The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

190 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. rising of the gun supports. The slide consista of two beams stayed together, their upper surfaces forming slide paths ; the front end is provided with trunnions, and tlie rear ends with Blocks in which are fixed the recoil cylinder piston-rods. The gun-carriage proper is semi-cylindrical in shape, and rests on the path of the slide ; the recoil cylinders and compensating cylinder are cast in one piece with it. For training the gun, hydraulic pressure is necessary, owing to the heavy weights that have to be moved, and for this purpose cylinders are placed on each side of the slide. To the head of both piunger pistons is fixed the end of the pitched chain which traverses the gun ; this chain takes a half turn round the racer of the central tube which carries the mounting. For training, the hand- wheel that governs the mechanism is made to turn in the direction towards which the gun is to be moved. The levers and handwheels are all within reach of the gunner. bolted a rack ; this works through toothed gearing and a shaft, the rotation of which effeets the opening and closing of the breeeh. The working of this mechanism is very simple ; the piston remaining stationary, it is only necessary to admit water under pressure to the right or left of the piston in order to cause the cylinder to move and bring the rack in the required position. The mounting consists of three main parts ; the gun- carriage proper, in which the gun is fitted ; an oscillating slide, and the foundation. The gun is without trunnions, but it is held by a series of rings which fit in grooves in a semicircular carriage. Four keys, two in front and two in the rear, are lodged in slots cut partly in the carriage and partly in the gun rings. The gun is, therefore, held throughout in place and cannot turn round. The gun- carriage proper rests for the whole of its length on the slides ; a system of damps prevents it from getting dis- placed laterally. The gun-carriage slide-blocks are of gun- Fig. 616. 34-Centimetre (13.386-in.) Naval Gun and Mounting. The recoil cylinders are on the Schneider-Canet system, with central counter-rod. They communicate with each other by a pipe which carries a valve-box fitted to the rear of the intermediate compensating cylinder. This arrangement gives full control in the operation of nmning out and liauling in of the gun. A slide valve governs the distribution in the various cylinders. 34-Centimetre (13.386-In.) Naval Gun (Fig. 616).— Guns of this type have been supplied for the armament of the first-class cruiser Marceau. Weight of gun ,, projectile ,, charge Muzzle velocity Angles of elevation 51,250 kg. 420 kg. 195 kg. (525 m. + U deg. — 5 deg. 51.25 tons 924 1b. 429 1b. 2050 ft. + 11 deg. — 5 deg. The gun is of steel throughout, and is held to the gun- carriage proper by grooved jackets. The breech mechanism consists of a breech-block, an obturator, and a percussion firing device. The breech is opened and closed automatically by means of a movable cylinder placed in the rear of the slide, and on which is métal, the sliding surfaces being fitted with lubricators. Buffers are fitted to the gun-carriage guide ; this carries also a specially shaped slide-bar, which operates a pin that régulâtes the circulation of liquid in the recoil cylinders. The body of the slide consists of f;wo I-beams, in the front end of which are fitted trunnions. Two cross-stays, in front and in the rear, insure the perfect stift’ness of the system. Inside the slide are the recoil cylinders placed on the right and on the left, and the distribution box ; the cylinder for working the breech mechanism is in the rear ; on the sides are two fixed buffers, which correspond to those fitted to the gun-carriage guide. The slide also carries the support for the regulating pin. The two foundation supports are symmetrical, and are fixed to the platform, with the interposition of a sole-plate, which holds tliem together in front, and constitutes, at the sanie time, a damp to prevent any rising. The hydraulic press for elevating the gun is boltecl to the turret platform. It consists of a cylinder and a liollow piston with a socket containing the spherical head of the connecting-rod, which is joined by a trunnion to the trame. The piston is raised when water under pressure is caused