Improvements in Breech Mechanism for Ordnance.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1898 -Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Breech Mechanism for Ordnance.
We, MICHEL DARMANCIER and AIMÉ DALZON, both of 97, Rue Saint Lazare,
Paris, France, Engineers, 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :--
This invention relates to breech closing mechanism for ordnance of all calibres,
and it has for its chief objects, first, to enable the breech to be opened or closed,
by causing an operating shaft, supported by the gun, to be turned in one or
the other direction, and secondly, to prevent premature firing and the swinging
back of the breech block during firing.
The annexed drawings represent two constructive arrangements of the improved
mechanism.
Figures 1 to 6 inclusive relate to one arrangement.
Figure 1 being a rear view of the breech mechanism, the breech block being
closed.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line A, B of Figure 1, the breech block
being shewn in plan.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the mechanism after the completion of the rotation
of the breech block, the first stage of opening.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line C, D of Figure 3, the breech block
being in plan.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section, corresponding to Figure 4, showing the breech
block at the completion of its rearward movement, the second stage of opening.
Figure 6 is a corresponding view to Figure 5 shewing the breech block swung
round and the breech fully open, the third and final stage of opening.
Figures 1 to 61, inclusive, are respectively analogous views representing the
second arrangement.
The following description is applicable to both arrangements, except for a
slight difference hereinafter mentioned.
I is the breech, and 2 the operating shaft by a continuous rotation of which
the breech mechanism is operated. This shaft is worked by a crank 3, or by a
motor, and has keyed on it two bevel pinions 4 and 5. The pinion 4 gears
with a bevel wheel 6 mounted on an axis 7 parallel with the axis of the breech
block 8 and carrying a pinion 9 meshing with a toothed sector 10 on the
block.
The pinion 5 gears with a bevel wheel 11 mounted on the hinge bolt 12,
on which is keyed a pinion 13 capable of gearing with a rack 14 cut on the
breech block 8.
The shaft 2 and the bolt 12 are fixed to the gun by suitable brackets or
supports.
The crank 3 is movable longitudinally on the square end 15 of the shaft 2,
and when the breech is closed engages in a safety jaw 16 which prevents it from
turning.
The breech block 8 is provided with a projection 17 adapted to abut against

page_text: a stop 18 on the carrier ring 19, which also carries a shoulder 20 and a stud 21,
the nose of which engages either in a circumferential or transverse groove 22,
or in a longitudinal groove 23 in the breech block.
The said block which may or may not be cylindrical, is provided with an
interrupted screw, the threads of which may be either right or left handed.
In a recess in the carrier ring 19 is located a catch 24 which is pressed
towards the breech block by a spring 25. The inner end 20 of this catch is
adapted to enter either a circumferential groove 27, or a recess 28 in the
When the said end of the catch is not resting in either one or the other, its
outer end 29 enters a cavity 30 in a projection 31 on the breech.
breech block.
In connection with the catch 24 is a pawl 32 which is movable around a
pivot 33.
This catch has a rounded nose working in a notch in the end 26 of
the catch 24, and it has also a tail 34 capable of rising up an incline cut in the
projection on the face of the breech.
To prevent premature firing, and the swinging back of the breech block, the
latter which is traversed by a vent 36, has a T-shaped groove 37 in which is
fitted a safety slide 38 adapted to cover this vent. This slide carries the whole
.or a part of the devices necessary for firing by percussion, or by electricity,
and terminates in a lateral projection or heel 39 having a bevel edge 40 capable
of entering a recess 41, formed with an inclined face 42, in the carrier ring 19.
The safety slide 38 also carries an arm or projection 483 adapted to come into
contact with a lever 44 pivoted at 45 to the gun. This lever carries a stud 46
engaging in a groove 47 in the boss of the crank 3.
A locking rod or blade 48, is situated in a longitudinal groove in the breech
block and is connected to it by a pin 49. This rod terminates in a milled head 50
by which it can be lifted slightly when the breech is closed. It can also
engage in one or the other of two notches 51 and 52 in the slide 38, and will
remain locked in the latter notch by the internal wall of the upper plain portion
or sector 53 of the carrier ring 19, the edge of which is bevelled at 54 so as to
press the said rod or blade 48 fully into its groove before it is locked therein
by the said upper plain sector.
The working of the mechanism is as follows, it being assumed that the breech
is closed and the parts in the position represented in Figure 1.
To open the breech, the crank 3 is drawn or slidden to the right to release it
from the jaw 16, and is then turned on the shaft 2. This movement first produces
the partial rotation of the breech block on itself through the medium of the
pinion 4 and the wheel 6, and of the pinion 9 in gear with the toothed sector 10.
The pinion 5 and the wheel 11 also cause the hinge bolt 12 to turn idly as the
pinion 13 has not yet come into engagement with the rack 14. The rotation
of the breech block 8 is arrested directly the projection 17 strikes against the
stop 18.
During this first phase, the wedge-like groove 27, sliding over the end 26
of the catch, has pushed back this latter into its groove and has caused the
outer end 29 to enter into the cavity 30, thus locking the carrier ring to the
breech. At the same time the groove 22 has travelled along the nose of the
stud 21, so that the latter is in line with the groove 23. Directly the rotation
of the breech block 8 is completed, its rearward sliding movement commences,
for the pinion 13 gears with the rack 14 and the sector 10 is thrown out of gear
with the pinion 9.
As soon however as the forward end of the groove 23 comes against the nose
of the stud 21, the sliding movement of the breech block ceases (Figure 5)
whilst the recess 28 (Figure 3) comes exactly opposite the end 26 of the catch 24
From this moment, the breech block 8 being unable to turn on itself, or to
move backwards, a swinging movement of the whole arrangement around the
bolt 12 follows, the pinion 13 moving the carrier ring 19 by means of the breech
block itself,

