Improvements in Hydraulic Brake Apparatus for Utilising the Energy Developed by the Recoil of Ordnance.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1896-Accepted. 8th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Hydraulic Brake Apparatus for Utilising the
Energy Developed by the Recoil of Ordnance.
I, JOSEPH ALBERT DEPORT, of 19 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, Paris, France,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the hydraulic brakes applied to
ordnance, whereby a portion of the energy of the recoil is utilised while insuring
the proper action of the recoil and subsequent advance of the gun. For this
purpose I so arrange the hydraulic brake that during a considerable part of the
recoil, the liquid compressed by the piston passes wholly or partially into accumu-
lators where it is made either to compress springs or air, passing for this purpose
through one or more check valves which retain the fluid pressure forced in, so as
to store it up for subsequent use. At the end of the said portion of the recoil the
liquid forced by the brake no longer passes through the said valves into the
accumulator, and the brake then acts as an ordinary hydraulic brake. for limiting
the recoil to the prescribed extent of travel.
The liquid under pressure in the accumulators may serve for running the gun
into position again when this is not effected by gravity, and it may also be utilised
in various hydraulic apparatus serving for pointing the gun or for loading or
manoevering the same, after which the liquid is made to pass back to the brake
apparatus through channels provided with check valves.
A chamber for receiving the overflow of the accumulators and that returning
from the said subsidiary hydraulic apparatus is generally interposed on the channel
between the said apparatus and the hydraulic brake, from which chamber the liquid
is then supplied to the brake.
In some cases I so arrange the brake as to cause it to compress air during the
recoil, which is then used, either for running the gun into position or for expelling
the explosion gases remaining in the gun after firing, or for any other purposes.
The construction of the apparatus which I prefer to employ in carrying out my
invention is as follows:-
A piston which is suitably connected in any known manner to the gun so as to
receive motion therefrom during the recoil, is made to force liquid from a long
horizontal or inclined brake cylinder, through a check valve into one or more
accumulators, the valve opening being placed at a distance from the front end of
the cylinder which corresponds to the portion of the stroke which it is desired to
utilise for storing the liquid pressure. When the piston has passed this valve
opening it operates as an ordinary hydraulic brake, the liquid in front of the piston
being forced by its pressure through small channels in the sides of the cylinder
into the space at the back of the piston, and on the return motion of the brake
during the running-in of the gun, the liquid passes more or less freely through one
or more channels formed through the piston, which are closed by check valves
during the braking notion.
The liquid under pressure stored in the accumulator, after having been 'utilised
for manevring the gun or otherwise, is led back through a pipe and valve into the
front end of the brake cylinder where it inixes with the body of liquid which has
remained in the cylinder.
The brake cylinder and piston may be variously constructed and arranged for
the purposes of my invention, thus the piston rod may be solid, or it may be made

page_text: tubular with a stem fixed to the rear end of the brake cylinder projecting into it,
channels being formed between the piston rod and stem for the entrance and exit
of some of the liquid for regulating the return motion.
When employing the stored liquid pressure for effecting the running in of the
gun, the tubular piston rod is enlarged so as to constitute a cylinder in which
works a piston formed on the end of the before mentioned fixed stem.
This stem
is also made with a longitudinal passage, which communicates at one end with the
accumulator and at the other end with the annular space between the stem behind
its piston and the sides of the cylindrical piston rod, so that the liquid under
pressure entering such annular space from the accumulator, will effect the return
movement of the piston and consequently of the gun. The cylindrical piston rod
may be provided at its outer end with an opening closed on the inside by a check
valve, so that during the recoil motion air will be drawn into the cylindrical piston
rod in front of the piston of the stem, and on the return motion this air will be
compressed and forced through a branch pipe into an air vessel in order to be
utilised as above mentioned or it may escape through small opening for controlling
the running-in. When it is used for expelling the explosion gases from the gun,
the said branch pipe on the cylindrical piston rod may be connected directly to a
small passage formed through the breech of the gun and closed at the inner end
by a check valve, which is forced open by the compressed air after firing and is
then made to close again either by its weight alone, or by a spring or by the
introduction of the projectile of the next charge.
In some cases, instead of forcing the whole of the liquid into the accumulators
during the first part of the recoil stroke, the grooves in the sides of the brake
cylinder may be extended the whole length of the stroke, so that part of the liquid
escapes to the back of the piston from the commencement of the stroke.
According to another modification of the above described arrangement of
cylindrical piston rod with internal stem and piston, the storing and braking action
is effected by means of liquid situated within the cylindrical piston rod, instead of
that between the piston rod and the brake cylinder. For this purpose the channel
in the fixed stem communicates at the outer end with the accumulator and at the
inner end by a lateral hole with the interior of the cylindrical piston, and the
latter is in this case formed with the small grooves for the escape of the liquid
from the front to the back of the fixed stem piston.
The outer brake cylinder then serves to receive back the spent liquid whichi
has done duty for manevering &c., and the liquid passes thence into the cylindrical
piston rod through a side opening with check valve.
The fluid pressure stored up by the above described means may also be utilised
for working revolving turrets, and hydraulic ratchet gear for working moveable
platforms and the like.
Dated this 19th day of April 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for Applicant.
Improvements in Hydraulic Brake Apparatus for Utilising the
Energy Developed by the Recoil of Ordnance.
I, JOSEPH ALBERT DEPORT, of 19 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, Paris, France,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in hydraulic brakes such as are used for
ordnance, my object being to utilise the energy of the recoil not only for advancing

