MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 117 



RIDGWAY'S VERTICAL REVOLVING BATTERY. 



This invention consists in attaching two to four guns to a wheel, 

 or other suitable frame, in such manner that the gun* may revolve 

 with the wheel in a vertical plane, while both together, guns and 

 wheel, are also susceptible of revolution in a horizontal plane ; 

 these two revolutions may either be simultaneous, or independent 

 the one of the other. Two guns are placed on Opposite sides of the 

 wheel, so as to counterbalance each other, and to admit of alter- 

 nate firing. When one gun is " in battery," the other is low down 

 in position for loading. Most of the apparatus, and the greater 

 part of the guns (if more than two), are between decks, and, as the 

 axis of the wheel is below the deck and near or below the surface 

 of the water, great stability must be the result. The part which 

 projects above the deck is protected on all sides by a shot-proof 

 spherical iron shield or dome, of small elevation, the central part 

 of which is the wheel itself. 



The movements are secured by mechanism of the simplest kind ; 

 all parts being perfectly balanced, the power required is merely 

 that necessary to overcome the friction of well-made and well- 

 oiled surfaces, and the power of steam is conveniently applied to 

 effect this. The cleaning and loading of the gun are done when 

 it is in its lower position, low down in the hold below the water- 

 line. No port-hole is required but the muzzle of the gun itself, and 

 for this no port stopper is necessary, as the recoil of the gun instantly 

 elevates the muzzle out of the reach of hostile shot. The blow of 

 recoil is distributed over the large sustaining surface of the wheel, 

 and the force of this recoil, as stated by Prof. Benjamin Pierce, as 

 it acts on the axle of the wheel, is only one-fourth part of that which 

 is given to the trunnions of the same gun upon an ordinary car- 

 riage. There is no limit to the elevation of the gun, from any 

 suitable depression below the horizontal to the zenith; every gun, 

 therefore, may be used as a mortar for vertical fire. 



No smoke is admitted to the casemate, except that from the 

 vent ; only one officer and one man can be required in the upper 

 portion of the dome, where the gun is trained, sighted, and fired. 

 This arrangement admits of the smallest exposed area of turret, 

 much smaller than the Ericsson turret, and thicker armature at 

 this point, therefore, is attainable with a given weight. Jamming 

 between the side lobes and the wheel may be prevented by vari- 

 ous simple devices. 



This battery is peculiarly adapted for a swift, narrow-beamed, 

 sea-going vessel, as the chief weight is below the centre of gravity 

 of the ship. The advantages of this battery, as given by various 

 naval commanders and constructors, are : any desired elevation is 

 readily obtained ; any desired weight of ordnance can be as easily 

 managed when the ship is tossing and rolling in a heavy sea as 

 when in smooth water ; all the loading can be performed below, 

 saving the time and labor of hoisting powder, shot, and shells ; 

 the guns will require no trunnions, cascabel, or any similar projec- 

 tions, which detract greatly from the endurance of a gun ; more 

 guns may be mounted in less space, requiring fewer men to work 



