US1303266A - Submarine artillery - Google Patents

Description

K. DOUGAN.

SUBMARINE ARTILLERY. MPucATmN FILED lun: s. 1915.,

1,303,266. Patented May 13, 1919.l 4 4 sugars-SHEET 1.v 37; 75 F// /50/57y 59 67 INE MORRIS PETERS m., PHO'IBLITNO. WASHINGTON. D. C..

K. DOUGAN.

SUBMARINE ARTILLERY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. |915. 1,303,266. Patented 1Imy13,1919v K' DOUGML SUBMA-RINE ARTILLERY. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8.1915.

Patented vMay 13, 1919.A

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3,`

i m LSU w muy/76,5686: n l y d i M IMIIIIIIIII K. DOUGAN.

lsummum ARTILLERY.

APPLicATIoN met: lune n. 1915.

*l Patented May 13, 1919.*

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-` gun and rinn s'rafrns PATENT onnrcn.

KENNEDY DOUG-AN, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SUBMABINE ARTILLERY.

To all whom t may' concern citizen of the United States, residing at 2 Minneapolis,

j in the county of Hennepin and lState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sub-marine Artillery, of which Athe following is a specication. v

My linvention relates to submarine` artillery vand has for its object to provide a submarine .war vessel with a gun of very large caliber embodying the general principles of my co-pending application, Serial Number 23,869, led April 26, 1915, in which theprojectile is driven from one end of the an inertia charge in the opposite direction from the other' end of the gun, thereby balancing. the explosion and preventing recoil. Y

p In the embodiments of my invention herein disclosed and claimed, I provide means `for mounting one lor more guns upon a submarine's'of as to swing about a pivotal support 'for securing the gun adjacent its center. In this manner the gun may be positioned so that one end will extend above the waterline whenV the submarine is submergedfthe otherend of the gun pointing downward. in the water. Means are provided for placing the interior of the gun `into communication Vwith a loading chamber in the submarine and Vfor withdrawing. water from the gun and for cleaning and loading the gun when insuch position.

1t will be apparent that with a heavy gun of the character herein specified a submarine may approach close to land fortifications,

avoiding the war ships and other means of defense, and may throw very large and destructive shells upon the forts at comparatively short yrange or may lie out to sea beyond the range of coast or harbor defense 'guns and drop shells into cities or fortifications not within the range of the guns now iin'Y use' on battle-ships, since the angle of elevation possible is less than half that of the gun herein described, such cities and thus being quickly reducedfortications Such a vessel could also get within easy and certain gun-re range of battle-ships and other war` vessels which would thus be destroyed without subjecting the submarine to any danger whatever, thus distinguishing from torpedo warfare in which the range is necessarily so'fshort that the submarine is greatly endangered every time it approaches Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

close enough to a war vessel to launch effectively a torpedo. l

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims. j

Inthe drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one orrn,-

Figure 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 a

vertical central section' of a submarine hav,

ing my improved arrangement applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a front end view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan detail of one end of the submarine body shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan and central vertical sections of another form of submarine showing my improvements applied thereto. Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and central sections of a third form of submarine. Figs. 9 and 10 are plan and side elevation views of a submarine having my improvements applied thereto in which a gun appears on each side of the submarine body. Fig. 11 is a longitudinalvertical section through a portion of the center of the submarine shown in Fig. 1 drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 12 is a vertical end section taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 2.` Fig. 13 is a vertical end section taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 2. Fig. 14 is a plan section of the submarine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 showing the construction of the trunnion. Fig. 15 is a plan view of the loading mechanism with parts in section. Fig. 16 is a plan `view of some of the parts shown in Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is an end elevational view of the loading mechanism. Fig. 18 is a section of the gun through the trunnions showing how the ignition wires are carriedV from the gun to the'point of ignition. Fig. 19 is a view of a sectional plunger. Fig. 20 is a ragmental section of the powder charge showing the method of making Contact for ignition. Figs. 21 and 22 are, side and end views of a modified contact plug similar to that shown in Fig. 20. Fig. 23 isa view showing the means to prevent water from entering the gun by way of the muzzle.

