MFR Artillery Carriages - Lock Chain Study

Doing a study on original lock chains, you begin to notice that there is some variation to the chains made during the period. Here is a study that includes detailed measurements and drawings provided with permission for use on CivilWarTalk by one of my friends, Michael Zablocky, and I've included a copy of the Mordecai Chain drawings from 1849 for comparison.... drawings are listed in order from oldest perceived example, to newest.

Circa-1837 Field Carriage Lock Chain (Carriage No. 2)
Drawings & Measurements by Michael Zablocky from an original example with folded link chain.

Field Carriage Lock Chains (Measurements for Carriages No. 1 & 2)
Alfred Mordecai Drawing from Artillery for the United States land service, as devised and arranged by the Ordnance Board, 1849.
Image is in the Public Domain, and is sourced from the U.S. Library of Congress Collection.

Civil War Era 12-pdr. Field Carriage Lock Chain (Carriage No. 2)
Drawings & Measurements by Michael Zablocky from an original example with folded link chain.

Civil War Era Rifle Field Carriage Lock Chain (Carriage No. 1)
Drawings & Measurements by Michael Zablocky from an original example with folded link chain.

For Further Reading

Artillery for the United States land service, as devised and arranged by the Ordnance borad. With plates.

In 13 parts, each with special t.-p. and separate paging. General t.-p. of atlas undated; special title-pages of the parts dated 1848-49. LC copy 2 of Atlas rehoused in 3 volumes. Replace; LC copy replaced by preservation microfilm LAC tnb 2019-04-08 update (1 card)

www.loc.gov

Comparing the different Types of Civil War Artillery Carriages | Arms & Artillery - Terrible Tools of War

"No. 1" Field Carriage "No. 2" Field Carriage "No. 3" Field Carriage 1st & 2nd Model Prairie Carriages Carriage Weight 900 lbs. 1,125 lbs. 1,175 lbs. 363 lbs. Wheel Height 57" wheels 57" wheels 57" wheels 42" Wheels Distance between trunnion plates 9.6" 11.65" 12.15" 7.0"...

civilwartalk.com

 

[Rhea Cole]

Doing a study on original lock chains, you begin to notice that there is some variation to the chains made during the period. Here is a study that includes detailed measurements and drawings provided with permission for use on CivilWarTalk by one of my friends, Michael Zablocky, and I've included a copy of the Mordecai Chain drawings from 1849 for comparison.... drawings are listed in order from oldest perceived example, to newest.

Circa-1837 Field Carriage Lock Chain (Carriage No. 2)
Drawings & Measurements by Michael Zablocky from an original example with folded link chain.
View attachment 440861

1849 Field Carriage Lock Chains (Measurements for Carriages No. 1 & 2)
Alfred Mordecai Drawing from Artillery for the United States land service, as devised and arranged by the Ordnance Board. Public Domain.
View attachment 440862

Civil War Era 12-pdr. Field Carriage Lock Chain (Carriage No. 2)
Drawings & Measurements by Michael Zablocky from an original example with folded link chain.
View attachment 440860
Civil War Era Rifle Field Carriage Lock Chain (Carriage No. 1)
Drawings & Measurements by Michael Zablocky from an original example with folded link chain.
View attachment 440859

For Further Reading

Artillery for the United States land service, as devised and arranged by the Ordnance borad. With plates.

In 13 parts, each with special t.-p. and separate paging. General t.-p. of atlas undated; special title-pages of the parts dated 1848-49. LC copy 2 of Atlas rehoused in 3 volumes. Replace; LC copy replaced by preservation microfilm LAC tnb 2019-04-08 update (1 card)

www.loc.gov

Comparing the different Types of Civil War Artillery Carriages | Arms & Artillery - Terrible Tools of War

"No. 1" Field Carriage "No. 2" Field Carriage "No. 3" Field Carriage 1st & 2nd Model Prairie Carriages Carriage Weight 900 lbs. 1,125 lbs. 1,175 lbs. 363 lbs. Wheel Height 57" wheels 57" wheels 57" wheels 42" Wheels Distance between trunnion plates 9.6" 11.65" 12.15" 7.0"...

civilwartalk.com

You forgot to note the diameter of the linstock holder being big enough to hold the hook of the break chain.

 

[CivilWarTalk]

You forgot to note the diameter of the linstock holder being big enough to hold the hook of the break chain.

I'm sorry but I'm confused by this comment.

