IMPROVEMENTS IN GUNS FOR THROWING PROJECTILES FOR NAVAL AND MILITARY PURPOSES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bessemer, of Baxter House, Old St. Pancras
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GUNS FOR THROWING PROJECTILES FOR NAVAL AND
MILITARY PURPOSES."
Sealed the 26th January 1855, and dated the 25th August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bessemer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petitiou on, the
25th August 1854.
I, HENRY BESSEMER, of Baxter House, Old St. Pancras Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GUNS FOR THROWING PROJECTILES FOR NAVAL AND
MILITARY PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
Firstly, my improvements consist in constructing guns so that the reactive
force of the exploded gunpowder is made by the agency of mechanism to reload
and discharge the gun, and thereby to insure a very rapid succession of dis-
charges with a less number of men than are at present required to work a gun
of the ordinary kind.
Secondly, my improvements consist in cleansing and cooling the gun, by
forcing water through the bore of it, or through passages formed in it for that
purpose.

page_text: Thirdly, my improvements also consist in the use of water, air, or steam
under pressure as a means of working the aforesaid mechanism, either alono
or in conjunction with the reactive force of the explosion, as herein-before
mentioned.
gun.
In order to carry into effect my said Invention, the gun is to be truly bored
out, and at the breech end of it I fit a plunger accurately to the bore of the
gun; this plunger does not reach so far down as the breech, and the space left
between it and the breech is occupied with water; one end ofa pipe is made to
communicate with this water space, and the other end with the trunnions of
the gun, which are bored up and fitted with stuffing boxes. The trunnion frame
or swivel is also provided with a central vertical pipe, one end of which com-
municates with the trunnions, while the other end of it is in connection with a
vessel containing water and air under pressure. The plunger before mentioned
is provided with a rod which passes out through a stuffing box in the breech,
and has a buffer head upon it to prevent it from going too far into the
On the upper side of the gun thero is a longitudinal opening of sufficient
size to admit the ball cartridge, but which is, however, kept closed at the
time of firing by the plunger, which occupies that part of the bore immediately
below it. A percussion cap is placed in a recess formed at the central part of
that end of the cartridge farthest from the ball, and I explode the charge by
forcing a needle into the cap. The needle is attached to a rod which passes
out through the plunger rod, and is acted upon by a spring catch, whenever
the plunger arrives at the end of its inward stroke. When a charge of powder
is exploded in the gun, it will react on the plunger with a force in proportion
to its weight; the plunger will thus be driven back, forcing the water before it
into the air vessel, and at the same time withdrawing itself from beneath the
opening by which the cartridges are admitted; in so doing, one of a series of
cartridges lying on an inclined plane will roll into the gun, and occupy the
space previously occupied by the plunger. Immediately that the reactive force
of the exploded powder has expended itself in throwing back the plunger, the
force of the compressed air in the vessel before mentioned, acting on the
water, will cause the plunger to return to its former position in the gun,
carrying the cartridge along with it, and again closing the inlet aperture
by which the cartridge was admitted; just as it reaches the end of its stroke,
the needle is projected forward and the explosion of the charge takes placo,
producing a repetition of the operation of reloading, as before described.
In the plunger there is a small valve, which is made to open at a certain
part of the plunger's stroke, when a stream of water will be forcibly ejected
through the plunger, and thus, after each successive firing of the gun, its

page_text: interior will be cleansed and cooled by the action of the water on it. The
quantity of water thus escaping from the air vessel may be renewed from time
to time by a hand pump, or it may be injected by steam or other power; the
water may also be made to pass through suitable passages formed in the gun
for the purpose of cooling it. By means of the pipes and stuffing boxes before
described,a water-tight communication is established between the bore of the
gun and the water and air vessel; this communication is always kept open
except at the moment when the plunger is forced home, at which time it covers
the escape apperture, and thus retains a small quantity of water in the gun,
which acts as a cushion, and sustains the momentum of the plunger, and
prevents it from striking the breach of the gun.
