Apparatus for use with Artillery for Manipulating, Training, and Pointing the same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for use with Artillery for Manipulating, Training, and
Pointing the same.
I, DAMAS FROISSART, of Douai (Nord), in the Republic of France, Captain in
the Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in an apparatus for allowing field artillery to be manipu-
lated either during the placing of the guns in position or during the firing with
much greater safety to the guns and those serving them than can be done with
the means at present used which only allow of partially concealing and protecting
the guns and those serving them, and this allows the enemy to direct his fire.
The object of my invention is to enable the guns to be placed in position and
manipulated generally with great ease and safety and so that they can be pointed
over the mounds ridges or other protection behind which they are situated with-
out the enemy seeing the guns, men or horses or being able to locate the guns by
observing the belching of fire therefrom.
or
5
The apparatus according to this invention is composed of two supports mounted
on the axle of the carriage. They support a car forming the battery "look-out"
crows-nest" stay-wires, fastened to the supports are operated by cables wound
on a windlass mounted on the fore-carriage to raise the supports and maintain
them by means of a ratchet wheel and catch or other like devices in an inclined
or vertical position.
At the lower end of each support is a socket terminating in a ring which sur-
rounds the axle and is retained in place by a circular shoulder piece. In the
socket is a spring which is compressed more or less by the pressure of the support
and imparts elasticity for resisting the "kicking' or recoil effects of the gun or
shocks sustained on the march.
"
The aforesaid cables may pass over sheaves fastened by chains to the end of
the back part of the transom or to a lever on a store wagon for example as the
apparatus may be applied to vehicles other than those of the guns. This lever has
a limited movement and has for its object to raise the attachment portion of the
tackle and thus avoid the cables rubbing against the vehicle.
The supports are formed of several parts hinged or jointed together for example
by hinged sockets which may be fastened together by a bolt.
For marching order or where the apparatus is not required to be used the said
supports can be folded and lashed onto the gun carriage or other vehicle.
In the case of applying the apparatus to store wagons or like vehicles spare
draught poles may be used as supports.
The supports should be braced together at about two thirds of their height by a
bar on which rests the bottom of the "look-out" when the apparatus is vertical.
The suspension axle of the said "look out" forms a second tie-piece. The upper
ends of the two supports are braced towards each other by cables forming a St.
Andrew's cross and uniting the tie-pieces and having attached to them the ends
of the stay-wires for raising and supporting the apparatus in position. When in

page_text: forming the battery it is necessary to separate the gun from the fore carriage, the
tackle is unhooked and the stay wires being freed are hooked to the beam or to the
parts which carry the brake shoes so that when the gun is fired the inertia of
the apparatus will not only have the effect of causing the further penetration into
the sockets of the supports which are forced therein and compress the springs but
will also cause the forcible application of the brake shoes to the wheels.
For securing the supports when they have arrived at a vertical position two
stay-wires starting from the end of the supports are fastened to the cheeks of the
gun carriage.
When the apparatus is applied to a field battery store wagon or like vehicle these
rear stay-wires may be dispensed with and the supports may be propped against
squares fixed to the racks of the carriage. The supports need not be in several
parts as when lowered they only extend a little beyond the rear of the carriage.
The apparatus constructed as described is not affected by the firing sufficiently
to cause any serious inconvenience to the "look-out" man as the re-actions will be
almost nil with non-" kicking" gun carriages.
In order that the look-out man may point with strict accuracy "the look-out"
in which he is placed must be well fastened. For the purpose at each of its sides
there are at top arms engaging with hooks at the tops of the supports the stems
of the said hooks passing through the ends of the supports and each receiving at
their extremity a winged screw nut so that by tightening these screw nuts against
the support the top of the "look-out" is firmly secured or fixed. To prevent
oscillation of the "look-out" I provide heels which rest on the hooks or projections
from the tie piece to prevent movement in one direction, two cleats rivetted to the
bottom of the "look-out" abutting on the tie piece prevent movement in the other
direction.
