US92597A - Improved counterpoise gun-carriage - Google Patents

Description

7' L/ZZZ /J may Inventor Witnesses www# waited gratta J.. G. FOSTER, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Letters Patent No. 92,597, dated July 13, 1869.

IMPROVED COUNTERPOISE GUN-CARRIAGE.

The Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. G. FOSTER, of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough, and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counterpoise Gun-Carriages; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompan yin g drawings, making part of this specitication, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct'and rlse my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

My invention relates to eountcrpoise gun-carriages; and

The invention consists in so constructing andarrlnrging the carriages that they shall turn on a centre pintle, which pintle, with the gurl and its carriage, shall be depressed by the recoil of thc gun when discharged, the gun moving in the arc of a circle, and being so counterbalanced by weights below that it shall automatically rise into position for being fired. as hereinafter more fully explained.

1n the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2, a side elevation;

Figure 3, a top plan view; and

Figures 4 and 5, elevations of the weights and lixtures below.

The apparatus consists of a circular track, R, secured firmly in place, and having mounted thereon a traverse-carriage, A, made in any suitable rrrarrrrer, but having its cheeks so made that their upper edges shall form an arc of a circle, as represented in figs. l and 2, the arc being described from the centres of tl e ends of a cross-rod, l, located near the bottom, and about one-third of the length of the carriage from the front end thereof, this traverse-carriage being providederith wheels, to run on the track, and being secured to the track, also, by strong clamps, T, at front and rear, which clamps engage under a projecting flange made on the track forthat purpose, as shown in ii gs. 1 and 2.

To this traverse-carriage, the gun-carriage C, which may be of the ordinary construction, is connected by two parallel arrrrs or rods, I, on cach side, these arms being pivoted, at their upper ends, on two axles, N, passing transversely throrrglr the lower' part of the guncar'r'iage C, while their' lower ends are similarly pivoted on two rods, l and l', passing transversely through the lower part of the travor-'se-carriage A, the parallel arms I being shown by dotted lines in iig. 2, and partially shown in perspective in fig. 1.

A chassis, B, is placed within thc traverse-curriagc, between the arms I, and under the gun-carriage C, as represented in figs. 1 and 2, this chassis consisting of two strong rails, made deepest at their centre, and tapering gradually toward each end.

This chassis is pivotcd and supported, at its centre, upon a strong vertical shaft, D, which passes through a pintle-block, J, at the centre of the track It, and exvtends down into a casemate below, if on a fort, or

into a well provided for the purpose, if in carthworks.

At its lower end, this shaft D rests and turns in a step or bearing, V, which latter works freely between vertical guides U, as represented in figs. 4 and 5.

This step V is connected, by strong cords m, which pass up over pulleys H, mounted in suitable bearings above it, to weights W, as represented in fig. 4, these weights being sufficiently heavy to counterbalance the gun and its carriage, with the chassis and its shaft D.

It will thus be seen that thc gun and its carriage, instead of resting on and being supported by the travorso-carriage, rest upon the chassis B, and, with the chassis, are supported by the counterpoise shaft D, which, in turn, is supported by the weights W.

The chassis is so connected to the shaft D as to inoline forward just enough to permit the gun to run easily rrto battery, or position for tiring.

Upon the axles N, of the gun-carriage C, are placed flanged wheels h, which rest'and traverse on the chassis andthe reara xleN protrudcs, at each side, through and beyond the e. 'leks of the carriage C, and has secured on its outer ends another pair of flanged wheels, G, which rest lightly on the curved edges of the traverse-carriage A, as shown in gs.-1 and 2. k

If desired, the front axle N may have its ends also protrude beyond the cheeksof the gun-carriage, and work in curved grooves, fornred by curved ribs or bars, secured to'the inner sides of the cheeks of the traverste-carriage, the curved bars or ribs being indicated by P in figs. 1 and 2, though this latter arrangement I do not consider absolutely necessary.

