IMPROVEMENTS IN GUN CARRIAGES.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Max Sombart, of the Firm of Buss, Sombart, and
Company, Engineers and Patent Agents, of Magdeburg, in the Empire of
Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GUN CARRIAGES.". A
communication from Hermann Gruson, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, in the
Emnira af Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Max Sombart at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st July 1878.
CHARLES MAX SOMBART, of the Firm of Buss, Sombart, and Company, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of Magdeburg, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GUN CARRIAGES. A communication from Hermann Gruson, of Buckau, near
Magdeburg, in the Empire of Germany.
The Invention consists of the employment of various inechanical arrangements
by which a gun may be trained from the muzzle, although in some cases I do not
support the gun itself at the muzzle, but preferably at the usual place; vis, the
trunnions.
The mechanical arrangements used consist of lovers, compound and simple, so
arranged that in combination with curved guides or chocks to the carriage the
trunnions may change their position in the carriage itself, and in so doing cause the
muzzle either to remain stationary, or nearly so, thus in turrets or forts enabling a
port of the minimum size to be used.
In combination with the above, compressors are used, and hydraulic rains to raise
or lower the gun from the trunnions.
The levers and other suitable motors or ties may be arranged either fore or aft

page_text: the trunnions as may be desired, and in most cases the apparatus forms part of the
carriage itself, and derives no support from the turret or fort, although such an
arrangement may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Max Sombart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
December 1878.
CHARLES MAX SOMBART, of the Firm of Buss, Sombart, and Company, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of Magdeburg, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GUN CARRIAGES. A communication from Hermann Gruson, of Buckau, near
Magdeburg, in the Empire of Germany.
The Invention consists of the employment of various mechanical arrangements by
which a gun may be trained.
The mechanical arrangements used consist of levers, compound and simple, so
arranged that in combination with curved guides or checks to the carriage the
trunnions may change their position in the carriage itself, and in so doing cause the
muzzle either to remain stationary, or nearly so, thus in turrets or forts enabling a
port of the minimum size to be used.
•
In combination with the above, compressors are usod, and hydraulic rams to raise
or lower the gun by the trunnions.
The levers and other suitable motors or ties may be arranged either fore or aft
the trunnions, as may be desired, and in most cases the apparatus forms part of tho
carriage itself, and derives no support from the turret or fort, although such an
arrangement may be used.
The Invention consists of constructing guns carriages on which the gun may be
raised or lowered in such manner as to require port holes of minimum dimensions
only for the muzzle.
The first improvement consists of an hydraulic apparatus used to raise and lower
the gun.
This apparatus has a cylinder in an inclined position below the trunnions, in
which a single or a telescopic piston is worked. The uppermost part of the latter
is provided with a special head supporting the trunnion sockets, which are carried
in guides of a circular form.
The hydraulic press may be worked by hand or by machinery. Should it have
to be worked by hand, a pump is fixed to the upper part of the carriage; if it is to
be worked by machinery, an accumulator is provided, and the fluid enters the
cylinder through pipes, which may slide one within the other.
The improvements are illustrated in Figure 1. The trunnion sockets A are
moveable vertically in a circular curve following the guides B. The trunnion
sockets are independent of the head a of the piston C, but rest upon it, the latter

page_text: being made either in a telescopic form, as per Figure 1, or in a plain form, as per
Figures 4 and 5. The head a is moved in the direction of the centre line of the
cylinder by means of guides fixed to the sides of the carriage. The pipe D, which
goes to the cylinder, is joined to the pipe D', communicating with the accumulator
by means of two stuffing boxes b, b¹. Two small rollers c, fixed to the upper part of
the carriage, run on the pipe D¹, and cause it to move slightly in a vertical direction
if wanted, while all other motions are checked by the frame E. The pipe D is
provided with small openings between band b¹, to maintain the communication
with D¹.
The second improvement consists in the construction of four different mechanisms,
each being used to regulate the motions of the gun in such a manner that one
special point of the gun (called the pivot point), situated in the port hole or close to
it, is always kept fixed.
The first mechanism to be described consists of two pairs of one-armed levers,
each lever turning round a fixed point, and so arranged that the one extremity of
the one pair is worked by the trunnion sockets, while one extremity of the other
pair of levers is worked by a ring attached to the gun near the muzzle. The
vertical motions of the ring are thereby regulated in such a way that the pivot
point near the muzzle of the gun is held firm.
The mechanism is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The pair of levers F and Fi
are moveable round the trunnions & and d', and work on the pin f, which is fixed
to the trunnion socket of the gun by means of a loop e or a connecting rod e'. The
second pair of levers G and G have their fulcrum in g. These lovers are coupled on
the one end to the pair of levers F by means of two powerful links H, and on the
other end to the ring by two connecting rods I. The length of the rods is so
arranged as to allow only of the motion of the muzzle of the gun in the manner
before described.
The second mechanism is illustrated in Figure 4. On the fore part of the gun in
the horizontal axis of the pivot point which is to be maintained, a pair of trunnions
h are provided in lieu of a ring. These trunnions are attached by means of
the connecting rod I to an arm L. The length of the latter can be regulated, and is
fastened to the upper part of the carriage, so that it maintains the said point h in
the position wanted.
Figure 5 illustrates the third mechanism. It differs from the first one inasmuch
as it does not raise and lower a ring attached to the fore part of the gun, but two
pairs of levers are employed to impart a vertical motion to the breech N. The
length of the levers is also such that the mouth of the gun turns on an imaginary
pivot point h, situated near or in the port hole as described before.
The fourth mechanism is illustrated in Figure 6. In the port hole a ring K. is
provided for the trunnions h. The frame L which bears the trunnions is a fixture,
and is attached to any suitable part of the armour plate. The fore part of the gun
fits well in the ring K, so that the gun can perform axial motions without any
hinderance, while by moving in a vertical direction it turns the ring K on the
trunnions on pivot point h.
The third improvement consists of a new arrangement by which is effected the
self-active advance of the upper part of the carriage on the frame or under part.
This is illustrated in Figures i and 7. At the fore and aft part of the upper part,
and in its side walls, two rollers R and R' are provided, which enter a little into the
slideway of the frame. To prevent these rollers R and R' from supporting the
carriage in its foremost position, grooves V and V₁ are provided in the frame, which
grooves gradually thin out to the aft part until they form one surface only with tho
slideway of the frame. When a shot is fired, the carriage at first slides back on the
frame until the rollers touch the bottom of the grooves, and by so doing begin to
carry the
carriage; the latter, after having come to rest, will endeavour to run back
again to the original position until the rollers, having entered the grooves again,
cease to support the carriage, and the latter finally stops on account of the friction

page_text: CLAIMS.
1. The special arrangement and construction of the hydraulic apparatus, consisting
of a single or telescopic piston, and also the mode of connecting the pipes between 5
the pressing cylinder and the accumulator, substantially as described.
2. The different mechanisms for obtaining the muzzle pivotting of the gun, and
thereby reducing the port hole to the smallest size possible, all substantially as
described and set forth.
3. The arrangements for effecting the movement of the upper part of the carriage, 10
substantially as described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Max Sombart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, A.D. 1878.
CHARLES MAY SOMBART
(10)