Improvements in Gun Mountings to Reduce Friction in Working.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gun Mountings to Reduce Friction in Working.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM ANDERSON of Raydon Lodge, Erith in the County of
Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To enable the gun to turn easily on its bearings for elevating by hand.
A recess is formed in the carriage vertically under the centre of the trunnion
bearing with a rectangular opening into the bearing. In this recess a series of
rollers is arranged, having their ends reduced to receive the links of a pitch chain,
thus forming a continuous flexible belt. A metal block, suitably shaped, is so
placed in the recess that several of the rollers rest on its top while the remainder
return underneath it, passing over its rounded ends. The surface of the block on
which the rollers rest is concentric with the trunnions.
The block rests either on an adjustable key or other means for regulating its
height accurately, or else on a short lever pivotted at one side of the recess, and
passing through the other to the outside, where it rests upon a short stout spring
of suitable description, capable of adjustment.
By this means the weight or a portion of the weight of the gun may be carried on
the rollers, and, as the gun is elevated or depressed, the chain of rollers runs round
the block.
When the gun is fired, the recoil comes upon the solid metal of the bearing, and
the rollers are not affected by it.
To reduce the friction of the carriage on the slides a supplementary slide is fixed
on each side of the framing of the main slides, parallel to them, but at a lower
level on which run sundry rollers carried in blocks capable of sliding vertically in
recesses formed in the carriage itself or clip plates thereof. Between these blocks
and the bottoms of the recesses are placed springs of suitable make, preferably disc
springs, so that the weight of the gun and carriage is carried partly, or, if desired,
wholly, by them, thus enabling the carriage to move without much friction.
The sliding surfaces, however, being practically in contact, will relieve the
rollers from any undue stress due to the recoil of the gun.
Rollers on springs may also be fitted in other ways; for example, in the carriage
itself rolling on the main slide, which, though more compact, will not be so
accessible.
Dated this 10th day of Orcher 1800
E. W. ANDERSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gun Mountings to Reduce Friction in Working.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM ANDERSON of Raydon Lodge, Erith in the County of
Kent, Engineer, 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:-
To enable the gun to turn easily on its bearings for elevating by hand a recess is
formed in the carriage vertically under the centre of the trunnion bearing with a
rectangular opening into the bearing. In this recess a series of rollers is arranged,
having their ends reduced to receive the links of a pitch chain thus forming a
continuous flexible belt. A metal block, suitably shaped, is so placed in the recess
that several of the rollers rest on its top while the remainder return underneath it
CD 037

page_text: passing over its rounded ends. The surface of the block on which the rollers rest
is concentric with the trunnions.
The block rests either on an adjustable key or other means for regulating its
height accurately, or else on a short lever pivotted at one side of the recess, and
passing through the other to the outside, where it rests upon a short stout spring of
suitable description, capable of adjustment.
By this means the weight or a portion of the weight of the gun may be carried on
the rollers, and, as the gun is elevated or depressed, the chain of rollers runs round
the block.
When the gun is fired, the recoil comes upon the solid metal of the bearing, and
the rollers are not affected by it.
To reduce the friction of the carriage on the slides a supplementary slide is fixed
on each side of the framing of the main slides, parallel to them, but at a lower level;
on which run sundry rollers carried in blocks capable of sliding vertically in recesses
formed in the carriage itself or clip plates thereof. Between these blocks and the
bottoms of the recesses are placed springs of suitable make, preferably disc springs,
so that the weight of the gun and carriage is carried partly, or, if desired, wholly,
by them, thus enabling the carriage to move without much friction.
The sliding surfaces, however, being practically in contact, will relieve the
rollers from any undue stress due to the recoil of the gun.
Rollers on springs may also be fitted in other ways, for example, in the carriage
itself rolling on the main slide, which, though more compact, will not be so
accessible.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a portion of a gun carriage in which
the gun trunnions are supported partially upon rollers connected in such manner as
to form a continuous belt. u is the gun trunnion, is a cavity formed in the
carriage, e is the belt of rollers, d is a block within the cavity bits surface is
concentric with the trunnion and it is capable of adjustment by sliding transversely
along a lower block e which forms part of the carriage, or is suitably fixed to or
supported by it.
The surfaces in contact of the parts d and a are slightly inclined so that by the
movement of the upper block upon the lower it can be set up towards the trunnion
to the extent desired. When adjusted the block d is locked in position by suitable
locking appliances. In this way the greater part of the weight of the gun is
caused to be borne by the rollers c and consequently the gun will move easily about
its trunnions.
Figure 2 is a transverse section and shews another way of supporting the block d.
It is here represented as resting upon a lever which at one end has its fulcrum on
the side of the carriage and at the other is supported by springs ƒ. The
compression of the springs can be adjusted by means of the screw and nut indicated
in the figure.
Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of a gun carriage and
slide.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same, g is the carriage and is the ordinary
slide or surface on which it recoils. ii are supplementary slide surfaces upon the
main slide. kk are plates securely fixed to the carriage. 1 are blocks able to
slide vertically in recesses in the plates k. mm are springs above the blocks.
nn are rollers carried in the blocks and running upon the supplementary
slide surfaces i i. To the extent to which the springs mm are compressed the
rollers carry the weight of the gun and carriage. The gun therefore travels easily
in running in and out.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The means herein described to facilitate the rotation of gun trunnions in their
bearings, consisting in forming a cavity in the bearing, and arranging therein an
endless belt of rollers and a block or support around which the rollers run: such
rollers in part supporting the gun trunnion.
2. The combination of parts substantially as described consisting of the trunnion a
the cavity the belt of rollers c the block d the supporting lever and the
spring f
3. The means herein described for facilitating the movement of gun carriages
along their slides by providing supplementary slide surfaces ii and rollers n n
resting thereon; such rollers in part supporting the gun carriage with the
intervention of springs m m.
4. The means herein described for facilitating the movement of gun carriages
along their slides by providing rollers and springs to partially support the carriage
and reduce the load on the sliding parts.
Dated this 18th day of June 1801
E. W. ANDERSON.