IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING AND WORKING ORDNANCE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Anthony Edwards Scott, of Hornsey Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Navy, for the Inven-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Anthony Edward's
Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th, November 1867.
I, ROBERT ANTHONY EDWARDS SCOTT, of Hornsey Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING AND WORKING ORDNANCE," to
be as follows:
The principal object of the present Invention is to reduce to a minimum
the injurious effect of the firing of heavy guns upon the platform. and slide,
and also upon weak floors, or upon the decks of vessels. The strain and
shock produced on these parts by the firing of heavy guns arises in a great
measure from the gun being mounted upon so high a carriage that the shock
is-transferred' from the trunnions of the gun to the platform and slide, and
from thence to the deck'ât'án angle too nearly approaching the vertical. I
have discovered that if this angle-be lessened so as to bring the line of strain
into a more horizontal position that then the injurious effect of the shock of
firing is very much diminished, and hence, very heavy guns may be carried by
wooden ships or upon light upper decks. I effect this by reducing the depth of

page_text: carriage considerably, and removing the gear below the gun to the outside of
the slide, so as to allow the breech of the gun when firing at an elevation to
pass freely down between the two sides or girders of the slide. The downward
shock or strain produced on the platform or slide and upon the floor or deck
by the firing of the gun is thus reduced by being delivered nearly in the
horizontal line. By this means I can safely use cast iron or other cheap
material for the frame of the carriage and for its machinery.
This arrangement and construction of parts also admits of greater depth
being given to the girders which form the sides of the platform or slide, by which
means their rigidity will be increased, and it likewise admits of the axis of the
-gun being lowered considerably. The small depth of the carriage moreover
not only reduces the direct strain, but also diminishes to within safe limits the
present dangerous lateral strain upon the slide, and the tendency of the present
high carriage to topple over on recoil of the gun when firing in the fore-and-
aft line from a rolling ship. The arrangement likewise admits of placing the
rollers under the slide, and of using them of larger diameter than usual, and it
keeps the gearing or working parts well up from the deck or floor. The
increased height of platform or slide attainable with the low carriage gives
greater control over the working parts, and hence fewer men will be required
to work the gun, and the operations may be performed in less time than
heretofore.
Another improvement, which may either be used separately from or com-
bined with the other improvements, consists in the introduction of a sloping
plane behind the breech, so that on the recoil taking place the gun will be
brought into the horizontal position or nearly so for loading, and then on the
gun being run out for firing it will return to its former elevation. The gun
by this means can be continuously fired without touching the elevation, or
discharged with its muzzle above the upper port cill without doing any injury
to the port, and without losing the elevation when once correctly obtained.
Another improvement consists in the use of two compressors, which may be
used either conjointly or separately for controlling the recoil of the gun. One
of these compressors consists of short wedge-shaped brass or other metal
plates tapering in thickness towards their lower edges, and connected with the
carriage so as to be carried to and fro with it. These metal plates fit into
other plates similarly tapered towards their upper edges, and which are
secured to the sides of the slide or platform, each side being grasped between
two of the upper plates, and of sufficient length to allow of the requisite
amount of recoil for the gun. When the carriage is raised upon its rollers
the wedge plates attached to it are also lifted, and thereby sufficiently

