IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANNER OF MOUNTING AND APPARATUS FOR MANŒUVRING CANNON OR ORDNANCE ON SHIPS OR VESSELS OF WAR AND FLOATING BATTERIES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Louis Winans, of Baltimore, Maryland,
United States of America, but now residing at Brighton, in the County
of Sussex and Kingdom of England, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANNER OF MOUNTING AND APPARATUS FOR
MANŒUVRING CANNON OR ORDNANCE ON SHIPS OR VESSELS OF WAR AND
FLOATING BATTERIES."
Sealed the 11th April 1862, and dated the 18th January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Louis Winans
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th January 1862.
I, WILLIAM LOUIS WINANS, of Baltimore, Maryland, United States of
America, but now residing at Brighton, in the County of Sussex, and King-
dom of England, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANNER OF MOUNTING AND APPARATUS FOR
MANOEUVRING CANNON OR ORDNANCE ON SHIPS OR VESSELS OF WAR AND FLOATING
BATTERIES," to be as follows:-
The objects of my improvements in the manner of mounting and in appa-
ratus for manoeuvring cannon or ordnance on ships or vessels of war and
floating batteries are, in comparison with the systems at present in use, 1st,.
that the ordnance and men shall be more effectually protected from the
enemy's fire; 2ndly, that a greater proportion of the guns of a vessel of war.

page_text: and floating battery may be brought to bear in one direction; and, 3rd,
that the enemy's shot and shell may be more effectually kept from entering
the hull of a ship or vessel of war or floating battery than heretofore.
I accomplish these objects by the gun, with its carriage and platform, being
'ordinarily carried and loaded in a place of comparative safety, either, a., on a
deck sufficiently below a port-hole to protect it from an enemy's fire through
the port-hole, from which deck it may be raised by suitable mechanism,
worked by steam or other motive power, just before firing it through the port-
hole; b., the gun may be placed on a lower deck, and just before firing it may
be raised through suitably constructed hatchways to such a height as may be
necessary to give the proper direction and clear the decks and waterways or
bulwarks or other protection above; or c, it may be placed upon an upper
deck, and raised just before being fired over bulwarks or other protection.
The gun after being fired is immediately lowered again by mechanical means
into a comparatively safe place below a port-hole, deck, bulwark, or other
protection, in order to be reloaded; thus the men that work the guns need
not be exposed when loading, and the sighting can be effected with very little
exposure either before or after the gun is raised. The gun and a portion of
the carriage need be exposed but a short time; a few seconds only for each
discharge during an engagement with an enemy being sufficient.
When guns are so arranged in a vessel as to be raised from a lower deck,
on which they are ordinarily carried and loaded, and then fired from a deck
above, I would generally close the hatchway (through which the guns are
lifted) by means of steam or other power immediately the gun has been
lowered after each discharge, particularly when the men are exposed to
vertical fire.
As by my improvements one gun may be raised and discharged whilst others
immediately in the rear or advance of it are being loaded, it will be found
convenient in many cases to construct the carriage or the platform on the
traversing principle, so that when desirable all the guns on both sides of a
vessel of war or floating battery may be fired over one broadside. Also, it
will sometimes be found convenient to adopt the traversing principle, so that
more guns can be fired, both forward and aft of a vessel of war or floating
battery, than can be done by the present system of mounting and apparatus for
manoeuvring guns, and by making a suitable change in the hull and parts
above it of a vessel of war or floating battery, all the guns on it might be fired
in a line parallel to the axis of the vessel.
.
As port-holes may be entirely dispensed with, it follows that by my improve-
ments the shot and shell will be prevented from entering the hull through

