IMPROVING RIFLE CANNON AND PROJECTILES
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Gosling at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th April
1859.
I, WILLIAM GOSLING, Architeet, Civil Engineer & Surveyor, of 82,
Wellington Street, Woolwich, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVING RIFLE CANNON AND PROJECTILES," to be as follows:-
In order to point out the advantages to be derived by the proposed Inven-
tion, it will be necessary to state that the Inventor does not wish to alter the
gun in question either as regards its dimensions or calibre, but simply to
correct its defects, with a view to render it a more efficient weapon for military
and naval service.
The defects discovered in the gun, and for which provision is hereby made,
are as follows:-The portable breech piece now employed, and which has to
be removed for the purpose of charging the gun, is liable to be missing (under
peculiar circumstances), and therefore it is submitted that an improvement is
of the utmost importance; hence should the men at the gun by accident,
sudden surprise of the enemy, or any other casualty, lose the piece (of which
there is considerable danger), the gun would be rendered useless; or should
the breech screw not be sufficiently turned before the firing takes place, it
would be instantly shattered, and the same disasterous consequences would
follow. Again, the lever or winch employed for working the screw is very
objectionable, for should the enemy by a well-directed aim strike the lever,

page_text: the probability is that it would become so deranged that the screw and gun
could not be worked. Another evil is to be found arising from the necessity
of withdrawing the screw after every fifth discharge, in order that the gun may
be sponged. This service must necessarily occupy a considerable amount of
time in consequence of the screw being of large dimensions, and therefore
great difficulty will be often found in entering the screw to the breech of the
gun. Again, as in the instance of the portable breech piece already referred
to, so also in this case, in consequence of its being unattached to the gun,
there is a liability of its absence under circumstances previously described.
In order to remedy the defects here enumerated, it is proposed that everything
connected with the gun shall be attached, and therefore none of the above
casualties can possibly occur.
In order to effect
of the .handles
1st, it is proposed that the portable breech piece shall be dispensed with,
and the charge shall be entered from the end of the breech.
this, the screw will be so constructed that by a quarter turn
attached to the head of the screw it will be instantly secured.
(namely, the screw being withdrawn at each discharge of the gun,) a current
of air will pass through the chase, so that the gun will be kept constantly
cool.
By this means
2nd, it is proposed that the sponge now in use shall be superseded by the
elongated shot being grooved at the end, and packed with tow, list, flannel, or
other flexible material, so that at each discharge of the gun the chase will be
left perfectly clean, thereby effecting a great saving of time; in fact, the gun
may be fired as fast as it can be supplied with ammunition without an instant
delay. This improvement of the shot will have reference to all other shots
which are elongated and used for other arms.
3rd, a moveable platform, constructed of oak and strengthened with iron
plates, will be hinged to the trail of the gun, so that when the gun is about
being discharged, by raising the platform and dropping the mortice over the
iron pin, it will form a traverse for the slide and screw; the screw will remain
in a level and horizontal position until the charge and projectile are deposited,
and by a slight effort it will be instantly returned to the interior of the
breech.
4th, the slide will be constructed of oak, and strengthened with iron plates,
and fitted with to iron rolers, so that it will move with the greatest ease.
5th, the elevating screw will be formed with an auxiliary nut.
By this
means the screw cannot possibly shift, and the firing can be carried on
with the greatest precision.
6th, in order that the gun may be made available for the discharge of shots

page_text: of different sizes, and also increase their destructiveness, an elongated shell
with a telescope slide will be placed over the exterior of the gun, which. will
be manufactured as follows:-A cylinder will be made the exact dimensions
of the projectiles; on this cylinder will be formed the intended shell by
bending diagonally red-hot bar iron 1 × over each joint of the several
underlayers, until it assumes the shape set forth in the Drawings. The inside
of the shell, when cold, will be coated with lead, 7 lbs. to the square foot, so
that when the lead coated shot enters the shell they will amalgamate,
and constitute but one shot; by this means a gun of 3½ inches bore may be
made available for the discharge of shots varying from 32 lbs. to 200 lbs.,
thereby giving the gun an advantage over every other gun yet submitted.
Finally, it is to be observed that by adopting the proposed improvements
herein enumerated, that twice the number of shots may be discharged than
those by Sir Wm. Armstrong's gun in its present state, whilst a less number of
men will be required for working the gun.