In indirect pointing with the battery "look-out" installed say on the field bat-
tery store wagon, the pointing comprises two operations:
(1) Measuring from the top of the "look-out" with a goniometer (held in the hand
or supported on the "look-out") the angle of aim and of a lateral sight seen from
the gun.
(2) Tracing back this angle on a goniometer mounted on the gun and aiming
at the regulating mark with this instrument.
-The pointing becomes direct in line when these two operations are reduced to
a single one only comprising the aim of the "look-out" man in the "look-out."
Let us suppose the "look-out" installed on a non-kicking gun carriage and
provided with a moveable zero goniometer. If by suitable adjustment (initial aim
from the top of the "look-out" at an object visible with the ordinary tangent
sight) the parallelism of the zero line of the goniometer and of the line of lower
aim has been assured, it will suffice to maintain on the object during the whole
of the firing the division of the goniometer corresponding to the selected deflection
in order that the gun may constantly remain directed on the object.
The maintaining of the adjustment of the goniometer during the firing may be
assured by aiming from time to time on a regulating mark the azimuth of which
has been measured at the beginning of the firing.
The direct pointing in line may be carried out by fixing the goniometer to the
top of a post supported on the gun or on the gun-carriage, or better still encased
in a cast iron socket formed on the socket of one of the supports and attached at
its upper part to one of the arms of the "look-out."
A ladder fixed to the "look-out" and capable of being raised and lowered allows
the "look-out" man to reach his post of observation. The ladder raised and
hooked shuts off the entrance to the "look-out."
The working of the apparatus is very simple. Let us suppose a field-piece
provided with it. During the march the supports and the "look-out" will be
folded and placed on the sides of the gun-carriage. On arriving near the line of
combat the apparatus is set up and the "look-out" man enters the "look-out
and the gunners by operating the windlass bring the supports into a vertical posi-
"

page_text: tion. The "look-out" man can then render the upper frame of the car immove-
able by manipulating the fastenings hereinbefore described.
Before placing the gun in battery the stay-wires are detached from the tackle
and fixed to the parts carrying the brake-shoes but so that one of them may always
be hooked to avoid the overturning of the apparatus. The gun-carriage, store
wagon, or the like will be caused to proceed parallel to the ridge so as to make it
describe a line at any requisite distance below the ridge. The "look-out" man
will then point the gun direct in line or else will give the angle of the object in
relation to a regulating mark seen from all the guns, and this will allow the guns
to be all pointed properly. During the firing he will make observations regarding
the adjustment of the height.
If it be not wished to conceal the fire or if the slope of the land be too steep for
the gun to be conveniently fired from considerably below the top of the ridge there
may be a defilement of say about the height of the eye of a man on horseback by
means of apparatus which is a modification of that hereinbefore described. It con-
sists of a post or device of metal of U section jointed on an axle parallel to the
axle of the carriage and carrying at its summit an arrangement comprising tangent
sight top and guide.
"The "look-out" man in the "look-out" is here replaced by a rider placed behind
the gun or by a gunner mounted on the gun-carriage.
The said device is jointed on a bracket cast with or secured to the breech-piece
coil. It carries a disc concentric with the axle, a lower segment of this disc is
removed and the flat part thus formed presses on a plate elevated by springs.
The object of this arrangement is to always bring back the device into a vertical
position.
To avoid the overturning of the device through the "kicking" of the gun a
screw is driven under the plate and limits the falling of the latter. On the other
side of the axle a brake-shoe acts on springs placed in circular grooves of the
disc. These are eccentric so that the brake acts with greater force the more the
device slopes.
This device may be completely fixed to the gun, but it is preferred that it be
removeable on the march, its end entering into an oscillating socket. Its adjust-
ment in line is effected by a preliminary aim towards a point over which the gun
has been pointed with the ordinary line of aim.
With this device, as with that first described, indirect firing or direct firing
in line can be effected. For direct firing in height and line I place in front a
second device mounted on the trunnion ring as described with regard to the first
device but without the bolt and the brake-shoe.
