(also known as the Parrott rifled gun) Invented in 1860 by Captain Robert Parrott, a front-loading artillery weapon. Parrott perfected the weapon by reinforcing the breech (rear-end) of the cast iron tube with an iron band. The term “rifle” refers to the grooves inside the barrel of the cannon, which imparted a spin to the projectile. The cannon was later patented in 1861.