The arrangement of pipes and stuffing boxes, before described, leaves the gun
at liberty to move up or down at either end; it is also free to move in a
horizontal direction, the trunnion frame being fitted into a circular recess mado
in the carriage or bed plate,and is there supported on antifriction rollers. In
some cases the power of steam,acting on a separate piston in connection with
the plunger, may be made to work the gun,instead of making use of the reactive
force of the gunpowder,as herein-before described. The plunger may be kept
air and water tight by metallic packing or hydraulic leathers, in a manner well
understood, while the size of the aperture by which the water enters the gun
may be regulated by a valve or screw plug, whereby the rapidity of the plunger's
motion may be controlled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Heury Bessemer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
I, HENRY
BESSEMER, of Baxter House, Old Saint Pancras Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Herreign,
did, for Herself, 1ler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Bessemer, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Bessemer, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Bessemer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: 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 GUNS FOR
THROWING PROJECTILES FOR NAVAL AND MILITARY PURPOSES," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Bessemer, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention,and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Henry Bessemer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say) :-
Firstly, my improvements consist in constructing guns so that the reactive
force of the exploded gunpowder is made by the agency of mechanism to reload
and discharge the gun, and thereby to insure a very rapid succession of dis-
charges with a less number of men thau are at present required to work a gun
of the ordinary kind.
Secondly, my improvements consist in cleansing and cooling the gun, by
forcing water through the bore of it, or through passages formed in it for
that purpose.
Thirdly, my improvements also consists in the use of water, air, or eteam
under pressure as a means of working the aforesaid mechanism, either alone
or conjunction with the reactive force of the explosion, as herein-before
mentioned.
In order to carry into effect my said Invention, the gun is to be truly bored
out, and at the breech end of it I fit a pluuger accurately to the bore of the
gun; the plunger does not reach so far down as the breech, and the space left
between it and the breech is occupied with water; one end of a pipe is made
to communicate with this water space,and the other end with the trunnionsof
the gun,
which are bored up and fitted with stuffing boxes. The truunion frame
or swivel is also provided with a central vertical pipe, one end of which com-
municates with the trunnions, while the other end of it is in connection with a
vessel containing water and air under pressure. The plunger before mentioned
is provided with a rod, which passes out through a stuffing box in the breech,
and has a buffer head upon it, to prevent it from going too far into the gun. On
the upper side of the gun there is a longitudinal opening of sufficient size to

page_text: admit the ball cartridge, but which is, however, kept closed at the time of firing
by the plunger, which occupies that part of the bore immediately below it. A
percussion cap is placed in a recess formed at the central part of that end of
the cartridge farthest from the ball, and I explode the charge by forcing a
needle into the cap. The needle is attached to a rod which passes out
through the plunger rod, and is acted upon by a spring catch whenever the
plunger arrives at the end of its inward stroke; when a charge of powder
is exploded in the gun, it will react on the plunger with a force in propor-
tion to its weight. The plunger will thus be driven back, forcing the water
before it into the air vessel, and at the same time withdrawing itself from
beneath the opening by which the cartridges are admitted; in so doing, one of
a series of cartridges lying on an inclined plane will roll into the gun, and
occupy the space previously occupied by the plunger. Immediately that the
reactive force of the exploded powder has expended itselt in throwing back the
plunger, the force of the compressed air in the vessel before mentioned acting
on the water will cause the plunger to return to its former position in the gun,
carrying the cartridge along with it, and again closing the inlet aperture by
which the cartridge was admitted; just as it reaches the end of its stroke, the
needle is projected forward and the explosion of the charge takes place, pro-
ducing a ropetition of the operation of reloading, as before described. In the
plunger there is a small valve, which is made to open at a certain part of
the plunger's stroke, when a stream of water will be forcibly ejected through
the plunger, and thus, after each successive firing of the gun, its interior will
be cleansed and cooled by the action of the water on it. The quantity of water
thus escaping from the air vessel may be renewed from time to time by a hand
pump, or it may be injected by steam or other power; the water may also be
made to pass through suitable passages formed in the gun for the purpose of
cooling it. By means of the pipes and stuffing boxes, before described, a water-
tight communication is established between the bore of the gun and the water
and air vessel; this communication is always kept open except at the moment
when the plunger is forced home, at which time it covers the escape aperture,
and thus retains a small quantity of water in the gun, which acts as a cushion,
and sustains the momentum of the plunger, and prevents it from striking the
breech of the gun. The arrangement of pipes and stuffing boxes, before
described, leaves the gun at liberty to move up or down at either end; it is
also free to move in a horizontal direction, the trunuion frame being fitted
into a circular recess made in the carriage or bed plate, and is there supported
on antifriction rollers. In some cases, the power of steam, acting on a separate
piston in connection with the plunger, may be made to work the gun, instead

page_text: of making use of the reactiveforce of the gunpowder, as herein-before described.