The arms I, where they are connected to the axles N of the gun-carriage, are slotted, so as to allow of a little play of the axles; and the rods l and l', to which their lower ends are connect-ed, are mounted in sliding boxes, which are held down by a strong rubber spring, n, as shown in iig. 2, the object being to assist in preventing or absorbing any shock caused by the gun as it runs into battery. Forthe same purpose, rubber'l springs or buffers, a., are secured to the traverse-carriage A, as shown in fig. 2, there being also similarbuil'ers, b, at the rear, to check the gun, andprevent a sudden shock, as it is thrown back by the recoil.

A heavy rubber cushion, E, is also placed around the shaft D, directly under the chassis, which cushion also assists to t bsorb the shock when the gun is forced down by the recoil, the cushion being compressed between tlre cross-bar or plate of the chassis and of the traverse-carriage below.

To the rear end of the chassis is secured a strong vertical bar, F, having ratchet-teeth on it, as represented in tigs. 1 and 2; and to the traverso-carriage is pivot-ed a spring-pawl, o, which engages with the teeth of the ratchet as the chassis is depressed, and holds it down until released.

The pawl o is connected to and operated by a lever, L, which also has an arm, r, extending downward, and connecting with a sliding rod, O, which works in snitable bearings, and has, at its front end, a brake-block, which bears against the counterpoise-shaft D, and thus serves to regulate the motion of the shaft as it rises, and, eonsequently,'the motion of the gnu as it runs into battery.

Instead of a shore bearing against the shaft, a band passing around it may be used for a brake and it may be connected with the lever thatoperatcs the pawl, or with a separate one7 may be preferred,

As a l'nrther means of controlling and regulating the movements of the gun, I also make the counterbalance of a series of weights, so connected and arranged, that as the gun recoils, the weights, instead oi' all being moved at once, will be taken up successively, oneI after another, as the gun recedes, the series ot' weights being connected by slotted bars e, as shown in iig. 4, or by any equivalent means. I also propose to construct the arms I with .:ounterpoise-weights, u, at their lower ends, as represented in fig. 2, so that they will be balanced on the rods l and l', whatever position they may assume.

In mounting the apparatus on a fort, the counterpoise will be placed in a casemate underneath, and may be so arranged as to leave room in front of the guides U and shaft, to permit a case1nate-gun to be operated there.

It is obvious, that instead of having the weights arranged or located as represented, they may be placed at any desired point by simply carrying the cords m ofi' to the desired position, and passing them overl pulleys suitably located.

It is also obvious, that by a suitable system of gearing, the weights may be increased, and made to move through a correspondingly less space; or their weight may be decreased, and their travel increased, to suit the circumstances oi' the location or place.

With the parts thus constructed, the operation is as follows:

The gun, being loaded, and in position, is tired; and, when tired, the recoil drives it backward ou the chassis; but, being held by the arms 1. as it moves back,

it is drawn down, forcing the chassis and shaft down with it, the gun, with its carriage, moving in the are of a circle, with its wheels G on the circular or curved portion of the traverse-carriage, until they strike the bnfers b, its descent being regulated by the brake,` if desired or necessary. As the gun is thus lowered by its recoil, it is in sheltered position behind the parapet or breastwork, where it can be reloaded in safety; and, when loaded again, it is only necessary to release the pawl o, when the gun rises, and moves forward into battery, ready to be fired again. It can be turned or traversed, as desired, eitherI when up or down, as may be necessary.

By these means, I construct a very simple, compact, and complete apparatus for working guns of any size.

Having thus described my invention,

1. The combination of the traverse-carriage A and the gun-carriage C, the two being connected by the parallel arms I, by which the gun is made to rnove in the arc of a circle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The counterpoise-shaft D, arranged to support the chassis B, and passing through the centre of' lno tion of' the traversiug-carriage A, whereby the gun can be freely traversed in any direction, whether in or out ot' battery, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the chassis B, traversc-car riage A, and gun-on'riage C, with the parallel arms I, when arianged to operate substantially as herein described.

4. The combination of the chassis B, rotating shaft D, mounted in a sliding step, V, and the counter-balance or weights \V, when constructed and arranged to operate substantially' as described.

5. So arranging" the counterbalance weights that they shall come into operation, and be taken up, lsuccessively, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

6. The application of the brake O, ol' its equivalent, to the connterpoise-shait D, for the purpose of regnlating the movementot the gun, as set forth.

J. G. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

H. B. MUNN, W. C. Donne.

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