Improvements in Breech-loading Cannon.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech-loading Cannon.
I, SAMUEL SEABURY, Lieut. U.S.N., of Schuyler Place, Bergen Point, in the State
of New Jersey, United States of America, 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 :-
This improvement relates to breech-loading cannon in which a screw-breech-block,
which is withdrawn in a rearward direction, is employed with a swinging carrier
hinged to one side of the breech of the gun, and into which the breech block is with-
drawn, and which serves as a guide for directing the breech-block into and from its
seat in the breech, and as a support for the breech-block while out of the gun. In
such a gun there are three movements necessary to open the breech, namely (1) the
turning of the breech-block to unlock it; (2) the withdrawal of the breech-block
backward into the carrier; and (3) the swinging aside of the carrier with the breech
block in it. These three movements have hitherto been separately performed by hand
the breech block having been first turned to unlock it by hand, and then pulled by
band back into the carrier, and the carrier having been then swung aside by hand,
with the breech block in it, to open the breech. The object of this improvement is to
provide for the more rapid working, loading, and firing of such breech-loading cannon,
by effecting all those movements in succession by a continuous movement of a single
lever.
I will first describe my improvement with reference to the drawings and afterwards
point out its novelty in claims.
Fig. 1 is a rear view of the breech of a cannon and of the breech-block, swinging
breech-block-carrier, and mechanism for operating said breech-block-carrier, embody-
ing my invention.
Fig. 2 represents a horizontal sectional view corresponding with Fig. 1, taken in a
plane coincident with the axis of the bore, but showing the exterior of the greater
portion of the length of the breech-block.
Fig. 3 is a plan view corresponding with Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 represents a vertical section corresponding with Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
The Figures above mentioned all show the breech in its closed and locked position.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding with Fig. 2, except that it shows
the breech-block unlocked.
Figs. 6 and 6* are horizontal sectional views corresponding with Fig. 5, but
showing the parts in different positions.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a modification of the mechanism for operating the breech-
block and carrier, Fig. 7 being a rear view, Fig. 8 a plan, and Fig. 9 a sectional
view taken in the line x x of Fig. 7.
Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 illustrate a further modification, adapting the
invention to guns for the use of fixed ammunition, Fig. 10 being a rear view, Fig. 11
being a horizontal sectional view with the breech-block in section, Fig. 12 a horizontal
sectional view with the breech-block entire, Fig. 13 a vertical sectional view with the
breech-block entire and Figs. 14 and 15 being detail views which will be hereinafter
explained.
Similar letters and numbers of reference designate corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
I will first describe the example of my invention as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6,
inclusive.
The block is
A designates the breech of the gun, and B the breech-block.
represented as having upon its exterior a mutilated screw-thread corresponding with a
mutilated screw thread in the breech, to permit the block to be moved in and out of
the breech, and to be locked therein by turning it.

page_text: CCC designate the breech-block-carrier, consisting of a tray C, and arm C₁,
to which said tray is solidly attached, and two sockets (2 provided on the said
arm, the said sockets forming portions of the hinge by which the said carrier is
hinged to the breech of the gun at one side thereof. Other portions of the hinge
consist of sockets D formed in brackets D¹ secured to the breech of the gun at
one side thereof, and a spindle E which passes through the said sockets (2 and D,
and for which the said sockets D D. constitute bearings. The said spindle is free
to turn in the said sockets within certain limits, as will be hereinafter explained.
The tray C conforms internally to the exterior of the breech-block, and to the
contour of the unmutilated portion of the screw thereof, and has, at its sides,
longitudinal parallel tongues c, which correspond with grooves b' in the breech-
block, which said grooves are brought exactly opposite to the said tongues c of
the tray, when the breech-block is turned to the position in which it is unlocked,
so that when the breach block is drawn back, it may run backward in the tray in
a direction exactly parallel with the bore of the gun, the breech-block-carrier and
its tray being then locked, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to the breech of the gun,
and forming a continuation of the lower part of the breech seat. The locking of
the tray to the barrel is effected by means of a lever-like double catch F, which
is pivoted by a pin to the bottom of the tray. This double catch or lever has,
at its rear, an upward projection f¹, which passes through a hole in the tray, and
it has at its front end a downward projection f, which engages with a hooked
bolt 3, fast in the lower part of the breech of the gun, a spring f* being applied
between the tray and the forward part of the said lever-like catch, to keep the
projection in engagement with the hooked bolt f³, until it is required to be dis-
engaged.
