US120179A - Xhenry a aeden - Google Patents

Description

nenni Annex, or encontra, New roi-zicasstcnon To .ions o. SMITH, or

sans LIL-iron.

ihflPRQVE-MENT ihl APPARATUS `igt??? ESHARGEG @Fi Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,179, dated October 24, 187i antetleted` October i1, 18.71.

Zo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ARDEN, of Brooklyn, in the county ci' Kings and State ot'- New' York, have invented a new and-Imprmed Mode ol'v Firing Guns on Board Vessels of War; and l do hereby declare `that 'the following is a iull and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part ofthis specilication.

it is well known that the pitching or rollingot a ship at sea continually changes the angle of' eievation ot' the guns, and it is very dificuit under auch circumstances to tire them at the proper moment. The object of my invention is to furnish a mechanical device by which the charge in the gun isiired whenever, vby the rollling or other motion ot' the ship, the gun attains the proper angle ot' elevation, and I employ the unerring agency of' a simple mechanism to perform what heretofore has depended solely upon the capri ciousiatlgment ofthe gunner.

l will proceed to describe tht-construction ol' my machine for accomplishing this objcct,`ret` ercnce being had to the accompanying drawing forming part ot' this specification. g

Aris the base of my machine. 'l li are. two upright standards, to which are pivoted, at points m m', the ring of metal (l. 0n the inner periphery ot' this ring, at points n n', is pivotcd the bar ot' metal l), the points n' nbeingeaeh cquidistant from the points m m. 'lo this bar l) is fastened a metallic are, 1, ot' a circle, which rlrcle has the center o, ot' thc bar l) t'or its cen ter. 'lho plane ot` this arc is at right angles to the bar l), and lpasses through the points m m. ipon this arc 1') are marked the degrees, minutes, and seconds of the angles ot' elevation, the zero line being that line which strikes the arc ai'ter passing through the center ot' and at right angles tothe base A. An arm or pointer, I", is pivotcd atornear the point O in the bar l), and passes over the arc E, and can be adjusted to and fastened at any required degree, minute, or second of elevation upon said arc that may be desired. Attached to the end or other suitable part ot' this arm l'` is a metallic point, p, either pivoted or otherwise. Through the center of the base A is aiiixed another metallic arc ot' a circle, G, whichcirclc has also the point o t'orits center, and this arc G is on thc same-plano as'the lthereby tiring the gun.

it, and by so touching it closes the circuit of the electric current. AIn the circuit formed by these wires H H is an electric fuse, used for firing the gun, or an electro-magnet is arranged to pull the trigger and release a hammer to expiotle the cap.

` (Jonnectetl also with these wires and in this Acir-Y cuit isV an ordinary tclegraph-hey,L K for opening and closing the circuit, preferably-arranged so that the circuit is closed when. the key is pressed down. .y

The method of operating my machine is as follows: The distance of the object to be tired at being determined, and consequently the required angle ofelc ration of the gun beingknown, the arm or pointer F is adjusted to and fastened at this-an gieas marked upon the arc the gun is then pointedat the object, its barrel being parallel withtiie deck, and no attention is paid to its eleyation-or detieetion (with reference to the horizon) 4by the rolling of the ship. "Vhen everything isrea'dy for tiring the otlicer in charge presses downthe key K, and so soontbercafter as the gun attains the proper angle of elevation or detiection, by the rolling or other motion ofthe vessel, the pointp passes over the arc G, and touches it, andthereby closes the circuit ofthe electricity, which passes' to the fuse and ignites it, or to the e1ectro-magnet and vitalizes it, as the case may he, It will 'be evident` that my machine need not he placed by the side. of the gan, but may be aixed in any convenient position, the key only being required nearlthe gun; also that one machine can be used, if dcsircd, t'or any number of guns upon the same ship, req airing the same angle of elevation or deflection, and tiring at the same object.. Another method ot' operating my machine is to fasten the arm F to the arc' E, so that the point p touches the arc G, and thereby closes the'electrc circuit when the water-line ci' the ship is parallel with the plane ofthe water; the gun is thcne-lcrated in the ordinary manner tothe angletevvwith tlic' plane'of the Water,

quired to eend the projectile to the object tired at. When ell is ready for tiring, the otiicer in .charge presses down the key K, and so soon the arm F upon the are E at the required angle of elevation or deflection, as marked upon said Aere; the gun is then elevated or deflected grad-A uallyhand so soon as it attains the proper an gie (the key K being pressed down by the officer in charge,) the electric circuit is completed by the point p coming in contact with the arc G, and the electricity passes to the fuse and ignites it, or to the elec tro-magnet and vitalizes it, as the case may be,

thereby firing' thegun. y

I do not confine myself to the particular form .of mechanismv I have described, as it -is obvions that it can be modified and differently constructed without departing from the Spirit of my invention; for instance, I can dispensewitb the ring C, pivotod tothe standar-dadi B', in which case the arc ot' metal G can be replaced by a point of metal withwhich the point p will form contact when thcrolling, pitching or other motion ofthe vessel or gun brings the barrel ot' the gun to the proper angle of elevation or dcllection. I can also employ other mcanathan the contact of the point p with the metallic are G, for the' purpose of completing the electric circuit when the gun attains the required angle forinstance, I can in salate points of meta-l in the bar l), or any part thereotbonin a metallic disk or its equivalent attached -thereto in such manner that these insulated points come in Contact with a metallic conductor ci' electricity, when by the rollinfg` of the ship or otherwise the gun attains thc proper angle of elevation or deflection with the plane of the water; 0r l can use a cup of mercury, into which ametallic arm dips when the gunattains the proper angle, as aforesaid. I can also usc the armature of the electro-magnet to tirev the cap, instead of employing it to release thc hammer. t p A l disclaim the well-known electric fuse and all of .elevation or deflection other familiar means for tiring guns, torpedoes,

mines, `85e., by an electric current passing d'iv rectly to the firing device; but I combine with such device, and in the same circuit, a mechanism whereby thc fragments ot an electric con doctor arc, bythe gravity of a body free to move, h

brought together or separated, to close oropen the circuit, and thereby lire the gun at the dcsired angle oi' elevation.

4What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,- l. An electric circuit-breaking and closingap paratus, operated' by gravity, combined with means for tiring' ay gun, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposce specified.

2. The combination of. the suspended weight or-arc. E andan adjustable electric conductor, F,

with a stationary elect-re conductor, Gr, all ar- Y ranged and operati-ng substantially1 as described.

HENRY ARDEN.-

Witnesses:

CEAS. E. EMERY,

W. 11. WEIGHTMAN. A (105)

Images