carria
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR of the London Ordnance Works Southwark in the
County of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in gun carriages.
When armour plates or shields are employed for the protection of the mounting
and men working the gun they are usually attached to some part of the mounting
as an addition and in most cases form no part of the mounting itself.
In place of this arrangement I propose to form the front end of the mounting
out of armour plate two or more inches thick (according to the amount of protection
required) extending as close as practicable to the deck. A port cut out of this
plate allows the gun to project through it; to this plate I attach the girders
forming the slide along which the gun and its carriage recoils.
In order to enable the gun to run out by gravity after recoil and at the same
time to diminish the heavy strain on the deck or other support which is experienced
when ordinary upwardly inclined slides are employed, I make the guide surfaces
on the slide girders curved on the face to the arc of a circle, and the under side
of the gun carriage I form to a corresponding curve. This arrangement admits of
the gun at the commencement of the recoil receding in a horizontal line or even
downwards if desired the direction of motion gradually changing as the gun comes
in so that by the time that the recoil is completed the gun attains a position which
enables it to run out by gravity.
In order to limit the amount of recoil within convenient limits I attach one or
more hydraulic compressor cylinders to the mounting so arranged as to offer the
necessary resistance and arrest the recoil of the gun as desired. These compressor
cylinders I arrange by preference one on each side of the slide, the cylinders of the
compressor being attached by trunnion bearings to the slide or armour plate
forming the end of the mounting and the piston rod of the compressor to the
carriage which recoils with the gun.
For the purpose of regulating the elevation of the gun, and in order that the
recoil may take place independently of the elevating gear, so that this gear may
be worked up to the moment of firing, I cause the rear part of the gun to be
supported upon a table of similar curvature to that of the guide faces of the slide
girders which support the gun carriage, and I provide elevating gear by means of
which this table can be raised or lowered if desired while the gun is being fired.

page_text: With this arrangement the gun recoils parallel to itself and the same elevation
is maintained throughout the recoil.
The table may rise and fall vertically, or if great accuracy be required, the
movement may be caused to take place in a path of similar curvature to that of
the attachment to the gun.
When the gun and its carriage are in the firing position the centre of the
trunnions may be forward of a line falling perpendicular from the centre or point
from which the curved part of slide is described or it may be under this point.
To maintain the gun and carriage in this position I provide springs, which are
compressed during the first part of the recoil and which remain compressed until
the gun runs out when their elasticity exerted to ensure the gun being in the
right position for firing and in maintaining it there during the rolling of the ship.
These springs may be applied in connection with levers abutting against cam
like surfaces upon the sides of the gun carriage. The cam like surface is so formed
that it forces back the lever compressing the spring in the earlier part of the
recoil, and during the 'remainder of the recoil the lever remains stationary or
nearly so. The ends of the levers may be provided with rollers to bear against
the cam surface. As the gun runs out the springs are inoperative so long as the
gun is upon a steep portion of the incline but when it is on the flatter or rising
portion the springs acting against the cam surfaces assist the gun and carriage to
reach the firing position and also in maintaining it there against the rolling of
the ship.
°
When it is desired to keep back the gun at the end of its recoil the lever is so
placed as to allow the cam surface or tooth projecting from it to enter automatically
a corresponding notch cut or formed in the carriage and hold the gun and carriage
at the end of its recoil.