The breech-block, the breech-block-carrier, and the means of locking the carrier
to the breech of the gun, so far as I have described them, are like those in common
use. I will now proceed to describe my improvement, whereby their more. rapid
operation is effected.
.
B' is a circular plate secured to the rear end of the breech, and having upon it a
toothed flange b, which is concentric with the breech-block, and which gears with a
straight toothed rack a, which is fitted to run in, a slideway a firmly secured to the
back of the breech, for the purpose of giving the breech-block the movement on its
axis necessary to lock and unlock it from its seat in the gun. This rack a is con-
nected by a rod a² with a crank arm a³, which is fastened upon the upper end of the
spindle E. The lower end of the spindle has upon it a toothed pinion E,,through
which it is turned to produce the movement. of the arm a³, and rod a², by which the
rack a is made to operate upon the toothed flange b, to turn the breech-block in one
direction or the other, the pinion E being, for. this, purpose,, geared with a curved
rack E2 on a hand lever E³, which works horizontally on a fulcrum pin e, secured to
the lower part of the breech of the gun, on the same side with the spindle E, and at
some distance forward of the latter.
GG designate two arms, which are fitted loosely to the. spindle E between. the
sockets D and C2 of the hinge. These arms are secured together,. and kept. at a
proper distance apart by means of an interposed sleeve g, and a pin g¹ passing through
said sleeve, and fastened by a nut, which makes the said. arms practically, a single
forked, arni.
The forked ends of the said arms are connected-with the breech-block
in such manner that, by the turning of the arms G about the axis of the. spindle E,
the breech-block may be drawn back into the tray by the said arms, and be permitted
to move inra direction, parallel with the bore. of the gun,, until. entirely withdrawn
from its seat in the breech. The connection shown between the said arms.and..the
breech-block, consists of a flanged ring G₁, which is screwed, as shown at 9
(Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6), into a concentric cavity in the rear of the breech-block, horizontal
slideways g fast upon the rear of said ring, and slides fitted to slide on said slide-
ways, and pivotted by pins go to the ends of the said.arms. This connection between
the arms G. and the breech-block,, permits the breech-block to move back in lines
parallel with the bore, and permits the turning of. the breech-block in its seat, to lock

page_text: and uniOCK It. The screw threads of the ring G' form a permanent connection
between the said ring and the block, yet permit the aforesaid turning movement of
the block while the ring remains stationary. The screw thread g² is made so fine that
the small amount of movement, say, one-sixth of a revolution, given to the breech
block, dous not materially disturb the proper connection between the said ring and the
block. The arms G, the ring G, and the above-described connections, between them
constitute what may he termed a breech-block-retractor.
The breech-block-retractor is operated to withdraw the breech-block by a projection g³,
from the spindle E, acting against the arm or arms G of the retractor. In the
example of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, this projection g³ is formed
on a collar 97, which is keyed rigidly to the spindle by a key go fitted to mortises in
the spindle, and the collar the length of said key being equal to the thickness or
depth of the collar, and mortise in the spindle being only of the same length, so that
the key serves also to confine the spindle lengthwise in the hinge. The key so applied
is capable of being withdrawn from its mortise in the spindle by a screw g*, shown
in Fig. 2, for the purpose of liberating the spindle, when desired, to remove it
lengthwise. The projection acts against the portion of the retractor constituted
by the sleeve g. It is so arranged relatively to the arm a³ by which the breech-
block is turned to lock and unlock it, that in turning the spindle E, to unlock the
breech-block, the projection has a lost motion, and does not come in contact with
the arm G of the retractor, to withdraw the breech-block, until after the breech-block
has been unlocked and brought to a position in which its grooves b' are opposite the
tongues c of the breech-block-carrier.
