IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUNS AND PROJECTILES AND GUN CAR- RIAGES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE AND USE OF MATERIALS EMPLOYED IN THEIR CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th March
1864.
I, GEORGE CLARK, of No. 42, Hunter Street, Brunswick Square, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GUNS AND PROJECTILES AND GUN CAR-
RIAGES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE AND USE OF MATERIALS EMPLOYED IN THEIR
CONSTRUCTION," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in various improvements in constructing guns and
projectiles and gun carriages, and in manufacturing and applying materials
used in their construction, of which improvements the following is a
description in numerical order.
1. The object of my first improvement in guns is to provide for breech-
loading ordnance an effective breech closer, which shall resist and prevent the
escape of gas evolved by the explosion of the powder charge, and at the same
time be easily removed and replaced for loading and discharging the piece.
This object I effect by forming a slot immediately behind the breech end of
the bore, and fitting into the slot a breech closer, which revolves on a hinge
at the side of the gun, and is readily lifted and lowered as the breech end of
the bore is required to be opened or closed for loading or unloading the gun.

page_text: Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 of the Drawings bereunto annexed illustrate this
improvement. (a) is the tube; (b), the bore of the gun; (c) is the breech
closer, which in the longtudinal section, Figure 1, is shewn closed by the
screw (d), and in the longitudinal section, Figure 2, open, being drawn back
by the reverse action of the breech screw by means of a disc revolving on a
pivot at the rear of the breech closer, from which the screw releases itself after
a certain number of revolutions. When the gun has to be loaded, the breech
closer being withdrawn from the end of the bore is turned up on one side, as
shewn in Figure 3, revolving on the hinge or pin (e), on which it slides to
and fro as it is pressed home against the breech end of the bore, or withdrawn
by the action of the screw (d). A boss (f) is forged on the side of the gun
to receive the pin (e). To facilitate the lifting of the breech closer the pro-
jecting arm (9) may be of such a weight as to nearly counterbalance the
weight of the breech closer. In the Drawings this improvement is represented
as applied to an Armstrong breech-loader, and it will obviate the difficulty
experienced in lifting the vent pieces of heavy guns of that description, but
the plan is applicable to breech-loading guns of other construction.
2. My second improvement is a breech-loading gun and carriage, both
divided into two parts, and constructed on the plan illustrated by Figures 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10 of the Drawings hereunto annexed. (a) is the breech end of
the gun, which is a separate and distinct piece from the muzzle end (b), and
is supported upon its own carriage (f), which revolves on a pivot, so that the
entire breech end can be turned round a quarter circle, and its muzzle be
presented, as shewn in Figure 8, for loading without running in or turning
round the muzzle end (6), which in loading the gun remains stationary on its
carriage (9), resting on its support (h), and remaining in the embrasure or
port hole, whilst the breech end of the gun is loaded. In order to connect
and disconnect the breech and muzzle parts (a and b) they are provided at
their extremities where they meet with a male screw, over which the hooped
band (c) is screwed to and fro by means of spokes or handles as the breech
end has to be opened or closed. The hoop band (c) covers the joint (m)
between the breech and muzzle ends, and being screwed over them connects
the two parts securely; (d) is the bore of the breech end; (e), the bore of
the muzzle end; (i), a staple and pin to fasten the two carriages of the breech
and muzzle ends together and form them into one carriage. The means of
elevation and depression will be provided between the carriage (k) and the
Hatform (2). This mode of constructing breech-loading guns will admit of
the breech end, which has chiefly to bear the strain of firing, being made of