- at 28. The gun 30v is mounted upon a bar 31 which extends across the tWo members cially constructed to carry my gun. Thus,

all coming to a common p oint as indicated 25, 26 in thehorizontal central plane thereof, said gun occupying a spaceV 32 between the members 27 and 29. As shown in Fig. l the gun is in' alinement Vwith these members, in Which s preferred form.. j

In the formkshovvn .in Figs. 5 and 6,'a single'cigar-shaped submarine body 33 is pro-l vided having'fore-' andfaft slots 34, 35 eX- tending in opposite directions along the central vertical plane of the submarine and the gun 30 is pivoted to thecentral shaft 36 so that the opposite ends thereof operate in the respectiveslots', the gun being capable of being horizontally positioned, as indicated in Fig. A6. Steadying Wings 37 and Vrudders 38 areV sho'vvn in connection With all of the different forms of'submarine.

The form of submarine shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is a desirable form for somelpurposes comprising a pair of cigar-shaped members 39, 40 secured together fore-and-aft by hollowspacing members 41, 42, which, as Will later be pointed out, are adapted to serve as a means of communication with the interiorof the gunffor loading andfcleaning the same. This, of course, is also true of theV tubular connectors2'7, 29 of Figs. 1 to 4 and the shouldered'portions 43, 44.0f the form shown in Figs.l 5 and 6. V

In Figs.v 9 and 10 is Vshown a submarine having a single cigar-shaped body 454 with a pair of guns 30 secured at the centers thereof at each side of the submarine body and adapted to register Vat their ends with projecting portions 46 in the central horizontal plane ofthe submarine through Which loading and cleaning of the gun is effected.

It is obvious that Whichever -form of submarine body the gun is applied to, the principle is the same, namely, y a gun of large caliber open at both ends and having a bore extending through the same,

said gun being pivotally connected adjacentV bodily its center to the submarine so as to be 1 of thej outside of a side portion of the shell submarine and being adapted to. be lated upon that pivotso Vthat one end of the gun Will project abovethesurface of' the Water when the submarine is submerged, the other end o the gun pointing down- Wardly into the Water. This position is for ring, and the gun will be reactionl'ess as far as the lsubmarine is concerned because the charge of Water driven frein the. submerged end Vof the gun against the body of Water Vbehind thel gun Will absorb all of the reaction of the explosionwhich drives the vand 26j position'it is` adapted for Y loading. Y This-is the end of the gun the provision (of y oscilprojectile in the opposite direction. It will also be apparent that in each of the forms Vshown equivalent Vmeans are provided ffor placing the interior of the guninrcommuni-Y cation 1` y'With the interior of the submarine Thefeatures re-` I y latngV to mounting, loading, cleaning and forloading and cleaning.

which will now be dearey illustrated in4 detail, are properly common to all of the diilerent forms of submarines shown.

At the time of .firing such aY gun with the operating the gun scribed and which to which thevbarrelis subjected beneath the Water Will be relatively greater near the yend of the barrel than would bethe case Where the gun is redinto the'o'pen air. It ;may therefore be desirable t0 make theZbreech Which is inthe Water time of ring of greater thiclmesstoward YV'lowerend'extended in the Water the pressure its end thanl themuzrzle end WhicheXtends into the air when the gun is fired.v

V Referring'to Figs. will be noted that the in cross section andare rigidly Ysecured' in parallel alinementf by the' chamber portions Y 27,` 29, of Fig. l 0141, 42 of Figi.,` vThe interior'of such connecting Vmembers provides chambers which arefdesignatedgenerally by the reference numerals 47 and 49,

and anl'openingv48 will; beprovided from the'interior of the submarine shells'Y into such chamber.V kVithin these chambers. is mounted the means for.obtainingfcommunication With the interior "of the gun for Vload-l ing, cleaning, etc., which YWill 'now be de- Sciled-l Y Y Y Referring particularly to Figs. 15,and 1.6, the end. Walls 50 and 51 of, chambers 49 andy 47, respectively, are ,provided ivithanropening-surrounded lindrical bushing member 52 secured tocast- A ings 53sto the respective end Walls. The bushing-,member 52 is provided with an in.-

Vvvardlyfturned circular flange 54 Which has.k

A1t is desired to place the guninto communi;

cation WithV chambers 47 andy 49 the plug members are Vretracted by me'ansWhich Will later be described and the gun is brought into substantial alinement-with said plug;

1lV to 14, inclusive, it i twin submarine shells of Figs.V 1 or 7 are substantially cylindrical by an inwardly-extended cyi Fig. 15. VVAnextension 59,'rigidly connected' proj ected and the spherical portion 64 caused to seat in r60 may then be lifted the rounded seats 63 of the gun. The water in the gun and the interior of lplug members 55l is then withdrawn by pumps through connections 65 and the gates and the interior of the gun will be `in communication with chambers 47 and 49 for loading purposes.

s After the water has been withdrawn from i the interior of the gun it will in practice be desirable to dry the interior before loading.

