US585957A

US585957A - Breech-loading ordnance

Info

Publication number: US585957A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1914-07-06

Description

(No Model.)

H. P. BURST. BRBEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

N0. 585,95? Patented July 6, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT VQFFICE'.

IIARRISP. I'IURST, OF SUMMIT, MISSISSIPPI.

BREECl-l-LOADING ORDNANCE."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,957, dated July 6, 1 897.

, Application filed July 28, 1892.

1 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clean-and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to breech-loading ordnance, particularly large-caliber guns.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fifty-caliber eight-inch rifle embracing the main features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View. Fig. 3 is an endview of the breech of the gun. Fig. 4 is a modification of the primary-charge tube and breech-block. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one form of sabot with the rear extension or telescopic primary-eharge tube. Fig. 6 is a modification of Figs. 4 and 5 in which the breechblock carries the smaller of the two tubes. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of breech-support on a line a; aa'of Fig.2. Fig. 8 shows one form of fastening for primary-charge tube to the breech block. Fig. 9 is a perspective of main charge, showing canvas covering and part of case.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the breech of the gun, and hinged thereto is thefolding support or arm B, held in place by a strong bolt D, and on the inner face of the arm a recessed rail E extends'from end to end, and a corresponding recessed cut F is made in one'of the screw-interrupted sides of the breech-block G, whereby the breechbloek, when it is unlocked, on being drawn rearward will slide on the rail until stopped by the bolt (2, the rail dovetailingin the block preventing it from falling off, and is so arranged that the block will readily enter the breech when .pushed forward, and a turn to the right locks the breech, which may be secured in any manner suitable to the style of the gun.

When the breech is open, the arm B is pushed back to a convenient loading position and the projectile II is placed in positionin the gun, as shown in Fig. 1, with the Serial No. 441,433. (No model.)

rotating band I) forward of the slope of the powder-chamber c.

The primary charge. I is placed, in whole or in part, in the tube J, the upper end of which is closed, and resting against or affixed thereto in any suitable manner is the sabot K, the under side of which may be cupped to form a gas-check d. The tube J may rest against the projectile without the sabot or may be affixed to the projectile be- 'fore firing or become afiixed thereto when fired by being driven into a hole in the bore of the projectile or over a tapering tailpiece thereon, as shown in'dotted lines, Fig. l. p

The main charge L is arranged in a single package or series of packages in the form of rings 6 e and placed upon the primary-chargereceivingtube M, which may be placed in front of the breech-block or placed in it and extend through it, or made with it, or screwed into the head of the obturator f, or may be integral with it, or may extend through it, as shown in Fig. 4, and then it can be held in position in. various ways, as by the key g,

Fig. 8, which-is pushed into the notch h of the end of the "tube M,.as illustratedin Fig. 4, or the tube M may beeharged within and without and be fixed complete as a doublecharged cartridge, and the lower end of tube M, when the cartridge is placed in the gun, would be seated and supported in the rearextending primary charge tube-receiving chamber of the breech-block.

The lower end of tube J is cupped or reamed out until the edge is sharp, forming a gas cheek N r a notch or groove 11 may be cut on the outiide of the end of tube J and filled with a soft-metal ring or other suitable packing as a gas-check, or a separate cup or open thimble may be driven over a coned or beveled end of tube J to prevent the flame from the primary charge from escaping until the gas-check N is free from the upper end of tube M.

The tube J, when it or tube M is charged,

described, the tube J, with or without the sabot K, resting against the base of the prothis is not essential in all cases.

jectile or the interposed crushable material K, dotted lines, Figs. 5 and 6. A one-sixth turn to the right secures the breech-block, and the gun is in position to fire, being'loaded with two charges of powder or other propelling material so separated as to permit the projectile to receive its initial impulse from the primary charge,the main charge only being fired while the projectile is Well under way along the bore of the gun.

When the gun is loaded, the arm E may be folded, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and full lines, Fig. 2, and secured in position by the catch 0, and the manner of firing is as follows: By any kind of a primer fire is communicated through the breech-block by the channel, r (the interior end extending into the primary-charge tube M any desired dis tance) to theprimary charge, and the gases therefrom driving out the tube J, having thereon the sabot,which may be made to act as a cushion under the projectile by crushing up, thus reducing the chamber-pressure and increasing the velocity of the'shot. By these means, and particularly the starting of the projectile by the primary charge without much shock, enables me to fire a shell of five or six or more calibers in length filled with a large bursting'charge of gun-cotton or other high explosive and get it safely under Way, the main charge being entirely separated from the primary or starting charge and is not fired until the lower end of tube J is free from the tube M. The fiame from the primary charge then communicates with-and fires the main charge, but the projectile is moving rapidly, and there then being a large space between it and the main charge for the gases to expand .in before the projectile is acted upon by the main charge or second explosion the shock on the projectile is reduced to the minimum, and the chamber pressure is greatly reduced even when the weight of the main charge is greatly in excess of and in some guns more than double the maximum charge allowed in single-charge guns of this or any other class.

When the projectile is free of the gun, it is intended .that the tube J, with or without the sabot, separate from the projectile, though Means may be used to cause tube orsabot to separate or remain affixed to the projectile, as desired.

Any suitable form of gas-cups P may be used on the breech-block, and the breechblock may be hollowed out, (dotted lines, Fig. 6,) so as to increase the volume of the primary charge. In heavy guns it may be necessary to band or jacket tube M to give it great stren gth.

The riding in guns firing a high-explosive projectile should begin some distance forward of the seat for the projectile, leaving a smooth bore for a considerable space for the projectile to get under way unimpeded, and in a double-charged gun this is very important. Until acted upon by the second explosion the thereon, as shown in Fig. 2 and described in the specification of application filed March 28,

- 1892,Ser ial No. 426,839, would be desirableand I do not. desire to limit myselfto rifleguns,.but claimthe construction forall classes of guns to which it is capable of being applied.

\Vhat I claim is g 1. A'breech-block for'breech-loading guns provided with a I separable primary-chargecarrying tube independent thereof and seated and supported, when loaded, in a front-loading rear-extending chamber therein, substam.

tially as described.

2. A breech-block for breech-loading guns having a front-loading, cartridge-receivingand-supporting, primary or starting charge chamber therein, the face of the breech-block supporting the main charge substantially as described.

3. In a breech-loading gun, the breechblock for closing the same having a rearwardly-extending chamber receiving therein the rear end or head of a primary-charge tube separate therefrom, a gas-check surrounding said tube forward of the face of said breechblock and a main charge forward of said gascheck, substantially as described.

4.. In a breech-loading gun, the breechblockfor closing the same having a primarycharge-carrying tube, a main charge without said tube and an elongated subcaliber extension-body in said tube and extending forward and an independent, body between the base of the projectile and said subcaliber-body, substantially as described.

5. In a breech loading gun, the breechblock for closing the same having a primarycharge-carrying tube, a main charge without said tube, said main charge consisting'of a series. of powder-sections held together by a suitable easing, substantially as described.

6. In a breech loading gun, the breechblock for closing the same having a primary- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- HARRIS P. IIURST.

\Vitnesscs DANIEL '1. Doxonon, R. \V. (lonNwELL.