US903660A - Air-pressure system for turrets and the like. - Google Patents

Description

H. BENSOH.

AIR PRESSURE SYSTEM FOR TURBBTS mm THE LIKE.

LPPLIOATIOH FILED JA]. 3], 190B.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESSES UNITED sTatgssPa'rENT OFFICE.

HERMAN BENSUH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIR-PRESSURE SYSTEM FOR TURRETS AND THE LIKE.

Specification Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed January 31, 1908. Serial No. 413,521.

This invention relates to certain improvei mrnts in connection with high power ordnance. and relates more particularly to int-ans whereby a lter the gun is fired and the breech block opened for reloading, the gases ol' combustion are completely scavcugctl from the bore of the gun and llalebachs ])t) lll\'t'l Y prevented.

By means of my invention, all sparks or burning particles or fragments ejected from other guns or from the nlultt lilt'h ot the ves el. are positively prevtaih-d l'rom entering the turret. barla-tte. or other chamber encompassing the breech of the gun and in which the gunners work.

My invention consists in the provision of means for clo ing the turret or other chamber substantially air-tight. and maintaining in said turret or chamber an air pressure above that ol' the UllltltlL' atmosphere and also in excess oi any wind pressure which may be directed against the muzzle of the gun or the side of the chamber.

ltet'erencc is to he had to the accompanying drawings. forming a part of this specification. in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which Figure l is a vertical section through a turret and turret chamber constructed for carrying out in improved svstem: and Figs. '3 and 3 are sectional details showing different means for closing the aperture in the wall through which the gun extends.

It is well known that many accidents of a very serious nature have occurred on War vessels. due to the return of the hot gases from the bore of the gun into the turret upon the opening of the breech block. These gases ignite to cause what is known as a flarcbat-k and the gunners are often seriously burned. Accidents have also occurred due to the entrance of burning particles through the ventilating openings of the turret and into engagement with a charge of explosive about to be inserted in the breech of the gun. ['nder the systems at present employe, it

has been attempted to scavenge the bore of the gun after each explosion, by means of a blast of air delivered at high pressure through a high pressure air conduit, but this has serious objections as the expansion of the air at the nozzle tends to chill the bore of the gun and also it occasions some delay in manipulating the scavenging apparatus after the gun is fired and before it is reloaded. It is necessary that the interior of the turret or other chamber he ventilated. and the more ell'ective ventilation is usually secured by l enlarging the ventilating openings. The in crease in the size of these openings increases the liability of the entrance of sparlt's and burning fragments, but by my improved system the turret is thoroughly and cllectively ventilated and the admission of all such sparks or burning fragments is prevented.

In the accompanying drawings. I have illustrated somewhat diagrannnatically. a port ion of a war vessel having a revoluble turret 1t), encompassing the supports and breech of a gun 11. Below the turret is a turret chamber 12 iuclosing the tracks and rollers upon which the turret is mounted and also inclosing the ammunition hoist 13 leading from adjacent the magazine. The turret and turret chamber are in open eonnnunication with each other, but both are closed substantially air-tight, save for the entrance opening 14 through which air is delivered. A blower 15 draws air from the outside atmosphere through a conduit 16, and a safety spark arrester 17, the latter being preferably formed of a plurality of screens of fine mesh. All entrance 0 enings to and from the turret or turret chain er are provided with air locks of any suitable type, whereby a person may enter without disturbing the established difference in pressure between the interior and exterior thereof.

is shown, the turret at the rear of the gun is provided with an air lock 18, having a door 19 opening into the turret and a door 20 opening to the outside. These doors are adapted to close substantially air-tight, and one is closed before the other is opened, so that air cannot rush from the turret when a person enters. Any suitable form of air lock may be employed, but as the details thereof do not constitute any portion of my invention, such details have not been illustrated.

The customary ventilating opening 21 of the turret is closed substantially air-tight during the operation of my system, and the opening through the wall of the turret through which extends the gun, is also closed substantially air-tight. In Fig. 2 I have shown means for closing the latter opening, consistin of a flexible apron 22 of noncombusti le material, annular in form, and having its outer circumference secured to the inner wall of the turret and its central portion secured to the gun. The flexibility of the apron permits of a free up and down movement of the gun, but prevents the escape of air or the admission of sparks. In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a different form of closing means, consisting of a shield 23 carried by the gun and having a curved outer surface, the center of curvature being the center of the trunnions of the gun. This shield engages with a partition 24, having a curved surtace for engagement therewith and having an opening therethrough for the gun. The periphery of the partition it is secured to the walls and floor of the turret, so that air can escape from the latter only by passing through the opening in the partition, but this is closed by the curved shield. The shield and partition have a sliding enga ement which is substantially air-tight, although ossibly not as efiective for abso lute retentlon of the air within the turret as is the form shown in Fig. 2. The sightinghood 25 may have the openings therein closed by small flexible aprons 20 of transparent but flexible material, or the sighting telescopes may have shields similar to those shown in Fig. 2 or in Fig. 3.

The blower is so designed as to maintain a constant gas pressure within the turret and turret chamber, substantially in excess of atmospheric pressure and sutlicient to overcome all atmospheric conditions, as, for instance, a high wind pressure. As soon as the gun is fired, the breech is opened and the difference in air pressure between the interior and exterior of the turret causes an immediate rush of air through the gun to scavenge the latter of all gases of combustion, and serves. at the same time, to remove the impure air from the interior of the turret. Not only the gases within the bore of the gun but also any burning fragments of the bag containing the previous explosive charge, are swept out and are positively prevented from reentering the turret. There is no mechanism of any kind to manipulate or operate to scavenge the bore, as the mere opening of the breech block automatically permits of an escape of a ortion of the air already in the turret. 0 course, from a practical standpoint, it is almost impossible to make the turret and turret: chamber perfectly airtight, but any small openings or crevices that may exist will not constitute any source of danger as air will be continuously escaping through these openings to prevent the admission of outside smoke or sparks.

The system is illustrated in the drawings as being applied to a rotatable turret, but. it is very evident that it is equally appropriate for use in connection with stationary barbcttes, movable gun shields, or any chamber whatsoever which encompasses the breech of the gun and which can be made substantially air-tight. The invention does not necessitate any remodeling or redesigning of the present type of construction, but merely involves the installing of a blower which can maintain a substantially constant air pressure materially above that of the atmosphere or of wind pressure, and the closing of the openings to the turret substantially air-tight.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a breech loading gun, a substantially air-tight chamber for the gunner encompassing the rear portion of the gun, and means for maintaining an air pressure in said chamber substantially in excess of atmospheric pressure.

2. In combination, a large caliber gun, a substantially air-tight chamber for the gunners and encompassing the supports and entire rear portion of the gun, and means for maintaining an air pressure in said chamber substantially in excess of atmospheric pressure.

8. In combination, a gun having supports therefor, a chamber encompassing the rear )ortion of said gun and said sup )orts and having an opening through which the muzzle of said gun extends, means for closing said opening substantially air-tight, a blower for delivering air to said chamber and maintaining therein a gas pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure, a conduit delivering to said blower, and means within said conduit for preventing the admission of sparks or burning particles.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN BENSCH.

'Witnesses CLAIR \V. FAIRBANK, JOHN P. DAVIS.

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