page_text: them, thus giving more effectual protection in this respect than is possible by
the system of using port-holes. As more guns can be brought to bear forward
or aft of a vessel by my improvements than by any system yet known, it will
be in some cases advantageous to construct ships or vessels of war and floating
batteries in combination therewith, with their batteries principally or entirely
bearing in those directions, with a view to their fighting position being bow or
stern on towards an enemy, and by this means I obtain the advantage of
reducing the size of the mark for the enemy to fire at, and of presenting an
acute angle of the hull to the enemy's fire, under which circumstances plates
of iron of moderate thickness become shot-proof, and shot and shell will
thereby be more effectually prevented from entering the hull than when they
strike point blank or at a greater angle than is made by the ends of a
vessel.
It will be evident that a gun, with its carriages and platform, may be raised
either by steam power applied direct, or by steam or other motive power
applied through the intervention of hydraulic pressure, or by steam or other
power applied by means of gearing, or by means of a combination of screws or
pullies and chains or ropes, or other equivalent mechanical contrivances. The
gun can also be lowered by means of similar mechanism, but the arrangement
I prefer to employ for this purpose consists principally of a steam cylinder, in
which works a piston, which is suitably connected to the-under side of the
platform, which supports the gun with its appurtenances, and which is raised,
together with its load, upon the admission of steam to the cylinder. The
gun and its platform may, when desired, be lowered by opening a cock and
allowing the steam to escape from the cylinder. It is necessary to make pro-
vision for supporting the gun and its appurtenances when raised to the required
altitude, and for counteracting the lateral and vertical recoil during the firing.
This may be done in several ways, but I prefer the under-mentioned, because
it is easily managed and not liable to become deranged.
I cause the platform to be guided during its elevation by guides sufficiently
strong to resist the lateral recoil of the guns during the firing; and in order
to support the gun when at its proper elevation sufficiently to resist the vertical
recoil, there are many ways that may be adopted, amongst which sliding bolts,
ratchets and palls, or their equivalents, may be employed in connection with
substantial stanchions or other means of support, but, by preference, I make
use of one or more columns of water or other fluid. On the under side of the
platform I place usually two cylinders, in which work pistons or plungers,
which are attached to the platform. These cylinders are connected with a
tank containing water or other fluid, and are provided with valves, which

page_text: admit the fluid below the plungers as the latter are made to rise by the
uplifting of the platform to which they are attached. The valves will, of
course, close when the gun is in position for firing, or immediately the upward
motion is arrested, the platform, with the gun carriage and its appurtenances,
will thus rest on two columns of water or other fluid. By opening cocks in
the lower ends of the water or fluid cylinders, the water or other fluid will be
allowed to flow back into the tanks as gradually as may be desired, and the
platform, with the gun and appurtenances thereon, will descend by gravity to
the lower position ready for reloading. It will be convenient to make the
lower end of the pistons or plungers of the water or fluid cylinders concave or
hollow, so that they may contain a body of air, which will serve as a cushion
to diminish the shock.
Besides these principal advantages of my Invention, there are other
important advantages gained by them, amongst which the following may be
cited:
1st, the possibility of dispensing with port-holes admits of a vessel's sides
being made stronger than those of the present construction for the same cost
and of less height above the water, thus reducing the mark for an enemy to
fire at.
2ndly, the armament being carried below the point for firing, the centre of
gravity of the battery is brought lower than is practicable under the existing
system.
3rdly, by discharging the guns from the upper deck, the lower or gun deck
will be kept more clear of smoke, and there will be less damage from accident
in case of the bursting of a gun.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Louis Winans in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LOUIS WINANS, of Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America, but now.
residing in Saint Petersburgh, in the Empire of Russia, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,

page_text: the said William Louis Winans, Her special license that I, the said William
Louis Winans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Louis Winans, 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 THE MANNER OF MOUNTING AND APPARATUS FOR MANEUVRING
CANNON OR ORDNANCE ON SHIPS OR VESSELS OF WAR AND FLOATING BATTERIES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Louis Winans,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said William Louis Winans, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)
:-
The first and principal objects of these improvements are to do away with
the necessity for port-holes or embrasures in the sides of vessels of war and
floating batteries through which to fire cannon, and more perfectly to protect
the men, cannon, and other contents, as well as the interior parts of vessels
of war and floating batteries, than is practicable by any system yet employed
or before known.
These objects are attained by raising the cannon from a place of security
below the upper deck or from behind the bulwarks of a vessel of war or
floating battery just before firing it, to such a height as may be necessary in
order to give it the proper direction, and to clear the decks and waterways or
bulwarks of the vessel or floating battery, and so soon as it shall be discharged
by lowering it to its place of security below deck or behind bulwarks, as the
ease may be, to be reloaded and prepared for re-firing.
One mode of performing these operations with certainty and facility is
shewn by the Drawings hereto annexed and above referred to as making a
part of this Specification.
:
Of the Drawings annexed, shewing the machinery or apparatus for one
mode of mounting and manoeuvring cannon, and for opening and closing the
cannon batchways according to my improvement, Fig. 1 represents a combined

