IMPROVEMENTS IN TURRET SHIPs
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Palmer, junior, of Angel Court, Friday
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TURRET SHIPs."-A communication from abroad by Francis
Ingram Palmer, Navigating Lieutenant, R.N., Commanding
H. M. Turret Ship Magdala, in Bombay Harbour.
Sealed the 24th February 1874, and dated the 2nd September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Palmer, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with His Petition, on
the 2nd September 1878.
I, JOHN PALMER, junior, of Angel Court, Friday Street, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TURRET SHIPS,” to be as follows :—
This Invention has reference to improved arrangement for supporting
the turrets of turret ships, and for enabling the projectiles to be sup-
plied more readily and quickly to the gun from immediately below the
turret. For these purposes instead of supporting the turret upon a

page_text: single circular line of rollers, as heretofore, two such circular lines of
rollers and roller pathways are provided; the one line of rollers being
arranged round the central post of the turrets, while the other line is
arranged near the outer circumference of the turret. Between these
two lines of rollers shot hatches are formed in the floor of the turret,
communicating, firstly, by means of corresponding shot hatches in the
deck of the ship with the shot store room beneath; and, secondly, with a
space between the floor of the turret and the deck of the ship, in which
a number of the projectiles are placed in a ring between the two lines
of rollers, so as to provide a large reserve stock of projectiles within a
few feet of the muzzle of the gun. There are by preference three shot
hatchways in the floor of the turret, one beneath the muzzle of the
gun and the other two arranged on either side thereof, and four hatches
in the deck of the ship; so that by rotating the turret two of its hatches
can be brought at the same time over two of the deck hatches, while :
through the third one short can be raised up from the before-mentioned
reserve stock between the rollers.
The before-mentioned inner rollers are carried on radial spindles
framed together by plate rings on each side of the rollers, and by a
third metal ring working in a circular guide fixed round the central :
post of the turret in a similar manner to the arrangement of the rollers
of H. M. Turret Ship "Magdala." The outer rollers are carried on
spindles connected to plate rings on the inner and outer sides of the
rollers, and the outer ring travels round between circular guides fixed
to the framework surrounding the turret, whereby the ring of rollers
is held in its place while revolving. The said outer ring is also
provided with antifriction rollers bearing against the surface of the
circular guides, so as to reduce the friction to a minimum while the
rollers are travelling.
Or instead of the above arrangement the plate rings of the outer line a
of rollers may be hung from lugs fixed to the turret floor.
By the employment of two lines of rollers, as described, great
additional support and steadiness of motion is given to the turret while
revolving under a considerable roll of the ship.
The turret is by preference constructed of a dome shape instead of
the cylindrical form heretofore employed, such dome shape offering
increased resistance to projectiles, and enabling the turret to be made

page_text: of increased diameter at the base; thus affording increased space on
the turret floor for the construction of the before described shot
hatchways.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Palmer, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PALMER, junior, of Angel Court, Friday Street, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Palmer, junior, Her special
license that I, the said John Palmer, junior, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Palmer,
junior, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Ohannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURRET SHIPS," a communication to me from
abroad by Francis Ingram Palmer, Navigating Lieutenant, R.N.,
Commanding H. M. Turret Ship Magdala, in Bombay Harbour, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Palmer, junior,
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 John Palmer, junior, do 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, reference being had to the accom-

