Improvements in Mortar Mountings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mortar Mountings.
We, WILLIAM BRANDON GORDON, Captain in the United States Army, of
Cold Springs, State of New York and THOMAS REES MORGAN, Senior, Manu-
facturer, of Alliance, State of Ohio, both in the 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 invention relates to an improvement in mortar mountings, and it consists of
an improved top carriage combined with hydraulic devices for controlling the
recoil, and with springs constructed and arranged to restore the mortar to its
forward position after recoil.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, showing the base plate or lower roller plate,
and upper roller plate partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of same and Fig. 3 is a plan view.
A represents a base or lower roller path secured by bolts to the platform and
provided with an upper inclined surface on which the conical rollers B rest.
These rollers are journalled in the hoops or rings a forming a live roller ring
on which rests the upper roller path C and supporting plate C of the carriage.
D are bearings bolted to the front of the supporting plate C¹ for the reception
of the rocking shaft E which latter carries the top carriage F. This carriage is
bifurcated at its lower or front end as shown in Figure 3 to straddle the bearings D,
and is also bifurcated at its upper end to permit the mortar to rest, by means of its
trunnions on the top carriage. The top carriage may be solid, suitably braced and
strengthened by integral ribs on one or both sides or it may be composed of side
frames suitably braced and connected together by transoms.
The top carriage F is sustained in its normal position by a series, preferably four
courses, of springs G placed under the carriage. These springs which are
preferably Belleville springs are strung on the rods G and are supported at their
lower ends by the bearing G2 which latter is journalled in brackets suspended from
the upper roller path casting. The rods G₁ are fastened to this bearing, and pass
through the top carriage at their upper ends, the weight of the mortar and top
carriage being supported by the springs surrounding the rods.
The upper end of the top carriage is provided on opposite sides with half
bearings d adapted to receive the trunnions of the mortar, the latter being held in
place by the caps de bolted to the half bearings. The heads H are provided with
bearings for pins screwed into the mortar trunnions, and are adapted to rest
between and slide on the guides I carried by the hydraulic cylinders J. The
cylinders J, on each side of the top carriage, are trunnioned in bearings; bolted
to the supporting plate C₁. Each cylinder carries a piston the rod of which is
keyed to its respective head H.
The cylinders are normally inclined at about an angle of 60 degrees, and are
provided each with a passage or duct J* running approximately the length of the
cylinder, and communicating at intervals with said cylinder so that the liquid in
the cylinder on one side of the piston has free access to the liquid on the other
The last of these openings is a short distance from the bottom of the
cylinder so that at the end of the recoil the liquid is imprisoned and can only
escape between the piston and wall of the cylinder. At the commencement of
side.

page_text: the stroke caused by the recoil, all the openings between cylinder J and duct J
are open, but as the piston descends the openings are consecutively closed, thus
gradually shutting off the escape of the liquid until the piston comes to a stop.
A pipe is provided to connect the two cylinders and equalize the pressure.
After the recoil, which as before stated forces the pistons downwardly into the
cylinders, the springs which have been compressed by the recoil expand and raise
the top carriage with the mortar thereon until both have assumed their normal
position. In the upward movement the liquid in the cylinders cushions the pistons
and acts as a check on the springs, thus causing the parts to right themselves
steadily and without shock.
From the foregoing it will be seen that as the top carriage is pivoted at i, and
the pins in the trunnions engage the guides carried by the cylinders at their upper
ends, it follows that in the recoil the cylinders swing on their trunnions sufficiently
to permit the upper end of the top carriage and the mortar to move in the arc of a
circle.
The elevating gear consists essentially of a shaft L having two hand wheels L'
thereon, and provided centrally with a toothed wheel engaging the segment
rack L² secured to the under side of the mortar, while the traversing is accom-
plished by the toothed wheel M fast on shaft M¹ engaging toothed ring M² secured
to the lower roller path casting. The shaft MI passes upwardly through the
stand M³ secured to supporting plate C' and is provided with a worm wheel which
meshes with the worm M fast on the crank shaft M³.
It is not essential that the heads carrying the piston rods be connected directly
to the trunnions of the mortar as described, as the same purpose would be
accomplished by attaching these heads to the top carriage. But the arrangement
as described is preferred.
It is evident that numerous slight changes and alterations might be resorted to
in the relative arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope
of this invention, hence we would have it understood that it is not restricted to the
exact construction of parts herein shown, but,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with a supporting plate, a carriage journalled at its forward
end to said plate and springs arranged to force the rear end of said carriage
upwardly of hydraulic devices connected to said carriage for controlling the recoil,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a supporting plate, a carriage journalled at its forward
end to said plate and springs arranged to force the rear end of the carriage
upwardly, of hydraulic cylinders trunnioned to the supporting plate and pistons
and piston rods, the latter being connected to the carriage, substantially as set
forth.
3. The combination with a supporting plate and means for traversing the same,
of a carriage journalled at one end to said plate, springs arranged to elevate the
rear end of the carriage, and hydraulic devices connected to said carriage for
controlling the recoil thereof.
4. The combination with a supporting plate, and means for traversing same, of a
top carriage journalled at its forward end to said plate, springs arranged to elevate
the rear end of said top carriage, cylinders trunnioned to the supporting plate and
piston and piston rods, the latter being connected to the carriage for controlling
the recoil thereof, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a supporting plate of a top carriage journalled thereto,
means arranged to elevate the rear end of said carriage, hydraulic cylinders
trunnioned to said plate and provided with guides, heads moving with the top
carriage and engaging the guides and pistons, and piston rods, the latter being
secured at their upper ends to the heads, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 6. The combination with a supporting plate, of a top carriage journallǝd thereto,
means arranged to elevate the rear end of the top carriage, hydraulic cylinders
trunnioned to the supporting plate and carrying guides, heads moving in the guides
and provided with bearings for pins in the mortar trunnions, and pistons and
piston rods, the latter being connected at their upper ends to the heads, substantially
as set forth.
7. The combination with a supporting plate, a top carriage journalled at its
forward end to said plate, means arranged to elevate the rear end of the carriage
and hydraulic devices for controlling the recoil thereof, of a mortar carried by the
top carriage at the rear end of the latter, and provided with a toothed segment
and devices carried by the top carriage for actuating said segment, substantially
as set forth.
8. The combination with a supporting plate and a top carriage journalled at its
forward end to said plate, of a series of rods engaging the carriage, springs strung
on said rods and adapted to elevate the carriage and mortar thereon, and hydraulic
devices for controlling the recoil, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of August 1896.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to the Applicants.