The plunger may be kept air and water tight by metallic packing or hydraulic
leathers, in a manner well understood, while the size of the aperture by which
the water enters the gun may be regulated by a valve or screw plug, whereby
the rapidity of the plunger's motion may be controuled.
In order that the manner in which this Invention is to be carried into effect
may be fully understood, I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings,
on which is represented a gun constructed in accordance with this Invention.
On Sheet A, Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, a vertical cross section
on the line A, B, of Figure 1; Figure 2 is also a vertical cross section on
the line C, D, of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a section of a cartridge suitable
for the use of a gun so constructed. On Sheet B, at Figure 1 I have also
represented a longitudinal vertical section of the gun, with its internal me-
chanism in elevation. Figure 2, Sheet B, represents a longitudinal vertical
section of the breech end of the gun and the mechanism it contains, on a
scale of twice the size of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shews a portion of Figure 2
in elevation.
The gun is bored truly cylindrical throughout, and at the breech end it
has a screw thread formed in it, which I prefer to make in the manner shewn,
with one side of the thread beviled, and at the same time a littlo wider in the
internal thread, which is formed in the cast iron or brass gun,than in the screw
plug b, which I make of steel. The plug or stop b has a flange or head of
an octagonal form, by means of which it can be tightened firmly up to the end
of the gun; it has also an internal tubular projection 62, through which the
plunger rod c passes from the interior to the exterior of the gun. A hollow
chamber is formed in the stop b, in which a double cup of hydraulic leather d
is fitted, and through which the plunger rod is free to move, the leather
forming a water-tight joint therewith. A steel plunger e is fitted to the
interior of the gun, and is secured to the rod c by a large screw thread at e¹,
which fits down upon a shoulder at e. Another piece of steel e is fitted truly
to the bore of the gun, and is also secured to the plunger rod c, by being
screwed on to the upper part c' of the plunger rod c, and thus forms the end
of the plunger. f,f, are two hoops of steel, which have a diagonal slit on one
side of them, so as to allow them to spring open and form a metallic packing;
for the purpose of keeping the end of the plunger air-tight, or nearly so, it
will be seen that an annular space is left at g,between the rod c and plungere,
which extends as far up as the shoulder e. At this part several holes c² are
drilled, all communicating with the space g at one end, and with an annular
channel s at the other. The metal is bevilled off on either edge of the

page_text: channels, so as to form a v shaped valve seating, into which is fitted an
anuular valve h; this valve is kept in close contact with its seat by means of
the spiral spring i. Around the valve there is formed a recess m, and into
it a number of holes jare drilled, each diverging from the centre. The opposito
end of the plunger e has a recess formed around it, in which is placed a double
hydraulic leather k, having a thin sheet metal hoop between its folds for the
purpose of keeping it in form, a screw collar e' preventing the leather from
getting out of place when the plunger is in motion. That end of the plunger
rode which passes out through the stop & has a screw thread formed on it, by
means of which a sort of buffer head n is firmly attached thereto. The upper
end of the piece nis bored out, and hasa cylindrical piece of steel pfitted to its
interior,so as to move freely when required. The piece of steel pisaneularge-