page_text: Improvements in Gun Carriages.
I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR of the London Ordnance Works Southwark in the County
of Surrey Engineer 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 improvements in gun carriages.
When armour plates or shields are employed for the protection of the mounting
and men working the gun they are usually attached to some part of the mounting
as an addition and in most cases form no part of the mounting itself.
In place of this arrangement I propose to form the front end of the mounting
out of armour plate 2 or more inches thick (according to the amount of protection
required) extending as close as practicable to the deck. A port cut out of this
plate allows the gun to project through it, to this plate I attach the girders forming
the slide along which the gun and its carriage recoils.
In order to enable the gun to run out by gravity after recoil and at the same
time to diminish the heavy strain on the deck or other support which is experienced
when ordinary upwardly inclined slides are employed I make the guide surfaces
on the slide girders curved on the face to the arc of a circle and the under side of
the gun carriage I form to a corresponding curve This arrangement admits of
the gun at the commencement of the recoil receding in a horizontal line or even
downwards if desired, the direction of motion gradually changing as the gun comes
in, so that by the time that the recoil is completed the gun attains a position
which enables it to run out by gravity.
In order to limit the amount of recoil within convenient limits I attach one or
more hydraulic compressor cylinders to the mounting so arranged as to offer the
necessary resistance and arrest the recoil of the gun as desired. These compressor
cylinders I arrange by preference one on each side of the slide, the cylinders of the
compressor being attached by trunnion bearings to the slide or armour plate forming
the end of the mounting and the piston rod of the compressor to the carriage which
recoils with the gun.
For the purpose of regulating the elevation of the gun and in order that the
recoil may take place independently of the elevating gear so that this gear may be
worked up to the moment of firing, I cause the rear part of the gun to be supported
upon a table of similar curvature to that of the guide faces of the slide girders
which support the gun carriage and I provide elevating gear by means of which
this table can be raised or lowered if desired while the gun is being fired.
With this arrangement the gun recoils parallel to itself and the same elevation
is maintained throughout the recoil.
The table may rise and fall vertically or if great accuracy be required the
movement may be caused to take place in a path of similar curvature to that of
the attachment to the gun.
When the gun and its carriage are in the firing position the centre of the
trunnions may be forward of a line falling perpendicular from the centre or point
from which the curved part of slide is described or it may be under this point.

page_text: To maintain the gun and carriage in this position I provide springs which are
compressed during the first part of the recoil and which remain compressed until
the gun runs out when their elasticity is exerted to ensure the gun being in the
right position for firing and in maintaining it there during the rolling of the ship.
These springs may be applied in connection with levers abutting against cam
like surfaces upon the sides of the gun carriage. The cam like surface is so formed
that it forces back the lever compressing the spring in the earlier part of the recoil
and during the remainder of the recoil the lover remains stationary or nearly so.
The ends of the levers may be provided with rollers to bear against the cam
surface. As the gun runs out the springs are inoperative so long as the gun is
upon a steep portion of the incline but when it is on the flatter or rising portion
the springs acting against the cam surfaces assist the gun and carriage to reach
the firing position and also in maintaining it there against the rolling of the ship.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
on of ring.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the mounting.
Figure 3 shows the spring for maintaining the gun carriage in firing position.
Figure 4 shows the position of the spring when the gun is back after recoil.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of a part of the mounting showing the spring and
supports for same.
I form the front end of the mounting out of armour plate 2 or more inches thick
(according to the amount of protection required) as shewn at a. The armour
plate extends down as closely as practicable to the deck or platform on which the
mounting is fitted. A port is cut in this plate to allow the gun to project. To the
plate a I attach the girders 6 forming the slide on the upper part of which the
gun c, with its carriage d recoils.
In order that the gun may run out by gravity after recoil, and at the same time
to diminish the heavy strain caused on the deck or other support when the gun
recoils on slides uniformly inclined upwards to the rear, I make the guiding or
slide surfaces on the slide girders curved on the face concave upwards as shewn
at e to the arc of a circle struck from a centre at f and the under side of the gun
carriage I make to a corresponding curve. By this arrangement the gun recedes
at the commencement of recoil in a horizontal direction or even slightly downwards
according to the position of the centre g of the trunnions of the gun with respect
to the centre f of the curve. As the recoil continues the direction of the motion
of the gun gradually changes so that at the end of the recoil the gun is raised
sufficiently to run out again by gravity.
In order to keep the recoil within convenient limits I arrange hydraulic
compressor cylinders h, by preference in the position shown one on either side of
the slide. The cylinders are attached by trunnion bearings h¹ to the slide-and to
the side protective plates i, secured to the armour plate a, forming the end of the
mounting. The piston rods 2, of the cylinders are attached at h³, to the carriage
which recoils with the gun.
The pistons I make with valves for controlling the recoil, I cause these valves on
the pistons to be progressively closed during recoil by rifle grooves in the cylinders
according to my system now well understood.
To prevent the return of the gun by gravity after recoil liquid is caused to enter
the hydraulic cylinders as the piston rods leave them and this is again permitted
to escape when the gun is required to run out.
To give more side protection wing shields ; may be attached to the plate i as
shown by dotted lines.
In order to form a connection between the two sides of the gun carriage I prefer
to carry them up to a sufficient height so that they may be coupled together by

