US35193A - Improvement in arming war-vessels - Google Patents

Description

'thick iron toproteot it;

IMPROVEMENT IN ARMING WAReVESSELS.

Speeileation forming' part of Letters Patent No. iijlltll, dated May (l. 18672.

To @ZZ whom may concern:

Be it known that l, .losnen l. \\'oonnrrnv, of VWest Roxbuev, in the eounty of Norfolk and ,State ot '.ll'assaehusetts7 have `invented a new Method otArming' lar-Vessels; and l do hereby deelare that the following' is a lull, elear, and exaet deseription ot' the eonstrn tion and operation thereof, taken in eonneetion with the aeeompairving drawings,- making' a part ol' this speeilieation7 in whieh- Figure l represents a'long'itudinal vertieal section ot' a vessel, showingI the amilieation of the armament thereto. Fig'. L) representsthe saine, onedialf in plan and the other halt in horizontal seetion below the deek at the eenterot' the guns. Fig'. il Vis a transverse vertieal section through the trunk and through the hull at the eentei.' ot one ot' the guns. liig. -l is a vertical longittulinal seetion olf a part ot' the bow olf the vessel, showingthe applieation oli' the bow gun. Fig'. 5 is ahorixontal seetion ot' a partol the hold amidships, showing' one ol' the side guns in plan. Figa o also shows the bow gun in plan withthatpartot the vessel in horizontal seetiou. liig. 7 relnfesents a vertleal longitudinal seetion ot the gun, showing' the disposition of the i-artridge, projectile7 displaeing'- ease, and arrangements t'or loading at the ln'eeeh and Fig. S is abaek end elevation ot' the e'un, showing the applieation -of the tiring-needle and the bar tor holdine'it to the lineeeh-serew.

The subject-matter ol my invent ion relates to a method ot arming' a vessel tor warlike purposes bot-h as regards its means ot" attaek and defense, and is designed more partienlarly to enable a vessel to attack and overpower the iron-elad .var-steamers which are now being' built by the naval powers of the world7 and also to be eonstrueted and employed at a reasonable eost. The manner in which l propose to aeeompl ish the objeet may be stated, in a general way, to eonsist First. .ln providing' a vessel ot' a good model,

"shallow draft ot.' water, and ol. a eapaeit v to carry eoals and inaehinery sufficientto exeel 'in speed the vessel to he attacked.

Second. ln providing means for sinking it. to 'the deek by water-ballast when goingI into aetion, so as to expose the smallest possible amount of the ship to an enemys tire, whieh part only would require to be plated with Third. ln making' the deek eonvex or Cireular both longitudinally and transversely, so that when the \f'essel is sunk to a iighting V trim the sides ol the (leek will be below water and the surtaee exposed will be presented to an enemys shot at a low angle, and the eenter ol' the deek suttieiently above waterto enable the vessel to be worked in a sea-way.

ltourth. In Forming' in the middle of the (leek a low oblong' trunk projeeting' a short distanee above it, whieh is also plated and made a part of the deek7 through the sides otl whieh are small holes, through whieh ol'iservations are made, and the deek eau he defem'led by musketry, by ojeeting hot water, or in any other manner. '.llirong'h the top of this trunk the smoke from the boilers emerges and the ventilatiim is ttteeted,:u1 l within the same the movements are dimeted and the vessel stein'ed.

Fit'th. ltor the purposes olf attaek the vessel is provided wit h, say, three or more breeeh loading cannon ot large ealiber,wl1ieh are mounteil one at the bow raviigm tore and aft, and one on either side ranging athwartship, the muzzles oi whieh extend through the sides ot' the ship at a eonsideraliile distanee (say ten feet, more or less) n nder water, and are pr \'ided with manyv aeeessor)Y deviees7 to be hereinafter fullr deseribed, to enable the guns to be worked under sueh Conditions. The)v are designed to Garryv a large hollow oblong' projeetile or shell earrying a lgreat bursting eharo'e, whieh is to be thrown into the hull ot' the vessel attaekmfl and there exploded by a t use. 'lh e guns are passed. through stutthigsboxesin the side of the hull and haveY no movement, excepting in a longitudinal di reetion, and are not proposed to be aimed, as the7 are designed to be used only when near to the objeet to be assaled.

