US69519A - Asa weeks - Google Patents

Description

A. WEEKS.

Breech-Loading Ordnance. I No. 69,519, Patented Oct. 1, 1867.

Invehtor.

Witnesse s- N. FETEKS PHOTO-UTNDGRAFNER, WASHINGTON. O O

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ASA WEEKS, O F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

Letters Patent No. 69,519, dated October 1, 1867. I

IMPROVEMENT IN BREEGH-LOADING ORDNANCF.

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ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ASA WEEK S, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, and in the State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Breech-Loading Cannon;" and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, rcfercnce bcing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the cannon which is placed upon the carriage B. At the rear end of this cannon is made a vertical breech, C, and smaller at the bottom than at the top. Within this breech is placed a wedge-shaped sliding breech-block, 0, having a rack-bar, a, upon its rear face. a represents a horizontal shaft, passed through the upper part of the cannon in the rear of this breech, having a cog-wheel, q, upon its centre, which meshes into the cogs on theraclebar of the breech-block. w andvrcpresent two metallic pins, having coil springs, which extend from the rear of the cannon to the breech near the top. The pin w catches into a small opening, 1', (fig. 4,) at the lower end of the breech-block C, and holds it in position when raised, while the pin t presses against the face of the block and keeps the block tight against the front of the breech. The breech-block is made of steel or other suitable metal, its sides and front face being made straight, and its back or rear face being bevelled or gradually sloped off from top to bottom, thus giving it a wedge shape, so that it will tighten as it descends into the breech-opening, stopping wherever it may be reccssar-y, on account of its own expansion or the expansion of the contiguous parts of the breech by heat. The plates .1: and y are not a part of this invention, but are merely used with the breech-block to illustrate the position which the block will assume as it and its contiguous parts of the breech become heated from the-continued firing of the piece. As the metal of the gun next to and in front of the breech-block and the block itself become heated they will of necessity expand, and consequently, the breech-opening becoming somewhat smaller and the block somewhat larger, the said block will not descend as low into said opening as it will before these conditions take place. The block is made tapering with a view to this fact, and is placed in a vertical position, so that its own weight will carry it down to that. point, where it must of necessity stop, on account of the expansion of the parts. When the block has become worn by use it will, in the first firings of the piece, and before the parts have become expanded by heat, descend lower into the breech-opening than it will of course after said parts have expanded. The tapering form of the block obviates this difiiculty of wear. A portion of the top of the block is taken off, otherwise there would be greater surface of metal exposed to pressure (by the recoil) above than below the hole in the breech, consequently, after a little use, the lower portion of the block and breech (on the back side) would be worn more than the upper, and the block no longer fit tightly in its place. 6 represents a ring on the top of the block, for raising it out of its place. D represents the cartridge-tube, which is grooved inside, and provided with a circular plate, (2, having small lugs on its circumference, which fit into the grooves, and can he slid from end to end of the tube. Both ends of this tube being open and formed alike, the plate cl can he slid from one end to the other, and form the casing for the rear end, against which the cartridge is placed. After the cartridge is put into its tube the said tube is inserted into its opening at the rear of the cannon, and the breechblock raised, by means of the crankm on shafte. The rammer is then thrust into the tube, forcing the cartridge within the cannon, when the tube is withdrawn and the block lowered, which closes the breech and secures the cartridge. lereprescnts'a sliding-bar, placed vertically on the rear end of the cannon, having a small handle, 2', to operate it. This bar rests upon the short end of the handle of a hammer, E, which is pivoted to a bar, 8, on the under part of the cannon, and is so attached that the head will be directly under the bottom of the breech-block C. This device is intended to start the block from its place, so that it can be easily raised by the cogs and lever. By means of the pin 2; the front faces of the plates on the block are always tightly pressed against the cannon and thus kept clean.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-

1. The arrangement of the pins 10 v, with coil springs, when used in combination with breech-hlock O, as constructed, in the manner set forth.

2. The combination of the sliding bar I: and hammer E with the block G and cannon A, for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th day of March, 1867.

ASA WEEKS. IL. sfl

Witnesses J. 0. W1nmms, S. M. WILLIAMs.

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