Improvements in or connected with Wheel Brakes for Gun Carriages.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Wheel Brakes for Gun Carriages.
I, AUGUST REICHWALD, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London, Steel,
Iron, Metal, and Mineral Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, (a communication to me from abroad by the Firm of Fried. Krupp, of Essen,
in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel Manufacturers), to be as follows:-
The invention has reference to improvements in wheel brakes for gun carriages.
The ordinary wheel brake, for the reason that it has mainly to serve as a brake
to be used when travelling, is so arranged that it can only be operated from the
axle seat or from the muzzle end of the gun. Consequently, when the wheel
brake is to be applied in firing, there is the inconvenience that the gunner or
operator has to go a relatively long distance from the breech to reach the operat-
ing means of the wheel brake.
The object of this invention is to construct and arrange a wheel brake in such
a manner that the latter may be operated not only as is usual, from the muzzle
end of the gun, but also from the breech end of the gun.
The wheel brake may be operated when the gun is travelling by rotating a
hand wheel which is situated in close proximity to the axle seat. A draw-bar
internally screw threaded at one end receives the threaded end of a spindle carry-
ing the hand wheel.
Upon rotating the hand wheel the draw bar is moved in the direction of its
longitudinal axis operating the brake arms and causing the brake block to move
towards or away from the carriage wheel. In this respect the present invention
resembles in action and arrangement the wheel brake commonly used in field
gun carriages.
In wheel brakes as commonly employed the draw bar is formed in a single
piece.
According to this invention the said draw bar is composed of two parts, viz.; a
tubular part and a cylindrical shaft which are connected together by means of a
screw coupling. The tubular part of the draw bar as aforesaid is internally screw
threaded at one end to receive the screw spindle carrying the hand wheel, which
is situated in proximity to the axle seat. At its other end the tubular part is
formed with a right handed screw thread adapted to fit into the internal screwed
part of the aforesaid coupling. The cylindrical shaft is pivotted to the brake
arms and is provided with a left handed screw thread to receive a correspondingly
internal screw threaded part of the coupling. The shank of the cylindrical shaft
extends into the tubular part and is provided with a longitudinal slot through
which there extends a wedge, the latter fixed in the tubular part. By this
arrangement the cylindrical shaft can move longitudinally relatively to the
tubular part, to a certain extent, which is limited by the impact of the wedge
against the ends of the longitudinal slot, at the same time the wedge prevents
the relative rotation of the two parts, riz.: the tubular part and the cylindrical
shaft.
Now the cylindrical shaft is prevented by its connection with the brake

page_text: arms, from rotating about its longitudinal axis, and in consequence the tubular
part cannot rotate axially.
The coupling is provided either with a number of handles or is constructed in
the form of a hand wheel. Upon revolving the coupling, the right and left hand
internal threads cause the two draw bar portions to move relatively into or out
of each other, whereby the total length of the draw bar is shortened or lengthened.
The coupling may be prevented from accidental rotation by means of a retain-
ing piece provided with a retaining chain which is preferably fixed to the wedge.
The manipulation and mode of operation of the brake is as follows:-When the
gun is travelling, the brake is operated by means of the hand wheel, situated in close
proximity to the axle scat, as above described. When thus operated the draw
bar acts as a rigid connection, the longitudinal movement of which in the
manner above described causes the brake block to be applied or taken off. After
the gun has been unlimbered, and it is desired to apply or take off the brake
whilst firing, the screw coupling is rotated in the desired direction. Now as the
tubular part in consequence of its connection with the cylindrical shaft cannot
rotate, nor move longitudinally on account of the screw connection with the axle
seat hand wheel spindle, the rotation of the coupling will cause the cylindrical
shaft to move in the direction of its axis, and will thus effect the putting on or
taking off of the brake block according to the direction of rotation of the
coupling.
A modification in the construction of this invention may be effected by sub-
stituting for the screw coupling a screw spindle coupling, which engages by
means of oppositely directed screw threads in corresponding female serew threads
of the drawbar portions. In this construction the rotation of the part near the
muzzle of the gun is prevented by reason of a flat surface of a guide piece fixed
on the said part, bearing against a corresponding flat surface of a jockey-piece
fixed on a carrier.
The mode of operation of this modified construction is equivalent to that
described above.
It will be readily understood that without departing from the nature of this
invention in any way, one of the screw threads of the screw coupling or of the
screw spindle coupling, may be dispensed with, and the coupling or the spindle
may be connected so as to be capable of rotating but not of moving longitu-
dinally, with the corresponding part of the draw-bar.
Dated this 1st day of December 1898.
Improvements in or connected with Wheel Brakes for Gun Carriages.
I, AUGUST REICHWALD, of 9, New Broad Street, in the City of London, Steel,
Iron, Metal, and Mineral Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, (a communication to me from abroad by the Firm of Fried. Krupp, of Essen,
in the Empire of Germany. Cast Steel Manufacturers), and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The invention has reference to improvements in wheel brakes for gun carriages.
The ordinary wheel brake, for the reason that it has mainly to serve as a brake
to be used when travelling, is so constructed and arranged that it can only be
operated from the axle seat, or from the muzzle end of the gun. Consequently,