VThis may readily be accomplished by the Y means illustrated in Fig. 15. As there shown,

the pipe branch 165 extends from pipe connections 65 to a compressed air tank 166 within one of the submarine shells. A blast c of air delivered from this tank when the ygate. 60 is closed will drive the moistureV ahead of it to the chamber at the muzzle end of the gim, thus effectively drying the interior of the gun. This is desirable because a very considerable amount of water adhering to a of the large size contemplated would in evaporating at the time of explosion have a cooling eifectwhich would tend to reduce the pressure in the gun. In practice, a gun of this character will require a firing chamber of greater diameter than the main bore of theV gun, and if this chamber ofenlarged diameter were -concentric with the bore, it will be apparent that when the gun is horizontal water would collect in the firing l f' Y ring 67 having Y50 possible to remove. As shown in Fig. 23, the iring chamber 121 is eccentric to the bore 120, and lower walls of both ring chamber and vbore being in a common line. This of course enables the gun to be drained and dried as above pointed out without difliculty. The means forprojecting and retracting the plug members is fully shown in Figs. 15 and 16 as applied to the plug members Vat opposite ends of the gun. A collar 66 is fast on the bushing extension 52. Mounted upon ball bearings on said bushing extension is a thereon a spur gear 68 and a worm gear 69. The spur gear meshes with a pair-of spur gears 70, 71 fast on screw shafts 72 which are threaded through balls 73 in casings 74. Formed integrally with plug members 55 are flanges 76 having symmetrically curved outer portions which contact fes gun 30 is rigidly secured to trunnion shafts 81, 82 which extend entirely across the submarine shells 25, 26 or 39, 40 and are operated by a worm wheel 83 fast on trunnion 81 meshing with a worm gear 84 on a shaft 85 driven from a motor 86. By control means not shown, the gun captain may control the elevation of the gun as desired from indications viewed through the .periscopes 87 in any of the forms of submarine here shown.

Various means may be-employed forload- 'ing the gun after the same has been brought into alinement with the loading chambers and the interior sealed in communication with said loading chambers and freed from water. A good form of loading device is shown diagraininatically in Fig. 11 operating for a left-hand load, while the same apparatus is shown more in detail in Fig. 15 operating for a right-hand load.

A guide-rest 88 is secured to the interior of chamber 49 (or 47 as shown in Fig. 11), and upon this guide the shell 89 is rested, in which position it will be in axial alinement with the interior of plug 55 and the bore of the gun. A hydraulic ram 90 is horizontally positioned in alinement with the shell and gun barrel, and the rain may be operated by iiuid coming from pumps not shown through pipe 91 and front or rear connectors 92, 93 to force the pusher 94 in either direction. When the same is foi-ced outwardly it` will engage the edge 'of the shell and move the shelly through the interior of the connector plug 55 and through .the interior of the gun.

Charges of powder 95 and 96 are held in position at e'ther sidel of the shell and may be transferred tothe guide 88 and forced into the bore of the gun. In order to make firing connection an insulated wire 96 is carried through the trunnion shaft 81 of the gun 30 and along the side thereof, as indi-k cated in Figs. 18 and 15, being held to the wall of the gun by clamps 97. The wire 98 within the insulation extends through an insulated plug 99 at the end 62 of the gun, and a. ring 100 of insulating material on the inside of the gun end partially encircles the inner side of the ring 100. The last charge of powder 96 embodies a sparking device 101 having one pole connected by plate 102 with the inside wall of the gun and the other pole Connected by a coiled vwire spring 104 in a groove 105 in the outside wall of a cylindricalcap 106, or in place of the spiral spring as shown in Fig. 20 a ring 107 provided with a multiplicity of out-y posed portion of wire 109 in insulating ring 103 with a spiralv 100, thereby completing a circuit which may be placed in communication with any source of electrical energy when it is desired to fire the gun.