As far as I know, it's only a coincidence that the hook fits in the linstock holder, that's not it's intended purpose.

Although I've seen some guns on public grounds where someone might have unknowingly put the chain's hook in the linstock holder, I have no period information that shows this was ever done, as the chain has it's own proper storage hook, and the chain's hook has a keeper loop that stows it with the rest of the chain. I can't see, during proper use, any need to put the chain's hook into the linstock holder, that would only lead to having the linstock holder torn out of the cheek. It's only secured with nails, afair...

Do you know something I don't know?

 

[Rhea Cole]

I'm sorry but I'm confused by this comment.

As far as I know, it's only a coincidence that the hook fits in the linstock holder, that's not it's intended purpose.

Although I've seen some guns on public grounds where someone might have unknowingly put the chain's hook in the linstock holder, I have no period information that shows this was ever done, as the chain has it's own proper storage hook, and the chain's hook has a keeper loop that stows it with the rest of the chain. I can't see, during proper use, any need to put the chain's hook into the linstock holder, that would only lead to having the linstock holder torn out of the cheek. It's only secured with nails, afair...

Do you know something I don't know?

At every park I have ever visited somebody has stuck the hook into the linstock holder. I have seen that in museum displays. Nobody knows quite what to do with the brake chain.

 

[CivilWarTalk]

At every park I have ever visited somebody has stuck the hook into the linstock holder. I have seen that in museum displays. Nobody knows quite what to do with the brake chain.

That I completely understand. I've also seen the chain hooked to the Handspike Hook several times. The chain's correct stowage to the carriage is admittedly not intuitive at first glance.

I've corrected many examples I've encountered when they have functional chains, on battlefields I've visited. That's a pet peeve of mine....

 

[CivilWarTalk]

So, actually, I have my own questions after studying the drawings. I notice that Mike's drawings all have "folded link chain", and Mordecai's Drawing uses what I would call "Standard Link Chain" which is similar to modern chain you'd find at the hardware store today.

I'm wondering if this is one of the improvements from the 1850's when the U.S. Ordnance Department visited Europe, and came back with many new innovative ideas....

I'm guessing that the Standard Chain was the early type, and the Folded Link Chain was the style favored during the Civil War, and perhaps if the circa-1837 carriage was still in use during the war, that maybe during refurbishment the chain was replaced with a "folded link style chain"....

Was there some advantage to one type of chain over the other? Is one type less likely to break than the other? Could it be that the folded link chain, has a more "wheel friendly" profile that won't dig into the wheel's wood so much?

So many questions over such an esoteric part!

 

[Rhea Cole]

On a visit to FT Pulaski my life long red leg eight year old g-granddaughter went around & correctly hooked up the brake chains on every gun mounted on a field carriage. She did it on her own saying, 'You would think they'd know better.'

 

[Rhea Cole]

Brake chain shoe side view.

Brake chain shoe from the top.

On a walk at Stones River NB yesterday I took a look at the break chain on a Weird carriage. Needless to say, Mr Weird had his own take on the thing. I detached it so that I could image the shoe (?). My impression is that because the brake was often used when ascending & descending steep grades the shoe would act as a skid, protecting the tire & felloes. In any case, visitors aren't going to be sticking this thing into the linstock bracket.

Confession, I could not make out how this thing worked exactly.

 

[redbob]

View attachment 441227
Brake chain shoe side view.

View attachment 441228
Brake chain shoe from the top.

On a walk at Stones River NB yesterday I took a look at the break chain on a Weird carriage. Needless to say, Mr Weird had his own take on the thing. I detached it so that I could image the shoe (?). My impression is that because the brake was often used when ascending & descending steep grades the shoe would act as a skid, protecting the tire & felloes. In any case, visitors aren't going to be sticking this thing into the linstock bracket.

Confession, I could not make out how this thing worked exactly.

Wiard had his own way of doing many things differently on his guns and carriages as seen by this Paulson Bothers Ordnance Company Carriage.

 

[JimW]

Can one of you help out and post a photo of one properly in place on the gun?

 

[Rhea Cole]

Can one of you help out and post a photo of one properly in place on the gun?

In Paulson photo the brake chain is hanging from the hook for the hand spike. The hook for the brake is beneath there on the trail.

Note: The hand spike is about the size of a baseball bat. The narrow end has a metal loop that hangs on the cheek & the fat end passes through the hinged loop at the front of the cheek. It is fastened to the trail & used to traverse the carriage.

I'll go & take some more images.