The devices are tied together by a hollow piece provided at its end with bayonet
joints.
To the end of the device I may joint a bracket constituting a tangent sight
holder comprising a sector supported by a hook in which it slides when the device
inclines in one direction or the other. A bolt provided with a spur allows of
the whole of the tie-piece being fastened when the ring of the bayonet joint is
turned half round.
On the sector is mounted a tangent-sight which may be of the ordinary kind.
The guide is secured to its support by being screwed on a perpendicular shaft
on the device which supports it. The screw allows of its being placed in such a
position that a new line of aim may be strictly parallel to that of the gun.
A key
which traverses the threads ensures that the adjustment is maintained.
Stay-wires fixed to the aforesaid second device ensure with the brake before
described the stability of the apparatus. To allow it however a certain elasticity
I may combine with the stay-wires buffer-boxes which serve an analogous purpose
to the springs enclosed in the sockets of the supports of the "battery look-out."
The apparatus as it has just been described is supposed to be ready for use in
firing. In order to put it in the marching position it is pulled down onto the gun.
For this purpose the tie-piece bar is unmounted by undoing the bayonet-joints and

page_text: then the second device is pulled down towards the rear, and the first device towards
the front after having given a half-turn to the bracket-tangent-sight holder and
withdrawn the bolt and the brake-shoe. The tube tie piece is lodged in the sides
of the U of the second device in which it rests. At the base of this device a spring
bolt secures the apparatus in position.
Dated
00
1
eac
1007
Apparatus for use with Artillery for Manipulating, Training, and
Pointing the same.
I, DAMAS FROISSART, of Douai (Nord), in the Republic of France, Captain in
the Artillery, 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 this invention is to provide an arrangement which enables field-
artillery, either while the pieces of ordnance are being drawn up for action, or
in the act of firing, to keep out of sight of the artillery of the enemy and thereby
increase the safety of the guns and those serving them, in a far more effective
manner than can be done with the means which have been hitherto available.
So long as it is necessary during action-even in taking direct aim-to use tan-
gents of such low altitude even as 1.30 metres, as is the case with the ordnance now
in use, the advantage of entirely covering the guns and gunners must be foregone,
and the enemy is therefore afforded an opportunity of directing his fire to the
exposed parts and gunners.
During the critical stage of placing the battery in position, if it be desired to
conduct operations as secretly as practicable and to avoid the men being seen by
the enemy as, if mounted on horseback, they needs must be,-the cannons have
to be hauled from 20 to 40 metres (according to the slope of the ground) so as to
bring their line of sight up to the level of the crest-line.
This extremely tedious and lengthy operation may be dispensed with by the
employment of apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention which
furthermore admits of the guns being drawn up in such positions that not only
the gun-detachment (whether mounted or not), but indeed the flashes of the dis-
charges fired-which normally send up a gleam 4.50 metres above the ground-
are concealed from the enemy. The guns are posted below the top crest-line of
the defence or breast-work (say 2.20 metres from it for ordinary firing, or 4.50
metres, where it is desired to conceal the flash). They may in either case be drawn
up to their firing position, all that is necessary in the former alternative is to see
that the drivers and horses do not get in advance of the front line of battery
selected by the commander, the wings of which are clearly marked by two mounted
men.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents in side elevation a field gun to which is attached an
apparatus constructed according to this invention enabling the gun to be fired at
an object from behind an obstruction 4.50 metres in height.
Figure 2 is a plan and Figure an end elevation of the gun and apparatus.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate in side elevation, plan, and end elevation respect-
ively means for attaching the apparatus to a store-wagon or like vehicle.

page_text: Figures 7 and 8 show in side elevation and plan respectively a modification of
the apparatus.
Figures 9 and 10 represent in side elevation and end view respectively another
form of apparatus enabling the pieces of ordnance to be used behind an obstruction
2.20 metres high without the necessity of providing a "look-out" cage or basket.