ment of the needle rod p, which passes through the centre of the plunger rod e
and plunger e, terminating in that direction by a small cylindrical punch or
needle p. The enlarged part pof the needle rod is hollow, and has within it a
spiral spring, which abuts against the capn' of the bufferheadn; in the centre
of the capa is a cylindrical projection n³, for the purpose of keeping the spring
in place. The octagonal head 61 of the stop has a hollow cylindrical part 6³
projecting from it, the interior of it being truly bored out to fit the buffer head
n, and the exterior of it is turned truly, in order that the collar & may move
both end wise and around it when required. u is a ferule, attached to the
cylindrical part 62, and on the outer surface of which the collar t slides. This
ferule is for the purpose of forming a fixed abutment to the spiral spring v,
the other end of which presses upon an inner flange t2 of the collar t. The
part t is formed into a series of shallow shaped notches or inclines, which fit
iuto similar inclines formed in a stop piece w, which is fastened to the part b².
The shape of the inclines w are best seen in Figure 3, Sheet B, where it will
be observed that a small notch w is made at the top of the inclines 10, into
which the points of the inclines 3 are allowed to fall, and be thus retained.
The inclines t and w aro shown in a reverse position in Figure 1, Sheet A.
A handle a is fastened to the collart, for the purpose of moving it so far ronnd
as will allow the inclines on the pieces and w to fall in, and cause the collar t
to advance to or recede from the breech end of the gun. It will be observed
that the collar t has formed upon it a conical projection around the end t',
against which the trigger y rests. The trigger y moves on an axis at y', sup-
ported by lugs 3, projecting from the cap n'. A small projection y on the
trigger is acted on by a spring z, screwed to the cap n'. There is a tooth y³
projecting downwards from the trigger, which falls into a notch p³ made in the

page_text: head of the needle rod, a slot n' being made in the buffer head n, for the
purpose of allowing the tooth y³ to pass down to the notch p².
The carriage on which this gun is mounted admits of considerable varia-
tion in the details of its construction, which will be readily understood. I
have, however, shewn in the annexed Drawingsa carriage, in which the peculiar
requisites of this gun are embodied. A is the main frame of the carriage, at
the ends of which are bearings for the axles B to work in; on these axles are
keyed the wheels C, on which the carriage is supported. The trunnions of the
gun are supported in a trunnion block D, the upper part of which is formed
on each side into a sort of plummer block with a cap D', and its lower part is
circular; the under side is bevilled, as shewn at 12, in Figure 2, Sheet A, and
has a cylindrical projection D, which passes through the bottom part A' of the
frame A, which has a large circular recess bored truly in it, so as to allow the
circular part of trunnion block D to fit into it. E is an iron ring, having four
projecting arms E, on which the antifriction rollers F are free to revolve;
these rollers are made of a conical form, so that they may roll freely in a
circular direction on the surface A', and support the trunnion block D,
whereby the gun may be moved with little force in a horizontal direction. A
hole D' is bored vertically in the centre of the trunnion block, and has fitted
into it the end of the pipe G, which is kept water-tight by a gland H
packed with hemp. I is a flange, which keeps the cylindrical piece D³ in
place. The pipe G is in connection with an air and water vessel J, which
is attached to the frame A; or it may bo placed in any convenient position
At D5 a
near the gun, an elastic pipe being substituted for the pipe G.
