IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CANNON AND ORDNANCE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Dundas, of Dundas Castle, in the County of
Linlithgow, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
Sealed the 29th May 1855, and dated the 27th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Dundas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th December 1854.
I, JAMES DUNDAS, of Dundas Castle, in the County of Linlithgow, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CANNON AND ORDNANCE OF EVERY
DESCRIPTION" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the mode, herein-after described, of constructing
the cannon out of suitably formed pieces or staves of metal, combined by means
of metal hoops or rings covering or inclosing such staves, in such a manner as
to present the general appearance of an ordinary cannon cast in one piece and
bored. The pieces or staves of metal required to form the internal part of the
caunon are made so that each one may constitute an accurate longitudinal
section or portion of the tube or barrel, consisting of an inner and an outer

page_text: segmental surface with radial sides, such sides of the several staves fitting
together accurately, and forming when brought together a cylinder. These
pieces or staves thus put together are to be temporarily hooped, and turned
accurately on their outer surface, after which they are permanently hooped in
the following manner :-Hoops or rings of malleable iron, or other metal of
sufficient strength, are to have their side surfaces accurately turned, or other-
wise made flat, so as to be capable of fitting closely together; they are also to
be bored, so that their internal diameter may be slightly less than the outer
diameter of the cylinder of staves, and admit of their being put thereon when
expanded by heat, the staves being at the same time kept cool by any conve-
All these permanent hoops or rings being thus applied to the
internal cylinder, their external surfaces are to be turned to the required con-
figuration, so that together they may form the outer shell of the cannon. The
trunnions may be formed solid on one of the hoops or rings.
The interior of the cannon is now to be bored to the required size, parallel
from the mouth to within a suitable distance of the breech end, the remaining
portion to be bored conically; the boring operation may be performed either
vertically or horizontally. I prefer to close the breech end of the cannon by
the insertion of a conical plug, introduced at the mouth, and fitted to the
conical bore at this end, such plug being secured, if necessary, by means of an
external hoop or ring; but I do not confine myself to this mode of closing the
breech end. The stave through which the vent is to be bored may be steeled
internally or bushed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Dundas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2
16th June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DUNDAS, of Dundas Castle, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Dundas, Her special licence that I, the said James Dundas,

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Dundas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF CANNON AND ORDNANCE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Dundas, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Dundas, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say): :-
..My Invention consists in the mode, herein-after described, of constructing
the cannon out of suitably formed pieces or staves of metal, combined by
means of metal hoops or rings covering or enclosing such staves, in such a
manner as to present the general appearance of an ordinary cannon cast in one
piece and bored. The pieces or staves of metal requiring to form the internal
part of the cannon are made so that each one may constitute an accurate
longitudinal section or portion of the tube or barrel, consisting of an inner
and an outer segmental surface with radial sides, such sides of the several
staves fitting together accurately, and forming when brought together a
cylinder. The pieces or staves of metal thus put together are to be temporarily
hooped, and turned accurately on their outer surface, after which they are
permanently hooped in the following manner-Hoops or rings of malleable
iron, or other metal of sufficient strength, are to have their surfaces accurately
turned, or otherwise made flat, so as to be capable of fitting closely together;
they are also to be bored, so that their internal diameter may be slightly less
than the outer diameter of the cylinder of staves, and admit of their being put
thereon when expanded by heat, the staves at the same time being kept cool
by any convenient means. All the permanent hoops or rings being thus applied
to the external cylinder, their external surfaces are to be turned to the required
configuration, so that together they may form the outer shell of the cannon.
The trunnions may be formed solid on one of the hoops or rings. The interior

page_text: of the cannon is now to be bored to the required size, parallel from the mouth
to within a suitable distance of the breech end, the remaining portion to be
bored conically. The boring operation may be performed either vertically or
horizontally. I prefer to close the breech end of the cannon by the insertion
of a conical plug, introduced at the mouth, and fitted to the conical bore at this
end, the plug being secured, if necessary, by means of an external hoop or
ring; but I do not confine myself to this mode of closing the breech end.
The stave through which the vent is to be bored may be steeled internally or
bushed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
explain more fully the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows part of one of the staves used for making the interior
cylinder of a gun or piece of ordnance, which may be of iron, steel, or other
suitable metal; Figure 2 shows one of the hoops used in constructing a cannon
or piece of ordnance according to my Invention; Figure 3 shows a plan of
a nine-pounder gun, combined according to my Invention; Figure 4 shows a
horizontal section of the same gun when only one series of hoops are used; and
Figure 5 shows a horizontal section of the gun when two series of hoops are
used; Figure 6 shows a section taken across the trunnions when the trunnions
are made solid with one of the hoops; and Figure 7 shows a like section of
the gun when the trunnions are made in parts and combined by hoops, this
arrangement being peculiarly applicable when renewing trunnions; in which
case the hoop with which the trunnions formed part in the first instance, are
to be turned down to a comparatively small diameter, as shewn, and then,
the parts of the trunnions being placed on the gun, they are to be secured by the
shrinking on of the two hoops, shewn in the Drawing. Figures 8 and 9 shew
two sections of the gun; and Figure 10 shows the breech plug.
I would remark that it is of great importance in constructing cannon and
ordnance according to my Invention, that the surfaces of the hoops which
come against each other should be accurately formed, to insure complete con-
tact of the surfaces, and such also should be the case in respect to the inner
surfaces of the hoops and the outer surfaces of the cylinder of staves, and the
edges of the staves should be made to come well and accurately together; and
I would state that it is not essential to my Invention that the internal cylinder
should remain in the form of separate staves, as the same may be joined or
welded into a cylinder.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
mode herein described of combining the parts of a cannon or piece of
ordnance.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Dundas, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JAMES DUNDAS. (L.S.)