Year: 1885

page_text: I, THORSTEN NORDENFELT of 53 Parliament Street in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in gun carriages applicable
especially to machine guns.
The gun is carried in a cradle in which on recoil it is able to slide. The cradle
is provided with trunnions and these are received into bearings on a forked
support. The stem of this support pivots vertically in a socket formed at the top
of a conical pedestal. The gun has a ram fixed to it and this enters a cylinder
formed upon the cradle. When the ram is driven in by the recoil it expels water
or liquid from the cylinder and this passes into a second cylinder. The second
cylinder contains a ram of larger diameter than the first and disc springs are
applied to control the movement of this ram. The springs are compressed when in
consequence of the recoil the ram moves outward from the cylinder. The play of
the springs is less than the distance through which the gun recoils in consequence
of the difference in area of the two rams. The space occupied by the springs con-
sequently is short. The flow of the water or liquid from one cylinder to the other
is controlled by throttling it in a narrow passage and during the recoil the passage
may be gradually contracted until the gun is brought to rest. I apply also a third
hydraulic cylinder and the ram of this cylinder is armed with a brake block
which bears against a surface around one of the bearings and concentric with the
trunnion.
When there is a little or no hydraulic pressure in the system. the brake does not
interfere with the trunnions moving in their bearings and the gun can then be
moved for the purpose of aiming either by means of a shoulder crutch attached to
the cradle or otherwise. But on the commencement of the recoil the hydraulic
pressure within the system becomes great, the brake block is then strongly pressed
against the surface opposed to it and the gun is thus securely locked in position
until the disturbance to which the recoil gives rise has ceased.
Elevating gear may be applied consisting of an axis with hand wheel carried
upon the cradle and a worm on this axis. The worm engages with a worm wheel

page_text: and thus by a frictional connection turns a spur wheel engaging with an are of
teeth concentric with the trunnion bearings and formed or fixed upon the same
support.
For the purpose of training the gun a ring of worm teeth is formed around the
pedestal; a worn on a transverse horizontal axis gears with the ring in rear and
the bearings in which this axis is carried are on the support which carries the
trunnions.
On the same axis with the worm there is also a bevelled wheel. Another
similar wheel gears with the first bevelled wheel its axis which is provided with a
hand wheel is supported at one. end by a pin on a sleeve embracing the axis of the
worm and at the other by a bearing connected by an universal joint to the cradle
and in this bearing the axis of the hand wheel is able to move longitudinally as
well as to turn

page_text: 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in gun carriages applicable
especially to machine guns.
The gun is carried in a cradle in which on recoil it is able to slide. The cradle
is provided with trunnions and these are received into bearings on a forked
support. The stem of this support pivots vertically in a socket formed at the top
of a conical pedestal. The gun has a ram fixed to it and this enters a cylinder
formed upon the cradle. When the ram is driven in by the recoil it expels water
or liquid from the cylinder and this passes into a second cylinder. The second
cylinder contains a ram of larger diameter than the first and disc springs are
applied to control the movement of this ram. The springs are compressed when in
consequence of the recoil the ram moves outward from the cylinder. The play of
the springs is less than the distance through which the gun recoils in consequence
of the difference in area of the two rams. The space occupied by the springs con-
sequently is short. The flow of the water or liquid from one cylinder to the other
is controlled by throttling it in a narrow passage and during the recoil the passage
may be gradually contracted until the gun is brought to rest. I apply also a third
bydraulic cylinder and the ram of this cylinder is armed with a brake block
which bears against a surface around one of the bearings and concentric with the
trunnions.
When there is little or no hydraulic pressure in the system the brake does not
interfere with the trunnions moving in their bearings and the gun can then be
moved for the purpose of aiming either by means of a shoulder crutch attached to
the cradle or otherwise. But on the commencement of the recoil the hydraulic
pressure within the system becomes great, the brake block is then strongly pressed
against the surface opposed to it and the gun is thus securely locked in position
until the disturbance to which the recoil gives rise has ceased."
Elevating gear may be applied consisting of an axis with hand wheel carried
upon the cradle and a worm on this axis. The worm engages with a worm wheel
and thus by a frictional connection turns a spur wheel engaging with an arc of
teeth concentric with the trunnion bearings and formed or fixed upon the same
support.
'
For the purpose of training the gun a ring of worm teeth is formed around the
pedestal; a worm on a transverse horizontal axis gears with the ring in rear and
the bearings in which this axis is carried are on the support which carries the
trunnions.
On the same axis with the worm there is also a bevelled wheel. Another
similar wheel gears with the first bevelled wheel its axis which is provided with a