page_text: when the wheel brake is to be applied in firing, there is the inconvenience that
the gunner or operator, has to go a relatively long distance from the breech, to
reach the operating means of the wheel brake.
The object of this invention is to construct and arrange a wheel brake, in such
a manner that the latter may be operated, not only as is usual, from the muzzle
end of the gun, but also from the breech end of the gun.
In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate in plan and in side
elevation respectively, a wheel brake constructed according to this invention,
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the draw bar of the wheel brake, and Figs. 4
and 5 shew another form of construction of the draw bar. I will first describe
the wheel brake illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.
The wheel brake may be operated when the gun is travelling, by rotating the
hand wheel F (Figs. 1 and 2), which is situated in close proximity to the axle
seat. The drawbar A is internally screw-threaded at one end, to receive the
threaded end of the spindle, carrying the hand wheel F. Upon rotating the
hand wheel F, the draw bar A is moved in the direction of its longitudinal axis,
so that the brake arms E are moved, so as to cause the brake block k to move
towards, or away from, the carriage wheel. In this respect the present invention
resembles in action and arrangement the wheel brake commonly used in field gun
carriages. In wheel brakes as commonly employed the draw bar A is formed
in a single piece.
According to this invention the said draw bar is composed of two parts C
and D, which are connected together by means of a screw coupling B (Fig. 3).
One part of the draw bar A is of tubular formation, which, as previously
stated, is internally screw threaded to receive the screw spindle b, which carries
the hand wheel F. The opposite end of the part C is formed with a right
handed screw thread c, adapted to fit into the internal screwed part of the
coupling B. The other part 1) of the draw bar, which is formed as a cylindrical
shaft, is connected to the brake arms EE by means of a pin passed through its
eye d, and corresponding holes in the brake arms EE. The part D is provided
with a left handed screw thread e, to receive a corresponding internal screw
threaded part of the coupling B. The shank f of the part D extends into the
tubular part C, and is provided with a longitudinal slot g, through which there
extends a wedge G, the latter fixed in the tubular portion C. By this arrange-
ment the part I can move longitudinally relatively to the part C, to a certain
extent, which is limited by the impact of the wedge G against the ends of the
slot g
At the same time the wedge G prevents the relative rotation of the two
parts C and D.
Now the part D is prevented, by its connection with the brake
arms, from rotating about its longitudinal axis, and in consequence the tubular
part cannot rotate axially.
The coupling B is provided either with a number of handles a or is constructed
in the form of a hand wheel. Upon revolving the coupling B, the right and left
hand internal threads, cause the two draw-bar portions C and D), to move rela-
tively into or out of each other, whereby the total length of the draw bar A is
shortened or lengthened. The coupling B may be prevented from accidental
rotation by means of a retaining piece h (Fig. 1), which is suspended from a
chain and inserted through one of the eyes i (Fig. 3), provided in the arms a.
The retaining chain is preferably fixed to the wedge G.
The manipulation and mode of operation of the brake is as follows:-When
the gun is travelling, the brake is operated by means of the hand wheel 1',
situated in close proximity to the axle seat, as above described. When thus
operated, the draw bar CD acts as a rigid connection, the longitudinal movement
of which, in the manner above described, causes the brake block to be applied,
or taken off. After the gun has been unlimbered, and it is desired to apply, or
take off, the brake whilst firing, the screw coupling B is rotated in the desired
direction. Now as the draw bar portion C, in consequence of its connection
with 1), cannot rotate, nor move longitudinally on account of the screw connec-

page_text: :
tion with the spindle b, the rotation of the coupling B will cause the draw bar
portion D, to move in the direction of its axis, and will thus effect the putting
on, or taking off, of the brake block, according to the direction of rotation of the
coupling.
With reference to the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, this differs
from the arrangement above described only by substituting for the screw
coupling B, a screw spindle H which engages, by means of oppositely directed
screw threads, in corresponding female screw threads of the drawbar portions KJ.
In this construction the rotation of the part K is prevented by reason of a flat
surface m of a guide piece L fixed upon the part K, bearing against a correspond-
ing flat surface of a jockey piece fixed on the carrier M.
The mode of operation of this modified construction is similar to that described
with reference to the arrangement in Figs. 1 to 3.
It will be readily understood, that, without departing from the nature of this
invention in any way, one of the screw threads of the screw coupling B, or of the
screw spindle H, may be dispensed with, and the coupling or the spindle may be
connected, so as to be capable of rotating, but not of moving longitudinally, with
the corresponding part of the draw bar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1 claim is:-
1. Constructing a wheel brake for gun carriages, arranged so as to be operated
by means, such as hand wheels or the like, located one near the muzzle end, and
a second near the breech of the gun; the mechanism being so arranged that upon
the rotation of one or the other hand wheel, the draw bar, through which the
brake is operated, is caused to move, either in a longitudinal direction, or to alter
its length, in order to apply or remove the brakes.
2. In such brake mechanism as claimed by Claim 1, constructing the draw bar
that acts upon the brake arms E, in two parts, CD or KJ, which are connected
together by means of a screw coupling B (constructed in the form of a hand wheel
or the like), or by a screw spindle, H.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing the wheel
brake for gun carriages, all constructed and acting, as and for the purposes
described and illustrated, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of June 1899.
BREWER & SON.
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.