IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Longsdon, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
IN CONNECTION WITH BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE." A communication from
abroad by Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Empire of Germany, Cast-steel
Manufacturer.
Sealed the 13th August 1878, and dated the 23rd April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Longsdon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd April 1878.
ALFRED LONGSDON, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH BREECH-LOADING
ORDNANCE." (A communication from abroad by Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the
Empire of Germany, Cast-steel Manufacturer.)
This Invention is applicable to the breech pieces of breech-loading ordnance
which are fired by a needle passing through the vent, and its object is to provide
a means for the stoppage of vent after the explosion, or simultaneously therewith,
and a convenient way of carrying the Invention into effect is as follows:-I enlarge
the aperture at the rear of the cap, in which the forward end of the needle works,
sufficiently large to receive a head or enlarged portion formed on the said needle
or striker rod which abuts against or has its bed or seat in or at the base of the
enlarged part. The striker rod works through the breech piece in an aperture
extending through the same as usual; at or near the outer end it is surrounded by
a spring, which always has a tendency to keep the striker back, and consequently
to keep the enlarged portion thereon at the forward end up and tightly against its
seat; thus when the piece of ordnance is fired, the hammer forces the needle striker
forward to explode the cap, and immediately the spring at the rear end comes into
operation, thus bringing the enlarged part up to its seat and so stops the vent.
[Price 6d1

page_text: effectually, and thereby preventing the escape of gas through the vent hole as now
takes place.
It is to be understood that the arrangement is equally applicable whether the
piece of ordnance is fired at the rear end or at the side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Longsdon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
October 1878.
ALFRED LONGSDON, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH BREECH-LOADING
ORDNANCE." (A communication from abroad by Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the
Empire of Germany, Cast-steel Manufacturer.)
This Invention is applicable to the breech pieces of breech-loading ordnance which
are fired by a needle passing through the vent, and its object is to provide a means for
the stoppage of the vent after the explosion or simultaneously therewith, and a conve-.
nient way of carrying the Invention into effect is as follows:-I enlarge the aperture
at the rear of the cap, in which the forward end of the needle works, sufficiently large
to receive a head or enlarged portion formed on the said needle or striker rod which
abuts against or has its bed or seat in or at the base of the enlarged part. The
striker rod works through the breech piece in an aperture extending through the
same as usual; at or near the outer end it is surrounded by a spring which always
has a tendency to keep the striker back, and consequently to keep the enlarged
portion thereon at the forward end up and tightly against its sent.
The arrangement is equally applicable whether the piece of ordnance is fired at
the rear end or at the side.
In order that the Invention may be fully understood, I now proceed to describe
the same with the aid of the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section, and Figure 2 a rear view of so much
of a breech-loading piece of ordnance with reference to such piece of ordnance when
fired from the rear, and showing this Invention applied thereto, as will be necessary
to explain the same, and Figure 3 shows the Invention as applied to a piece of
ordnance fired from the side.
.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
C is the aperture at rear end of the cap; C', enlarged portion of needle or striker
rod B; B¹, needle proper; E, spring, placed in recess at the rear end of needle or
striker rod and surrounding same; G, G, lever hammer, with fulcrum at J and
link M, to which the firing line is hooked; D is a cap screwed on the rear end of
striker rod, against which the lever G operates; A is part or bush in which the
firing apparatus is inserted, which is screwed at its forward part on to a ferrule F,
and at its rear into the ordnance proper, or in any other convenient way; H is
a screwed part of the fulcrum piece J for the firing lever G; L is the vent hole.

page_text: The action is as follows:-When the piece of ordnance is fired, the hammer G
forces the needle striker B and needle B¹ forward to explode the cap, and imme-
diately the spring E at the rear end comes into operation, thus bringing the enlarged
part C up to its seat, and so stops the vent L effectually, and thereby preventing
the escape of gas through the vent hole as now takes place.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the improvements in or in con-
nection with breech-loading ordnance, the stoppage of the vent automatically with
the firing of the piece in and by the action of the striker itself, substantially in
manner described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Longsdon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ALFRED LONGSDON. (LS.)