As clearly indicated in Fig. 23, a disk 122 is inserted in the muzzle of the gun after the samevhas been loaded to prevent the entrance of water as the gun is being swung through the water to bring its muzzle above the surface. This disk may be of any suitable material provided with fractional means for causing it to remain in the gun and with a slightlyiianged portion adapted to seat in the spherical flaring end 63 of the bore to prevent .any water pressure from pushing the `disk inwardly. Washers 123 of soft pli.- able material, which will operate to seal thel sides of the powder charge so that water can not pass the same,.are securedupon the eX.-A

posed end of the powder charge 96gwhich is last put in position. This will prevent any water passing the powder charge and working up in front of the shell, and also will` prevent injury of the powder charge when the breech end of theV gun is filled with water.

Under ordinary conditions lof use the gun will be carried loadedand inopen communication at both ends with'the interior of thev submarine, that is the interiorfof` the gun freed from water. p At a time when it is desirable to`ire the gun the gates 60..will be closed, the plug memberswithdrawn and the gun elevated into firing position. Vby. the means described for that purpose.V TheV oscillation of the gun about a vertical axis for A training the same will, of course, be eected by the turning of the vessel. l

for any reason 'Vit'rmay be necessary to remove a charge without accomplished by means of an attachment to the hydraulic pusher shown in Fig. 19. This attachment consists of a plunger head 111 secured to a rod 112' which at the other end is provided with another plunger head 113. The plunger headv 113 is engaged by the pusher head 94 and moves the charge ahead of it toward the end of the gun. The head 113 is provided with a threaded aperture 114 to which a threaded shank 115 maybe connected. Y This in turn hasa head 116 which is y again engaged by the plunger he'ad`94.` By

unlting successive members in this manner all of thefcharge in theV gun vmay be forced through the same and extruded into the charging chamber atthe opposite endl It will be understood that in loading the gun the pusher 94 will be lemployed'to position the VVshell 89 andr the ,successive powder charges 95,96, and so ondonev after the other, inV the breech end of the bore-of the gun. This, of course, will not put the powder charge and shell in firing position. For

moving the'combined charge, consisting ofV i the shell and the-cases of powder, the gate- 6o a the beech method ofV loading offersV no firing, this may be end ofthe gun will be.k v closed .after the last-charge 96 and yWasher, 123 have been positionedin the end of the gunV and after the tubular contact piece 106 has been positioned in thebreech end of the `7-0 Y' n I gun. Vater will be pumped into theinte.-

` rior of the plug-'member under pressure through connections 65. The pressure ap# plied to the water. in the chamber of the plug memberjand the bore of the gun will be suiicient to; move the assembled charge to rkmg position where engagement of the shell* y with rililng. or

other checking elements will automatically bring the charge toVVV aystop. In practice the-charge will:ordinarilybe por:V sitioned within the gun at the breech end but Y. not forced forward into iringposition until the time for firing the gun. It will be ap-V parent that'since thebreech endof the gun must be filled with water Yanyway, this.

diiiicultiesv and will prove particularly convenientand ei'licient for the purpose. The washer should be hermetically sealed to Vthe'eXposed end of the last powder case 99VV and will .engage the inside of the. bore of the gun with suflicient y friction `to prevent any leakage ofwaterpas't! thecharge of powder and shell Vandinto the Y muzzle portion of the gun, either Vwhen under the pressure employed when forcing the charge into position Yor undersea water pressure to which lthe` gun may be exposed by reason ofY its suvbmergence with the subma-,VV rine. Y

I claim:` l'. A submarine war vessel, aj gun Acarried, thereby vexterior at both ends and having a bore extendingll5 n through the same, said gun beingpivotally Y connected adjacenty its `center vto an koutside portion of the submarine and being adapt? edtol shoot-a projectile from the muzzle end above the water when the submarineis sub- 1270 merged and to shootpe'an inertia chargerof? water in the opposite direction thereby rendering the gun recoilless.

4.. A submarine war vessel, `and a gun piv-JY otally secured to an outer wall thereofwith its axis of'oscillation extendingthro-ughthe central horizontal plane of the submarine.

`5JA submarine'war vessel, a gun carried thereby exterior to the submarine, means forl loading said gun from the interior ofthe 1730 y Y submarine'when said submarine and gun are l beloWthe Vsurface of the water, and means for 'excluding water from the muzzle of the ,y while said muzzle is being raised tothe surface of the water,the submarine remain- J ing-below the water. 6. Asubmar-ine war vessel, a gun pivotif ally connected to a side wall of the sub- 'marine and operating outside of the shell 0 thereof, a'loading chamber, means for alinving the bore of the gun with the loading chamber, Aand means for opening communication with the loading chamber and sealing the interior ofthe gun and of said loading 1 5 chamber from the water.

