Improved Construction of Gun Mounting for Firing from a Fixed Point or in the Field.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Gun Mounting for Firing from a
Fixed Point or in the Field.
I, JEAN BAPTISTE GUSTAVE ADOLPHE CANET, of 91 Avenue Malakoff, Paris,
France, Civil 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:-
The present invention has for its object improvements in gun mounting, so that the
gun can be fired either as a gun mounted in a battery and fastened to a fixed point, or
as a field gun on wheels-such mounting being of light construction, so that the gun
can be easily shifted from one firing position to another.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the gun when laid for firing from a platform, and shows
the beam, the frame, the brake cylinder (in dotted lines) the clutch of the pivot with
its hinged articulations, the rear running roller and the loading platform.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the axis of the pivot and the axle of the front
wheels, showing in dotted lines the india rubber cylinder mounted on the axis of the
beam, and the different parts of the carriage.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively an elevation and plan view of the arrangement of
the carriage for transference from one platform to another, and show the beam
lowered and resting upon its supports on the frame, the running roller raised,
the fore-carriage fixed to the frame, and the arrangement for raising the beam and
the gun.
Fig. 5, shows the arrangement of carriage for firing on wheels, the pole of the fore-
carriage being removed, and the running roller raised.
The gun is supported by a rocking or oscillating beam A, the fulcrum pin of
which is provided with an india rubber sleeve a, a, serving to attenuate the sbocks
upon the bed plate or pivot, and to reduce the effect of percussion.
This beam at its lower end carries a stud c to which is attached the head of the
piston rod of a hydraulic brake.
The brake cylinder B oscillates round the axis b, fixed to the frame C. This frame,
formed by two side plates, carries on its fore end at top the fulcrum pin of the
rocking beam; underneath, the frame assumes a cylindrical form to fit into the
clutch D, which connects the frame with the bed plate or pivot.
This clutch, which is like a shutting collar, is fixed at its rear to the frame; the
two half collars in front can turn round hinges, and they are tied together by bolts d
when the carriage is mounted on the bed plate.
A shaft goes through the frame, and on it are mounted two wheels E, E', which
run on a circular racer provided on the base of the bed plate, so allowing the lateral
sighting of the gun. The axis of this shaft is in the same plane and perpendicular
to the vertical axis of the bed plate or pivot.
At the rear of the frame is a running roller F, mounted in a bracket pivotted at G.
When firing, the roller occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, and after firing it is
fixed in the position for travelling or for firing on wheels (as shown in Figs. 3 and 5),
by a screw pin worked by a hand wheel f.
Upon the frame is a loading platform K, mounted upon articulated rods, enabling
it to be folded down upon the frame for transport.
The movable fore-carriage H, composed of a shaft carrying two wheels and the
winding drums I for effecting the raising of the beau and gun, is fixed to the frame
by the main bolt M.
The pole N, carrying the swing-trees, is fixed to the axle of the fore-carriage by
two pins n, n'.
The vertical elevation of the gun is effected by means of the sector o fixed to the
gun, and receiving its movement from the hand wheel p, through the intermediary of

page_text: a differential movement g, and of a pinion ŕ mounted upon a friction cone. The
sector is guided in its movement by a roller s.
The vertical elevation of the gun is effected from the platform P, by acting upon
the hand wheel p. It is by means of this same elevating movement that the gun is
caused to turn so as to bring it to the travelling position (Fig. 3), by acting on the
hand wheel as for the vertical elevation, the toothed sector being made of sufficient
length for this purpose.
The lateral sighting of the gun is effected by acting by hand on the rear of the
frame.
The guide for this sighting is a pointer secured to the clutch of the frame,
and which indicates the displacements upon a graduated circle situated on the bed
plate or pivot.
The operations of raising the gun (Fig. 3) is effected by placing the carriage in a
position such that the front wheels are situated over recesses formed in the bed plate
or pivot, and allowing the wheels to turn freely; these recesses in the bed or base are
situated in a direction perpendicular to the mean axis of firing. A bar v with spur
ends engages the spokes of the wheels E, E¹, and passing under the beam, causes the
latter to rise when the wheels are acted upon. These wheels are actuated by means of
the two winches or drums I, the ropes wound upon which are secured to a spoke of
the wheels at e. The winches are worked by levers L.
Fig. 3, shows the carriage prepared for laying the gun; it will be seen that by
causing the wheels to turn in the direction of the arrow (by means of the winches),
the beam will raised with the gnn; the reverse operation is effected in the same way,
but then the gun descends by its weight, and the ropes of the winches serve to check
such descent.
For these operations the bolt c which connects the piston rod of the brake to the
beam, is first removed.
For firing on wheels (see Fig. 5), the wheels are chocked; then the pole N is
withdrawn by removing the fixing pins n, n', and the axle of the fore-carriage is
made rigid to the frame by pins m, m'. In firing in this way, as well as in that
above described, the force of the recoil and the percussion of the gun is absorbed by
the hydraulic brake B, and the india rubber sleeve of the beam. The chocks for
fixing the wheels only serve to prevent the whole system from recoiling.
It will be readily understood that the parts may be varied in form and dimensions
and made of any suitable metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A gun carriage mounting with a beam mounted upon a elastic sleeve of india
rubber or other suitable substance capable of absorbing the force of percussion.
2. A frame mounted upon wheels and fixed to the bed by the intermediary of a
clutch in the form of a shutter with one or two collars, and capable of being readily
dismounted to allow of the carriage being rapidly conveyed from one platform to
another.
3. A movable roller capable of being raised, and fixed to the frame by a screw
pin actuated by a hand wheel or other suitable means.
4. An arrangement of winches mounted upon the axle of the fore-carriage or
at any other suitable point of the frame, and serving to raise the gun to the
position for firing by acting upon the wheels through the intermediary of a lever,
or to enable it to be lowered to the position for transport.
5. The whole of the arrangements described for the carriages or mountings of
guns, and the different combinations which result therefrom.
Dated this 6th day of January 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.