The first part of the movement of the breech-block-retractor produced by the
operation of the projection on the arm of the retractor, brings the breech-block
back into the tray C of the carrier, to a position in which it is locked in the said
carrier by means of the upward projections f¹, on the spring-actuated double catch F
entering a notch f* (shown in Fig. 4, and dotted in Figs. 6 and 6*) provided in the
breech-block, the said catch having been previously unlocked from the fixed hook
bolt 3, by a bevilled rear portion of the breech block passing over the said upward
projection f, and so depressing the rear end of the said catch, and lifting its front
end from the hook of said bolt f³. When the notch f* arrives over the projection f',
the said projection is caused to enter it by the downward pressure of the spring on
the front end of the said catch. This method of locking and unlocking the carrier to
and from the breech, and of locking the breech-block to the carrier, is well known,
and not of itself a part of this invention. The locking of the breech-block in the
carrier thus effected, also secures the breech-block-retractor, so that the continued
movement of the retractor, effected by the projection 98, also produces the movement
of the carrier. The breech-block and the retractor being then locked together, all
move together, and the breech is taken from the position shown in Fig. 5, first, to the
position shown in Fig. 6, and afterwards to the position shown in Fig. 6*, leaving ·
the breech of the gun open for loading. The return movement of the breech-block-
carrier, breech-block-retractor, and breech-block, are effected by the action of the
projection against the trip pin o, which, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, is
formed upon one end of a stirrup-like or double lever go, which works upon the
sleeve g hereinbefore mentioned, and to the other end of which is attached a spring g¹,
best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which presses against the outside of the collar g' in such
manner as to throw out that end of the lever, and throw the trip pin g³ towards the
collar g'. As the projection g6 moves with the spindle E from the position shown in
Fig. 2, which it occupies when the breech block is closed and locked to the position
shown in Fig. 5, which it occupies after the breech-block has been unlocked, the said
projection trips the said pin 9, or pushes it aside so that it is inoperative, and after
the said projection passes by the said pin, the latter passes in front of the said
projection, as shown in Fig. 5, so that when the spindle E is turned back, the
projection 9 acts against the said trip pin, and through it, on the retractor, to
return the carrier to the breech, and to produce the continued movement of the
retractor, to push the breech-block from the carrier into the breech of the gun.
It

page_text: may here he mentioned that at the end of the turning movement of the breech-block,
the toothed rack a remains stationary, and as the retraction of the breech-block
commences, its toothed flange moves back out of gear with the said rack, and that
after the breech-block has been moved forward in the breech the teeth of the said
flange re-enter the said rack.
b
It may be understood that by a single continuous backward movement of the
lever E. from the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2, the breech-block is first
turned to unlock it, is afterwards drawn back by the retractor into the carrier, and
after that, the breech-block, retractor, and carrier, are all thrown aside together, to
leave the breech open. The return movement of the said lever first returns the
carrier and retractor to the position shown in bold outline in Fig. 6, with the breech-
block opposite to, and in alignment with the bore of the gun, afterwards continues
the movement of the retractor to push the breech-block into its seat in the gun, and
finally produces the turning movement of the breech-block by which it is locked.
The modification of my improvement shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, differs from the
example shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, very slightly, one essential difference
being in the construction or mode of applying the rack E to the lever E³, and in the
construction and means of actuating the trip pin g.
The rack E2 shown in Figs. 7 and 8, instead of being rigidly connected with the
lever E³, is pivoted to the said lever by a pin h, near one end, and is made to form
part of a yoke E, and it works upon the spindle E as a guide. The trip pin g³,
shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, of which Figures the last mentioned represents a horizontal
section in the line of Fig. 7, is fitted to slide up and down in the arm G of the
breech-block retractor, a lateral projection i on the said pin working in a cam-like
groove (see Figs. 7 and 9) in one of the stationary hinge sockets D, and the
equivalent of the projection g of the first described example is found in a downward
extension of the pin ge, which connects the crank arm with the rod a². This down-
ward extension acts against the upper arm G of the breech block retractor, to draw
back the latter after the breech block has been unlocked, the trip pin g being, during
the unlocking, held down in the lower part of the cam groove ¹, out of engagement
with the crank arm a³. As the pin ye begins to move the retractor arm, the pin g
moving with the said arm, is moved up into a corresponding hole in the crank arm a³,
and the crank arm and the retractor arm remain engaged by the said pin g³ during
the rest of the backward or opening movement of the retractor and breech block
carrier, and also during their return or closing movement, the latter movement being
effected entirely through the pin g. As the return movement is completed, the pin g
is tripped out of the crank arm a³ by its projection i passing down into the lower part
of the cam groove i¹, and the crank arm left free to operate the rack a, to lock the
breech block.
In the example shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13, there is a modification of the
mechanism, through which the crank arm as on the hinge spindle E, operates the
toothed rack a. In this case, the crank arm a³, instead of being permanently connected
with the toothed rack a by a connecting rod, is so combined with the said rack, as to
leave it disengaged from the spindle during the operation of the breech block retractor.
I will now proceed to describe this modification.
