IMPROVED MODE OF STRENGTHENING AND OTHER CULINDED "ANNONS OTHER CYLINDERS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Franklin Allen, of New York, in the
County of New York, State of New York, and in the United States
of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MODE OF STRENGTHENING
AND OTHER CULINDED "
CANNANG
Sealed the 9th April 1874, and dated the 18th February 1874.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Franklin Allen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 18th February 1874, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FRANKLIN ALLEN, of New York, in the County of New York, State of
New York, and in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVED MODE
OF STRENGTHENING CANNONS AND OTHER CYLINDERS," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her
Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration
that I am the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Franklin Allen, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and

page_text: seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement :-
The nature of my Invention consists in forging, rolling, or casting
thin metallic rings or plates, cither conical or with radiating corru- ₺
gations, and then pressing these rings or plates straight when cold;
so that the strain arising from any pressure acting against the inner
circumference, will be more equally distributed between the inner and
outer circumference.
In order to explain this Invention as completely as possible, I now ]
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters of reference
marked thereon.
Figure I. represents a section of a cannon strengthened by rings made 1
in accordance with my improved mode.
Figures II., III., IV., and V., represent sections and plans of the rings
or plates refered to in the Specification.
In the accompanying Drawing A represents the central core of a gun
turned cylindrical on its after part B, and increased in thickness at its 2
forward end to any desired strength and forming a collar at C for the
strengthening plates to abut against. Upon the after cylindrical
part B, where it is desired to strengthen the gun, steel plates or disks D
are forced by hydraulic or other pressure, which said disks or plates are
securely kept in place by a ring E.
The disks or plates D, and which forms the principal part of my
Invention, are rolled, cast, or forged in the shape of conical disks, as
represented in section in Figure II., or the same may be corrugated, as
represented in section and plan in Figures III. and V. The corrugations
being largest at the central hole and radiating and gradually diminish-
ing in size towards the outer circumference of the disk. These rings or
plates are made with a central hole about as large as the outer diameter
of the turned part B of the gun, and not more than one-half or three-
quarters of an inch in thickness. When these rings or plates are cold
they are by means of pressure forced into straight flat rings or plates of
an even thickness. The central hole in each plate is then bored out the
proper size and forced upon the cylindrical turned part B perfectly tight

page_text: against each other, and then securely locked in their places by means
of the ring E. In the inner circumference of the ring E grooves n, n,
are turned, and corresponding grooves m, m, are turned in the after part
of the circumference of the part B. Into these grooves m, m,
rings J, J, similar to piston packing rings are sprung, and then com-
pressed to allow the ring E to pass over the same, until said ring E has
been forced on so far that the grooves n, n, in the inner surface cor-
respond exactly with the grooves m, m, containing the spring rings J, J,
when these latter will expand and enter said grooves n, n, in the ring E
as represented in the Drawing, and thereby hold said ring E perfectly
secure in its place.
When all the rings D and the ring E are in their places and firmly
fastened the outside of the cylinder or cannon can be turned in the
usual manner in any desired shape.
When this mode of strengthening is used for cannons the disks or
plates D which are situated in the line of the trunions can be forged or
made with projections on the outer circumference, from which the
trunions F can be turned and afterwards covered by a steel cap or
ring w to obtain a smooth bearing.
Having now fully described and set forth my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be used, I hereby declare that
what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is, the herein-described mode of strengthening thin metallic rings when
intended for strengthening cannons or cylinders, by either forging,
rolling, or casting them conical disk shaped, or with radial corrugations
gradually diminishing towards their outer circumference, and then
pressing the same straight and flat while in a cold state, substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said John Franklin Allen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 29th day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-