My invention consists in the tlrst plaee in the employment, in eonneet-ion with a vessel so defended with armor-plates or their equivalent that it may approach an enemy with safety, ol ordnance-3 eonstrueted and operat ing substantially in the manner to be herein` after explained, which is arranged so as to projeot horizontally through the side of the vessel below the surface of the water, and to be worked in that position for the purpose of attacking a hostile ship in parts that cannot be assailed from above the Water; second, in

making the guns with the part that passes through the side of the ship cylindrical and the employment therewith of a suitable guncarriage to support the breech of the gun, a stuffing-box and socket or sleeve in thc side of the vessel to receive the muzzle of the gun, and an external port or shutter which closesA outside of the gun, or other devices equivalent thereto, for the purpose of enabling the gun to be drawn in and loaded or removed and run out to bc fired; third, in displacingthe water Yfrom the bore of the gun when it is loaded by means of a hollow displacing-(aise, or its equ i valent, wh ich nearly fills all of the bore of the lgun not occupied by the charge, so as not to 'lire against a column ot' water within the gun equal tothe contents of the bore, but to start the projectile and move it while within the gun in an atmos- -phere of air or `gas.

The same letters are used in all the figures to indicate the same parts.

A represents the hull of the vessel, made of iron in the usual way, and of the usual Vform of model below the water, adapted to sail in shoal water and propelled by a screw with any desired Aform oiii' engines and boilers, the positions only of which are represented in the drawings, as .my invention does not pertain to them. ltis also designed to be iitted with water-tight bulk-heads in appropriate places for safety and convenience, which are not represented.

B represents the deck. lts general form transversely to the ship is that of a portion of a circle joined to the sides of the hull by a circle of smaller radius, which is tangent to both, as is shown in Fig. fi, which represents thev form ainidships. rlhis form is adopted for the purpose of having it at the center at considerable height above the water when the sides are below the water, and also to present the exposed surface at a low angle to an enemys iire, and it is also a good form to repel boarding by the enemy. This deck is covered with iron plating, which extends some distance below the water when the hullis submerged, of su'iiicient th ickn ess to repel any shot that may be fired against it, which from the low angle of the surface presented to `an enemys fire may be made of much less thickness than if it were exposed at nearly a right angle. The radius of curvature of the deck diminishes toward each end and forms into the bow and stern, so as to show a curved outline longitudinally, as is seen in Fig. l.. This :form of constructing the deck is important as enabling the upper part oit' the ship -to be made in vulnerabl e by a minimum weight of plating, which again enables an amount of efficiency in speed and capacity to be obtained by a smaller ship then could be otherwise done.

C is a trunk or observatory, built in the middle of the deck and projecting a short distance above it, of the form shown in the drawings, and plated also with metal heavy enough to withstand any shot that can be thrown against it. It is provided with peep-holes c, through the sides, as shown, through which external objectsv may be observed and the deck defended from boarding by musketry or otherwise, as has been before stated. The trunk upon thetop is provided with shotproof gratings l) and E. Through the grat ing l) the smoke from the chimney emerges, and through the gratings lil the ventilation of the hold is eli'ected by blowers arranged in any suitable manner. This trunk is built in with the deck and forms a part of it, and by projecting above the deck it enables an open communication to be preserved from the hold to the external air when in a seaway, with the vessel submerged to a fighting trim, preventing the waves that would come en deck from entering the interior.

F F are fan-blowers Afor Ventilating the hold, and they are provided with suitable pipes vleading to the several compartments. lt is proposed to discharge the foul air vinto the space around the chimney; but it may be arranged in any convenient manner. G G are tanks or compartments for the water-ballast to sink the vessel to fighting trim. They may be disposed in any convenient manner and provided with proper sea-cocks for filling the same and pumps for emptying them worked by a steam-engine.

The employment of blowers for Ventilating vessels and of water ballast and the sinking and raising of vessels by filling and emptying tanks or compartments not being of my invention, l do not' deem it necessary to describe and represent these parts in detail, but mention them only as forming a part oi' the arrangement in my system of armament which may be constructed in any way that will best accommodate the purposes of the vessel. v lll is the rudder-stock, which passes through a stuffing-box, 71., in the stern, as shown, and is worked .by a tiller, i), and chains extending forward under deck to the steering-wheel I within the trunk in the ordinary manner.

