Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
I, HAROLD IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of gun carriages on wheels,
more particularly for quick firing guns, whereby the recoil and vertical rebound
on firing are practically obviated and the gun is maintained in the pointed
position.
The essential feature of the invention consists in mounting the gun upon slides
that work upon guides inclined to an angle of about 40° and constituted
by the outer surfaces of two correspondingly inclined hydraulic brake cylinders,
to the piston rods of which the extended upper ends of the slides are attached,
so that, on firing, the entire recoil and tendency to rebound vertically are
practically taken up by the slides which carry the gun, in sliding up the
inclined guides and drawing up with them the pistons of the brake cylinders,
while the gun carriage remains stationary. For this purpose the carriage is
composed, firstly, of a trail mounted on the axle of the wheels, and formed at its
lower end with a beak that penetrates into the ground. On the axle is mounted a
sleeve that can pivot to a certain extent horizontally thereon, the axle being
formed at its middle with a vertical cylindrical part constituting a pivot on which
the sleeve, which is splayed internally at each end, can turn horizontally.
This sleeve has rearward projecting arms at each end, connected together by a
transverse piece, supported by a transverse piece of the trail and having a nut
through which works a horizontal screw carried by the trail, so that by turning
this screw in one direction or the other the arms and sleeve, which carry the gun
as will be presently described, can be turned through a horizontal angle on the
before mentioned pivot, for horizontal sighting.
On the cylindrical outer surface of the sleeve is mounted loose by means of eyes
a frame projecting upward at an angle, which frame contains within it two
correspondingly inclined hydraulic brake cylinders, the outer surfaces of which
are formed to act as inclined guides on which are mounted slides that carry the
trunnions of the gun.
These slides have upward extensions that are connected to the rods of the pistons
of the brake cylinders. Thus on firing, the rearward action of the explosion forces
the gun with its slides upward along the guides, at the same time raising the pistons
of the brake cylinders and thus absorbing the recoil. The slides aie formed at
their upper ends with rearward extending brackets, between which is mounted a
small barrel that can be rotated by a worm and worm wheel for winding or
unwinding a chain, in a loop of which the breech of the gun is hung, so that by
winding the chain the gun is roughly adjusted to the required vertical angle in
sighting. For the accurate sighting, the before mentioned frame carrying the
hydraulic brakes and slides, and which can turn upon the sleeve on the axle, bas
at its lower end a rearward projecting arm to the end of which is pivoted the
elevating screw, screwing through a bush in a transverse block fixed between

page_text: the before mentioned arms of the sleeve. The said screwed bush has a bevil
wheel at its lower end with which gears a pinion on a spindle carried by the said
transverse block and rotated by a crank handle, so that by this means the
elevating screw together with the pivoted frame is raised anĭ lowered for the
accurate sighting.
"
For the advantageous action of the inclined slides and hydraulic brake cylinders
in absorbing the recoil without shifting the gun carriage, the said parts should
be inclined to the vertical at an angle of not les- and preferably somewhat more
than 40°.
The frame carrying the slides has laterally projecting shields, and the slides are
extended both upward and downward over the guides so as to protect them.
Dated this 15th day of May 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Gun Carriages.
I, HAROLD IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved construction of gun carriages on wheels,
more particularly for quick firing guns, whereby the recoil and vertical rebound
on firing are practically obviated and the gun is maintained in the pointed
position.
The essential feature of the invention consists in mounting the gun upon slides
that work upon guides inclined to an angle of about 40° and constituted by the
outer surfaces of two correspondingly inclined hydraulic brake cylinders, to the
piston rods of which the extended upper ends of the slides are attached, so that, on
firing, the entire recoil and tendency to rebound vertically are practically taken up
by the slides which carry the gun, in sliding up the inclined guides and drawing
up with them the pistons of the brake cylinders, while the gun carriage remains
stationary. For this purpose the carriage is composed, firstly, of a trail mounted
on the axle of the wheels, and formed at its lower end with a beak that penetrates
into the ground. On the axle is mounted a sleeve that can pivot to a certain
extent borizontally thereon, the axle being formed at its middle with a vertical
cylindrical part constituting a pivot on which the sleeve, which is splayed internally
at each end, can turn horizontally.
This sleeve has rearward projecting arms at each end, connected together by a
transverse piece, supported by a transverse piece of the trail and having a nut
through which works a horizontal screw carried by the trail, so that by turning
this screw in one direction or the other the arms and sleeve, which carry the
gun as will be presently described, can be turned through a horizontal angle on
the before mentioned pivot, for horizontal sighting.
On the cylindrical outer surface of the sleeve is mounted loose by means of eyes
a frame projecting upward at an angle, which frame contains within it two
correspondingly inclined hydraulic brake cylinders, the outer surfaces of which
are formed to act as inclined guides on which are mounted slides that carry the
trunnions of the gun.
These slides have upward extensious that are connected to the rods of the
pistons of the brake cylinders. Thus on firing, the rearward action of the explosion
forces the gun with its slides upward along the guides, at the same time raising
the pistons of the brake cylinders and thus absorbing the recoil. The slides are