page_text: the plate k passing over the gun, This plate also serves as a further protection to
the guns crew.
To elevate the gun and in order that the recoil may take place independently of
the elevating gear so that this gear may be worked up to the moment of firing, I.
support the rear part of the gun upon a table of similar curvature to that of the
slide faces on which the carriage recoils. A sliding block connected to the gun
by a pivot works on the top of this table. The radius of curvature of the table
is so arranged that from the centre of the pivot l³ to the centre m is equal to that
from the centre of trunnions g to the centre f.
To elevate the gun the table 7 provided with guides at 3 is raised or lowered
by means of the toothed rack 1 formed on it, into which gears the pinion driven
from the hand wheel & through the shaft 1 intermediate wheels at 110, shaft and
worm gearing with wheels on the axis of the pinion To prevent damage to
the gear in consequence of any jump of the gun on firing I prefer to connect the
worm wheel and the pinion by means of friction cones or discs so as to allow the
gear to slip.
With this arrangement the gun recoils parallel to itself, the same elevation being
maintained throughout the recoil.
The guides for the rise and fall of the table may be either straight or if
considered necessary to have the utmost accuracy in the recoil movement of the
pivot with respect to that of tlie trunnions the guides may be curved to cause
the table to move in a path of similar curvature to that of the pivot.
When the gun and carriage are in the firing position the centre of the trunnions
may be forward of a line n falling perpendicular from centre for exactly under
that centre as may be found most convenient.
To maintain the gun and carriage in this position I fit springs p preferably one
set on either side inside the slide as shown by Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5. The springs
are enclosed in cases p' pivotted at p² on the slide girders and connected together
by a plate p³.
The bottom of the cases p' are screwed in giving the means of regulating the
pressure exerted by the springs. The spindle p³ of the springs, against the head
of which the springs act, are connected to the levers q also pivotted to the slide
girders at q' and fitted on the cross shaft q². The upper part of the lever is arranged
to bear by means of a roller q³ fitted on it against the face r of a slot formed on the
inner guide s of the carriage and the pressure of the spring thus transmitted to the
facer presses the gun out and maintains it in the firing position as in Figures 1
and 3. On the gun recoiling the lever q is forced down into the position shown in
Figure 4 compressing the springs which then move nearly in the line of pivots p² ql
and thus preventing the increased pressure having its effect against the carriage
during recoil the roller then bearing against the face t. On the gun running out
the roller q will as soon as the face r reaches it begin to press against it and urge
the gun outwards with increasing effect as the line of action of the springs becomes
more direct.
The mounting shown by the drawings is front pivotted at v with front and rear
training rollers v v² training gear 3 worked from the hand wheel but a similar
arrangement of mounting as regards the armour plate, the curved slide cylinder
with control gear and elevating gear can also be made with the pivot in other
positions for example a centrally pivotted mounting if required.
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 combination consisting of the carriage and the slide secured to a pivot on
a deck or other foundation, such slide consisting of a vertical or nearly vertical
armour plate shield and side girders fixed to this shield and supporting the carriage
and gun.

page_text: 2. The combination consisting of a gun slide having curved guide, surfaces and
a gun carriage similarly curved on the underside and provided with bearings
receiving the trunnions of the gun the whole so arranged that as the gun recoils
the path passed over by its trunnions becomes more and more upwardly inclined
until the gun comes to rest.
3. The combination consisting of a gun slide having curved guide.surfaces a gun
carriage traversing along the slide and carrying the trunnions of the gun; a curved
table supporting the gun behind the trunnions and gear for raising and lowering
this table to give the requisite elevation to the gun.
4. The combination consisting of a gun slide having curved guide surfaces, a
gun carriage carrying the trunnions of the gun and traversing along the slide
and a spring which is compressed by the recoil, retained whilst the gun carriage
descends the steeper portion of the curved guide surfaces, and then liberated and
permitted to operate to carry the gun home to the firing position and there to
retain it.