page_text: the gun to firing position but also for other purposes such as the training or
charging of the gun, while at the same time ensuring proper action during the
recoil and advance.
For this purpose I so arrange the hydraulic brake that during a considerable
part of the recoil, the liquid compressed by the piston passes wholly or partially
into accumulators where it is made to compress springs or air, passing for this
purpose one or more check valves by which the fluid is retained under pressure and
stored up for subsequent use. After this portion of the recoil stroke the liquid
forced by the brake no longer passes to the accumulators but the brake then acts
as an ordinary hydraulic brake having gradually decreasing passage for limiting
the recoil to the prescribed extent of travel.
The liquid under pressure in the accumulators may serve for running the gun
into firing position again when this is not effected by gravity, and it may also be
utilised in various hydraulic apparatus serving for training the gun or for loading
or manoeuvring it, after which the liquid is made to pass back to the brako
apparatus through channels provided with check valves.
A chamber for receiving the overflow of the accumulators and the liquid
returning from the subsidiary hydraulic apparatus is generally connected to the
channel between the subsidiary apparatus and the hydraulic brake, from which
chamber the liquid is then supplied to the brake.
In some cases I so arrange the brake as to cause it to compress air during the
recoil, which is then used, chiefly for expelling the explosion gases remaining in
the
gun after firing.
The construction of the apparatus which I prefer to employ in carrying out my
invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings which shew
hydraulic recoil brakes of ordinary construction with modifications according to
my invention.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of part of the gun and of the hydraulic brake
cylinder B fitted with piston A attached to the breech of the gun.
Fig. 1 shews the brake cylinder with connections according to my invention.
I provide a passage E from the cylinder having a check valve F, and leading to
an accumulator G or several of these, for supplying apparatus indicated at H by
which the pressure is utilised. From these apparatus the liquid after performing
work is discharged into a receiver I, which can also receive through a pipe K
surplus liquid from the accumulator G. The receiver I communicates with the
brake cylinder by a passage L furnished with a check valve M which closes during
recoil. The operation is as follows:-As the piston advances to the right, the
valves D and M being closed, the displaced liquid is forced by E into the
accumulators except the emall quantity that passes the piston by the grooves C.
After the piston passes E, the valve F being closed by the pressure in the
accumulator, the brake during the rest of the stroke acts in the usual way. When
the gun is advanced to firing position liquid from the receiver I passes to the
cylinder by the pipe L, the valve M opening, as the piston A recedes. As the
piston approaches the end of its stroke it encounters the liquid which has passed
along the grooves C during recoil and thus has its speed moderated the liquid
passing the piston by the grooves and the small hole furnished with the valve D.
In the modification shewn in Fig. 1B the grooves C.give passage only during the
latter portion of the recoil stroke. The receiver I is of such capacity that it can
always furnish supply of liquid to the brake cylinder, notwithstanding variations of
the discharge from the various apparatus for utilising the energy of recoil.
Fig. 2 shews a construction sometimes employed in which there is a stationary
central piston P, and Fig. 2 shews this construction modified so as to adapt it for
operating according to the present invention,
Fig. 3 shews a brake so arranged as to effect the advance of the gun to firing
position by liquid under pressure from the accumulator. In this case a tubular
piston is employed constituting a hydraulic cylinder A' fitted with stationary
tubular piston P, the bore Q of which is always in communication with the

page_text: accumulators, and has a lateral opening into the annular space in A', the pressure
in which acts to advance the gun to firing position.
In the arrangement shewn in Fig. 3 provision is also made for scouring the
combustion gases out of the gun after firing, as more fully shewn in Fig. 4. The
space at the end of A¹ has an opening furnished with a check valve R and a
passage U leading into the charge chamber T of the gun, past a check valve S
which is shewn to an enlarged scale in Fig. 5. During firing and recoil this valve
is closed and air enters the cylinder A by the valved opening R. As the gun is
advanced, the valve R is closed and the air which had entered A¹ is forced by the
passage U and valve S which opens into the gun scouring out the combustion
gases. The valve S is closed by its own weight or might be by a spring or by the
sloping head of the projectile introduced at the breech.
In the modification shewn in Fig. 6 the annular space outside A' communicates
constantly with the accumulator by the pipe Q. The interior of A' operates in
conjunction with the grooves C and the stationary piston P as the recoil cylinder.
During part of the recoil stroke the liquid displaced passes by the lateral orifice E'
into the bore of the piston P and past the check valve F by the passage E to the
accumulator until the piston end of A passes the orifice E, after which the liquid
passes along the sloping groove C. Liquid returns from the receiver by the pipe L
and check valve M as in the arrangements previously described.
From what precedes it will be seen that the arrangements according to this
invention for utilising the energy of recoil involve in all cases the division of the
stroke of the recoil piston or cylinder into two parts by means of a lateral passage
to the accumulator furnished with a check valve, so that during the first portion
of the recoil movement liquid is forced into the accumulator, whilst the latter
portion of the movement is checked and arrested by the brake in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim in respect of hydraulic brake apparatus for utilising the energy developed
by the recoil of ordnance is :-
1. Putting the accumulator in communication with the brake cylinder by a
lateral orifice furnished with a check valve and so placed that liquid is forced by
it into the accumulator during the first portion of the recoil movement, the latter
portion of the movement after this orifice is passed being checked and arrested in
the usual way by graduated throttling of the displaced liquid.
2. In combination with the various apparatus by which the energy of recoil is
utilised, a vessel receiving their discharge, and communicating with the brake
cylinder by a passage and check valve, so as to supply the brake cylinder with
liquid while the gun is advanced.
3. The combination of a hollow piston, an air inlet with check valve, and an air
passage to the charge chamber of the gun with its valve, so arranged that air
drawn in during recoil, is, during the advance of the gun, forced into its bore
scouring out combustion gases.
Dated this 1st day of January 1896.