7. ,Asubmarine war vessel comprising a shell having a portion extended from the -f rsideand forming a loading chamber, said loading chamber having an aperture at one 2`0j`end and ahollow plug member in said apertureprovided with means for closing the r4same', a gun pivotally connected to a side VVWall of the submarine and adapted to have "its bore Vbroughtinto alinement with said 2,5 plug'member, andmeans for operating the Avvplug member to cause the same to enter the bore of the gun and seal the same from the *Weten Y y 8l A submarine War vessel comprising a shellhaving a portion extended from the 'side 'and forming a loading chamber, said y'loading chamber having an aperture at one fendiand a plug member in said aperture jf'provided with vmeans for closing the same, fal gun pivotally connected to a side Wall of vthe Vsul'nnarine and adapted to have its bore i j biou Vht into alinement with said plug member, meansA 'for operating the plug member to "cause'theV same to enter the bore of the gun 40v ,and seal the same from the water, means for withdrawing water from the plug member and gun and means thereafter for opening ghe interior of the plug member to the chamer.` 5 Y 1 45"Y "QL'A submarine war vessel comprising a shell having 'ai portion extended from the f side and forming aloading chamber, said 'loading' chamber having an aperture at one end anda hollow plug member in said aperture provided with means for closing the f same, agun piv tally connected to a side Wall` of the submarine and adapted to have yits bore .brought into alinement with said f plug member, theadjacent ends ofsaid gun '.55 and Vplug member having complementa] portions f'for forminga water-tight joint, and 1 -Qmeans'for operating the plug member to causey Said members to engage and seal the and plug memberfrom the water.

5 0f 10.'A submarine war vessel comprising a shell having a portion extended from the Y lside and forming a loading chamber, said v l *loading chamber having an aperture at one end anda hollow plug member in said aperiliture providedwwith means for closing the same, a gun pivotally connected to a side wall of the submarine and adapted to have its bore brought into alinement With said plug member, the adjacent ends of said gun and plug member having complemental portions for forming a water-tight joint, and means for operating the plug member to cause said members to engage and seal the gun and plug member fromthewater, said plug member and said operating means being mounted to permit lateral `-movement of the outer end of said plug ymember to effect registration of the bore of said plug member'with the bore of the gun. Y

11. A submarine war vessel. comprising a shell having a loading chamber formed at one side thereof, a. gun pivotally connected to a vwall of the submarine and adapted to have its bore brought into communication with said loading chamber,"and means for sealing the gun and loading chamber from Water and for opening communication from the loading chamber to the gun.

l121A submarine War vessel, a gun carried thereby exterior to the submarine, means lfor effecting communication between the interior of the submarine and the bore of the gun When both are submerged, means for sealing the said communicating gun bore and submarine interiorto prevent entrance of water, and means for withdrawing the :water from the gun bore,

13. A submarine wai' vessel, a gunl pivotally secured to the outside ofa Wall thereof with its axis of oscillation extending throughv the central horizontal plane ofthe submarine, a pair of extensions from the submarine in the plane of oscillation vofthe gun, and means for alining the gun with said extensions and for opening communication therewith and sealing `the interior of the gun and of such extensions to prevent entrance of the water.

14. A submarine War vessel, a gun carried-Y thereby exterior to the submarine, meansV for controlling the gun so that the muzzle thereofwill extend above the surface of the water when the submarine is submerged, and means for iiring the gun When the sub- 'marine is submerged.

15. A submarine War vessel comprising a Yshell having a loading chamber formed at one side thereof, a vgun pivotally connected toa Wall of the submarine and adapted to have its bore brought into communication with said loading chamber, means for sealing the gunand loading chamber from water and for opening communication from the loading chamber to the gun, and means in the loading chamber for forcing a load into the gun. 1`6. A submarine war vessel comprisingl a shell having a loading chamber formed at one side thereof, a gun pivotally connected to a wall of the submarine and adapted to have its bore brought into communication 20 into the Vbore of the gun from the breech end the submarine issubmerged, land means` for, 85`

