IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MANUFACTURE OF ORDNANCE; PART OR SECTION OF MY SAID INVENTION I APPLY FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS OF EVERY CLASS
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert James Mary'on at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th February
1855.
ROBERT JAMES MARY'ON, Engineer Civil, of No. 37, York Road, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MANUFACTURE
OF ORDNANCE; PART OR SECTION OF MY SAID INVENTION I APPLY FOR IMPROVEMENT
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-ARMS OF EVERY CLASS," to be as follows:-
I construct artillery in two parts, for the better means of carriage or
portability, and to obtain greater strength; and my said ordnance I construct
with angular double barrels. I-construct' my gun bore on a conical principle,
connected and communicating with one touch-hole, or its equivalent igniting
means or agent, for to effect discharge simultaneously; and my said 'angular
double barrel ordnance I construct by casting entire, when preferred, for
cheapness; and my said principle of constructing this class of ordnance in
two parts, either of cast metal, or of cast and wrought metal, connected as
one, or its equivalent, by means of gibbs and keys.
1
I apply to every or any class of ordnance, field or battery, or marine (for to
act by steam or gas expansion), by the following mechanism: I construct my
angular double-barrel artillery by forming the angular barrels immovable, or
by movable barrels, acted on by an expanding screw at the muzzle, fitting and
working in one socket at the breech, communicating with one touch-hole; I
form barrels immovable at any desired angle with the centre line of the cannon

page_text: or ordnance at the muzzle; I angle theso barrels or borcs from the muzzle to
the breech, where 1 form a communication of both bores with one touch-hole;
thus the division partition between my angular bores is of a conical or taper
form, consisting of great thickness at the muzzle, tapering off' as thin as can be
cast or bored at the breech end of the partition. As the gas expansion in each
chamber is of the same expansive pressure, there never can be any strain on
the partition to lighten the metal. I cast the outer part of my partition hollow
towards the muzzle; (a passage may be formed in the partition at the breech
end between the bores in addition to the touch-hole, if preferred. I construct
my angular barrels with there bores on my conical principle; (I manufacture,
by forming by conical casting or boring with taper cutters, or expanding cut-
ters, or by finishing with a taper rimer my conical bore or bores.) I construct
the breech end of my conical bore slightly larger than the muzzle, or so much
larger as I may consider necessary; I taper the bore of a regular incline,
which constitute the principle of my conical bore, (the advantage occurs to me
of giving extra room for expanding shot to act on the first ignition, and conse-
quently more compression must take place before the shot can escape the
barrel, and thus I effect a tighter discharge.) To obtain greater strength of my
cannon I construct it in two parts, as follows:-I cast the bore or bores solid
throughout, with the the trunnions (from the muzzle to the trunnions in like
manner to the usual form). From the trunnions to the breech end I form of a
regular cone, forming the touch-hole in this section to line with the touch-hole
in my socket section. I construct my socket or cap section of wrought metal,
of a corresponding cone, to receive the cast thin conical breech therein. 1
connect my socket cap to the main body of my cannon by means of gibbs or
straps, and drawing keys connected with the trunnions. I fit the straps one to
each trunnion, and form in each side of my cap blocks for keys, and so con-
neet by drawing keys; (I form, if found necessary, the like connections on the
under side of the body, or on the top diagonally, of a smaller or more snug size,
but I think the trunnions' straps is all sufficient, which may be of steel.) I
construct my strengthening socket cap breech, for cheapness, in cast metal or
metals, or of malleable metal, as the boring out is expensive of wrought
metal, for portability for heavy seige guns; and any part or parts of my
Invention I apply to single bore guns or cannon of any class, and for
cheapness I construct my angular barrels ordnance entire, by casting and
boreing in the usual manner of ordinary heavy guns, if preferred, with the
usual parallel bore.
Firstly, I claim the whole nature of my construction of ordnance on my
communicating angular barrels principle, as described, for the discharge of any

page_text: kind of shot, or coupled missiles, or projectiles. (I have constructed projectiles
to act in concert with this class of angular ordnance in my previous protected
improvements in projectiles), and which constitute my first claim.
Secondly, I claim the second section of my improvements in ordnance of
constructing ordnance in two parts, as given in my description, and con-
necting by gibbs and straps, and drawing keys to the trunnions, cither of
cast metal or metals, or cast or wrought metals, and this constitute my second
claim.
Thirdly, I claim the third section of my improvement in ordnance or guns
of my conical bore or bores, which I construct and manufacture either in ord-
nance or small fire-arms of every class, as muskets, or rifles, or breech-loading
guns, or repeating cylinders, or conducting barrels of guns, or pistols, or of
heavy guns with sinious screwed or plain bores, and as given in my description,
to act in concert with any kind of missile, and which I construct to act in
concert with my protected improved shot, and this constitutes my third claim.