The crank arm a³ is constructed with a fork 16, 17, to receive a square projection 18
on the underside of a slotted sliding piece, which is arranged on the top of the crank
arm, and is connected with the outer end of the toothed rack by a pin 19, which
passes through the said projection. The slot 21 in this sliding piece l, has passing
through it a pin 22, which is screwed centrally into the upper end of the hinge spindle,
and upon which the said sliding piece is capable of a longitudinal movement.
As
When the breech block is closed and locked, as shown in Fig. 11, the position of
the sliding piece is such, that its projection 18 is in the fork of the crank arm.
the spindle E is turned to commence the movement of opening the breech, the prong 16
of the fork of the crank arm a³ acts against the projection 18 of the sliding piece, to
move the toothed rack a to the left, to unlock the breech block. When the breech
block is unlocked, the prong 16 passes by the projection 18, and the crank arm

page_text: escapes from the sand block, and continues its movement, to produce the operations or
the retractor and carrier for opening the breech.
During the latter operations, a projection 24, provided on the said crank arm (and
represented as a prolongation of the key which secures the crank arm a³ to the hinge
spindle E), works against the rounded rear end of the sliding piece 1, and holds the
rear end of the slot 21 of the said sliding piece against the pin 22, and so prevents
the longitudinal movement of the said sliding piece, which is thus made to constitute
a brace to hold the rack a stationary during the said operations. At the end of the
said operations, the projection 24 comes against a shoulder 23 on the sliding piece l,
and so braces it very firmly. As the return movements are made to close the breech,
the said projection 24 passing back round the rounded rear end of the sliding piece 1,
continues to hold the said piece, which thus continues to brace the rack during the
reinsertion of the breech block into the breech, and until the teeth bon the breech block
enter the rack a, the rack being thus always retained in the proper position for the
teeth b to thus reenter it. During the latter part of the return movement of the
retractor and carrier, the prong 16 of the fork of the crank arm a³, which is shorter
than the prong 17, passes by the projection 18, but just as the retractor completes its
movement by which the breech block is replaced in the breech, the longer prong 17
comes against the projection 18, and moves the toothed rack a to the right, and as
the crank arm completes its movement, the said rack turns, and locks the breech
block. The sliding piece always points in the proper direction for the square
projection 18 to present a square shoulder or hearing to the prong 17 of the fork of
the crank arm, when the latter comes into operation on it to move the rack a
l
In Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, the breech block, retractor, and carrier, and the means
represented for operating them, are essentially the same as are shown in Figs. 7 and 8,
and are designated by the same letters of reference, and therefore need no further
description. In fact, the only differences are that in Figs. 1'', 11, 12, 13, there is a
projection go on the crank arm a³, which is made to do the same duty as the downward
extension of the pin 6 of Figs. 7 and 8, by acting upon an upward projection * on
the retractor arm G, and a hand lever E having a handle E is provided directly on
the hinge spindle E. for turning it, instead of a pinion to be turned by a rack lever.
II' designate the cartridge shell extractor consisting of a thin trough like plate I
of metal, conforming to the lower part of the opening of the breech of the gun, and
provided with a grooved lip piece I at its front end. "This extractor is shown in section
in Fig. 13, and a separate rear view is given in Fig. 14. The plate 1 is fitted to slide
back and forth in a groove in the breech. The lip piece l' is formed with two lips m m¹,
one in front, to engage with the flange n of the cartridge shell N, as shown in Fig. 13,
and the other m', to engage with a flange p, provided nearly all the way round the
front part of the breech block B, of which a front view is given in Fig. 15. In the
rear part of the bottom of the plate I, is a transversely grooved projection m², which
receives within it an upwardly projecting pin q', which is provided on the end of a
lever g, which is fulcrummed by a pin q2 to the lower fixed socket D of the hinge of
the breech block carrier and retractor. The other end of this lever 9: is so formed,
as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, that it will be free during the greater part of the move-
ment of the breech block carrier and retractor, but that when the carrier has almost
completed its movement of opening the breech, a suitable projection on or from the
hinge spindle, as, for instance, the lever E in the example shown, will come into
operation on the said end 95, and cause the latter lever to draw out the extractor, as
shown in Fig. 12, and thereby pull out the cartridge shell with a very quick move-
ment. As this lever q might not be depended upon to start the shell, it being very
tight in the breech, it is to effect the starting that I provide the flange P on the beech
block, so that the breech block, as it begins to be unscrewed, may pull out the cartridge
a little way. The turning of the breech block far enough to unlock it, brings
the gap p' in the flange p opposite the extractor, and allows the breech block to be
withdrawn without further disturbing the extractor.