horizontal hole is made through the trunnion block D, which communicates
with the vertical passage D'. The trunnions of the gun are made much larger
in diameter than is usual, and a passage is bored entirely through from one of
them to the other at a'; the outer ends of the trunnions are bored up and fitte:l
with stuffing boxes and glands K, so that the pipes L may establish a com-
munication between the passages a and D without obstructing the move-
ment of the gun on its trunnions. A short vertical passage a² is made to
communicate with the passage a', and has a pipe M bolted on to the orifice of
it; this pipe is at its other end bolted to the under side of the gun a³, where a
hole N is bored up into to the interior of the gan. By means of these passages
and pipes a free communication is established between the interior of the
breech end of the gun and the air vessel J, and which is not interrupted by
any movement of the gun, either in a vertical or horizontal position. For the
purpose of elevating or depressing the gun, I use a rocking frame P, supported

page_text: at its lower end in a joint at Q. The upper end of this frame is formed with a
horizontal bar, on which the under side of the gun is supported, and on which
it may readily be moved in a horizontal direction. A cross rib of the frame P.
at P*rests on a screw R, the lower end of which passes through a screw nut S,
which is let into the main frame A, where it is free to revolve, being supported
by a flange formed on it. The upper part of this flange is bevilled, and
has teeth formed on it, which gear with a small bevilled pinion T on the
shaft U. This shaft is supported by bearings W,W, and has at one end a
handle Y, by the turning of which the screw nut S is made to revolve in either
direction, and consequently the screw R will rise or fall, and with it the frame
P,and the breech end of the gun, which it supports. I have shown on Sheet A,
at Figure 4, a section of a cartridge suitable for the apparatus herein described;
it consists of an outer case of any suitable material, and made to enclose both
the shot and the charge of powder. At Z there is a deep recess in the centre
of the after end, into which a percussion cap is placed previous to the placing
of the shot in a position for ontering the gun. The cap may be made of two
thin discs of wood, one of them having a central recess to receive the explosive
mixture; these discs should then be glued together, and coated externallywith
sealing wax or some waterproof varnish, which will preserve them from the
effects of moisture. This kind of cap will be difficult to explode without
piercing through it, and need not be applied to the cartridge until they are
handed out of store for immediate use; when pushed down to the bottom of the
recess in the back of the cartridge, they will be in a great measure secure from
accidental discharge. By reference to Figure 3, Sheet A, it will be seen that
there is an opening at a, b, in the gun; it is formed on one side and at a slight
angle, inclining upwards from the bore of the gun: its breadth is equal to the
diameter of the bore, and its length a little more than equal to the length of
the cartridge. On the exterior of the gun, and at the same angle as the opening
in the gun, there is screwed a tray or hopper X, on which the cartridges V
are placed side by side, the lower one of the series occupying the bore of the
gun. From the position which the cartridge occupies in the gun, it will be
necessary, in making guns of this description, to use a greater length than
is generally given to guns of the same calibre, in consequence of a portion
of the space within the gun being occupied with the apparatus employed to
work it.
Having described the various parts of which my improved gun consists, I
will now proceed to shew how these parts are made to operate when the gun
is used to throw projectiles. In the first instance, let it be understood that the

page_text: vessel J is about half filled with water, and the remaining space in it is
occupied by air of such a density as would exert a force of about thirty pounds
on the square inch; the whole of the space between the plunger e and the stop
P, and also all the passages communicating between the vessel J and the
interior of the gun, are also filled with water; the pressure of the air in the
vessel J will thus be brought to bear upon the plunger e, which will be forced
as far from the breech of the gun as the buffer head n will allow it to move.
In Figure 2, Sheet B, the apparatus is shewn in the position it assumes at
the moment of the explosion of a cartridge, the effect of which is to propel the
shot in one direction and the plunger ein the opposite cne. Now, it must be
understood that the velocity with which the plunger is thrown back must
depend on the velocity with which the water can escape from the gun and
return to the vessel J, and therefore that it admits of regulation by enlarging
or contracting the escape aperture. This is effected by a screw plug, which
is so placed as to obstruct more or less the egress of the water by the passage.