page_text: great strength, and also of manufacturing the tube of the chase with more
precision and solidity than if the gun were all in one piece.
3. My third improvement in guns is a removable and interchangeable
breech cylinder applicable to breech-loading guns of any description. It may
in fact be regarded as the breech end of the gun. This cylinder may be made
of iron, steel, or copper; its length will be determined by the length of the
ammunition it is to hold, its internal diameter will be that of the bore of the
gun, its external diameter will be regulated by the thickness of the metal of
which it is made. This breech cylinder will contain the powder charge only,
or the powder charge and the projectile, as may be found most expedient. It
will be a removable and separate piece, a short tube closed at one end
(forming its breech), and open at the other end to receive the ammunition;
into it, when taken out of the gun, the charge will be introduced in the same
manner as the charge in the cartridge holders of a breech-loading fowling piece;
but it will be an essential part of the structure of the gun, being made to slide
and fit into a recess at the breech end of the gun; it will abut with the open
end of its tube against the breech end of the tube of the chase, so that it will,
when in place, be a continuation of the bore forming the powder chamber
with its touch-hole. This removable breech chamber will effectually prevent
the escape of gas in breech-loading guns. The joint (between it and the tube
of the chase), by which alone gas could find an issue at the breech will be in
advance of the ammunition, and will be closed by a steel or copper ring,
against which the open end of the breech cylinder will be tightly pressed by
the action of the breech closing screw, which will also close the joint behind
the cylinder in an effectual way. For dispatch and facility in loading, two or
more breech cylinders may be used for a gun, one containing its charge being
ready to be inserted in the gun the moment the one last fired is withdrawn.
Rapidity of firing, facility of cleaning, and prevention of fouling at the breech
will by this plan be secured.
4. My fourth improvement has for its object the construction of ordnance
in the following manner :-I form a tube of metal of the intended length of
the tube of the gun. This tube is bored to the calibre of the gun parallel from
end to end, except a certain length of the breech end, which is slightly conical,
becoming gradually narrower towards the end than the bore. Into this conical
end a close fitting plug of steel or other metal is forced from the muzzle end.
Externally this tube tapers gradually from the breech to the muzzle end, and
a screw is formed on its outside at the breech end, on to which a block of
metal forming the breech of the gun is screwed up in close contact with a

page_text: copper or steel disc covering the end of the tube, and the steel plug in it.
Outside and over the tube longitudinally rings of metal two or three inches
more or less in thickness, and of a depth regulated by the calibre of the gun,
and bored or moulded to fit easily over the taper of the tube, are successively
passed, and accurately fitted by pressure one against the other, the first ring
at the breech end bearing on the breech block before mentioned. In some
cases thin rings of india-rubber or other compressible material are inserted
and tightly compressed between the metal rings. The object of making the
metal rings narrow is to be enabled to manipulate the metal of which they
are formed so as to impart to every ring the greatest possible hardness, tough-
ness, and homogeneity of structure and strength. For this purpose it may be
found in practice that rings of only an inch or half an inch in thickness
may be most advantageously employed, especially if the rings be of steel or
copper.
For manufacturing rings of cast steel, I adopt the following plan:-I
employ as a mould a strong circular iron box of the diameter of the rings in
their rough state, and I place this box on a strong foundation, so that tho
bottom of the box with its foundation may serve as an anvil. From its centre
a round bar of iron, less in diameter than the intended bore of the rings, rises
perpendicular; over this round bar, which forms the core for the central
hole of the rings, is suspended and attached to a steam hammer or hydraulic
press a circular mass of iron or steel fitting exactly into the box mould, and
having a hole in its centre fitting closely to the aforesaid core bar. Into the
mould thus formed and arranged, cast steel in a state of fusion is poured from
the crucible in any quantity required to produce the requisite thickness of
rings. The hydraulic press and the steam hammer are then set to work, both
or either, and the cast steel is first compressed and then hammered, or sub-
jected to only one of those operations. The metal thus treated will acquire
great toughness and tenacity. The rings may be heated in a furnace, and
again hammered in the mould box or rolled. Wrought iron and steel or
copper rings, previously heated to the proper temperature, may be moulded
and manipulated in the mould box under the steam hammer or hydraulic press
in the same way. The rings in their rough state may be annealed and re-
hammered, or compressed or rolled until they are brought to the right degree
of texture and uniformity of density. The rings are finished in the lathe by
turning the bore and the periphery as well as the sides to the proper dimen-
sions and a close fit; but for the sides of the rings I prefer that they should
be hammered or rolled to the exact thickness and fit required, so as to render