Figure 11 is a section on line A B (Figure 10) drawn to a larger scale.
In the two forms of apparatus illustrated by Figures 1, 2 and 3, and Figures 4,5
and 6, 1 represents two arms stays or supports (which will be hereinafter referred
to as supports) mounted on the axle of the gun-carriage or vehicle, which supports
with the basket (cage or box) 2 constitute the "look-out of the battery." Cables 3
are suspended from the supports 1 which supports can be adjusted by means of
ropes or cords 4 wound upon a windlass 5, which is preferably arranged behind
the ammunition box; and adapted to raise and lower the supports 1 and also retain
them at any desired inclination through the medium of a pawl and ratchet-wheel.
The lower end of each support enters a socket or sleeve 6 having an eye 7,
through which the axle of the gun carriage passes the said socket or sleeve being
held in the required position on the axle by a shoulder thereon. The sockets 6
each contain a spring which is compressed more or less by the weight of the sup-
port, and imparts to the whole an amount of resilience, so that it may yield more
or less both to the effects of the recoil in firing, and to jolts when travelling.
The cords or ropes 4 are conducted over sheave-blocks, attached by means of
chains, to the rear end of the gun carriage in the case of a gun as shewn in
Figures 1, 2 and 3, or in the case of a store-wagon such as is shewn in Figures 4, 5
and 6 to a lever arm 10 hinged to the wagon. The lever 10 is only movable within
pre-determined limits, its object being to adjust the height of the point of attach-
ment of the sheave-blocks so as to prevent friction between the ropes and carriage.
The supports 1 as shewn in Figure 1 are each composed of a number of parts
hinged together the hinges 11 having sockets for the reception of the ends of the
parts to be joined together and the adjacent parts when in line one with another
are secured in this position by bolts and nuts.
When the apparatus is travelling or inoperative the bolts are removed from the
sockets of the supports and the parts are folded together on to the gun-carriage,
as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.
The supperts 1, which as before described are supported on the axle of the gun
carriage, are connected together at about two-thirds of their height by a tie rod 12
whereon when the apparatus is in the upright position-the bottom of the look-
out cage 2 rests; trunnions 15 at the top of the cage, and by which the said cage
is suspended, forming also a cross-tie at the top of the supports.
The two supports 1 are drawn towards each other at their upper ends by two
diagonal cords, or chains, 13, the said cords or chains being connected to the two
cross-ties 12 and 15 and to these diagonal cords or chains are attached the chains
or cables serving to raise and lower the apparatus and retain it in any position.
When the gun is to be drawn up into position to be fired or unlimbered, the sheave-
blocks are unhooked from the supports 1 and the cords 3 are hooked either to the
rear end of the gun carriage or to the rods carrying the brake-shoes. In the latter
case, when the gun is fired, the effect of the resistance of the apparatus to the
recoil will not only cause the supports 1 to slide further into their sockets 6-com-
pressing the springs as they do so-but also cause the brake-shoes to press more
firmly against the rims or felloes of the wheels.
In order to retain the supports 1 in their vertical position, there are provided
two chains 14 extending from the ends of the said supports to the front edge of
the gun carriage, to which they are attached..
In the case of a store-wagon these chains may be dispensed with and the sup-
ports 1 be allowed to rest against blocks or projections 1 on the cheeks of the
wagon. Nor is it necessary, in this case, that the supports should consist of more
than one part each, for when turned down, they will project only a little distance
beyond the rear end of the vehicle.

page_text: :
To enable the "look-out" man to determine the aim with perfect precision, the
cage or box of observation should be steadily retained in place. To this end there
is provided on both sides of the said cage arms 15 (which with the upper end of the
cage constitute a tie bar) (Figure 6) the ends of which are in frictional engage-
ment with hooks 16 pivotted to caps on the ends of the supports 1 and each pivoted
hook is provided on its end with a screwed projection on which is screwed a thumb-
nut 17 so that by tightening this thumb-nut against the cap, the upper end of
the look-out cage is locked in position.