As soon as the elastic vapour from the exploded charge of powder 1.as left the
gun, the pressure by which the valve h was forced on its seat will be relieved,
and the momentum, which will still urge the plunger backward, will cause
such a pressure on the water as will overcome the force of the spring i, and a
series of jets of water will be propelled against the interior surface of the gun
with considerable violence, cleansing its surface, and absorbing the heat
imparted to it by the inflamed powder. When the plunger has moved back at
far as the tubular part 2 of the stop b, it will commence entering the annular
cavity g of the plunger, and thus shut off (or nearly so) the supply of water to
the jets; its further movement backwards will cause the end of the plunger to
pass nearly over the exit aperture. This will have absorbed the momentum of
the plunger, and the water locked in between it and the stop 6 will form a
cushion, and entirely prevent them from coming in contact. It must be also
observed that when the plunger is moved back into this position, the cartridge
lowest in the series will have rolled a distance equal to its own diameter, and
occupy the gun; the needle will have also been driven back by the force of the
explosion, and be prevented from returning, by the trigger tooth y falling into
the notch p². No sooner, however, will the momentum of the plunger have
been absorbed in forcing out the water, and thus have acquired for an instant
a state of rest, than the pressure of air in the vessel J will immediately react
upon it, and force it again in the direction of the muzzle of the gun; in so doing
it will push before it the cartridge which had been just admitted. By progress-
ing further, the cartridge will have been entirely enclosed in the gun, at which

page_text: time the trigger y will come in contact with the foot of the incline or cone t¹;
the further progress of the plunger will withdraw the tooth y³ from the notch
22, at which instant the force of the spring r will drive the point of the needle
rod through the percussion cap and explode the cartridge, when the plunger
will again be forced back; a fresh injection of water will follow, the rolling in
of another cartridge will take place, and again the pressure in the vessel J
will return the plunger, and produce a repetition of discharges so long as the
supply of cartridges and water is kept up. It inust be observed that water
must be supplied to the vessel J by a suitable force pump or from an elevated
reservoir. The valve h should have a spring on it of such power as will pre-
vent the pressure in the air vessel from opening it, but not so great as to
prevent its opening when the plunger is going back with the force due to the
explosion.
It will be understood that no injection of water will take place until
the projectile has left the gun, because the force of the clustic
gases will
be greater than the force of the water, and thus the valve will be kept shut
until the projectile has left the gun; but immediately afterwards the water
will be propelled with great force through the opening against the interior
surface of the gun, and thus effect a thorough cleansing and cooling of it.
When it is desired to stop the gun the handle is turned, so as to allow the
cone 2 to be moved by its spring in the direction of the breech, so that the
trigger y will not be lifted up, and the needle retained in its position ofsafety;
but at any time the reversal of the handler will lift the trigger, and the
needle will be impelled forward, and a continuation of rapid discharges will
follow. So long as the cartridges are supplied and placed on the incline, the
recoil of the gun will be very small, firstly, because its increased length causes
is to be much heavier, but more especially because the reaction of the plunger
will almost entirely absorb the reactive force of each explosion.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be constructed and used, I do not claim many parts therein
mentioned which may have been before used, nor do I confine myself to
the precise details, so long as the peculiar character of my said Invention be
retained; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly, the reloading of guns by means of mechanism deriving its motive
power partly or wholly from the force of the explosion within them.
Secondly, I claim the reloading of guns by means of mechanism deriving
its motive power partly or wholly from a reservoir of water, air, or clastic
fluid under pressure.

page_text: Thirdly, I claim the use of a piston or plunger in guns worked by water,
air, or other elastic media.
Fourthly, I claim the forcible discharge of water through the interior of
guns between their successive discharges for the purpose of cleansing and
cooling them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bessemer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
B. GOBBY,
4, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn.
HENRY BESSEMER. (L.S.)