IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE OR CANNON
Year: 1856

page_text: "application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Francois Julien at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th October
1856.
I, FRANCOIS JULIEN, (Office for Patents,) 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing
Cross, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDNANCE OR CANNON," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates principally to breech-loading ordnance or cannon, and
consists, firstly, in certain new mechanical arrangements and appliances for
imparting motion to certain parts employed for facilitating the operations
of introducing the powder and shot and for discharging the same; and,
secondly, in certain new mechanical arrangements for effecting the loading
and discharging of the cannon in continuous succession, principally by the
agency of mechanism, instead of by hand, as heretofore generally practised.
As regards the first part of these improvements, the nature thereof will be
better understood. by the following description of the means by which they
may be effected, that is to say:-Across the breech end of the cannon and the
bore thereof I form a bole, into which I place and grind a cylindrical or
a slightly-tapered plug or piece of metal, through which is formed a hole of
the same size as the bore of the gun, and corresponding therewith when the
said plug is turned round one quarter of an entire revolution, so as to enable
the projectile and powder to be introduced from the rear end of the gun into
the breech thereof, the charge being pushed the proper distance by means. of

page_text: a rammer formed of suitable length for that purpose. I also form two small
holes (of equal diameters) extending from the under side of the breech into
the bore of the cannon, and at that part thereof at which ignition of the
powder is to take place; these two holes diverge from each other for about an
inch, more or less; at the under side of the breech, according to the size of the
cannon, and said holes converge towards each other and terminate in one
hole inside the gun of the same diameter as one of the aforesaid holes. Into
one of these holes and from the bottom thereof I insert a pointed piece of
steel wire or "needle," the lower end whereof is connected to the lock of the
gun, which is of peculiar construction, and immediately under and opposite to
the bottom of the aforesaid hole, which constitutes the touch-hole, I arrange
suitable mechanism for holding the percussion caps or capsules, which caps I
form for the purposes of this Invention of a thin strip of metal, on which are
placed at. equal distances asunder small patches of ordinary fulminating
powder. The mechanism of the lock is.so constructed as to force the before-
mentioned pointed piece of steel or "needle" up into the bore of the cannon,
so as to puncture that part of the cartridge containing the gunpowder; having
done this, the said needle retires, and immediately after the hammer of the
lock is caused to strike and discharge that patch of fulminating powder which
is between it and the bottom of the touch-hole; the flash from the cap enter-"
ing the punctured part of the cartridge will ignite the powder therein, and
thereby discharge the contents of the cannon at the mouth thereof.
An important feature in this Invention consists in combining the aforesaid
needle and hammer in one piece of metal; that is to say, instead of forming
the needle solid, as before mentioned, I form the same hollow, and use the
bottom thereof as a hammer for exploding the caps; the flash therefrom pass:
ing up the hollow part of the needle into the cartridge previously punctured
thereby will explode the powder and discharge the contents of the gun. The
breech end of the cannon. is closed by turning the before-mentioned plug by
means of a suitable lever, Landle, so as to present the solid part of the plug
as an abutment for the explosive force of the gunpowder to act against. This
cannon may be mounted upon a gun carriage of the orilinary kind with wheels
for transporting it from place to place. I also form a touch-hole of the
ordinary kind at the top of the breech, and screw thereinto a steel plug, so
that in the event of the niechanism of the lock getting out of order the
cannon can be discharged in the manner commonly practised of discharging,
cannon.
And as regards the second part of these improvements, the means by which
they may be effected are as follows:-I form the cannon in a precisely similar;

page_text: manner to that lastly above described, but instead of. loading the cannon by
hand, as there stated, I employ the following mechanism for that purpose :-
I form the gun carriage hollow and place therein a tube open at both ends,
the upper end being coincident with the lowermost of two revolving chargo
holders, the other charge holder being coincident with the bore of the cannon
at the breech end thereof. An endless chain extends along the entire length
of the aforesaid tube, which is formed open at bottom for the said chain to
pass through, and said chain passes over rollers, one of which has a small
wheel fixed on the axis thereof, which said wheel takes or gears into another
wheel which has motion imparted thereto by a winch handle; upon the axis of
the aforesaid wheels a notched wheel is securely fixed, and there is another
and similar notched wheel affixed to the side of the breech of the gun. An
endless chain passes around the aforesaid notched wheels, by which motion is
imparted through the agency of a system of wheels to the following parts:
supposing the tube holder to be filled with cartridges, and the lowermost tube
of the charge holder to have received one of said cartridges, the first move-
ment of the mechanism turns the charge holder half an entire revolution, and
brings such cartridge opposite to the opening in the breech end of the cannon;
the second movement brings the hole in the before-mentioned plug in a line
with the bore of the gun; the third movement actuates the ramrod for
passing the charge into the gun; the fourth movement turns the plug another
quarter of a revolution, so as to shut off the communication with the bore of
the cannon, and the opening in the end of the breech; the fifth movement
pushes the needle up and punctures the cartridge; and the sixth and last
movement discharges the fulminating caps or capsules, and discharges the
contents of the gun. During the performance of these operations the lower-
most tube of the double charge holder has received another cartridge, and the
wheelwork is so arranged as to present a fresh cartridge ready to be passed
into the cannon immediately after the last discharge; and by these means the
discharges may be conducted in rapid succession, it being only necessary to
keep the long tube charged with cartridges, which are inserted one by one into
the bottom of the aforesaid long tube.
Another feature in these improvements consists in applying a folding bonnet
or shield to the cannon, to protect the gunner from the shots of an enemy
whilst pointing the cannon.