The height at which this cage 2 is placed should be such that when the sup-
ports 1 are in the vertical position, the bottom of the cage or platform rests upon
the cross-carrier or tie-rod 12, as before stated. Inasmuch as it is desirable that
the look-out man should not be disturbed by the vibrations of the platform, the
said platform is provided with projections 18 and 20 (Figures 5 and 6) the projec-
tions 18 engaging the hooks 19 carried on the tie rod 12 so as to prevent the lower
part of the cage from moving rearwards, while the projections 20, by engaging the
said tie rod 12 serve to check any forward movement of the cage (Figure 6).
A rope-ladder 23 attached to the cage and adapted to be drawn up affords easy
means for the look-out man to enter and leave the cage. When however the
ladder is left hanging the cage is inaccessible.
By means of the apparatus described the following obiect can be obtained viz.:.
In direct pointing or training;
Direct horizontal or "right-and-left" pointing;
Or direct pointing both horizontally and vertically.
In indirect pointing, where the look-out is attached to the store-wagon, or like
vehicle, the pointing process comprises two operations; viz.:-
(1.) Measuring from the cage, by means of a goniometer which may be either
held in hand, or supported by the apparatus itself, the angle formed by the aim
and a lateral sight visible from the gun.
(2) Transferring this angle to an aiming device attached to the gun and sighting
laterally with this device.
Direct pointing is effected when these two operations are combined into one by
the man himself on duty in the cage. This may be illustrated as follows:-
In the case of gun carriages having no recoil, such as will be procurable in
future, it will be possible to bring the gun into direct aim by attaching the aiming
device, set to the zero mark, to the frame of the cage. But where recoiling-gun-
carriages are used, as is the case at present, where after each discharge the sup-
ports 1 become unequally deflected, the aiming device is preferably secured to
the upper end of a rod 21 (Figure 3), which may be attached to the gun carriage,
or preferably as shewn, fitted in a socket 22 formed integral with the sleeve 6 sup-
porting one of the supports 1, the upper end of the said rod 21 being connected to
one of the arms 15 of the cage.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the operation of the
apparatus is extremely simple.
When the apparatus is attached to a field gun the supports and cage while on
the march can be folded up and arranged at the side of the gun carriage. Upon
arriving in the vicinity of the line of action the apparatus is erected and the
observer enters the cage. The limber-gunners, by turning the cranks of the wind-
lass, 5, bring the supports 1 into a vertical position; the man in the cage can
then secure the upper part of the cage in the manner herein before described so
that it cannot be displaced.
Before the gun is drawn up in position, the ropes 3 are disconnected from the
sheave blocks and secured to the brake shoe bars. Care should, however, be taken
that one of these ropes always remains in a state of tension so as to prevent the
apparatus from tilting. When the gun carriage or the gun is to be used, the car-
riage should be allowed to run parallel to the crest line so that the aim may be
accurately sighted over the crest of the defence. By such means a line will be
automatically formed, so that all its points shall be situated say at 4.50 metres, or

page_text: any other predetermined distance below the crest line. Then the man in the cage
immediately proceeds to give directions for the gun to be trained in the requisite
lateral direction and he adjusts the angle of the aim to a guiding mark seen from
all the guns, whereby the required lateral direction of the guns may be determined.
During firing the look-out man makes the observations necessary to determine
the required elevation or depression to be given to the guns.
It may be desirable to employ a number of men in the look-out of the battery
say the commander of the battery and the officer commanding the detachment for
this purpose there may be provided behind the cage 2 a second cage 2ª Figs. 7 & 8
which may be conveniently arranged upon a spindle parallel to the wheel-axle.
This additional cage should also be supported by two supports 1ª connected with
the supports 1 by bars 32º. Or instead of two cages a single elongated cage may
be carried by the four supports, in which case, such supports form parallelograms
disposed on both sides of the carriage and linked or pivotted together.