page_text: side view and longitudinal section of the apparatus in connection with sections
of part of one side and portions of the decks of a vessel of war; Fig. 2 represents
an end view of the apparatus in connection with longitudinal sections of
portions of the decks of a vessel of war; Fig. 3 represents a top view or plan
of the apparatus with hatchway covers, and so much of the hatchway framing
as necessary for the purpose removed to expose it; Fig. 4 represents a com-
bined transverse section on the line 6, 7, (Fig. 1,) and end view of parts of
the apparatus in connection with longitudinal sections of portions of the decks
of a vessel of war; Fig. 5 represents in combination a horizontal section on
the line 8, 9 (Fig. 4), and a top view of parts of the apparatus, and a section
through the pipes and cocks for admitting steam to and discharging from the
steam cylinder.
Referring to these Drawings, the following will serve as a description of
the same, to wit:-A, a moveable platform for carrying the chassis, the cannon
carriage, and the cannon, and to which the chassis is secured by the pivot or
pintle a; B, a cylinder, into which steam is admitted for raising the plat-
form A; C, a plunger attached to the bottom of the platform A, and extending
down into the steam cylinder B, a steam-tight joint being formed between it
and the upper portion of the steam cylinder by means of packing within the
space b; D, hollow columns or cylinders for containing water or other fluid,
for the purpose of forming a support for the platform A; E, plungers attached
to the platform A, and extending down into the hollow columns or cylinders D,
water-tight joints being formed between these plungers and the cylinders, into
which they respectively enter by means of packing within the space c. The
lower end of each of these plungers is made concave, for the purpose of con-
taining air to act as a cushion or spring, for the purpose of relieving the
apparatus as well as the ship in some degree from the effects of the severe
vertical concussions produced by firing the cannon at an elevation above the
horizontal line. F, pipes for the purpose of conveying water or other fluid to
and from the cylinders D; G, tanks for containing water or other fluid for
filling the cylinders D; H, the chassis upon which the cannon carriage is
placed, which is so made and arranged as that it may, be adjusted by means of
the blocks or wedges, shewn and marked d, so as to give it any desired inclination,
and by means of the tangent screw e and its appendages, so as to train or
turn the cannon horizontally with facility and precision. By changing the
position of the blocks or wedges d from where they are shewn on the
Drawing to the point f, the inclination of the chassis may be reversed, so as
to adapt it in this respect to the cannon when its direction may require to be
reversed. I, the cannon carriage, which is représented as being made to part

page_text: at the line g, h, so that the upper portion of it may be swivelled or -turned-
upon the pintle i when it may be necessary to reverse the direction of the
cannon, which may be done by this means when the cannon is raised, so as
to be above the upper deck, but when in action, the two portions of the
carriage will be firmly secured to each other by bolts, substantially as
represented in the Drawing. The lower portion of the carriage is provided.
with wheels, which are brought into and thrown out of action as required by
means of excentric bearings, a well-known expedient for the purpose; and to
provide a means of resisting the effects of recoil when the vessel may be
rolling or pitching so much as to render the inclination of the chassis an
unsafe reliance for the purpose, spring compressers for increasing the friction
between the carriage and the chassis are provided. These are represented at
the. points k, and are brought into action by excentrics on the shaft l, and
straps from these excentrics which take hold of and draw the clamps m
up against the projecting lips of the guides n, attached to the chassis. K, the
cannon; L, sliding doors or covers of iron or other suitable materials for closing.
the cannon hatchways; M, substantial bulkheads, intended to act as deck stan-
chions, guides, and lateral as well as longitudinal supports for the platform A; N,
stanchions for supporting the lower decks; o, guides attached to the carriage
I, for guiding it in a proper direction, and preventing its being lifted from
the chassis by any violent movement; p, a wheel or pulley, the axle of which is
secured in one of the bulkheads M, for conveying motion to the chains or ropes
V, for opening and closing the doors or coverings to the cannon hatchways;
q, arm, with pin in its outer end attached to the pulley p, for communicating
motion to said pulley; r connecting rod or link for connecting the arm q to the
pin S; S, pin attached to one of the guide projections of platform A, for carrying
the connecting rod r, through which motion is given to the arm q; t, springs
for the purpose of checking or stopping the platform A without severe shock
when it is raised and lowered to its extreme limits. The upper springs are made
adjustable, so that the extent of extreme lift may be varied. u, pulleys for
carrying the chains or ropes for opening and closing the doors L; V, chains or
ropes for opening and closing the doors L; X, cock for admitting steam to the
steam cylinder; and y, cock for admitting steam from steam cylinder. These
two cocks X and y are opened and closed by means of the handles and k¹
respectively. 2, valve for admitting water or other fluid to the hollow column
or cylinder D, of which there is a corresponding one for the like purpose in con- .
nection with the other hollow column or cylinder D. These valves are opened
and closed as the platform A begins to ascend or descend by means of friction
or adhesion between the packing, within the boxes a¹ and the rods 6', which is,