page_text: it unnecessary to reduce them on the sides with a tool. The rings when finished
are fitted and brought up tight against each other over the tube of the bore to
which they form a jacket, either by screwing or forcing them into their places
successively by means of hydraulic pressure; but I prefer the latter mode,
except for the end ring at the muzzle, which should be somewhat thicker than
the other rings, and be screwed or shrunk on at the end of the muzzle. The
internal tube and breech end of the gun being constructed and strengthened
in the way above described; the gun is to be finished by covering those parts
with hoops or longitudinal bars of metal, or in such other way as may be
calculated to impart to the built-up structure the greatest strength of resist-
ance to the tension caused by firing the gun.
5. My fifth improvement is a mode of producing the rifling of projectiles
by covering hard metal with a coating of a fusible or plastic metal or other
material, in which rifling with grooves, or ribs, or belts is formed by casting,
or moulding, or otherwise affixing such fusible or plastic metal or material on
the surface of the hard metal. The mode of proceeding is as follows:-The
hard metal body of the projectile is cast or forged of the required form and
dimensions, being somewhat less in diameter than the bore of the gun into
which the projectile when finished is intended to fit. The diminution of
diameter is intended to allow the space required for the thickness of fusible
or plastic material with which the hard metal is to be coated. If the coating
consists of a fusible material, which, if applied in a fluid state, will set and
harden, the hard metal body or core of the projectile is placed inside and in
the centre of a mould, in which the required rifling is formed, leaving the
space for the determined thickness of the coating, and into this space the fluid
material is poured. If requisite the hard metal may receive a coating of some
suitable material, as a flux or medium of cohesion between the hard metal and
the fused material. If the coating is to consist of a metal or other material
susceptible of compression, or of a plastic material, which after a time sets and
hardens, the hard metal body is covered with a certain thickness of such com-
pressible or plastic material, and in that state is forced by pressure through a
mould in which the rifling is formed. The outer coating will take the rifling,
and be allowed time to harden. I consider lead and zinc, or copper, or
compounds of those and other metals, papier maché, and gelatinous and bitu-
minous substances, or compositions may be used for the outer coating to
projectiles in any of the manners above mentioned and referred to, but I do
not confine myself to those materials or compounds. The particular improve-
ment of this part of my Invention consists not in coating projectiles with

page_text: usible or plastic materials, which has long been practised, but in rifling such
usible or plastic coating of projectiles on any of the plans herein-before
lescribed or referred to.
6. My sixth improvement relates to the form of the bead of projectiles, as
hewn by the following Diagram:-
(a) is a projecting rim round the front of the projectile, leav-
ing a hollow space, at the bottom of which and below the rim is
a conical or spherical head (6). This form of head is calculated
to porforate and crush iron plates. The edge of the rim
will penetrate by cutting its way into the plate, and the
conical or spherical head will crush in the core cut out by
the rim. In order to prevent retardation in the flight of the
projectile by the action of the air in the hollow space, 1
propose covering the front with a false head (c) of a conical
form on the plan of my Invention for which I obtained Her
Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, No. 1615, dated the 27th
of June 1863. The false head will aid the projectile in
iercing through the air, and being of a fragile nature will be crushed by
mpact without any material absorption of the propelling force.
7. My seventh improvement is a mode of regulating the weight of elongated
rojectiles by a composition of materials of different specific gravity, so as to
ive to the projectile any required length without much increasing their
eight, and at the same time imparting to the combined body cohesion and
olidity. This I effect by filling the hollow space inside the projectile con-
tructed on the plan described in the Specification of my aforesaid Letters
Patent, No. 1615, dated 27th of June, 1863, partly with wood or papier
ache, or other material of light specific gravity, and partly with cement or
ther plastic material of greater specific gravity, taking care to place the wood
etween layers of such cement or material at the bottom and outer end of the
ollow space in the projectile, and also in some cases covering the breech end
f the projectile with an iron or other metal plate. By varying the propor-
on of wood and cement or other material of different specific gravity in the
ollow space, the equilibrium of the projectile may be regulated accurately.
8. The object of my eighth improvement is to prevent rifled projectiles when
aded in a gun at the breech from slipping forward when the gun is depressed,
nd that object is effected by fixing a thin ring or slight projections of soft
etal at the rear end of the projectile, or slightly enlarging the ribs or belts
f compres sible or plastic material close to the rear end. This will offer so

page_text: little resistance to the explosive force that it will absorb a hardly appreciable
part of the propelling power, but it will be sufficient to retain the projectile
in the gun, and prevent its sliding out or receding from the charge.
I intend to apply to small arms all or any parts of the aforesaid Invention
susceptible of such application.