USRE1810E - Improvement in operating guns and gun-towers - Google Patents

Improvement in operating guns and gun-towers Download PDF

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Publication number
USRE1810E
USRE1810E US RE1810 E USRE1810 E US RE1810E
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
gun
steam
guns
tower
frame
Prior art date
Application number
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
James B. Eads
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  • FIG. 2 represents a top view of a portion of the revolving tower and the steam-cylinders by which it as well as the guns are to be operated, the guns being removed to better show the Fig. 3 represents a vertical section through the tower, and showing an elevation of the hoisting and lowering steam-cylinder, the guns and gun-frame, and
  • Fig. 4 represents a similar vertical section taken at right angles to the section Fig. 3, and looking toward the sides of the guns.
  • Figs. 5 and6 represent detached portions of the tower, guns, steam-cylinder, and the mechanism connected thereto, the former being a horizontal and the latter a vertical section through the gun steam-cylinder-that is to say, the cylinder for running the gun out of or into the fort and for taking the recoil thereof when the gun is discharged.
  • the object and purpose of this part of my invention consists in so combining a revolving tower with a gun or guns, and with one or more steam-cylinders and pistons and their necessary appliances, as that the gun or guns DIvIsIoN D.
  • the tower, gun or guns, and cylinders may be turned by steam horizontally, or the main cylinder remain fixed while the tower is revolved around it, as may be preferred.
  • a circular rack, B within which the base 0 of the tower may turn or work.
  • the steam to work the several parts or to supply the several cylinders may come from one source and through one pipe from the boiler or boilers to a point directly under the center of the tower, as at c, where there should be a turning steamjoint, to allow the tower and all its connections to freely turn around without injury to the steam-pipe b, which is stationary.
  • the steam-pipe c supplies all the steam pipes and cylinders, there being, of course, the usual cooks for regulating and directing or for cutting off the steam, which is unnecessary to describe in detail further than where they constitute a part of the invention claimed.
  • the steam-pipe d furnishes steam to the cylinders D through steam-chests of the ordinary kind, and the piston-rods e of these cylinders connect the cross-heads f, to which the ends of the connecting-rod g are attached, the other ends of said rod connecting with a crank, h, 011 the ends of the shaft 1'.
  • the shafts i have each a pinion, j, which works in the circular stationary rack B to turn the tower, and, as cylinders are attached to the bed or base 0, that carries the tower, they are all turned around by these pinionsj when the cylinders are worked.
  • the tower I propose to make in two sections, E F, so that the upper one can drop into or around the lower section, and by this means I can let the upper and top-heavy portion of the tower down into the hold of the vessel, and thus better trim it for sailing or steaming.
  • the gun-frame M Upon this gun-frame M are mounted the gun-carriages O 0, each carrying its own gun N, and so that they may be moved upon the gun-frame independently of each other and of the gun-frame as follows: Underneath the gun-frame M are two steamcylinders, P, one on each side thereof, and so that each gun may be worked by its own cylinder. Steam is introduced to'thesc cylinders from the common supply-pipe by means of the jointed pipes 0 0, and suitable valves and ports connected therewith.
  • the piston-rods p of these cylinders are connected directly with their respective gun-carriages through a projecting arm, q, so that the guns may be run on into the ports by steam or baek'again when necessary.
  • the steam-cylinder 1? also takes the recoil of their respective guns as follows:
  • the starting-bar Q has a rod, S, connected to it by one of its ends, the other end being attached to a pivoted arm, R, the point of which when vertical extendsupthrough I the gun-frame M and in close proximity to the path of the gun-carriage.
  • To this lever or arm R is connected, by a rod, 1, a pivoted arm, a, having a recess, 12. in it.
  • This arm it also projects up through'the gun-frame M and in close proximity to the path of the gun-carriage 0, so that it as well as the arm B may be actuated by a hooked lever, 10, that is connected to the gun-carriage.
  • the shaft :13, to which the arm R is hung, has upon it a short arm, '1, and to this arm the valve-rod z is attached, so that the arm R,wh'ether it be worked by the starting-bar Q or be moved by the arm or lever to on the gun-carriage, opens or closes the respective ports of the cylinders P, as the case may be.
  • the arm or lever w has a rod; a, connected to it, which extends back toward the position or stand of the engineer or gunner, so that in case it might be necessary to run the gun back by steam without firing it.
  • the said arm or lever 10 may be thrown out of action with regard to the arms R or u, to prevent it frpm moving the steam-valve as the carriage is run back.
