Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1878
1, THORSTEN NORDENFELT, of 53 Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the invention is to arrange a mounting for quick firing guns which
shall give perfect protection to the gunner and which shall also allow the gun to be
moved out of the enemy's view when not firing.
The mounting is protected by vertical stationary cylindrical armour which surrounds
it and by a dome which can be raised or lowered together with the turret mounting of
the gun.
When lowered it completely closes an aperture at the top of the cylinder
and when raised an aperture or port hole in its side is brought above the top of the
cylinder and the muzzle of the gun can be made to protrude from it.
The gun is laid in a cradle with hydraulic buffers which slide in a frame which can
turn on trunnions near to the port hole or aperture and its inner end can be elevated
or depressed by a screw and nut or by other suitable mechanism. The cradle and
gun can be moved forward along the frame into firing position by a screw. The
screw can be turned by hand by worm and worm wheel gear or other suitable
mechanism may be used for running the gun forward into firing position.
The turret is supported by chains which pass from the bottom of the turret over
pullies and down to a counterweight and the turret can be raised or lowered by a
pinion gearing into a toothed rack which stands up centrally from the counterweight
and is jointed to it by a swivel joint.
The turret I form of two platforms one above the other. The upper one on which
the man stands and the ammunition is placed is capable of being rotated on a roller or
ball bearing on the lower one and the lower one which is connected to the counter-
weight is capable only of being raised and lowered.

page_text: The turning movement is effected by a pinion gearing into a racer on the lower
platform.
Between the circular armour and the turret there is a walk where ammunition
can be kept and handed up to the floor in the turret even when this is in firing
position. There is also access to the turret both when it is up or down.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1887.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Turret Mountings for Quick Firing Guns.
I, THORSTEN NORDENFELT of 53 Parliament Street in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of the invention is to arrange a mounting for quick firing guns which
shall give perfect protection to the gunner and which shall also allow the gun to bo
moved out of the enemys view wben not firing.
The mounting is protected by vertical stationary cylindrical armour which surrounds
it and by a dome which can be raised or lowered together with the turret mounting of
the gun.
When lowered it completely closes an aperture at the top of the cylinder
and when raised an aperture or port hole in its side is brought above the top of the
cylinder and the muzzle of the gun can be made to protrude from it.
The gun is laid in a cradle with hydraulic buffers which slide in a frame which can
turn on trunnions near to the port hole or aperture and its inner end can be elevated
or depressed by a screw and nut or by other suitable mechanism.
The cradle and gun can be moved forward along the frame into firing position by
a screw. The screw can be turned by hand by worm and worm wheel gear
or other suitable mechanism may be used for running the gun forward into firing
position.
The turret is supported by chains which pass from the bottom of the turret over
pullies and down to a counterweight and the turret can be raised or lowered by a
pinion gearing into a toothed rack which stands up centrally from the counterweight
and is jointed to it by a swivel joint.
The turret I form of two platforms one above the other. The upper one on which
the man stands and the ammunition is placed is capable of being rotated on a roller or
ball bearing on the lower one and the lower one which is connected to the counter-
weight is capable only of being raised and lowered,

page_text: The turning movement is effected by a pinion gearing into a racer on the lower
platform.
Between the circular armour and the turret there is a walk where ammunition can
be kept and handed up to the floor in the turret even when this is in firing position.
There is also access to the turret both when it is up or down.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The drawings annexed show a turret mounting constructed as above described.
Figure 1 is a vertical section showing the turret raised Figure 2 a vertical section
with the turret lowered and Figure 3 a plan in section.
A is the outer cylinder of armour plate surrounding the whole of the turret
mounting B a circular platform within it supported by three chains (which pass over
pullies D to a counterweight E-the axes of the pullies are carried at the top of
pillars as shown and the pillars serve as guides for the platform in its upward and
downward movements-F is a circular platform above the platform B and capable of
being turned round on the ball bearing G-H is a pinion mounted in bearings on the
upper platform F and gearing into a toothed rack which at its lower end is
connected by a swivel joint to the centre of the counter weight-J is a vertical axis
carried by the upper platform and having upon its lower end a pinion K to gear with
the circular ring of teeth L fixed to the lower platform B so that the turret may be
trained by turning the hand wheel M which is fixed on the top of the axis J.
The upper platform F has uprights rising from it which carry the dome N
which is formed as shewn to close in the top of the cylinder when the turret is
lowered.
O is an aperture in the side of the turret through which the muzzle of the gun can
be made to protrude. P is a frame turning on trunnions which are carried in
bearings close to the inner side of the aperture-R is a screw by which the inner end
of the frame is supported and by which it can be raised or lowered to give the
required elevation-S is a carriage capable of being moved endwise along the frame
by a screw T. The screw can be turned by bevil gear wheels turned by the crank
handle Z-U is a hydraulic compresser for controlling the recoil of the gun.
V is an
under-ground passage by which access is given to the interior of the turret and Wa
ladder from the passage to the platforms. It will be seen that with the construction
above described there is no opening from above into the interior of the armour
cylinder when the turret is lowered and when the turret is raised the only opening is
through the aperture or port hole.
Between the circular armour and the turret there is a walk where ammunition can
be kept and handled up to the floor on the turret even when this is in firing position.
There is also access to the turret both when it is up or down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of the platform in two parts one above the other the upper one
capable of turning and the lower one supported by chains passing over pullies to a
counterweight and a toothed rack pivoted centrally to the top of the counterweight
and toothed pinion carried by the upper platform gearing therewith-the whole being
enclosed within a cylinder of armour plate and either with or without a dome cover
substantially as described.
2. In combination with a gun mounting embraced by the above claim the frame
turning on trunnions near to the aperture in the dome cover and having its rear end
capable of being raised or lowered to give the required elevation and the gun carriage
which can be moved endwise along this frame to bring the gun within the frame or
move it out into firing position.

page_text: 3. The combination of two platforms one above the other the upper one capable of
turning and both capable of being raised and lowered together the arrangement of the
gun mounting and gear on the upper platform and therefore within reach of the
gunners stationed on that platform for moving the turret to get the gun into firing
position and for laying the same substantially as described.
4. The combination of two platforms, counterweighted chains and pullies and a bar
by which the distance between the platforms and the counterweight can be reduced
or increased whereby the platforms are raised or lowered compared to the supports
substantially as described.
5. Turret mountings substantially as described and represented by the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of Santanch 1000