Where the concealment of the flashes of the discharges fired is no object or where
the slope of the ground is too steep to admit of the gun, which has been lowered,
being fired without disadvantage, the mounted gun detachment may be concealed
from view, both while the guns are being drawn up for action and during the fire.
In this case it is only necessary to provide a defence about the height of the eyes
of the average mounted man-and the apparatus shewn in Figures 9, 10 and 11
should be employed in this case this apparatus being merely a modification of the
arrangement previously described.
Where this apparatus is to be used the aiming instrument may be supported
by either two or four supports 24 and 31 connected together and arranged like the
supports 1 of the battery "look-out" herein before described, on both sides of the
gun; or the said aiming instrument may be carried upon a single support which
may be pivotally erected upon the gun-carriage, or preferably as shewn in the
drawing upon the gun itself, it being mounted upon a spindle arranged parallel
to the wheel-axle, and at the upper end of the support is a sighting device.
For the observer in the cage there is substituted a cavalry-man posted behind
the gun or a gunner standing upon the gun carriage.
The support 24 Figures 9 and 10 is pivotally supported by a frame 25 which
may for example be cast in one piece with the fastening ring or be attached to
the said ring. The support carries at the top a sector 33—either graduated or
not retained in position by means of a hook in which it is free to slide with more
or less friction; or it may be secured by means of a set-screw 41; it also carries a
goniometer 36; and an extension 35 upon which may be fitted a sight.
The support 24 is provided at its lower part with a disc 26 concentric with the
spindle on which the said support is mounted. A flat portion is formed on the
periphery of this disc upon which flat part rests a plate 27 (Figure 9) which is
raised by springs 28.
The object of this arrangement is to constantly maintain the support in a posi-
tion perpendicular to the gun.
To prevent the support from being tilted forward by the action of the gun-barrel
a bolt 29 is inserted beneath the plate 27, whereby such plate is prevented from
descending.
The disc 26 has on each of its surfaces an inclined projection limited by the
sides of a concentric groove in the disc, so that the said disc may be locked in
position, within the range of this groove, between the teeth or jaws of a resilient
rack or brake-shoe 30.
This rack 30 acts as a brake when lowering the support 24.
The support 24 is held in contact with the supporting frame 25 by means of the
springs 28, of any desirable power.
When on march, the support 24 may be bodily attached to the gun, either in a
vertical or in a horizontal position; or it may be removed by withdrawing the
spindle on which it turns.
With this support secured either on the gun carriage or on the gun itself the

page_text: weapon may either be trained indirectly or brought into the proper "right or
left" alignment direct, it being pointed at the object either with or without the
assistance of a sight. When the apparatus is secured to the gun itself, the proper
elevation or depression may also be directly determined. The support may be
allowed to stand firmly in the position in which it is secured by the springs 28,
and the graduated sector 33 of the frame supporting the super-structure can be
turned to the desired degree or division mark and be fixed in position.
The arrangement may, however, be made more reliable by securing the sup-
port 24 in position, during the process of pointing by means of the set-screws 41
and 42, so as to prevent any displacement of such support, through the gunner
colliding with it.
A more convenient arrangement is to erect a second support 31 in front of the
support 24, it being placed either in close proximity to the support 24, or-(where
it is desired to retain the normal length of the line of sight)-further forward; an
eye-bolt serving to secure it in position, as shewn in Figure 9 its arrangement
being substantially similar to that of the support 24, except that it is unprovided
with a bolt 29 and brake 30.
The two supports 24 and 31, are connected together at their upper ends by means
of a tube 32, into which may be inserted the bolt 35 forming extension of the
frame 33, and which is capable of being adjusted in position parallel to the axis
of the gun, the said supports and tube 32 forming a movable parallelogram similar
to that which in the arrangement first described is placed upon the store-wagon
fitted with a double cage.
Upon the sector 33 is arranged a sight or a goniometer with a cylindrical stem 36.
The opposite end of the tube 32 carries a sight 34.