page_text: slackened to pass freely between the plates and along the slide as the carriage
is run in or out. When, however, the carriage is dropped off its 'rollers it
sinks down and forces the plates attached to it between the plates on the sides
of the slide, which is at.the same time clasped tightly on firing, the carriage is
pressed down into closer contact with the slide, and the plates forced still more
tightly together as the gun recoils, and by this means great friction is obtained
for retarding the recoil of the gun. The necessary amount of compression to
be given is regulated by a screw and circular plate with a holding or keep
pawl. By means of the above arrangement of compressor the gun may be
safely fired in a heavy sea directly its muzzle is at the port cill and the port
raised. This arrangement also holds the gun securely so that it can be safely
run in or out in a rolling ship, for in case of the lever men being disabled or
letting go their hold of the levers, either intentionally or by accident, the gun
will immediately drop off its rollers and be securely held by the compressors, and
thereby prevented from shifting on the slide.. If desired, this arrangement can
be worked by hand, instead of being wholly self-acting as described. The other
compressor consists of a number of fixed and revolving discs placed alternately
on the shaft (at the rear of the slide) which carries the chain wheel of the
running in and out gear. This chain wheel is connected with and disconnected
from the shaft by means of a clutch. On firing, the chain wheel is discon-
nected, and both it and the revolving and fixed dises are jammed tightly
together. As the gun recoils the chain wheel and also the moveable discs are
forced to revolve, past the fixed discs, and thus sufficient friction is obtained
to gradually check the gun's recoil by means of the chain, which is arranged
so as to prevent any sudden and violent jar being thrown upon it. A regulator
is fixed to the arrangement for increasing or lessening the pressure and con-
sequently the amount of friction. In order to run the gun either in or out
the clutch is thrown into gear with the chain wheel, and the discs are loosened
from each other, or they can be kept slack by means of the regulator, so that
the compressor first described or any other compressor may be used
separately or in combination with this disc arrangement when wished.
Another improvement consists in applying to the platform'or slide when the
guns are to be worked in small embrasures or openings the means for raising
or-lowering their axis, so as to admit of great angles of elevation or depression
being given to the gun; this is effected by connecting the platform or slide,
and the flanges which carry the rollers, by powerful screws worked by suitable
gearing, by means of which the axis of the gun is raised or lowered to the
height required, small changes of elevation being then given in the usual
manner by dealing with the preponderance only. If preferred the slide or

page_text: platform may be raised by hydraulic power, and secured at the required
height by means of pawls or interlocking clamps or by both.
This improvement possesses the advantage of enabling carriages of similar
pattern to be used for both broadside and cupola ships. It is equally applicable
to land service, especially when muzzle pivotting or an approximation thereto !
is required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Anthony Edwards Scott in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ANTHONY EDWARDS SCOTT, of Hornsey, in the County of Middlesex, Captain
in the Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the.
said Robert Anthony Edwards Scott, Her special licence that I, the said
Robert Anthony Edwards Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Anthony Edwards Scott, 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 MOUNTING AND WORKING
ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Anthony Edwards Scott, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Robert Anthony Edwards Scott, 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-

page_text: The principal object of the present Invention, is to reduce to a minimum
the injurious effect of the firing of heavy guns upon the platform and slide,
and also upon weak floors or upon the decks of vessels. The strain and
shock produced on these parts by the firing of heavy guns arises in a great
measure from the gun being mounted upon so high a carriage that the shock
is tranferred from the trunnions of the gun to the platform and slide and
from thence to the deck at an angle too nearly approaching the vertical. I
have discovered that if this angle be lessened so as to bring the line of strain
into a more horizontal position that then the injurious effect of the shock of
firing is very much diminished, and hence by means of my improvements
very heavy guns may be carried by wooden ships, or upon weak floors of
batteries, or light upper decks. I effect this by reducing the depth of
carriage considerábly, and removing the gear below the gun to 'the outside of
the slide so as to allow the breech of the gun (when firing at an elevation) to
pass freely down between the two sides or girders of the slide. The down-
ward shock or strain produced on the platform or slide and upon the floor or
deck by the firing of the gun is thus reduced, by being delivered nearly in
the horizontal line; by this means I can safely use cast iron or other cheap-
material for 'the frame of the carriage and for portions of its machinery.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gun mounted
and arranged in the manner just described; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the
same; Figures 3, 4, and 5 are sectional and other detached views of some
of the working parts, and will hereafter be more particularly referred to.
9, 9, are the brackets or sides of the carriage, and p, p, are the sides of the
slide which is shewn as mounted upon rollers r, r, placed directly under the
girders. By this arrangement the height of the axis of the gun may be
educed, if desired, to three-fourths the height required by the present mode
of mounting guns. It will be seen that this arrangement depends upon the
peculiar construction of the carriage, which consists of the two low and long
brackets q, 9, connected by means of the transoms h, h, (Fig. 2); these transoms
are framed together, forged or cast, and are of a suitable length to enable
them to run freely between the girders p, p, of the slide, and are placed so as
to allow of the requisite elevation of the gun. In place of these transoms a
bottom plate may be used provided it be kept low enough to allow the
requisite elevation to be given to the gun. This arrangement and con-
struction of parts also admits of greater depth being given to the girders p, p,
which form the sides of the platform or slide, by which means their rigidity
will be increased; the 'small depth of the carriage, moreover, not only reduces
the direct strain, but also diminishes to within safe limits the present dangerous

