IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR HEAVY ORDNANCE
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Anderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1883.
WILLIAM ANDERSON of 3 Whitehall Place in the city of Westminster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR HEAVY ORDNANCE"
This Invention has for its object improvements in carriages for heavy ordnance.
With heavy ordnance mounted on Moncrieffs principle, where the gun is raised
to the firing position by means of compressed air and is brought down to the
loading position by the recoil, a difficulty occurs when mechanical loading
mechanism is applied.
The difficulty is that the gun does not always descend to the same point as the
recoil varies especially when charges of different weights are employed.
This Invention provides a convenient means for bringing the gun down to the
loading point when the recoil is insufficient.
In the Moncrieff carriage the air is contained in a reservoir in which also at the
lower part there is water or liquid.
A passage connects the reservoir with a cylinder in which a piston works.
The piston is coupled with the gun and moves with it. On the gun being fired
the recoil moves the piston and forces liquid from the cylinder into the air
reservoir and further compresses the air in the reservoir. A valve prevents the
return of the liquid so that the gun after recoil remains down until a bye pass is
opened by hand mechanism.
Now when the recoil is insufficient to force enough liquid out of the cylinder to
permit the gun to come down to the loading position, my Invention provides means
by which a further quantity of liquid can be drawn out whilst nevertheless it
ensures that the cylinder shall always remain properly charged with liquid and
the retension in the system of constant quantities of air and liquid which is
essential to the proper working of the mechanism place the pressure pumps of
the hydraulic loading mechanism in communication with a cylinder which I call
the compensating cylinder. There is a piston in this cylinder and on the other side
of the piston there is a connection by a passage in which there is a valve between
[Price 6d1

page_text: the compensating cylinder and the main cylinder which controls the gun. The
pressure maintained by the pressure pumps is superior to that in the air vessel so
that so long as the connection with the pumps is open no liquid can pass back from
the main cylinder into the compensating cylinder. When however the recoil fails
to bring the gun down to the loading position the connection between the pumps
and the compensating cylinder can be closed by a slile valve and water allowed to
escape from the cylinder on the side previously supplied by the pumps.
The gun
then is able to descend until it comes down upon the blocks which support it in
the loading position, liquid being forced by the weight of the gun from the main
cylinder into the compensating cylinder. When the gun is down the pumps are
again put into connection with the compensating cylinder, the piston in which is
then driven back to the end of the cylinder and the liquid which had been drawn
from the main cylinder is forced into the air vessel by a pipe in which is valve
to prevent return.
1 also mount heavy ordnance on a carriage which permits of the gun rising with
the recoil and then gently returning to the loading and firing position.
The trunnions of the gun have their bearings in a block or upper frame which
is connected with the under frame of the carriage by parallel links. There is one
pair of links in front of the trunnions and another pair in rear thereof.
When the gun is in position these links incline forwards but on the recoil taking
place they rise to a nearly vertical position. The recoil is also checked by an
hydraulic cylinder in which a piston works. The piston is provided with a trunk
working through a gland at the end of the cylinder and a connecting rod passing
down within the trunk connects the piston with the block or upper frame in which
are the trunnion bearings.
When the gun recoils the liquid in the annular space around the trunk is forced
out through a loaded valve until the gun is brought to rest. At the same time
liquid is drawn from a tank into the cylinder on the underside of the piston. The
tank is closed and provided with a stand pipe rising above the cylinder to ensure
the cylinder remaining always full of liquid.
Immediately the recoil ceases the gun commences to return by its own weight
but is checked by the liquid beneath the piston which can only escape by a small
regulated oritice.
The loading position is that in which the gun being down the muzzle is raised
to the fullest extent.
The same gear serves for pointing or aiming and for elevating the muzzle to the
loading position. It consists of an additional pair of links connecting the under
frame with the upper frame; these are in front of and parallel with the other
links. Each additional link has upon it a sleeve with a bevilled pinion at each
end. The pinion at the lower end gears with a corresponding pinion upon an
horizontal axis on which are the hand wheels of the elevating gear. This axis
passes through eyes at the lower ends of the additional links and forms the joints
which connect these links with the under frame.
