416 



MEMOIR OF DANIEL TREADWELL. 



importance, therefore, to devise some more perfect means of overcoming this difficulty, I was, 

 after numerous experiments, led to construct an apparatus which consists essentially of a shaft 

 passing through the carriage directly under the gun. From this shaft there is passed to the side 

 of the ship, or any permanent object, a large, flat band, made of several ropes, bound together by 

 a weft. Upon one end of the shaft, outside of the gun-carriage, are fixed several small plates or 

 disks. Other stationary plates or disks are placed between these, and the whole are pressed 

 together by a slight spring. The opposite end of the shaft bears a pulley or wheel, upon which is 

 wound a common rope. Now when the friction-springs are open, if the last-named rope be drawn 

 so as to turn the shaft, the flat band is wound upon it, and by that means the cannon is carried 

 forwards to the position required for firing. Then, by the mere movement of a lever, the springs 

 are suffered to press the plates or disks laterally against each other, and in this condition the 

 shaft cannot revolve, so that the band shall be unwound without overcoming the friction of all 

 the plates which rub each other. This friction may be increased to any amount, either by in- 

 creasing the force of the springs, or the number of the plates or disks. I have not, perhaps, 

 described this apparatus with sufficient minuteness to render its mode of operation very clear. I 

 can say, however, on full experiments made with it upon a thirty -two-pounder cannon, weighing 

 1,900 pounds, fired with eight pounds of powder and two shot, the force of the recoil upon the 

 band was no more than 12,000 pounds, a force which does not exceed the strength of one of the 

 ten ropes of which the band is formed. It will be seen, moreover, that with this apparatus, as 

 the gun is carried forward by winding the band upon the shaft, not only the common breeching is 

 dispensed with, but also all the tackle ordinarily used for moving the gun, thus giving a clear 

 deck to the officers and men.* 



" Some objections have been made to this apparatus, on account of a supposed difficulty in 



ma j 



the 



managing it readily, by the seamen or artillerists. The same objection 

 common gun-lock, because it is more complicate than a match. The same objection was most 

 likely made by the ancient spearmen against the bow and arrow ; and by the latter, in turn, 

 against the whole apparatus for using gunpowder. It has always been made against new ma- 

 chinery, and has always yielded to the skill acquired by a little time and practice. But, conced- 

 ing for a moment the possibility that this apparatus cannot be advantageously used, we may yet 

 resort to the common breeching, and obtain a great part of the advantages of these wrought-iron 

 cannon. For although in this case the force of the recoil may not permit us to reduce the weight 

 to the extent that it might be, if the motion of the gun were restrained by friction, it may still be 

 so reduced as to give advantages, both on sea and land, unattainable by any other means." 



The construction of the apparatus will be understood from the accompanying 

 figures. Fig. 1 shows an elevation of the carriage, with the parts added to the 

 same. Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through 

 the winding shaft, to be described. An inspection of the figures will show a car- 

 riage of the common description, mounted on four wheels. It will be seen that the 



* This method of controlling the recoil was early adopted in England. Colonel E. Maitland of the Royal 

 Artillery says : " The development which has taken place of late years in the power of artillery has necessitated corre- 

 sponding changes in gun-carriagos. Extra means of checking recoil became necessary as the guns grew; compressors 

 or friction plates, were introduced, and are now [1880] only partially superseded by the hydraulic buffer." In 1873 





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the editor of this Memoir saw, at the Woolwich Arsenal, field-pieces fitted with friction -plates beneath the guns for 

 this purpose. Similar methods at the same time were also in use for the heavy camion at Tilbury fort. 





