust.
:
.
The action of the arrangement above described is as follows: Suppose the parts
to be in the positions shown by Fig. 2 and the lamp 7 to be then turned through
an angle of say 45° the direction of motion being from the north towards the east.
The effect of this movement will be to rotate the wheel 18 and with it the
spindle 19, depressing the nut 20 and thus causing the slide valve 24 to uncover?
the upper port 25. By this means the water or other fluid under pressure will be
so admitted to the motor by which the turret or platform is turned as to cause this!
latter to be also rotated from the north towards the east. As soon however, as this-
movement commences it is communicated through the connecting gearing and the
shaft 22 to the nut 20, rotating this latter in the same direction as the spindle.19
has been previously rotated by the movement of the lamp 7. The effect of this is,
to screw the nut back up the spindle 19 until when the turret or platform has
performed the same angular movement as the lamp, the slide valve 24 will be'
restored to its central position and further motion of the motor arrested.

page_text: It is to be noted that in an arrangement of this kind where the directing light.
is external to the revolving turret or platform carrying the gun, the distance:
between the axis of the beam of light thrown and the axis of the gun will vary
with different angles of training. This is illustrated by Fig. 3, sheet 2, which is a
diagram showing a turret a, containing two guns, controlled by a directing lamp at b.
In this case if the guns and lamp are pointing in the direction shewn by the centre
lines a c, bc, the-distance between the axis of the lamp and the mean axis of the
pair of guns will equal d. If, however, the guns and lamp be trained in the direction
shown by the centre lines a, e, b, c the distance between the two axes above named
will be reduced to f. It will be convenient in the arrangement shewn by Fig. 2
that the revolving base 15 should carry an index finger moving on a graduated
scale marked on the column 16 such scale indicating the distance between the axis
of the beam of light and that of the gun (or guns) at various angles of training.
Fig. 4, slicet 3, shows an arrangement suitable for use in cases in which the lamp
throwing the beam of light can be mounted on the revolving turret or platform
carrying the gun or guns to be directed and in which the hydraulic or other motor
by which the turret or platform is rotated is-controlled by a valve situated on the
turret itself. In this arrangement the lamp 7 is (as in the case of the arrangement
shown in Fig. 2) mounted on a revolving base 15 having around its periphery
teeth 17 which engage with the toothed wheel. 18. This latter wheel has a long
boss which passes through a bracket 29 and is provided with lock nuts or their
equivalent at its lower end so that it can oppose a resistance to upward thrust.
At 30 is a capstan-headed screw which can when desired be screwed in-so that its
point enters a hole in the boss of the wheel 18 thus locking the latter fast. The
object of this will be explained later on. The boss of the wheel 18 is tapped to fit
the screwed upper part of the valve spindle 23, this spindle being attached to the
slide valve 24 covering the ports 25, 26, 27, precisely as in the arrangement shewn
by Fig. 2. On the valve-spindle 23 is a cross-head 31 secured by the set screw 32
the point of which enters a hole formed in the spindle to receive it. The pro-
jecting arm of the crosshead 31 works in guides 33 fixed to the side of the standard
supporting the lamp and when the crosshead is fixed to the spindle by the set
screw 32 the spindle is prevented from rotating.
The action of this arrangement can be best explained by reference to Figs. 5
and 6 in conjunction with Fig. 4, the two views Figs. 5 and 6 being diagram plans
shewing the application of the apparatus to a turret with two guns. In setting
the apparatus it is adjusted so that when the axis of the beam of light thrown by
the lamp is strictly parallel to the vertical planes passing through the axes of the
guns, the slide valve 24 is at the middle of its travel so that it closes, both ports 25
and 26, while at the same time the points of the set screws 30 and 32 can enter
the holes respectively made to receive them..
1
Things being in this condition, let the crosshead 31 be fixed by the set screw 32
and the set screw 30 be turned back so as to leave the wheel 18 free; the lamp 7
will then be free to be rotated, and when turned the gear 17 on its base will rotate
the wheel 18 the boss of which will act as a nut and cause the valve spindle 23 to
be raised or depressed according to the direction of notion.
r
Let it be supposed for example that the guns and lamp are pointed north, their
axes being indicated by the lines p. q, r. 8 Fig. 5; and let the lamp be then turned
through 45° so as to direct it to an object bearing north-east, as indicated by the
centre line r. t, Fig. 5. The effect of this movement will be to rotate the wheel 18
in the opposite direction, thus causing the valve spindle 23 to be lowered, the slide
valve 24 then partially uncovering the port 25. But the connections are such that
the admission of the water or other motive fluid to the port 25 causes the motor
by which the turret is actuated to rotate the turret in the direction in which the
beam of light has been already moved. If now the beam of light be kept directed
on the object to the north-east as the turret turns round, the wheel 18 will by the
motion of the turret be. turned back again to its original position, the lamp and
turret alternately attaining the positions shewn in Fig. 6, the axis r. 8 of the beam

page_text: of light being again parallel to the centre line p. q, and the slide valve -24 being
brought back into its original position closing all the ports. In this way the guns
will be caused to follow any movement of the beam of light.
If on the other hand the wheel 18 be fixed by means of the set screw 30, and
the crosshead 31 released by turning back the set screw 32, the wheol 18 becomes
merely a fixed nut, and by means of the hand-wheel 34 the valve spindle 23 can
be screwed up or down thus enabling the motion of the turret to be controlled by
hand independently of the lamp.
It is to be noted that in the arrangements shown by Figs. 2 and 4 the gun
follows the motion of the beam of light as regards training movements only, and
this application of my system will probably be found the most convenient when
dealing with heavy guns, the elevation being adjusted independently. To facilitate
this adjustment it is desirable that the axis of the beam of light should be either
parallel to, or form a known vertical angle with, the line from which the elevation
of the gun is measured.
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
1. The hereinabove described mode of aiming guns by the aid of artificial light
projected from apparatus connected with the gun to be aimed in such a manner
that the axis of the beam of light is either parallel with or forms a certain known
angle with the axis of the gun as above set forth.
2. The use for aiming a gun (or guns) by the aid of artificial light of apparatus
for projecting a beam of light so coupled to the valve or valves controlling the
bydraulic or other motive power acting upon the gun (ar guns) that a movement
of the beam of light is accompanied by a corresponding movement of the gun (or
guns) substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The use for aiming guns by the aid of artificial light of apparatus constructed
arranged and operating as described with reference respectively to and illustrated
in Fig. 1, in Fig. 2, and in Fig. 4 of the drawings.