The pinion at the upper end of each sleeve gears with a bevelled wheel mounted
upon a stud upon the upper frame and attached to the wheel is a pinion, part of
a train of spur gear.
A pinion of this train engages with a toothed arc bolted
upon the gun and concentric with its trunnions. So by turning the hand wheels
the muzzle of the gun can be elevated or depressed. This gear is in duplicate one
şet on each side of the gun.
To facilitate the operation of elevating and depressing there is also a pair of
hydraulic cylinders carried upon the upper frame and the pistons working in these
are connected by rods and links to armis upon the trunnions of the gun.
It is an advantage in this arrangement of clevating gear that the hand wheels
are not materially affected by the recoil of the gun when fired..
:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1883.
WILLIAM ANDERSON of 3 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR HEAVY ORDNANCE
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in carriages for heavy ordnance.
With heavy orduance mounted on Moncrieff's principle where the gun is raised
to the firing position by means of compressed air and is brought down to the
loading position by the recoil, a difficulty occurs when mechanical loading
mechanism is applied. The difficulty is that the gun does not always descend
to the same point as the recoil varies especially when charges of different weights.
are employed.
This Invention provides a convenient means for bringing the gun down to the
loading point when the recoil is insufficient.
In the Moncrieff carriage the air is contained in a reservoir in which also at the
lower part there is a liquid. A passage connects the reservoir with a cylinder in
which a piston works. The piston is coupled with the gun and moves with it. On
the gun being fired the recoil moves the piston and forces liquid from the cylinder
into the air reservoir and further compresses the air in the reservoir.
prevents the return of the liquid so that the gun after recoil remaius down until a
bye pass is opened by hand mechanism.
A valve
Now when the recoil is insufficient to force enough liquid out of the cylinder to
permit the gun to come down to the loading position my invention provides
means by which a further quantity of liquid can be drawn out whilst nevertheless
it ensures that the cylinder shall always remain properly charged with liquid and
the retention in the system of constant quantities of air and liquid which is
essential to the proper working of the mechanism. I place the pressure pumps of
the hydraulic loading mechanism in communication with a cylinder which I call
the compensating cylinder. There is a piston in this cylinder and on the other.
side of the piston there is a connection by a passage in which there is a valve
between the compensating cylinder and the main cylinder which controls the gun.
The pressure maintained by the pressure pumps is superior to that in the air
vessel so that so long as the connection with the pumps is open no liquid can pass
back from the main cylinder into the compensating cylinder. When however the
recoil fails to bring the gun down to the loading position the connection between
the pumps and the compensating cylinder can be closed by a slide valve and water
allowed to escape from the cylinder on the side previously supplied by the pumps.
The gun then is able to descend until it comes down upon the blocks which support
it in the loading position, liquid being forced by the weight of the gun from the
main cylinder into the compensating cylinder. When the gun is down the pumps
are again put into connection with the compensating cylinder, the piston in which is
then driven back to the end of the cylinder and the liquid which had been drawn
from the main cylinder is forced into the air vessel by a pipe in which is a valve
to prevent return.
In Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings A A are two cylindrical vessels
which together form the air reservoir. B is the cylinder which controls the gun
it receives a plunger which is thrust inwards by the recoil of the gun on firing.
Water from within the cylinder then passes by a valve in the box C into the air
vessels A A.
At D there is a bye pass valve which in order to again raise the gun to the

page_text: firing position is opened by means of a hand wheel or lever.
allows water to pass from the air reservoir back into the cylinder B.
The valve then
E is a compensating cylinder, it contains a piston F and is connected by a
pipe G with the pumps of the hydraulic apparatus employed to actuate the
loading mechanism.
H is a slide valve which when in one position allows free passage of the water
from the pumps to the compensating cylinder and so keeps the piston F at the
further end of the cylinder.