L designates the firing pin in the breech block, and the main spring.
s is the
sear on the breech block, for holding the firing pin cocked, and t is the trigger on the

page_text: 6"6
Hand=00€• Dreech oTOCK IS 1ocken in
the breech. As these parts are not claimed as part of my invention, I have only
described them sufficiently to prevent their confusion with other parts.
. I have shown on the lower part of the spindle, below the hinge in Figs. 3, 4, 5
and 6, a pulley P, for the purpose of producing the automatic operations of the breech
block retractor and breech block carrier, by the recoil or counter recoil of the gun,
for which purpose the said pulley would be connected by a wire rope or its equivalent
with some suitable portion of the gun carriage.
In large guns, power may be applied to the spindle E, by worm, or other
gearing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a breech loading cannon, a breech block for the same which
is withdrawn in a rearward direction, a breech block carrier hinged to the breech,
and a breech block retractor hinged to the breech, separate from said carrier, to move
independently of said carrier, to draw the breech block thereinto, and push it there-
from, but capable of moving with said carrier while the breech block is therein, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
2. The combination with a breech loading cannon, a breech block for the same
which is withdrawn in a rearward direction, a breech block carrier by which the breech
block, after withdrawal, is moved aside out of the way of the breech, a breech block
retractor for withdrawing the breech block from the breech into the said carrier, and
a spindle supported in bearings attached to the breech, and constituting a pivot upon
which the said breech block carrier and breech block retractor are capable of separate
movements, substantially as herein set forth.
3. The combination with a breech loading cannon, a breech block for the same,
which is locked and unlocked by turning it in the breech, and is withdrawn in a rear-
ward direction, a breech block carrier hinged to the breech, a breech block retractor,
also hinged to the breech, but capable of moving independently of the carrier, a
locking device for locking the breech block, with said carrier, and the said retractor
together, a pivotal spindle common to the hinges of the said carrier and retractor, a
crank arm on said spindle geared with the breech block for turning it, and a driving
projection, as g, on or carried by said spindle, for actuating the said retractor, and
through it the carrier, the said projection being arranged with a lost motion
between it and the retractor, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
4. The combination with a breech loading cannon, a breech block B for the
same, which is locked and unlocked by turning it in the breech, a swinging breech
block carrier hinged to the breech, and a spindle which forms the pivot of the hinge
of the said carrier, of a toothed rack geared with the said breech block, and a crank
arın on said spindle, for operating said rack, to produce the turning of the breech for
locking and unlocking it, substantially as herein described.
5. The combination with a breech loading gun and a mutilated screw breech block
for the same, of a breech block retractor, consisting of (1) an arm, (2) a hinge by
which said arm is connected with the breech of the gun, (3) a ring screwed into the
breech block, and (4) a sliding connection between the said arm and ring, a pivot
spindle for said hinge, engaging with said arm, with a lost motion, and a lever
connected or geared with said pivot spindle, for turning the same, substantially as and
for the purpose herein described.
6. The combination with a breech loading cannon, a breech block for the same
which is locked and unlocked by turning it in the breech, and is withdrawn in a
rearward direction, and a breech block retractor having a swinging arm, which is
hinged to the breech, and in which the breech block is capable of turning, of a spindle
constituting the pivot of the hinge of the said retractor, and having a rigid projection,
as 9, for acting upon the swinging arm of the retractor, with a lost motion to with-

page_text: draw the breech block, and a trip pin attached to said arm, to engage with said
projection, for the return movement of the retractor, but to be tripped during the
withdrawing movement, substantially as herein set forth.
7. The combination with the breech block, the rack a for turning the said block,
the breech block retractor, the breech block carrier, and the hinged spindle E, by
which the said retractor and carrier are attached to the breech of the gun, and are
operated to open the breech, of the forked crank arm a³, the slotted sliding piece l,
having the square projection 18, and the pin 19, all substantially as herein described,
with reference to Figs. 11 and 12.
8. The combination with the breech block retractor, the breech block carrier, and
hinge spindle by which said retractor and carrier are hinged to the breech of the gun,
and through which their movements are produced, of the cartridge shell extractor
and the lever g for operating said extractor, actuated by the movement of said spindle,
substantially as herein set forth.
9. The combination with the breech block having a mutilated screw thread on its
exterior, and having near its front end a flange p, in which there is a gap p', of the
cartridge shell extractor having a lip m', to engage with said flange, when the breech
is screwed up, and during the whole of its unscrewing movement, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated thin thth d
11000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.