The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

196 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. then been brought back to such an extent that the cartridge-case has advanced several centimetres from the rear end of the gun, and can be removed by hånd. By working rapidly, the empty case would be thrown right out. On introducing a fresh cartridge, the flange on the base of the cartridge-case brings the extractor and toothed sector to their first positions. To close the breech, the usual movements are executed : the hand-lever is replacée! in position, and the spring cam tits in its groove to prevent all accidentai opening of the breech. When the breech is closed, a small block worked by a spring, and arranged on the rear end of the gun, extends over the hand-lever to prevent it from moving ; it is fitted laterally with a spring catch. When the gun is fired and during recoil, the block by its own weight, and under the action of recoil, enters a groove in the gun, disengages the hand-lever. and the spring cateh enters a notch which I prevents its return ; it is then possible to work the lever in order to open the breech. In case of miss-fire, the gun does not recoil, and the block remains in its position above the hand-lever, thus rendering it impossible to work the latter. To open the breech-block it is therefore necessary, first, to push back the saf’ety block. The gun j can be fired by percussion or by an electric fuze. In both cases, firing cannot take place until the breech is completely closed. 2. TWO-MOTION BREECH MECHANISM. The Sehneider-Canet two-motion type of quick-firing gun embodies an improvement over those already de- scribed, which consists in reducing the operations for opening and closing the breech, to two distinct move- ments. The smaller number of parts in the mechanism constitutes another improvement. The arrangement has, moreover, shown, after protractecl and severe tests, as well as in actual use, such good qualities, that it has been fitted to quick-firing Sehneider-Canet guns of the most recent manufacture, and which, owing to the conditions required in service, have to undergo rougli handling’. Breech-blocks of this model have been fitted to guns of calibres from 75 millimétrés (2.952 in.) to 15 centimetres (5.905 in.) inclusive, the latter calibre not being’ regarded as a maximum, as the system is well adapted for application to larger sizes. With this, type, either fixed obturators or brass cartridge- cases can be used ; and the mechanism lends itself therefore equally well to firing by friction, by percussion, or by eleetricity. The following examples, chosen among many others, will serve to illustrate the system. Two-Motion Mechanism with Repeating Firing Device (Figs. 645 to 648).—This consists of the breech- block, the breech-block carrying device, and the firing mechanism. The hand-lever is in one piece with the rear disc of the block, which is made with two threaded parts and two interruptions ; it is therefore necessary to turn this I starting lever only a quarter round to disengage it; the shape and dimensions are so calculated that the breech- block need not be pulled back to cause it to leave the gun of the breech-block. A trigger keeps the gun cocked, and it is fired by pulling on the firing line only when the breech is completely closed. The lever is provided with | a cam which, when the breech is closed, fits in a mortice 1 in the slide-rest of the breech-screw, and prevents all accidentai back movement. Until the breech is closed, j the striker is not opposite the vent ; besicles this, the I striker can only act when the breech is locked, thus preventing all accidentai firing. To open the breech, the hand-lever is brouglit from ' left to right, to disengage the cam ; then the breech-block is turned round ; this first disengages the threads and brings out the breech-screw to the side of the gun. The bi'eech is closed by repeating these motions inversely. In this type of breech, a special bolt of the same pattern as that employed in the other types, joins the breech- block alternately to the slide-rest, and this to the gun. A good idea of the three-motion type of mechanism is given in Figs. 641 to 644, which show the appli- cation to the Scbneider-Canet 12-centimetre (4.724 in.) and 138.6 millimétré (5.456 in.) quick-firing guns. As fitted to the 138.6 millimétré (5.456 in.) guns of the first- class French battleship Charles Martel, the arrangement consista of a breech - block, a pivoting slide-rest, and a double latch. Obturation is insured by the brass cartridge-case, the empty case leaving the breech auto- matieally when it is opened. The breech-block is made with 15 interrupted threads, on four equal sectors, and is worked by means of a hand-lever ; a cam fitted with a spring fits in a mortice on the rear end of the gun to prevent accidentai opening of the breech. The extractor consista of a thick rectangular bar, raised in front to form a clutch and toothed laterally. A toothed sector that turns freely on a hinge, engages the extractor permanently, and forms a socket in which a cleat can enter, fitted to the bracket. The cleat is placed vertically, its top part being made to rest, by means of a spring, on the hinge-bar. To open the breech, the hand-lever is turned one- | eighth round, the small lever that works the spring cam being taken hold of at the same time, as the latter then gets disengaged from the gun, and permits the hand-lever to act freely. The screw-block is then pulled out, guided by the bracket clutches ; when clear, it strikes against the butt end of the clutches, the shock causing the head o£ the bracket double-latch to be freed from its 1 catch, while the heel of the latch engages in a groove made in the screw. the cleat being in the hollow made for it in the toothed sector. On pulling the hand-lever sharply, the bracket and breech-block turn round on the hinge ; shortly after the turning motion has begun, the cleat strikes the toothed sector of the extractor, the shock freeing the brass cartridge-case. The rotation of the bracket in its motion to the rear, moves the toothed sector, the extractor-rod and the empty case ; at the same time the hinge-bar causes the cleat head to rise, the cleat becoming disengaged from the toothed sector préviens to the complété rotation of the bracket. The extractor has