IMPROVEMENTS IN · APPARATUS USED WITH GUN CARRIAGES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
· APPARATUS USED WITH GUN CARRIAGES." -A communication from abroad
by William Judson, residing at New York. United States of America.
Sealed the 26th July 1864, and dated the 22nd March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd March 1864.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WITH GUN CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction of a gun carriage with blocks of
permanently elastic vulcanized india-rubber behind and before the bearings of
the trunnions of the gun. The bearings of the trunnions of the gun have the
facility of sliding backwards and forwards on the gun carriage between guides,
having V grooves formed in them, into which corresponding projections on
the upper and under sides of the trunnion blocks are received, and the vul-
canized india-rubber blocks that are before and behind the trunnion bearings
are retained between these guides.
This Invention also consists in the application of permanently elastic
vulcanized india-rubber blocks to the bed of the gun carriage, as hereafter
explained. Two metal rods parallel to the slides of the gun carriage are

page_text: firmly secured in blocks of wood or other material firmly secured to the
deck of the vessel or platform on which the gun is carried, or when
for a pivot gun to the slides on which the gun runs. On the gun carriage
are two blocks, each having a hole through it, and through these holes
the rods pass; on these rods and between the fixed blocks and the blocks
on the gun carriage are placed several hollow blocks of vulcanized india-
rubber, the passages through the blocks being of greater diameter than the
diameter of the rods. Between each two neighbouring blocks of vulcanized
india-rubber is placed a circular metallic disc, that has projecting from each
of its sides a central cone; these cones enter the ends of the vulcanized india-
rubber blocks and support them, so that the vulcanized india-rubber blocks
never come in contact with the metal rods, although the blocks are placed
around them. On the recoil of the gun the vulcanized india-rubber forms
are compressed in the degree of the force of the recoil, and the gun is
retained back by an excentric cam or other suitable catch. The gun is
arrested in its recoil at a point where the returning force of the compression
of the vulcanized' india-rübber blocks is greater than the force of the recoil of
the gun. After the gun has been loaded the gun is released by releasing the
catch by means of a lever, and is moved back to the place of firing. by the
resisting force of the compression of the vulcanized india-rubber blocks.
**
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th September 1864.
31
TALL COME
TO ALL TO WHOM, THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey,..send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent : Majesty Queen Victoria, by, Hér Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second, day of March, in, the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the: said. George. Tomlinson Bousfield, Her special licence that I,
the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield; my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term

page_text: therein expressed, should and lawfully might, make, use, exercise, and vend,,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel.
Islands, and. Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED,
WITH GUN CARRIAGES," a communication to me from abroad by William.
Judson, a person resident at New York, United States of America, upon
the condition. (amongst others) that I, the said George. Tomlinson Bous-:
field, my executors or administrators, by an instrument; in writing under.
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe,
and. ascertain the nature of the said Invention; and in what manner. the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
+
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, tdo hereby
declare. the nature of the; said Invention, and in what manner: the same, is:
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in.; and: by
the following statement thereof; that is to say:
This Invention,consists in the construction of a gun carriage with blocks. of
permanently elastic vulcanized india-rubber behind and before the bearings of!
the trunnions of the gun. The bearings of the trunnions of the gun, have the
facility of sliding backwards' and forwards on the gun carriage between guides,
having V grooves formed in them, into which corresponding projections on
the upper and under sides of..the trunnion blocks..are..received, and the;
vulcanized india-rubber blocks that are before. and behind the trunnion:
bearings are retained between these guides.
.
ܪ- ܐܙ:
This Invention also. consists in the application::of permanently elastic,
vulcanized india-rubber blocks to the bed of the gun carriage; as.hereafter.
explained. Two metal rods parallel to the slides of the gun carriage are
firmly secured in blocks of wood or other material firmly secured.to the deck
of the vessel or platform on which the gun is carried, or. when for a pivot gun
to the slides on which the gun runs. On the gun carriage are two blocks, each,
having a hole through it; and through these holes the rods pass; on these,
rods and between the fixed blocks and the blocks on the gun carriage are:
placed several hollow blocks of vulcanized india-rubber, the passages through
the blocks being of greater diameter than the diameter of the rods: Between!
each two neighbouring blocks of vulcanized india-rubber is placed a circular
metallic disc that has projecting from each of its: sides a central cone; these
cones'enter the ends of the vulcanized india-rubber blocks and support them;
so that the vulcanized india-rubber blocksunever come in contact with, the
metal rods although the blocks are placed around them Onithe. recoil.of.

page_text: the gun the vulcanized india-rubber blocks are compressed in the degree of
the force of the recoil, and the gun is retained back by an eccentric, cam, or
other suitable catch. The gun is arrested in its recoil at a point where the
returning force of the compression of the vulcanized india-rubber blocks is
greater than the force of the recoil of the gun.. After the gun has been
loaded the gun is released by releasing the catch by means of a lever, and is
moved back to the place of firing by the resisting force of the compression of
the vulcanized india-rubber blocks.
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention, I will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same

page_text: being again forced forwards by the eccentric catch. After the gun has been
loaded the compressed blocks of india-rubber may be allowed to force the gun
forwards by raising the lever h¹.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred-and sixty-four.
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.s.)