Y 40 and forming chambers communicating with iirin position by the-application y Voff4 v 4 5 yterior of ,saidv chambers and the bore-of the throughout the length ofthe gun.barrelrandilii Y 50 of, a'loading chamber, means for placing theV said gun; and said chambers, withdrawing 115 Y with said loading chamber, means forsealfiring position the gun, fand-means ing the gun and loading chamberfrom waassociated With the charge for Veffecting-a gY ter and for opening communication fromthe Water-tight joint at the backsofthecharge loading chambertothe gun, and a hydraulic to-preventwater passingfthrough thebreeehjY Aramin the loadingchamber for'forcing the end of the gun and past the charge. A '70V load into thegun.y Y 23. A submarine' wa 1vessel, .a gun carried 17.Y A submarine'comprising agun open at thereby exterior to thefsubmarine whlle said both ends and having fa bore fextending submarine 'is submerged, AmeansYforloadingj through thes'ame, said gun being pivotally the gun x'vhen thegun fand submaiin'eiare i r connected adjacent itsV center Vto Van outside 51 submerged, and means foiraisinglthe n 1uz'zle." 5* l portion of thesubmarine and being adapted of the guny above the water andl Vfiring said s to shoot a lprojectile from the muzzle end gunwhile the submarineis submerged.` above thewater when the submarine issub- 241. A submarine war vessel, a` guncarmerged and to shoot an linertia charge in ried thereby exterior to -theY submarine, Y, l5 the opposite direction therebyrendering the' means for loadingrthe gun WhenfthexgunSO r gun recoilless,`.meansfor efecting communi# and' submarine are submerged, fineans for cation'between the interior ofthe submacontrolling the gun so'thatthe-muzzle theref: ,Y rine andthe bore of the-gunwhen both' are' 2 ofmay be brought. from itesubinie-rged Ypor`- v submerged, andV means for` forcing a load Vsition,fabove the surface.of-fliegwater'when'v Y thereof when such communication has been sealing the muzzle end of the vgun to prevent established. the entrance Vof water;intoV thejborfe ofgthe 18.` A submarine war vessel, a gun open at gun Vwhile the gun' is beingfs'o' positi'oned. 1 f Y both endsl and having a bore extending 25.A method Aof, loadinggunsEonf sub-; through the same, a trunnion'pivotally conmarineV war vesselsVwhichconsistsin epro-90 nectingsaid gun near itscenter of lgravity to viding a` gun having r`ak bore'VA lextendingfthe submarine, and an electric fringline eX- Y throughout the"length 'of thejgun barrel tendingthrough said trunnion and along andopening-from both ends; tl1ereof-,p1o the gun Vto Vthe breech end thereof and viding aV pair of chambers:withwhichgfthe.;V 30 through the interior of the gun to thecharge ends of theVA gun :aregadaptedatov registerp v forring the charge." n Y v I hermeticallysealing the connection between i '19. 'A submarine,wanvesselfcomprisinga the ends ofsaidfgun. and saidcha'rnb-IS, pair of submarine shells held in Vparallel rewithdrawing the waterfromf the interior:of?A c. llation'with aspace between the same, and a the gun, thereafter `opening communication i gun ,pivotally mounted. uponrsaid shells and between vthe `chambers and the'in'teriorofftheflOO operable'within said space. gun', `positioning,the charge;iii-'thebreeeh 20. A submarine wart` vessel comprising a. Y end of the gun, aclosingl communicationgbe-` f pair of shells, means connecting the? shells tweenthe interiory of the gun andthe-breech Y, at theforward and rear portions thereof .end chamber, and forcing thecharge into1 the shells, a gun pivotally mounted ontheV drau 1c pressure backfof the charge.'V I shells and operable between the same and i V 2'6QA method of loading :gunsk on vsub-` between said connecting members, and means marine war. vessels, whiclr` consists ineY profor effecting communication between'the in-V viding a gun having al bore extending gun. Y A v c Y opening fromlbothfendsthereof, providing Y 21. submarine-war vessel,va;gun pivota pair ofchambersjvith. which theendsfoffi connected to a side wall ofthe submathe gunfareadaptd to register, hermeticallyV rlne andl operating outside of the shell theresealing the connection between :thef'ends of i Y Y Y interior of the gun in communication with the water from the interior of thev gun, dry#- the loading chamber and sealingsaid inteing the interior of the'gun,positioningvthe Y rior and said loading chamber from the charge in the .breech end ofthe gun,l'closing water, means for placing' ajcharge in the c :ommunication between'the-interior ofthe gun, and means for forcing thecharge into Yglfmand the breech vend of the chamber, andY 120V firing Aposition within the gun. c y forcingthecharge into firing position bytheY 22. Vsubmarine War vessel, avgunpivot- Vapplication ofghydraulic. pressure'backgof vally connected lto aside wall `vof fthey submathe charge. f A if? if, f j' Y rine and operating outside of the shell there- 27. A 'submarine war vessel andv .a ,gun Y .60' of, a loadingchamber, means 'for placingthe carriedA thereby exterior to the submarine, 1 25V interior of the gun/1n communication rwith Ameans for eiiectmg co'Inmunication betv'veenl the loading chamber and sealing said'rintethe interior of the submarine and the bore" rior and said loading chamber from. the wafof the O'un when both are submerged, means ter, means for placinga charge inthe gun, for sea ing thel muzzle end Yof ythe gun,fand hydraulic means for 'forcing the' charge into means 'for controlling' the gun;` so` .that ltIieJAqG 4muzzle thereof may be brought above the rine war vessels, which consists in providing 50 surface ofthe water` from its submergek a gun having a: bore extending throughout position. the length of the gun barrel and opening 28. A submarine war vessel, a' gun carried from both ends thereof, providin a pair j thereby exterior to the submarine, means for of chambers with which the ends o the gun loadin the gunwhen the gun and submarine are adapted to register, sealing said ends of are sumerged, means for controlling the the gun from outside water pressure, Withgun so that the muzzle thereof may be drawing the water from the interior of the brought Vfrom a submerged position to a gun, drying the interior of the gun, positionv position above the surface of the water, and ing the charge in the breech end of the gun,