page_text: formed at their upper ends with rearward extending brackets between which is
mounted a small barrel that can be rotated by a worm and worm wheel for winding
or unwinding a chain, in a loop of which the breech of the gun is hung, so that
by winding the chain the gun is roughly adjusted to the required vertical angle in
sighting. For the accurate sighting, the before mentioned frame carrying the
hydraulic brakes and slides, and which can turn upon the sleeve on the axle, bras
at its lower end a rearward projecting arm to the end of which is pivotted the
elevating screw, screwing through a bush in a transverse block fixed between the
before mentioned arms of the sleeve. The said screwed bush has a bevil wheel at
its lower end with which gears a pinion on a spindle carried by the said transverse
block and rotated by a crank handle, so that by this means the elevating
screw together with the pivotted frame is raised and lowered for the accurate
sighting.
For the advantageous action of the inclined slides and hydraulic brake cylinders
in absorbing the recoil without shifting the gun carriage, the said parts should be
inclined to the vertical at an angle of not less and preferably somewhat more
than 40°.
The frame carrying the slides has laterally projecting shields, and the slides are
extended both upward and downward over the guides so as to protect them.
The construction of the above described gun carriage is shewn on the accompany-
ing drawings in which
Fig. 1 shews a side elevation partly in section,
Fig. 2 a front view,
Fig. 3 a plan, the slides carrying the gun being removed in the two last
figures.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew enlarged side view and plan of the pivotted support.
A is the trail of the carriage constructed of two side cheeks through which
passes the wheel axle G on which is mounted the sleeve H. Between the frame C
carrying the gun and the trail is interposed a supporting bracket B the two sides
of which are pivotted on each end of the sleeve H and have their other ends
brought towards each other and are secured together by a strong cross piece U
which rests upon a strong plate on the first cross piece of the trail. The cross
piece U has a circular hollow boss into which fits a pivot L in a slot in which can
slide the screw nut K on a screw spindle J; this spindle is carried in bearings on
the two side cheeks of the trail, so that the screw spindle can only revolve and not
shift longitudinally. It is rotated by means of the crank handle M for effecting
the angular displacements of the mechanism pivotted on the axis I provided on the
axle G.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 shev in plan and horizontal and transverse sections the
arrangement of this pivot I. The sleeve H is formed internally with two oppositely
coned surfaces, and the axle G bas two dovetail projections a a on which fit the
two steel checks I I, formed with cylindrical surfaces, fitting corresponding hollows
in the sleeve.
The frame C on which rest the slides D carrying the gun is connected to the
pivotting support B on the one hand by means of the sleeve H on which it is
mounted in front by means of strong eyes, and on the other hand at the back by
means of a screw P pivotted thereto and engaging with a screw nut R which can
turn in a socket Q carried by lateral trunnions in the cheeks of the pivotting
support B.
The nut R is provided at its lower part with a bevil pinion gearing with a
pinion S rotated by the crank handle N which thus serves to move the frame C
upwards or downwards through a greater or less angle, so as to adjust the same
according to the degree to which the trail and wheels are imbedded in the ground,
when firing.
The slide carrying the gun rises up during the recoil on the inclined guides on
the front of the frame C; these guides are formed with bydraulic cylinders the
piston rods of which are attached at E to the slides which cover the guides.

page_text: A mechanism F serves for elevating the gun or adjusting its vertical angle on
the trunnions carried by the slides D so that the adjustment for varying ranges
can be effected instantaneously by means of the hand wheel of such mechanism,
without interfering with the sights or with the pointing gear.
The crank handle N serves to bring the gun into the same conditions as before
as to inclination after each firing, in allowing the pointer to maintain directed on a
fixed object a sight fixed on the frame.
In some cases the gun carriage is provided with shields U¹ Fig. 9 fixed on each
side of the frame which is well adapted to the attachment thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
1. A gun carriage having a frame provided with guides inclined to a greater
angle than 40° on which work slides carrying the gun, so that the resultant of the
forces of recoil passes through the abutment of the trail or preferably beyond that
point, the said guides being provided with hydraulic brake cylinders, and the
entire frame being mounted on a vertically pivotting support by means of which
the lateral pointing can be adjusted, and also on a horizontal axis for adjusting the
vertical pointing after firing, substantially as described.
2. In the construction of gun carriage referred to in the first claim, constructing
the slides carrying the gun with extensions forming covers for the guides and
connected to the pistons of the hydraulic cylinders, and also carrying mechanism
for adjusting the vertical angle of the gun, substantially as described.
3. In the construction of gun carriage referred to in the first claim, the
employment of a sleeve fitting with oppositely coned internal surfaces on the axle
of the carriage and arranged so as to pivot on the axle for obtaining the required
adjustment both in the horizontal and the vertical direction of the frame carrying
the gun, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of February 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.