AN IMPROVED MOUNTING FOR A HOWITZER
Year: 1885

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I ANDREW NOBLE late Captain in the Royal Artillery of Jesmonddine House,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Manufacturing Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "AN IMPROVED MOUNTING FOR A HOWITZER to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved mounting for a howitzer.
This mounting consists of a turn table capable of rotating about a central pivot
and moved by means of hand wheel upon the turn table, which by bevilled gear turns
a vertical axis which at its lower end is geared with one of the supporting wheels.
The turn table carries a slide inclined at an angle of about 60 degrees and along
this slide the gun carriage is able to traverse. The gun is mounted by its trunnions
on this carriage, and immediately in rear of each of the trunnions and parallel
with the face of the slide a ram is attached to the carriage and the ram at its
lower end enters an hydraulic cylinder. In connection with the cylinder there is
an air vessel in which air under pressure is contained. On the recoil taking place
the rams are driven downwards in the cylinders and a portion of the liquid therein
passes out into the air vessels through narrow passages or loaded valves. A further
compression in the air vessel is brought about by the entrance of the ram into the
cylinder during the recoil and in this way the recoil is expended and checked.
The compressed air serves as an automatic arrangement to run the gun out again
into the firing position either immediately or as soon as the return of the liquid to
the cylinder is permitted.
A pump is provided by means of which liquid can be transferred from the air
vessels to the cylinders or vice versa, to raise or lower the gun independently of
the recoil.
For the purpose of inclining the gun to the desired angle a toothed arc is
mounted concentrically with the trunnions, and this are engages with a worm
capable of sliding upon an axis carried upon the slide parallel with its face. This
axis is geared by spur wheels to another axis, and this by bevilled gear, receives
motion from a hand wheel.
When the gun recoils the worm in gear with the toothed are slides longitudinally
upon its axis and the same takes place as the gun rises to the firing position.

page_text: I, ANDREW NOBLE late Captain in the Royal Artillery of Jesmond Dene House
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Manufacturing Engineer 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:-
This Invention has for its object an improved mounting for a howitzer.
This mounting consists of a turn table capable of rotating about a central pivot
and moved by means of a hand wheel upon the turn table, which by bevilled gear
turns a vertical axis, which at its lower end is geared with one of the supporting
wheels. The turn table carries a slide inclined at an angle of about 60 degrees
and along this slide the gun carriage is able to traverse. The gun is mounted by
its trunnions on this carriage, and immediately in rear of each of the trunnions and
parallel with the face of the slide a ram is attached to the carriage and the ram at
its lower end enters an bydraulic cylinder. In connection with the cylinder there is
an air vessel in which air under pressure is contained. On the recoil taking place
the rams are driven downwards in the cylinders and a portion of the liquid therein
passes out into the air vessels through narrow passages or loaded valves. A further
compression in the air vessel is brought about by the entrance of the ram into the
cylinder during the recoil and in this way the recoil is expended and checked.
The compressed air serves as an automatic arrangement to run the gun out again
into the firing position either immediately or as soon as the return of the liquid to
the cylinder is permitted.
A pump is provided by means of which liquid can be transferred from the air
vessels to the cylinders or vice versa, to raise or lower the gun independently of
the recoil.
'
For the purpose of inclining the gun to the desired angle a toothed arc is
mounted concentrically with the trunnions, and this are engages with a worm
capable of sliding upon an axis carried upon the slide parallel with its face.
axis is geared by spur wheels to another axis, and this, by bevelled gear, receives
motion from a hand wheel.
This
When the gun recoils the worm in gear with the toothed are slides longitudinally
upon its axis and the same takes places as the gun rises to the firing position.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a 28 centimetre howitzer mounted in accordance
with my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same partly in section.
A A is a turn table having its pivot at A¹ and supported also by wheels A², A²,
which run on a circular rail B. This rail B with the pivot is supported on a
massive foundation. On the turn table A there are two standards C, C, suitably
connected, and upon them at C¹, C', are guide surfaces which form the slide along
which the carriage of the gun moves when the recoil takes place. D is the
carriage in which the gun E is held by its trunnions. F, F, are rams supporting
the carriage I immediately in rear of the trunnions. The rams F enter into the
bydraulic cylinders G, G, and around these cylinders and in the same piece with

page_text: them are formed the air vessels H, H. The cylinders G and the air vessels H
communicate near the lower end by a small passage and through this passage
when the gun recoils the liquid in the cylinder G displaced by the ram F is forced
to pass. This orifice may be made once for all of the dimensions found necessary
by experiment or means for adjustment may be provided. There is a stop valve
to prevent the return of the liquid by the same passage and a by pass with a valve
upon it is provided which is opened to permit the return of the liquid when
desired. Or in some cases the arrangement may be simplified the liquid being
allowed to return directly into the ram cylinder by the same passage by which it
passed out of the cylinder in which case the gun immediately after recoil rises again
to the firing position.
K is a hand pump which is employed for drawing the liquid out of the cylinder G
and forcing it into the air vessel H for the purpose of bringing the gun down
without firing. The same pump may be employed for forcing air in the air
vessel H. Lis a hand wheel for rotating the turn table A and for training the
gun upon the object upon which it is required to be directed.
The axis of the hand wheel has upon it a bevelled pinion gearing with a
corresponding wheel on the vertical shaft M, and this at its lower end is geared
with one of the wheels on which the turn table is supported. N is another hand
wheel to be employed for varying the elevation of the gun. On its axis there is a
bevelled pinion gearing with a corresponding pinion on the inclined shaft O. This
shaft at its lower end carries a toothed wheel engaging with a similar wheel on the
shaft P which is parallel with the slide face C¹ C¹.
The shaft P is grooved from end to end and a worm P¹ is able to slide along it-
this worm which is compelled to rotate with its shaft engages with a toothed arc Q
fixed upon the trunnions of the gun. Hence by turning the shaft P and the
worm P by means of the hand wheel N the gun is caused to rock upon its
trunnions and its elevation is varied. In the case of the gun represented by these
drawings the elevation is intended to range between 45 degrees and 75 degrees,
but these angles may be varied. R is a crane fixed upon the turn table A, it is
used to lift the charge and to swing it into position to be inserted into the breech
of the gun when this has been opened to receive it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is
1.-Mounting a gun in the manner herein shown on a turn table with inclined
slides along which the gun descends as it recoils and in combination therewith
hydraulic cylinders with rams supporting the gun carriage immediately in rear of
the trunnions and air vessels containing compressed air into which, on the recoil of
the gun the liquid contained in the hydraulic cylinders is driven by the rams;
which liquid afterwards returns in consequence of the pressure of the air upon it
and raises the gun to the firing position substantially as described.
2. In combination with the gun mounting described in the preceding claiming
clause; the application of a pump by which liquid may be withdrawn from the
hydraulic cylinder and forced into the air vessel so as to cause the gun to descend
independently of the recoil substantially as described.
3. A central pivot hydro-pneumatic howitzer mounting substantially as described
and represented in the annexed drawings.