. means for sealing the muzzle end of the gun and forcing the charge into firing position y' Vj toA prevent y the' entrance of water into the within the barrel of the gun. bore of the gun. j 33. A method of loading guns on submarine y29. A submarine war vessel, a gun carried war vessels, which consists in providing a thereby exterior to the submarine, means gun having a bore extending throughout the 7 1 terior of a submerged portion of the sub- Vthereof, providing a pair of chambers with marine and the'bore of the gun, means for which the ends of the gun are adapted to sealing -the communicating gun bore and register, sealing said ends of the gun from submarine interior to prevent entrance of outside water pressure, withdrawing the ythe `bore of the gun, and means for drying after openin communication between the the 'interior of the gun bore. chambers anc the interior of the gun, po- 30.- A submarine war vessel, a gun carried sitioning the charge in the breech end of the thereby exterior` tothe submarine, means for gun, forcing the charge into rin position elfecting communication between the inwithin the barrel of the gun, am? terior of a submerged portion of the subcally sealing the muzzleof the gun against marine and the bore of the gun, means for exterior pressure independent of its her- `sealing the communicating gun bore and metically sealed connection to the aforemen- 'submarine interior to prevent entrance of tioned chamber.

l fthe boreof the gun, and means for directthereby exterior' to the submarine, means for A ing a blast of air through the gun bore for loading the gun when the gun and submarine ldrying the interior surface thereof. are submerged, means for controlling the v 31. A method of loading guns on submagun so that the muzzle thereof may be K4a gun having a bore extending throughout the surface of the water when the submathegun-barreland opening from both ends rine is submerged, means for sealing the 'fthereof,providing a pair of chambers with muzzle end of the Vgun to prevent theY enywhich the ends of the gun are adapted to trance of water into the bore of the gun V,outside water pressure, withdrawing the means for firing the gun.

water from the interior of the gun, there- In testimony whereof I aiix my signature afteropening cpmmunication lilletween the in presence of two witnesses.

' cham ers an t e interior of t e gun, poc sitioning the charge in the breech end of the KENNEDY DOUGAN gun, and forcingthe charge into firing po- Witnesses: sition within the barrel of the gun. F. A. WHITELEY.

' Y32. A method of loading guns on subma- H. A. BowMAN.

f Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

' forfefi'ecting communication between the ingun barrel and opening from both ends 65 water,1means for withdrawing water from water from the interior of -the gun, therehermeti- 7 5 .watery means for withdrawing water from 34. A submarine war vessel, a gun carried g rine war' vessels, which consists in providing brought from its submerged position above 85 register, sealing said ends of the gun from while the gun is being so positioned,- and

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