page_text: made adequate to the purpose by compression, and the extent to which
these valves may be moved is determined by proper permanent. stops above
and below the levers e¹. These valves after being opened remain open until
the moveable platform recedes or falls back from its extreme height of lift
the small space sufficient to close them, d³, valve, of which there is one for
each for discharging the water or other fluid from the cylinder D; e¹, levers
for opening and closing the valves d¹; f¹, treddle by which force is commu-
nicated to the levers e¹, for opening the valves d'; g¹, a spring to counteract
the weight of the levers e¹, and to aid the weight of the valves d¹ and their
rods in closing the same when the force for opening these valves is removed
from the treddle f¹; h, a chock securely fastened to the chassis to stop the
carriage at the proper point when it is moved back from the position to which
it is driven by the recoil of the cannon. To avoid confusion no means are
shewn to limit the extent to which the carriage may be thrown back by recoil
as the usual and well-known appliances may be adopted, and will be ample
for the purpose.
. Having indicated or described all of the principal parts of the apparatus
for raising, lowering, and manoeuvring cannon shewn by the annexed Drawings:
by letters, it will suffice to say that like letters indicate like parts in the
different views and sections shewn, to explain that by admitting steam of
suitable pressure into cylinder B, the whole moveable portion of the apparatus
may be raised to such a height as to bring the cannon into the necessary
positions for firing it, as, for instance, those positions indicated by the dotted
lines, where the cannon is carried below the upper deck, as shewn in the
Drawings, and that by opening cock y, for discharging the steam from tho
steam cylinder, and the valves d¹ to afford egress for the water or other fluid
from the cylinders D, the cannon may be lowered to its original position of
safety, where it may be reloaded and prepared for refiring. The speed at
which the cannon may be raised and lowered may be determined at pleasure,
and will depend upon the extent that the cocks and valves for admitting the
steam and water or other fluid to and discharging them from their respective
cylinders may be opened. It is obvious that cannon may be carried upon the
upper deck of a vessel or floating battery or behind permanent bulwarks, and
raised above these at the moment of firing them, and then lowered again to
their places of safety by the means herein indicated and set forth to be reloaded
and prepared for refiring.
The apparatus herein described for raising, lowering, and manoeuvring
the cannon may be adjusted to work with such accuracy and rapidity,
and the sights of a cannon may be so arranged as that it may be aimed before

page_text: or whilst being raised, so that it may be discharged as soon as it reaches a
point high enough to clear, the decks or bulwarks; hence the exposure of
the cannon as well as of those working or manoeuvring it under this: system will
be exceedingly small, and the liability to injury reduced to the least possible
amount.
It will be obvious also to any intelligent engineer or mechanic that the
apparatus particularly described may be considerably modified or changed in
its form and proportions without essentially changing its general character or
affecting its efficiency, and further that the hollow columns or cylinders for
containing water or other fluid for supporting the cannon and moveable
portions of the apparatus after they have been raised to the required height
by means of steam within the steam cylinder may be dispensed with altogether,
and that their purposes may be fulfilled to a great extent by substantial
stanchions or other means of support analogous thereto in connection with
sliding bolts, ratchets, and pawles, or their equivalents, and that in cases
where it is desirable to sweep the entire circle with a cannon, the chassis
platform may be circular, and be supported at its edges by any of the means
just indicated, in which case the steam cylinder can be used as a pivot
on which to turn or train the cannon. I, however, notwithstanding their
greater cost and weight, because of the superior safety and facility which
they afford in securely supporting the cannon at any and all points within
the extreme range of lift, and also of the facility and safety with which
the cannon may be lowered by means thereof, prefer to use hollow columns
or cylinders with water or other fluid as a support, and in cases where it is
desirable to have the power of sweeping the entire circle with the cannon, I
would increase the number of these columns to three or more, and make the
chassis platform. circular.
The apparatus above described may be applied in most cases with facility,
and to great advantage. In some instances, however, such, for instance, as
where the space below the point for carrying the cannon is not of sufficient
height for the accommodation of the apparatus, as shewn by the Drawings,
or where objections to its employment may arise on other accounts, steam
may be applied or used in raising and lowering the cannon through a system of
ropes or chains and pullies, hydraulic cylinders and pistons, or any other of
the well-known mechanical means, and in others, where steam power may,
not be conveniently had or used for the purpose, and circumstances favour the
application of animal or manual power, such power alone, or either of them.
in connection with a system of counterweights, may be used to advantage in
raising and lowering the cannon.