page_text: lateral strain upon the slide, and consequently the tendency of the present
high carriage to topple over on recoil of the gun when firing in the fore-and-
aft line from a rolling ship. The arrangement likewise admits of placing the
rollers, r, under the slide instead of at its sides, as is usually done, and these
rollers may be of larger diameter than usual; the gearing or working parts,
moreover, can thus be kept well up from the deck or floor. The increased
height of platform or slide attainable with the low carriage gives greater
control over the working parts, and hence fewer men will be required to
work the gun, and the operations may be performed in less time than
heretofore.
Another improvement, which may either be used separately from or
combined with the other improvements, consists in the introduction of a
sloping plane behind the breech, so that on the recoil taking place the gun
will be brought into the horizontal position or nearly so for loading, and then
on the gun being run out for firing it will return to its former elevation, the
elevating gear being in this case arranged with a band or cradle under the
gun to support the breech, as is well understood. The gun by this means can
be continously fired at high angles without touching the elevating gear, or it
may be discharged with its muzzle above the upper port cill without doing
any injury to the port, and without losing the elevation when once correctly
obtained. If it be desired to bring the gun into a horizontal position (on the
recoil taking place) when the gun has been fired with the muzzle depressed,
this may be effected by causing the chase or fore part of the gun to bear
against a crutch or fixed point when it recoils; this fixed point may be
secured either to the port cill or deck of the ship or to the gun slide. It will
be understood that by adopting these arrangements the port hole, embrasure,
or opening for the muzzle of the gun may be made of much smaller size than
usual.
My next improvement relates to the use of two different kinds of com-
pressors which may be used either conjointly or separately for controlling the
recoil of the gun; one of these compressors consists of short wedge-shaped
brass or other metal plates tapering in thickness towards their lower edges,
and connected with the carriage so as to be carried to and fro with it; or the
plates may be made parallel in thickness and the girders of the slide made
tapered in section towards the top and the sides cased with wood, as shewn
in the sectional view, Fig. 3, or both the plates and the girders may be slightly
tapered. These metal plates are shewn at c, c, c', Fig. 3, and fit against the
tapered sides of the slide p, p, and the two outermost plates c, c, also embrare
between them one or more plates d, d, which may be made taper or other-

page_text: wise, as already explained. The plates c, c, c', by grasping between them the
sides of the slides and also the plate or plates d, will create sufficient friction
to gradually reduce the force of the discharge, the plates & being of sufficient.
length to allow of the requisite amount of recoil for the gun. By raising the
carriage upon its rollers n, n, by means of the lever j and pinion o and arck,
the plates c, c, c, attached to the carriage are also lifted, and are thereby
sufficiently slackened to allow them to pass freely between the plates & and
along the girders p, p, of the slide as the carriage is run in or out; when,
however, the carriage is dropped down and the rollers n, n, are out of action
the carriage sinks down and forces the plates c, c, c', attached to it to grasp
the plates & and the sides of the slide. The carriage when the gun is fired is
pressed down into still closer contact with the slide, and the plates are forced
more tightly together as the gun recoils. By this means great friction is
obtained for retarding the recoil of the gun, and it will be evident that any
convenient number of friction plates may be used to increase the resistance to
the recoil. This arrangement also holds the gun securely, so that it can be
safely run in or out in a rolling ship. In case of the lever men being disabled
or letting go their hold of the levers (or the tackles attached to them), either
intentionally or by accident, the gun will immediately drop off its rollers and
(in the improved arrangement of compressors) will be securely held by
them, and thereby prevented from shifting on the slide. If desired this
arrangement can be worked by hand instead of being wholly self-acting, as
described.
In Fig. 1, is a hand spike or lever which fits into a capstan head on the
axle of a pinion o, which takes into a sector rack k, whereby the gun carriage
may be raised upon or lowered off the rollers n, n. This rack k is on the
crank pins of the rollers n, n; and consequently when the rack is raised the
rollers will bear on the slide and lift up the carriage and the parts connected.
therewith, and the carriage will be then held by the pawl which is fixed upon
the top of the bracket or side of the carriage.
It will sometimes be very advantageous to drop the gun suddenly so as to
bring it down off the rollers n, n, on to the slide; this is effected by means of
a lever m and pawl l, which takes into a ratchet rack fixed on the side of
the sector rack k. This pawl will hold up the rack, and consequently the
carriage, but when it is released from the ratchet the carriage will drop down
on to the slide and be clasped by the compressors, and the rollers n, n, at the
same time will be out of action; from this it will be seen that by means of
the handle m the pawl may be released in a moment and the carriage thrown
off its roller.