page_text: hand wheel is supported at one end by a pin on a sleeve embracing the axis of the
worm and at the other by a bearing connected by an universal joint to the cradle
and in this bearing the axis of the hand wheel is able to move longitudinally as
well as to turn.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side elevation,
Figure 2 is a plan of a gun carriage constructed in accordance with my inven-
tion and applicable to receive a machine gun. The drawing represents the gun in
position.
A is a conical pedestal carrying the forked standard or support B which is able
to rotate about a vertical axis. B¹ are bearings on this support which receive the
trunnions CC of the cradle C. D is the gun, it is able to slide longitudinally in
the cradle. E is a ram fixed to the gun and it enters a cylinder C³, formed in the
cradle beneath the gun. The ram E may, but less conveniently be replaced by a
piston rod and piston and when speaking of a "ram" I intend to include this form,
C, is another cylinder of larger diameter communicating with the cylinder C², it
also contains a ram and this abuts upon a steel spring F. The spring represented
in the drawing is composed, in a well known manner, of a series of dished discs of
steel, but a coiled spring may be substituted. The spring abuts in rear upon a
projection C on the cradle. G is a third hydraulic cylinder, it is mounted upon
the cradle and in constant communication with the other cylinders C2, and (³.
The ram of the cylinder G abuts upon an arc B³, on the standard or support B.
The gun carriage shown in these figures is also provided with elevating and
training gear but this may be omitted and the gun directed by means of a shoulder
piece, stock or crutch. The elevating gear consists of an axis H on which is a
hand wheel H¹ and a worm H. I is an axis also carried upon the cradle and on
it is a worm wheel driven by the worm and a spur wheel engaging with an are of
spur teeth B³ formed in connection with the forked standard B. The spur wheel
is not rigidly fixed upon the axis H but is connected therewith by frictional
holding gear, so that the teeth may not be exposed to excessive strain by the
recoil of the gun. On firing the ram E is driven into the cylinder C² and liquid is
forced out of this cylinder into the larger cylinder C³. The plunger of this
cylinder is thereby caused to move outwards but through a distance less than that
over which the gun recoils; it compresses the spring F which is made pro-
portionally stiff, in consequence of the small amount of play required a short
spring can be used, and this a great advantage derived from the employment of
two cylinders of different areas in the manner described. When the recoil is
complete the reaction of the spring brings the gun forward again to the firing
position. The speed of movement both in recoil and return to the firing position
is regulated by suitably adjusting the dimension of the passage between the
cylinders C and C. This may be done by providing the ram E with a tail
entering the passage from one cylinder to another; the tail is so shaped as to
close the passage in which it moves to the extent required. While the gun is in
movement during recoil and return to the firing position the ram in the cylinder G
is exposed to pressure and the brake block which it carries bears forcibly against
the arc B, on the standard B thereby the gun is locked so that the elevation can
not be changed and the gun has not to be separately aimed for each discharge as it
would be if the concussion on discharge were able to change the elevation-never-
theless after the gun has come to rest the recoil having expended itself the
elevation may be changed by turning the elevating wheel H¹, or if no mechanical
elevating gear be provided then the gun may be directed by a stock or shoulder
crutch against which the shoulder is pressed.

page_text: Mechanical training gear may also be provided as the drawing shows in which
case worm teeth are provided at.A' around the pedestal A and a worm K engages
with these teeth. This worm is carried on a transverse horizontal axis K¹ and the
bearings for this axis are upon the forked standard B. The axis K¹ is turned to
train the gun by means of a hand wheel L on an axis L. The axis is able to slide
through the swivelling bearing C* upon the cradle and its inner end is connected
(but so as to be able to turn) with a sleeve K* on the axis K'. The axes K' and L¹
are geared together by bevelled pinions.
Where more convenient the position of the small hydraulic cylinder G may be
altered, and in place of its ram passing out in the direction of the trunnion it may
travel out of the cylinder at the end away from the trunnion and there operate
against an arc formed upon the forked support B to receive its pressure. In this
case it will be convenient that the cylinder G should be vertical beneath the
trunnions when the cradle is horizontal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A gun carriage comprising a cradle mounted on trunnions in which cradle
the gun is able to move longitudinally; and two hydraulic cylinders upon the
cradle connected together and of different diameters, the cylinder of smaller
diameter receiving a ram connected with the gun and that of larger diameter
being furnished with a ram operating against a spring to check the recoil, and
moved by the re-action of the spring to return the gun to the firing position.
2. A gun carriage comprising a cradle mounted on trunnions and a hydraulic
cylinder mounted on the cradle controlling the recoil of the gun, and another
hydraulic cylinder communicating with the first and having a ram exerting a
pressure against the support on which the cradle is carried and thereby preventing
the movement of the cradle during the recoil, but leaving it free to be moved to
alter the elevation of the gun, when the force of the recoil is expended.
3. The training gear substantially as described.
4.—The gun carriage or mounting substantially as shown by the annexed
drawings.