page_text: panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:—
This Invention has reference to improved arrangements for supporting
the turrets of turret ships, and for enabling the projectiles to be supplied
more readily and quickly to the gun from immediately below the
turret. For these purposes instead of supporting the turret upon a single
circular line of rollers, as heretofore, two such circular lines of rollers and
roller pathways are provided, the one line of rollers being arranged near
the outer circumference of the turret. Between these two lines of
rollers shot hatches are formed in the floor of the turret, communicating
firstly, by means of corresponding shot hatches in the deck of the ship,
with the shot store room beneath; and, secondly, with a space between
the floor of the turret and the deck of the ship, in which a number of
the projectiles are placed in a ring between the two lines of rollers, so as
to provide a large reserve stock of projectiles within a few feet of the
muzzle of the gun. There are by preference three shot hatchways in
the floor of the turret, one beneath the muzzle of the gun and the other
two arranged on either side thereof, and four hatches in the deck
of the ship; so that by rotating the turret two of its hatches can be
brought at the same time over two of the deck hatches, while through
the third one shot can be raised up from the before-mentioned reserve
stock between the rollers.
The before mentioned inner rollers are carried on radial spindles
framed together by plate rings on each side of the rollers, and by a
third metal ring working in a circular guide fixed round the central
post of the turret in a similar manner to the arrangement of the rollers
of H. M. Turret Ship "Magdala." The outer rollers are carried on
spindles connected to plate rings on the inner and outer sides of the
rollers, and the outer ring travels round between circular guides fixed
to the framework surrounding the turret, whereby the ring of rollers
is held in its place while revolving. The said outer ring is also
provided with antifriction rollers bearing against the surface of the
circular guides, so as to reduce the friction to a minimum while the
rollers are travelling.
Or instead of the above arrangement the plate rings of the outer
line of rollers may be hung from lugs fixed to the turret floor.

page_text: support and steadiness of motion is given to the turret while revolving
under a.considerable roll of the ship.
The turret is by preference constructed of a dome shape instead of
the cylindrical form heretofore employed, such dome shape offering.
increased resistance to projectiles and enabling the turret to be made
of increased diameter at the base, thus affording increased space on
the turret floor for the construction of the before-mentioned shot
hatchwaya
turret constructed and arranged according to this Invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan, shewing the interior of the turret.
Fig. 3, a plan under the floor of the turret; and Fig. 4 is a vertical
section (taken lengthways of the vessel) of the turret, with the modified
arrangement of the outer rollers on which it turns.
In Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that the turret is supported on two
circular lines of rollers a and b, with a space between them, which
forms a store for projectiles c. Through the deck of the vessel are
four hatchways d by which shot can be passed up from the store in the
vessel beneath. And through the floor of the turret, as seen in Fig. 2,
are three hatchways, one under the muzzle of the gun, and one at each
side. By rotating the turret the two side hatchways in its floor are
brought into coincidence with two of those in the deck, while through
the third shot can be raised to supply the gun from the space between
the turret floor and the deck of the vessel. The inner set of rollers a
have spindles framed together by the plate rings a³ on each side of the
rollers, the inner ring being connected by spokes to a ring working
round a circular boss or guide e in the middle of the turret. The outer
set of rollers 6 have their spindles also framed fogether by plate rings b²,
the outer of which is guided by a circular guide ƒ fixed to the
framework surrounding the turret provided with antifriction rollers.
According to the modification, shewn in Fig. 4, the fixed circular
guide for the outer set of rollers is dispensed with, the plate rings
which frame their spindles together being hung from the turret
floor.

page_text: The arrangement, above- described, of duplicate rollers, whereby
greater support and steadiness are given to the turret, and of a space
for storing shot between the floor of the turret and the deck, with
suitable hatchways for giving access to such space from above and below,
is applicable to turrets of any known construction. It is preferred t
however, for the sake of strength to make the roof of the turret dome
shaped, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 4, with suitable sight openings through
it, as at g. By adopting this form it is possible with a given weight
of material and a given exposure of surface to provide a turret wider
at the floor, thereby getting increased steadiness and accommodation 1
for the shot store and the hatchways, as described above.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. Supporting the turrets of war vessels on two circular lines of 1
rollers, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Second. Utilising the space between the two circular lines of rollers,
above referred to, for the storage of projectiles between the deck of
the vessel and the floor of the turret, suitable hatchways being provided
for access to such space from above and from below, substantially as 2
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Palmer, junior, have, here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.
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