page_text: Besides the first mentioned and principal objects attained by this improve-
ment, there are other most important objects and advantages gained by it,
amongst which are the following:
:-
First, by dispensing with port-holes in the sides of vessels of war and
floating batteries, the sides of these structures can be made much stronger
at the same cost than is practicable where port-holes are used; and in
addition to this, the sides of vessels of war may, in the absence of port-holes,
be reduced in height. And in connection with the power afforded by my
improvement of raising the cannon before firing it without necessarily reducing
the distance or height between the water and the point for its discharge,
which lessening in height would not only lessen the cost and weight of the
vessel, but would also lessen the mark for an enemy to shoot at.
Second, by this system or improvement one gun or cannon may be raised
and discharged whilst others immediately in the rear or advance of it are
being loaded, consequently most if not all of the cannon from different sides
and parts of a vessel of war or floating battery may be brought to bear in any
given direction without the interference of one with another. Hence several
pieces of cannon may be placed one immediately behind another on a given
front, and all fired in the same direction, thus enabling a greatly increased
number of cannon to be brought to bear from a single tier on a vessel or
battery in any given direction.
Third, by carrying cannon below the point for firing them, the centre of
gravity of the battery of a vessel of war may be brought lower than is
customary or practicable under existing systems.
Fourth, by this improvement one line of cannon placed near to or on the
fore and aft centre line of a vessel of war, or a lesser number alternating on
each side than is now customary, and discharged above decks, would be quite
as effective in broadside fighting as two full lines, one on each side of the ship
or vessel; placed and used in the customary way; and, moreover, by this
system cannon may be placed further from the sides of the vessel than is 3
customary or practicable where they are fired through port-holes. These
advantages, in connection with that of carrying the guns lower in the vessel,
as explained under the previous article, would render admissible a less breadth
of vessel in proportion to its length than is practicable and customary where
cannon are carried and used as at present on them; and as the lessening of 3
the breadth of a vessel in proportion to its length is favourable to increased
speed, this is an advantage of considerable importance.
Fifth, by discharging cannon from above decks in connection with the
power afforded by my improvement of manoeuvring them from below, the

page_text: annoyance and obstruction to rapid firing caused by smoke under the present
system will be almost wholly, if not entirely removed.
Sixth, by dispensing with port-holes in vessels of war, and carrying the
cannon below deck, which is rendered practicable by my improvement without
detriment, it will give to these vessels all the appearance of merchantmen,
which is a matter of no small importance in many descriptions of service.
Seventh, by mounting cannon substantially as described and shewn by the
.Drawings.annexed on board vessels of war, the labour of manoeuvring them
will be greatly reduced, as. compared with that necessary under the systems
now in general use; hence, by the adoption of this improvement the number
of men per cannon to be carried on board these vessels may be considerably
reduced below the present standard.
Although in what has been stated above the dispensing with port-holes
in vessels of war and floating batteries is contemplated, yet the benefit of my
improvement may be attained in a very great degree by retaining the port-
holes at a proper and convenient height in the sides of vessels and floating
batteries, and carrying the cannon below them, except when wanted in action,
when they may be raised to the proper height for firing through the port-
hole or embrasure, and manoeuvred by means and in the manner substantially
as herein indicated and shewn; and although in what has been previously
stated it is contemplated that, after firing, the cannon shall in each case be
lowered again to be reloaded, yet in some cases this will be unnecessary, and
in these the gun or cannon being once raised to its proper height for firing,
may be retained and reloaded and manoeuvred in that position, or lowered
again for these purposes, as the commander may see fit.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Manner of
Mounting and Apparatus for Manoeuvring Cannon or Ordnance on Ships or
Vessels of War and Floating Batteries," and having explained the best means
with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would observe
that I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to the precise arrange-
ments herein set forth, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature and object of my Invention. I desire it to be understood that what
I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-
First, mounting cannon or ordnance, and also their carriages and platforms,
on board of ships, vessels, or floating batteries in such a manner as that they
may be raised and lowered at pleasure by steam or other motive power for
the purposes herein set forth.
Second, I claim making batchways or openings in the upper decks of ships,
vessels, or floating batteries through which the cannon or ordnance may be

page_text: raised from and lowered to an under deck for the purposes herein set forth;
and I also claim adapting to such hatchways or openings covers which are to
be worked or moved by the agency of steam or other power.
Third, I claim the mechanical arrangements or combinations particularly
indicated, described, and set forth above, or any analogous thereto for accom-
plishing these objects.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Louis Winans, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM LOUIS WINANS. (L.S.)