.l J .l are the guns. They are made to load at the breech in any well-devised manner that is `found to be e'iiicient. The form shown is substantially that of the Armstrong gun, so called, as a good example. They are made very heavy, and from about the middle to the muzzle they are made cylindrical, so as to be able to slide back and forth in the stuffingboxcs K in the side of the hull. They are mounted at.the breech upon the slides L, which move longitudinally upon their beds M in the manner of the modern improved ships guncarriages- They have only a longitudinal movement to run out the gun to fireit, and to permit its recoil when discharged, or to be drawn in to load it. To prevent too great an extent of recoil, the slides L are made to bring up against a series of india-rubbersprings or'cushions, VN, which arrest a further y inward movement. The slides L, are provided ames a with trucks (l (l, which are worked upon an eccentric shaft in the usual way t-o facilitate 'the running' out of the guns, and may also be provided with frictional devices to increase the resistance to recoil', as is done in gun-carriages now used. They are also provided with `a rack and pinion, T, worked by a ratchet-lever, lr, to run out the guns; or they maybe worked by tackles instead. The studing-box K, which forms a socket for the gun, is securely fastened to the h ull either at the bow or at the side., as shown in the drawings, and is providedl with a shutter or which is made to shut water-tight and to open outward and upward, and is worked by jointed rods Q. pointed externally, to offer less resistance to the water when thevcssel' is in motion, but

those at the side are made to shut in flush with the outside. longitudinal passages and stuffing-boxes on each side of the gun, so that the shutter or port can be opened and closed upon the inside by moving the rods Q back and forth. When the gun is drawn in and the shutter closed, it permits the brcechof the gun to be opened to load it., the water in the gun escaping into lthe hold.

The manner of loading the gun is shown more clearlyjn Fig, 7, where the gun and its contents are shown in section, d representing the charge of powder in a water-tight cartridge of copper or other suitable material, in the rear end of which at e is a fulminating primer within it,which is exploded by a driver or needle, g, inserted at the center of the'ventpiece f bya blow upon the outer end, h, from a lock or hammer; or, instead thereof, the cartridge maybe fired in any other suitable manner. The onteiend of the driver y is held by the bar L' .upon the-breech-screw V, which is constructed so as to be removed with the driver when the gun is to be opened.

R is the projectile. It is a long thick shell of sufficient strength to penetrate a ships side where`not defended by thick plating, and

las a cavity sufficient to contain a large quantity of gunpowder. .lt is designed to be iircd with a small charge, so as not to send it out of an enemys vessel at the opposite side, and to be itself fired by a fuse. The remainder of the bore is filled with a water-tight case, S,

of tin orfother thin metal, whose purpose is to displace the water Vfrom the bore of the gun, so that the discharge will not have to expel a mass of water therefrom, the weight of which would have the effect of adding so much to the weight of the projectile and produce an increased recoil of the gun. This case may be made to inclose the projectile and charge or occupy the space in front of port, P, f

The port of the bow gun ,is made The rods Q pass throughv them, as may be desired. The case, projectile, aud cartridge all fit the bore loosely, as there is no provision for tiring with accuracy, nor is any needed, as they are designed to fire at an object only when'near it; but the guns may' be riied or the projectiles made with wings to give them rotation' to insure theirmotion endwise, if desired. I propose to ar ange as shown'naniely, one at the bow andin aline with thekeel and one at' either side, or two or more could be placed at the side, if desired.

l is the windlass, placed below deck with the cable leading upward overa sheave, X, on deck to a haW-se-pipe, Y, as is shown. The vessel may be. fitted with hatches where required, elosed by vgratings or hatch-covers made shot-proof.

The manner of attack by such a vessel is to chase lthe enemy at a light draft until within reach of his guns. The vessel is then submerged, so as to expose only the deck to his fire, which enables it to approach him with impunity. Then almost in contact with him, the 'gun that bears lnost advantageously upon him is Iired,`and the projectile is thrown through his side far below the part usually protected by platings and left within the hold to explode at the proper time and destroy jeverythingin its vicinity.Y No vessel ever yet made could withstand the effect of one shot under such conditions, neither the explosion of the shell nor the opening; made through the side so far below water. )ne shot would sutlice to end the conflict.

Having thus set fort-h my invention, what I claim is as follows:

1. The employment of a gun or guns constructed and operating` substantially as described in a ship so constructed and defended with armor-plates or their equivalent that the ship may approach an enemy with reasonable safety, substantially in the manner and for t-he purpose described. l

2. Combining a gun constructed and employed in a vessel as describedr with an appropriate gun-carriage to support the breech, a socket and stuffing-,box in the side of the hull to support the muzzle, and an external port or. shutter or other devices equivalent thereto to enable the gun to be worked, substantially as described.

3. Displacing the water from the bore of the gun between t-he charge and muzzle by means of an air-tight displacing-ease or its equivalent., substantially as described.

JOSEPH P. WOODBURY. \\'i,tncsses:

W. S. DEXTER, WM. C. HIBBARD.

These guns

Images