US173339A - Improvement in vent-stoppers for ordnance - Google Patents

Description

R. L. mfiwu VENT-STOPIERS FOR ORDNANCE. No.173,339. Patented, Feb,8,1876.

' thereof.

ROBERT L. PRUYN, OF BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO SAMUEL M. HARE, OF SAMEPLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN VENT=STOPPERS FOR ORDNANCE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ll 913,339, dated February 8, 1876; application filed January 8, i576.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L.. PRUYN, of Baton Rouge, in the parish of East Baton Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in the Main ner of Closing Gun-Vents; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and open ation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is arepresentation of a longitudinal vertical section of my gunvent closer closed, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same open.

This invention relates to ordnance; and it consists in the construction and general arangeinent of a device for closing the vent of a cannon while the same is being swabbed out, as will be hereinafter set forth. I

In the annexed drawings, A designates part of a cannon or other piece of ordnance with the vent a. On the side of the cannon A is secured a case, B, within which is a spring, 0, fastened at or near the lower end of the case, and extended upward to the open end In this end of the case B is pivoted an arm, I), the inner end of which is formed eccentric to the pivot, as shown. \Vhen this arm D is thrown back, as shown in Fig. 2, the spring 0 does notpress with any force thereon; but when the arm D is thrown forward, as in Fig. 1, spring 0 acts on the eccentric end and holds the pad g, which is attached to said arm firmly and closely over the vent. On the under side of the arm D are formed beveled flanges b 12, forming a box, in which is inserted a slide, E, of leather or other suitable material, and on the under side of this slide is attached the pad y, and the' slide is fastened by a screw, cl. The tension of the spring 0 may be regulated by a temper-screw.

The advantage of this invention is readily understood when the fact is considered that the ordinary method of stopping the vent is by a man-his thumb thereon-and he will naturally flinch and lift the thumb when burned,

and, as a consequence, when the cannon is being loaded again, accidents of serious nature often occur.

With my invention this is entirely overcome and the vent will be perfectly closed.

By removing the screwd the slide E can be taken out and a screw-pad fastened thereon, or an entirely new slide and pad inserted.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a cannon; or other piece of ordnance, of a case or frame, B, a spring, 0, inclosed therein, a pivoted arm, D, having an eccentric inner end, and a pad, y, fastened to the arm, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In a device for closing gun-vents, the removable slide E, of leather or other suitable material, and the pad y secured thereto, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. PRUYN.

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