page_text: Another form of compressor is shewn at Figures 4 and 5, and consists of a
number of fixed and revolving discs D, D, and E, E, placed alternately on the
shaft at the rear end of the slide which carries the chain wheel of the
running in and out gear. This chain wheel is connected with and discon-
nected from the shaft by means of a clutch v', or, if preferred, the pinion H,
Fig. 2, may be thrown out of gear and the clutch dispensed with. On firing
the gun the chain wheel is disconnected, and both it and the revolving
discs E, E, and the fixed discs D are jammed tightly together. As the gun
recoils the chain wheel x and also the moveable discs E, E, are forced to
revolve past the fixed discs D, and thus sufficient friction is obtained to
gradually check the gun's recoil by means of the chain which is arranged so
as to prevent any sudden and violent jar being thrown upon it. A regulating
lever may be fixed to the arrangement for increasing or lessening the
pressure and consequently the amount of friction by simply bearing upon and
pressing down the lever, and for securing the compressing lever in any
position. In order to run the gun either in or out, the clutch or the
pinion is to be thrown into gear with the chain wheel a, and the discs D.
and E are loosened from each other, or they can be kept slack by loosening
the regulating lever z.
The two plates y and c, Figures 4 and 5, have segments of screws on their
contiguous faces. The plate c acts with the fixed plates D, and their lower
ends project through the plate w, and are keyed together by the bolt F. The
plate y carries the lever z, already referred to, by means of which, by merely
turning the plate-y, the plates c and D may be jammed against the revolving
plates E, E. By means of this arrangement of discs any desired amount of
friction can be obtained so that the gun can be eased out on the chain
without the use of the ordinary rope and bollard. The compressor first
described or any other compressor may be used separately or in combination
with this disc arrangement when wished.
Another improvement consists in applying to the girder platform or slide
already described (when the guns are to be worked in small embrasures or
openings) the means for raising or lowering their axis so as to admit of great
angles of elevation or depression being given to the gun; this is effected by
connecting the platform or slide with the flanges or frames which carry the
rollers r, r, by powerful vertical screws which may be worked by suitable
gearing. By this means the axis of the gun can be raised or lowered to the
height required, small changes of elevation being then given in the usual
manner by dealing with the preponderance only; if preferred, the slide or
platform may be raised by hydraulic power and secured at the required height

page_text: by means of pawls or interlocking clamps, or by both. This improvement
possesses the advantage of enabling carriages of similar general-construction
to be used for both broadside and cupola ships. It is equally applicable to
land service, especially when muzzle pivotting or an approximation thereto is
required.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Mounting and
Working Ordnance," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid,
First. The mode herein set forth of constructing, arranging, and combining
the gun carriage and slide or platform, so that the height of the carriage from
the slide or platform, and consequently the transverse axis or trunnions of the
gun may be considerably lowered or brought nearer the slide or platform, and
the angle of recoil thereby diminished.
Second. I claim adapting to the slide or platform, and also to the fore
part of the gun or carriage, an inclined plane or crutch, whereby the gun or
carriage on coming in contact therewith may be brought into or near the
horizontal position, so that a smaller port, embrasure, or opening than usual
may be used.
Third. I claim the construction, arrangement, and mode of using the
compressors, as herein shewn and described.
Lastly. I claim the means herein set forth for lifting, holding, and releasing
the gun carriage on or off its rollers as may be required.
In witness. whereof, I, the said Robert Anthony Edwards Scott, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
ROBT. A. E. SCOTT. (L.S.)