By shifting the valve H the connection with the pumps can be closed and
exhaust opened from the compensating cylinder, when this is done the pressure on
the piston F is relieved and the weight of the gun then forces back water out of
the cylinder B through the pipe I into the compensating cylinder E and this goes
on until the gun comes down onto the blocks which support it in the loading
position.
.
When the connection between the compensating cylinder and the pumps is again
reestablished the piston F returns to the end of the cylinder E forcing the water
back from the compensating cylinder but it does not return into the cylinder B
The
from whence it was drawn being prevented from doing so by a valve K.
return takes place into the air vessels A A by the pipe L and the valve M. which.
prevents any return. The gun consequently does not rise until the bye pass
valve D is next opened and this is done when the gun is loaded and ready for
firing.
N is a valve controlled by a hand wheel it is for the purpose of opening a passage
for water to pass from the pumps to the cylinder B and parts connected therewith
to make good loss by leakage when necessary.
I also mount heavy ordinance on a carriage which permits of the gun rising with
the recoil and then gently returning to the loading and firing position.
The trunnions of the gun have their bearings in a block or upper frame which
is connected with the under frame of the carriage by parallel links. There is one
pair of links in front of the trunnions and another pair in rear thereof.
When the gun is in position these links incline forwards but on the recoil taking
place they rise to a nearly vertical position. The recoil is also checked by an
hydraulic cylinder in which a piston works. The piston is provided with a trunk
working through a gland at the end of the cylinder and a connecting rod passing
down within the trunk connects the piston with the block or upper frame in which
are the trunnion bearings.
When the gun recoils the liquid in the annular space around the trunk is forced
out through a loaded valve until the gun is brought to rest. At the same time
liquid is drawn from a tank into the cylinder on the underside of the piston. The
tank is closed and provided with a stand pipe rising above the cylinder to ensure
the cylinder remaining always full of liquid.
Immediately the recoil ceases the gun commences to return by its own weight
but is checked by the liquid beneath the piston which can only escape by a small
regulated orifice."
The loading position is that in which the gun being down the muzzle is raised
to the fullest extent.
The same gear serves for pointing or aiming and for elevating the muzzle to the
loading position. It consists of an additional pair of links connecting the under
frame with the upper frame, these are in front of and parallel with the other
links. Each additional link has upon it a sleeve with a bevilled pinion at each
end. The pinion at the lower end gears with a corresponding pinion upon an
horizontal axis on which are the hand wheels of the elevating gear. This axis
passes through eyes at the lower ends of the additional links and forins the
joints which connect these links with the under frame. The pinion at the
upper end of each sleeve gears with a bevilled wheel mounted upon a stud upon the
upper frame and attached to the wheel is a pinion, part of a train of spur gear.
A pinion of this train engages with a toothed arc bolted upon the gun and

page_text: concentric with its trunnions. So by turning the hand wheels the muzzle of the
gun can be elevated or depressed. This gear is in duplicate one set on each side
of the gun.
To facilitate the operation of elevating and depressing there is also a pair of
hydraulic cylinders carried upon the upper frame and the pistons working in these
are connected by rods and links to arms upon the trunnions of the gun.
It is an advantage in this arrangement of elevating gear that the hand wheels
are not materially affected by the recoil of the gun when fired.
Figure 3 is an elevation partly in section shewing a gun of large dimensions
mounted in accordance with my Invention and upon a turn table platform.
Figure 4 is a plan of the same with some of the parts removed.
Figure 5 is a plan shewing separately the mechanism for elevating the gun.
Figure 6 is an end elevation.
A is the gun, its trunnions A³ are carried in bearings in the block B. C and C¹
are two pairs of links connecting this block with the bed frame or platform D of
the turntable.
