US60979A - woodbridg-e - Google Patents

Description

- W. E. WOODBRIDGE.

Construction of Ordnance.

Patented Jan. 1, 1867 lnventqr:

Witnesses:

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W. n. woonnninen, 0F LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 60,979, dated January 1, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, E. WOODBRTDGE, of the village of Little Falls, county of Herkimcr, and State oi New York, have invented a new and usefullinprovement in the Construction of Cannon and I do hereby declare that the'follojving is a fulla-nd exact descriptionof the same, reference bei-n'ghad to the accompanying drawings.

The nature of my invention consists in the disposition of helices of wire constitutin g in general the principal part ,of the mass of the cannon, and their union by a more fusible metal employed as a solder, and also used, when desired, as thematerial forming the walls of the bore.

The helices herein referred to may most conveniently be formed by winding the wire in successive layers on a cylindric mandrel or former, which should be enough larger than the intended bore of the gun to admit of finishing the bore,including the grooves, if it is intended for a rifle, entirely within the inner helix of wire, and without coming in contact with it, as it is better that the surface of the bore should be of uniform metal. The mass of wire thus wound must, of course, be proportionate to the size of the intended gun. In order to meet the combined strains to which a cannon is subjected, tending to rupture it both longitudinally and transversely, it is desirable that the wire should be wound in spirals of considerable obliquity, (which may be dictated by winding 3. number of wires placed side by side at the'same time,) and that the obliquity should be reversed in thealternate layers, the wires of each layer crossing those of the layer immediately under or over it. It will be perceived that in this way the tendency to unwind under the action of internal pressure in any particular layer will be counteracted by that contiguous to it. The proper degree of obliquity may be attained by winding such a number of wires at once as shall form a band about equal in width to the diameter of the bore. This rule is based upon the supposition that a metal equal in tenacity to bronze, or nearly so, is used as a roller; but when aless tenacious metal is employed, the obliquity may be advantageously increased; in no case, however, needit exceed that produced by winding a band of wires once and a half in width the diameter of the bore. The arrangement ofthe wire above described and its position in relation to the finished gun are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 gives an external view of a glin composed bf five helical layers of wires, (3. smaller number will often beused in practice, but convenient for illustration,) and shows the course of the wires, indicated by the dotted lines a a, in four layers, whose surfaces are exposed in parts of the gun diil'ering in diameter. The forward part of the gun, composed of two layers, presents but one at the surface, though both are shown in section in figs. 2 and 3.

Figure 2 presents a section of the gun on the axis of its figure.

Figure 3, across-section on A B of fig. 2.

The dotted lines I) b show the lines of contact between the diflerentdayers. C is theubore of the gun, and c c the metal forming its walls within the innermost helix. In general the mass ofwound wire is withdrawn from the mandrel or former before soldering, unless the latter be made of the metal to be used as a solder, in which case it may be unnecessary, as it will be melted in the process. The mandrel may, in other cases, be made of a material of which it is desired to form the walls of'the bore, when it is evident it should-be allowed to remain and become united to the wire. I also propose to use in place of wire, in some cases, especially-when cast iron is to be used as a. solder, rods of metal, iron or steel, drawn out by rolling or hammering. The solder: ing of the iron may be effected by anyknown process, and with any metal or alloy suited to the purpose, the particular process and .the subsequent finishing of the gun forming no part of my. present claim. The use of cast iron as a solder is'recommcnd'ed by its cheapness,.'and it should be employed with wire of very large size, or with rods larger than are drawn into wire. This is rendered desirable by the action of cast iron on iron containing less carbon, to which it imparts, at the high temperature requisite for its employment as a solder, a portion of its own, changing to some extent the properties of both metals. The same action renders it desirable that the spaces for thepassage of the melted metal into the interior of the mass to be soldered should be larger than when bronze is employed, and round wire is therefore more suitable than square, which leaves when wound much smaller spaces between its turns. It is recommended that when cast iron is used as a solder, the walls of the bore and the closure of that cavity at the breech of the gun should be constituted of the same metal, supplied for that purpose, within the inner helix of wire, during the process of soldering, as represented in figs 2 and 3 at c c. This remark may also apply to the use of any'metal as a solder which possesses the requisite qualities for forming the bore of a gun. When the mandrel 'upon which the wire is wound is retained to constitute the walls of the bore, a portion of the same may be allowed to remain in'the formation of the breech, or the bore may be closed in anj other way that may be preferred. In order to carry my invention into effect it is necessary that the fused metal employed as a solder should unite with the wires or rods, and not merely surround them without adhering thereto. The materials which I esteem the best for the construction of guns, irrespective of cost, are steel wire of aquality usually called low steel, drawn square, or nearly so, with a hard bronze as a solder; hutI also propose, in some cases, to use wire wound under constant tension, and united with a solder of low fusihility, so that the'elastic tension of the wire may not be disturbed in the process. I also propose to apply the mode of construction herein described to tubes other than cannon when the mechanical requirements are similar.

What I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by'Letters Patent, is-- 1. The employment in the structure of cannon of helices of wire oi reversed obliquity, applied one over another, and brought into union by the intervention of a more fusible metal employed as a solder.

2. I claim, in general terms, the construction of cannon, substantially as herein described, modifying the selection and use of materials as herein set forth.

3. I also claim the application of the mode of construction herein described to tubes other than cannon, when the mechanical requirements are similar. j

' WQE. WOODBRIDGE. Witnesses:

EDM. F. Brown,

Jso. Jonson.

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