Cables 38 attached to the support 31 and to the gun, in conjunction with the
brake device hereinbefore described, serve to ensure the desirable stability of the
apparatus. In order, however, to impart a certain stability to those cables, they
are connected to resilient cases 39.
The apparatus above described is represented in the drawing in position it occu-
pies when firing. When on the march it may be turned down for which purpose
the bolt 35 is removed from the connecting tube 32 which is then placed in the
recess of the U-shaped support 31, after which the said support 31 is turned down
rearwards, and then the support 24 turned down forwards. At the base of the
support 31 is a resilient bolt 40 which engages the end of the support 24 and
securely retains it in position while the gun is being conveyed from place to place.
As before stated pairs of supports, such as 1, can be mounted on spindles parallel
to the wheel-axles of a store-wagon, or like vehicle, such pairs of supports being
connected with each other and jointly forming parallelograms. Also, there may
be either one support, such as 24, or two supports, such as 24 and 31, on each side
of the gun, arranged symmetrically to the supports 24 and 31 herein before described,
and made to carry a frame properly linked to them; in which case this frame-
like the lock-out cage frame-serves as a bearing for the aiming apparatus, vari-
able or adjustable at will.
The arrangements serving for turning and limiting the rotary movement of the
supports; the look-out cage, and the cage retaining devices, as well as the aiming
instruments shewn in the drawings, are represented by way of illustration only,
in order to shew that the invention herein described is not a mere abstract idea but
has been worked out in all its details.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. For use with artillery, for manipulating, training and pointing the same,
the combination of a frame or support secured to a gun carriage or to a store wagon
or like vehicle; a platform or cage for an observer carried by the frame or sup-
port; a bar or rod secured to the frame or support for carrying a goniometer or

page_text: range finder and means for raising and lowering and for retaining at any desired
elevation the frame or support, whereby the traversing and pointing of the gun
can be effected behind an obstruction or from a position whence the object to be
aimed at cannot be seen substantially as herein before described.
2. For use with artillery, for manipulating, training and pointing the same,
the combination of stays or supports fitted to slide in sockets mounted on the axle
of a gun carriage or on the axle of a store wagon or like vehicle; springs in the
said sockets on which the lower ends of the stays or supports bear; a platform or
cage for an observer attached to the stays or supports; a tie rod connecting together
the stays or supports and on which the observers platform or cage rests; and means
for raising and lowering the stays or supports and maintaining them at any desired
elevation substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. For use with artillery, for manipulating training and pointing the same, the
combination of two stays or supports for the observers platform or cage the said
stays or supports being mounted so as to be capable of turning on the axle of the
gun carriage, or on the axle of a store wagon or like vehicle, each stay or support
being made in parts hinged together to permit of them being folded up when not
in use, a tie rod connecting the two stays or supports together, a platform or cage
for the observer, connected to the stays or supports and resting on the tie rod; and
means for raising and lowering the stays or supports and for maintaining them
at any desired elevation substantially as herein before described.
4. For use with artillery for manipulating, training and pointing the same the
combination of four stays or supports arranged in pairs mounted on a gun car-
riage, store wagon or like vehicle, or partly on the body of the vehicle and partly
on the axle of the vehicle and connected together by rods or bars so as to keep
them parallel one with another into whatever position they may be moved a plat-
form or cage or platforms or cages for an observer or obsevers carried by the stays
or supports; and means for raising and lowering and retaining them at any
desired elevation substantially as hereinbefore described.
a
5. For use with artillery, for manipulating, training and pointing the same, the
combination of a stay or support or stays or supports hinged to a gun or to a gun
carriage, sighting device carried on the stays or supports or on one of the stays
or supports to enable an observer standing on the gun or gun carriage to discern
the object to be aimed at and effect the training and pointing of the gun; and
means for retaining the stays or supports in position substantially as hereinbefore
described.
6. The combinations and arrangements of parts constituting improved means for
use with artillery, for manipulating training and pointing the same without expos-
ing to an enemy those serving the guns substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of Tahmam 1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.