E is an bydraulic cylinder for checking the recoil of the gun; it contains a piston
having a trunk passing out from the upper end of the cylinder through a gland in
which there is a cupped leather. F is a rod which connects this piston with the
block B. G is a valve on a passage from the upper part of the cylinder; it is kept
closed by a spring. When the piston is drawn upwards in the recoil of the gun
water is ejected through this valve from the annular space above the piston and
passes into the tank H at the same time the space in the cylinder beneath the
piston is supplied with water from the tank by the tanks 11 through suction
valves I' I'
C* C* are buffers against which the links C. C. are brought up when the recoil
extends to the full distance allowed.
K is a small valve and orifice in connection with the lower part of the cylinder E
which to permit the descent of the gun immediately the recoil has been checked
allows water to slowly flow out of the cylinder. The water passing out from this
valve is led back into the tank.
L is a valve which during the descent of the piston permits water to flow from
the lower into the upper part of the cylinder but prevents the reverse action.
The tank is closed at the top it is provided with a stand pipe H1 (shown broken)
rising above the top of the cylinder E and open at the upper end. The tank is
readily filled by this pipe and the water in it can be easily seen. By maintaining
the water lever above the top of the cylinder all risk of air entering the cylinder is
avoided as any leakage which takes place must be of water outwards and not of air
into the apparatus. If air found admission to the cylinder E it would render the
movement of the gun irregular.
The dotted lines in Figure 3 shew the gun in the loading position the breech
then rests upon the buffer M and the bore of the gun is then truly aligned with
the hydraulic rammer N. By this the charge is inserted into the bore. This
hydraulic loading apparatus forms no part of my invention and it is unnecessary
therefore that I should describe it in detail.
The elevating mechanism consists of the pair of links O. O. each link is formed
with eyes at its ends which engage with pins one upon the upper frame or block B
and the other upon the bed frame or platform D.
Upon these links are sleeves or tubes 01 0¹ having bevilled pinions at either
end. The pinion at the lower end of the sleeve engages with a corresponding
pinion upon the boss of a hand wheel P which is free to rotate upon the stud.
The pinion at the upper end of the sleeve gears with the bevilled wheel Q for
which the stud upon the upper frame B serves as an axis. A spur pinion is formed
together with the wheel Q and it gears with the spur wheel R which by pinion R¹
formed with it engages with the arc of teeth S fixed upon the gun. This arc is
concentric with the trunnions. Through this gear a movement can be imparted to
the gun about its trunnions to elevate or depress the muzzle.

page_text: The movement can be aided by means of a pair of small hydraulic cylinders T T
operating on arms fixed upon the trunnions of the gun. Water under pressure can
be admitted to or drawn from the cylinders of these presses by the movement of a
hand valve provided for the purpose.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim :-
First With guns so mounted as to be raised for firing by hydraulic lifting
apparatus operated by air which is compressed by the recoil of the gun; the use in
connection with such hydraulic lifting apparatus of a compensating cylinder for
bringing the gun fully down to the loading position when the recoil is insufficient,
the said compensating cylinder containing a piston which can be allowed to recede
to permit water or liquid to flow out from the hydraulic lifting apparatus and can
be forced back to return the liquid into the hydraulic apparatus substantially as
described.
Second The means for withdrawing liquid from the hydraulic lifting apparatus
in order to bring down the gun and for afterwards restoring the liquid to the
hydraulic lifting apparatus substantially as herein described and shown.
Third Mounting a gun by its trunnions upon a block or upper frame connected
with an under frame by one pair of links in front of the trunnions and another
pair of links in rear thereof substantially as described.
Fourth The apparatus for elevating and bringing the gun to the loading
position consisting of a toothed are upon the gun in gear with a pinion on a stud
or axis carried by the block or upper frame and driving by a gear train from a
hand wheel or handle on a stud or axis carried by the under frame substantially as
described.
Fifth Hydraulic elevating gear operating in aid of and controlled by manual
gear substantially as described.
Sixth-Mounting heavy ordinance substantially as herein described and
illustrated by the annexed drawings.
In witness whereof I the said. William Anderson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this tenth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
T17
זוממגד--
WANDERSON (L.D.)