IMPROVEMENTS IN BREECH-LOADING CANNON
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hays Wilson, of the Firm of John Hays
Wilson and Company, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass
Founders and Ships' Ironmongers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREECH-LOADING CANNON."-A communication from abroad by Charles
Dursień and William John Edwards Brown, of Valparaiso, Chile, South
America
Sealed the 24th February 1865, and dated the 2nd September 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hays Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
September 1864.
I, JOHN HAYS WILSON, of the Firm of John Hays Wilson and Company,
of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founders and Ships' Iron-
mongers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BREECH-LOADING CANNON," to be as follows (that is to say):-
Heretofore there has always existed a great disadvantage in the old form
of cannon, from its incapacity to burn all the powder in the charge; in fact,
it is generally believed there is seldom more than three-fourths of the charge
consumed, and often much less, according to the quality of the powder, for
before the fire reaches one-half the length of the charge the explosion takes
place; and the momentum is given; about one-fourth more is at the same
time consumed, and the rest is driven out of the gun in the same state it was

page_text: put in, and the unexploded powder is blown back into the eyes of the gunners
when shooting to windward, thus causing great inconvenience.
Now this Invention is intended to obviate these objections, which is done
by forming a semi-spherical chamber in the gun to receive the powder, as
exhibited in the annexed Drawings, by which it is believed the whole of the
powder will be consumed, thus economising material, and adding greatly to
the power of the gun, and. alleviating the inconvenience suffered by the
gunners when firing from a leeward position.
On reference to the Drawings it will be observed that the breech-piece is of
a novel construction, carrying the vent exactly through the centre, thus
bringing the fire in contact with the centre of the charge, and consequently
produces equal combustion of the powder on all sides. This breech-piece is
fitted so as to be moved horizontally, and is shown in the Drawings fitted
with a rack and cog wheel for actuating the same, but in place of the rack
and cog wheel a lever motion can be used, as it is more simple, and would
not be so easily deranged in action, and if destroyed could be easily replaced.
It is preferred to construct the breech-piece of steel, and when it is in its. place
is secured in position. by a turn or two in the screw, as will be seen on
reference to the plans....
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2. a longitudinal section of
the same; Figure 3 a top view or plan of the gun.
...
A, the bore of the gun; B, the semi-spherical chamber. for containing the
charge of powder; C, the lateral sliding breech-piece, which is shown fitted
with D, a toothed rack, into which gears E, a toothed wheel, mounted on a
vertical axle, and actuated by hand through F, a crank handle; G, a longi-
tudinal screwed rod for holding the sliding breech-piece- in -position, which
may be actuated by a crank handle or wheel; "H, a cavaty in the rear of the
breech-piece, to facilitate the insertion of the charge when the sliding.breech-
piece is open.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 3
by the said John Hays Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAYS WILSON, of the Firm of John Hays Wilson and Company, of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Brass. Founders and Ships' Ironmongers, sends
greeting..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Hays Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said John Hays Wilson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Hays Wilson, my exécutors, 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
BREECH-LOADING CANNON," a communication to me from abroad by Charles
Dursien and William John Edwards Brown, of Valparaiso, Chili, South
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hays
Wilson, 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 John Hays Wilson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):
Heretofore there has always existed a great disadvantage in the old form
of cannon, from its incapacity to burn all the powder in the charge; in fact,
it is generally believed there is seldom more than three-fourths of the charge
consumed, and often much less, according to the quality of the powder, for
before the fire reaches one-half the length of the charge the explosion takes
place, and the momentum is given; about one-fourth more is at the same
time consumed, and the rest is driven out of the gun in the same state it was
put in, and the unexploded powder is blown back into the eyes of the gunners
when shooting to windward, thus causing great inconvenience.
Now this Invention is intended to obviate these objections, which is done
by forming a semi-spherical chamber in the gun to receive the powder, as
exhibited in the annexed Drawings, by which it is believed the whole of the
powder will be consumed, thus economising material, and alleviating the
inconvenience suffered by the gunners when firing from a leeward position.
On reference to the annexed Drawings it will be observed that the breech-

page_text: This
-piece is of a novel construction, carrying the vent exactly through the centre,
thus bringing the fire in contact with the centre of the charge, and con-
sequently produces equal combustion of the powder on all sides.
breech-piece is fitted so as to be moved horizontally; and is shown in the
Drawings fitted with a rack and.cog wheel for actuating the same, but in
place of the rack and cog wheel a lever motion can be used, as it is more
simple, and would not be so easily deranged in action, and if destroyed could
be easily replaced. It is preferred to construct the breech-picce of steel, and
when it is in its place is secured in position by a turn or two in the screw,
as will be seen on reference to the plans.
!
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of the
same; and Figure 3 a top view or plan of the gun; Figure 4 is a vertical
section of the gun, taken from a to b; Figure 5 is a like section, taken from
c to d; Figure 6 is a section of an elongated conical ball covered with lead ;
Figure 7 is a side view, and Figure 8 a back view of the semi-spherical
cartridge.
The cartridge is formed of a bottom or plate of copper of the same diameter
as the chamber, and of a washer, which fastens or secures a bag forming the
semi-spherical part of the chamber, and filled with the said charge of powder.
In the centre of the plate which serves as a bottom there is an opening for
the introduction of the fuse. The breech screw serves to exert a pressure in
.the plate, in order to keep it more secure, and also to prevent the escape of
combustible gases.
A, the bore of the gun; B, the semi-spherical chamber for containing the
charge of powder; C, the latteral sliding breech-piece, which is shown fitted
with D, a toothed rack, into which gears E, a toothed wheel mounted on a
vertical axle, and actuated by hand through F, a crank handle; G, a
longitudinal screwed rod for holding the sliding breech-piece in position,
which may be actuated by a crank handle or wheel; H, a cavity in rear of
the breech-piece, to facilitate the insertion of the charge when the sliding
breech-piece is open; K, the vent, formed in the sliding breech-piece, opening
in the centre of the semi-spherical chamber. It should here be remarked
that in order that the continual motion of the sliding breech plate may not
cause it to get loose, it is not formed exactly square, but is provided with a
spherical or triangular projection extending through its whole length, and
which sliding in a latteral groove makes it more secure.
The action of this improved breech-loading gun is as follows:-By means.
of the crank handle (F) remove the sliding breech-piece (C) to one side, pass
in the ball through the sloping aperture (H) into the rear of the bore of

page_text: the
gun in advance of the semi-spherical chamber. Then introduce the semi-
spherical cartridge, move in the sliding breech-piece, and tighten and secure
the same in position by means of the screwed rod (G), prime the gun, when
it is ready for discharging.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same may be best carried into practical effect, I
wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein-before described, as it will be readily seen the same may be con-
siderably varied without departing from the Invention; but what I claim is,―
Firstly, the use of the semi-spherical chamber B in combination with the
cavity in rear of the breech-piece, for the convenience of the insertion of
the charge, and the screwed rod G for holding the sliding breech-piece in
position.
And, lastly, the peculiar form of sliding breech-piece C, and mode of con-
structing the vent K therethrough, actuated by rack and pinion D and E, or
their mechanical equivalents, the whole being operated substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hays Wilson, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this First day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
JOHN HAYS (L.S.) WILSON.