  • Figs. 5 and 6 the several parts connected with the gun are shown in the positions they occupy when the gun has been run out of its portby steam to be fired, the steam being behind the piston in the cylinder 1, and.the valve being in the position shown in Fig. 6.
  • the lever 10 drops into the recess v of the arm a, and moving said arm, it, through its connecting-rod t, moves'the arm It, which works the slide-valve and opens the inlet-port, and the steam, rushing in against the piston, checks it, as well as the gun-carriage and gun, the force and elasticity of the steam both tending to check the recoil.
  • the muzzle will be most elevated, and when the guns arrive at the height of the port in the tower a projection or trunnion, Q, on the side of the gun, near its muzzle, comes against a guide-bar, S, connected to the tower or its dome, and stopping the point of the gun,whi le the breech continues to rise until it becomes level therewith, or at such elevation as may be desired, so that when run out by the force of the steam it will fairly and accurately enter its port, which may, by this arrangement, be very small.
  • the guns are lowered,.as fol lows: Place two or more braces upon the gunframe, with their upper ends against the top of the gun-tower. Then slightly start up the gun-frame by its cylinder or engine,which will raise up the upper section of the gun-tower suflicient to allow the lower section to be moved far enough to allow the ribs or supports of each to pass by each other.
  • the upper section of the tower, the guns, and the gun-frame are all then supported upon the column of steam in the cylinder H, and by exhausting that steam the whole may be lowered into the hold of the vessel, and the whole can be raised up again by letting in the steam, and after the top section is up, and its under supports properly adjusted to it, the gun-frame can be lowered to release the temporary braces, which may then be removed, and the gun-frame can be raised and lowered at pleasure, without disturbing the upper section of the tower, and the guns and gun-frame may be let down and raised up se'parately, as will be hereinafter described.
  • I connect to the slide-valve of the steam-chest I a rod, b, Fig.3, which extends up to the -rup or clip passing around the cross-head.
  • the rod b passes through a guide, 6, connected to the pinion-frame and maybe clamped or secured to it by a spring-latch or otherwise, so that if the gun-frame should descend-the least perceptible distance from the want of a supply of steam in the cylinder H, it would in dropping carry down the rod 1), which in turn would open the inlet-port into the cylinder, causing the piston and its load to rise, and when it has risen to its proper position the rod would close theinlet-port.
  • the gun-frame may be made the means of holding itself at the adjusted or proper height by supplying steam when required and shutting it ofl when not required.
  • the gunframe is lowered until the muzzles of the guns come opposite the openings V, where the guns can be run out to be loaded or through which openings they may be recharged without running them out.
  • the tower may rest and turn upon frictionrolls or upon greased ways without the rolls. Of its ventilation it is not necessary to speak, further than that it is best done by a fan-blower er exhauster worked from an engine either in the tower or elsewhere.
  • the necessary peepholes may also be furnished to enable the operator or the look-out to see the objects at which the guns are to be fired.
  • the thickness of the metal in the tower may be increased to any extent, limited only by the power of the engine to move it, and the capacity of the vessel to float it.
  • the upper section of the tower may be lowered and raised by the piston-rod without the guns and their appendages, which, if together, might require more power than would be desirable to have in the cylinder H for working the guns.
  • the guns are leveled by steam in the act of raising them, so as to fairly run out into their ports, their points or muzzles being stopped by their side tripping-pin, Q, coming against the guides 8, while the height to which the gun-frame rises may be definitely regulated by the contrivances at c, d, and e and the valverod 12'.
  • the tower may be cylindrical, conical, or domeshaped or parts of each, as may be preferred.
  • one cylinder should not be deemed sufficient to raise and lower the guns or the guns and tower, two or more may be used on the revolving base of the tower.
  • the cylinder H may be stationary and the tower revolve around it, and yet accomplish the end it is designed for-viz., raising and lowering the guns and the tower, or bothin which case the cylinder would be connected with the bottom of the vessel, and though I have only described my invention as applied to vessels, yet I can use it in forts or on land fortifications.
  • ⁇ Vhat I claim under this patent is- So combining a revolving tower with a gun or guns, and with one or more steam cylinders and pistons and their necessary appliances, as that the gun or guns maybe raised or lowered by steam with or independent of the tower, and so that the tower, gun or guns, and c linder may be turned by steam horizontal y, or the main cylinder remain fixed while the tower is revolved around it, as may be preferred, and substantially as described.

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