page_text: At the start of. the rotation of the carrier ring 19, the tail 34 of the pawl 32
descends the incline on the breech and permits the projection 26 of the catch 24
to enter the cavity 28, thus connecting the breech block 8 rigidly with the
carrier ring and rendering possible the movement of this ring by the pinion 13
on the commencement of the closing movement of the breech.
Simultaneously therewith, the means for preventing premature firing and the
swinging back of the breech block operate as follows:-
On the commencement of the opening, the necessary motion of the crank 3
to the right causes the lever 44 to oscillate and brings it into the position shewn
in Figure 3. This movement is transmitted by the arm 43 to the safety slide 38,
the bevel 40 of which comes in front of the incline 42, up which it rises, thus
continuing to draw the slide 38 to the right until the bevel is disengaged from
the incline. The slide 38 is thus held away from the centre of the breech block
by the external edge of the carrier ring 19. At the same time the locking rod
or blade 48 which is raised out of the notch 51 by the displacement of the slide,
has fallen back into the notch 52; and when the rotation of the breech block is
almost completed, the said rod encounters the incline 54 which pushes it back
into its groove, whereupon the sector 53 locks it securely therein, as described.
The slide is thus absolutely fixed relatively to the breech block 8 during the
entire rearward movement of the latter and its rotation around the hinge bolt..
The devices for firing by percussion, or by electricity, all or a part of which are
carried by the slide 38, are so arranged as only to work when such slide is pushed
completely over to the left. Any displacement of the slide to the right there-
fore prevents the action of the said devices, and premature firing is rendered
impossible during the entire opening movement.
To close the breech, the shaft 2 is turned in the contrary direction. From
the beginning of the movement, the breech block 8 being rigidly connected
with the carrier ring 19, the whole arrangement under the action of the pinion
13 turns around the bolt 12 until the front face of the carrier ring 19 comes
against the rear face of the gun. Thereupon, the catch 32, the tail 34 of which
has only then ridden up the incline on the breech, has caused the catch 24 to
re-enter into its cavity and disengaged its end 26 from the recess 28, thus causing
its other end to lock the carrier ring 19 to the breech and rendering possible
the forward movement of the breech block, which movement is imparted to it
by the pinion 13 gearing with the rack 14, and is limited by the projection 17
abutting against the carrier ring. The toothed sector 10 then comes into gear
with the pinion 9, and the breech block 8 receives its movement of rotation,
limited by the projection 17 abutting against the stop 20. The breech being now
closed, the crank 3 must be pushed fully to the left, both to cause it to engage in
the jaw 16 and prevent it being turned during firing, and to permit subsequent
firing.
The slide 38 has only been rendered free to be moved when the closing move-
ment has been completed, and the heel 39 returned opposite the recess 42. But
to enable the firing to be brought about, the locking rod or blade 48 must be
raised so as to permit the slide 38 to be pushed back fully to the left. Now,
this movement of the slide is only possible when the lever 44 has resumed the
position indicated in Figure 1, and which can only take place when the crank 3
has been previously entirely pushed to the left. Premature firing is thus rendered
impossible so long as the breech has not been completely closed, that is to say
the crank 3 properly engaged in the jaw 16. Moreover, when the slide 38 is
pushed to the left its heel 39 engages in the recess 41 of the carrier ring and thus
acts as a key for connecting the breech block with the carrier ring and pre-
venting the breech block swinging open.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 to 6, the axis 7 is rigidly connected
with the gun. The wheel 6 therefore remains permanently in gear with the
pinion 4 and only the sector 10 is disengaged from the pinion 9.
The arrangement shewn in Figures 1 to 6 differs from the preceding only

page_text: by reason of the axis 7 being secured to the carrier ring 19. The wheel 6 is
therefore disengaged from the pinion 4 and thus ceases to be in connection with
the shaft 2, the toothed sector 10 being likewise disengaged from the pinion 9.
The working of this second arrangement is however substantially the same
as the first one.
In both these examples the working of the breech necessitates longitudinal
movement of the breech block, but our mechanism, is equally applicable to
breeches in which such movement is unnecessary. In this case, the mechanism
would be simplified by dispensing with the rack on the breech block and its
pinion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A breech mechanism having an operating shaft which is caused to turn
the breech block by gearing distinct from that by which it effects the longitudinal
and swinging movements thereof, the axis of the former gearing being carried
either by the gun, or by the carrier ring, whilst the latter gearing is mounted on
the hinge bolt about which the said carrier ring swings, substantially as described.
2. A breech mechanism of the kind referred to in claim 1, but without the
gearing for moving the breech block longitudinally, for use in cases where the
breech block has no such movement.
3. A breech mechanism of the kind referred to in the preceding claims, having
means for preventing premature firing and the swinging back of the breech
block during firing, comprising a safety slide at the rear of the breech block carry-
ing the whole or a part of the firing mechanism and operating in conjunction
with a lever connected to the crank or gearing for turning the operating shaft,
the said slide being prevented from finally returning to the firing position until
a locking rod is released after the breech is properly closed, substantially as
described.
4. Our improved breech mechanism whereby the breech can be opened or closed
by a continuous rotation of an operating shaft, and whereby premature firing,
or the swinging back of the breech block during firing, are prevented, the said
breech mechanism being constructed and operating substantially as described
with reference to either of the arrangements illustrated in the annexed drawings.
01
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CHILD UTI
of Octob
1000
100
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5A, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.
OGOT 1000000 TO ADD TO CITITA
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