The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

236 MESSRS. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. Tubes on Double Mountings with Elevating and Training Gear for Torpedo-Boat Armament (Figs. 784 and 785).-—These figures show twin tubes on a double muzzle-pivoting mounting. The tubes have spoon-shaped extensions, and are arrangée! for firing forward. The mounting consista of a rear support, which forms tlie circular rack of the training mechanism, and which carries the elevating mechanism. The support is joined to the front pivot by a stiff bar. The lower surface of the rack rests on the fixed circular racer, bolted on deck, and slides on it during latéral training, no rollers being usecl in this type of mounting. The front pivot consista of a vertical cylinder hinged on the bottom part of the tube, and resting in a socket carried by a footplate bolted on deck. The tubes are elevated by a mechanism worked by a crank placecl on the left-hand side, and eontaining the gear already described, namely, a screw, the head of which is hinged on a horizontal cross-bar that joins the two tubes in the rear ; a nut through which passes tlie screw, made to turn f'reely and to oscillate, when necessary, round a horizontal axle on the rear of the frame ; on the outside surface of the nut is eut a conical pinion, made to geai’ in a bevel-wheel keyed on the horizontal shaft of the elevating handwheel. The required lateral training can be insured by gear set in motion from the inside of the ship. It consista of the rack which carries the whole of the elevating gear, and which rests on the fixed circular racer, suitable clutches holding tliese two pièces together, and a vertical bar that goes through the deck, and is fitted at the top with a pinion which gears in the rack. This rod in turning communicates to the system the required action. Tubes for Firing with Powder Charge or Com- pressée! Air.—Fig. 786, Plate CXXXV., reproduced from a photograph, shows a deck tube, with elevating mechanism, training device, and spherical joint, generally similar to | those previously described. Compressée! air or gunpowder can, however, be used at will for launching the torpedoes. ' To this effeet a coinpressed air reservoir is provided at the lower part of the tube, and follows it in all its actions. I A bent tube of large diameter unites the reservoir to the rear end of the tube. A valve with which. the tube is j provided governs the admission of air in the tube. Tubes Carried under Deck Beams.—These tubes are required in some cases, owing to the design followed in | the construction of the ship ; they are characterised by | the special shape of their supporting gear. They are carried by the upper deck beams, leaving the firing quarters •entirely free. The tubes are generally similar to tliose previously described. Jointed Tube, with Spoon Shaped Guide, and Training and Elevating Mechanisms.—Fig. 787, Plate CXXXVI., shows a side elevation and section of a tube of this type. The tube frame is hinged to a vertical pivot which forms part of the spherical joint support, the axis of the support corresponding with the centre of the joint. The frame rests at the rear ou a truck, made to turn round a «ircular track fitted under the deck beams. The tube, when in firing position, is carried in front in a spherical socket, and is provided with a spoon-shaped guide. In the rear it bears on the head of an elevating screw, two lugs being made to move in two circular grooves cut in the lateral vertical supports of the screw ; the centre of the grooves ' corresponds with thatof the spherical joint. Lateral train- 1 ing is obtained by the action of a winch, mounted on a roller truck that rests on the rear of the frame. The tube can be drawn in through a special truck, mounted on the U-section bar, on which it is carried by four rollers. This truck is joined to the tube at a point slightly in the rear of I its spherical swell, which can be made to leave its socket, ! and the whole system drawn back, the port being closed I by a cover. Tube with Spherical Bearing, for Compressée! Air and Gunpowder Discharge.—The tube shown in Figs. 788 and 789, Plates CXXXV. and CXXXVI, is in two I parts bolted together. The front part is made with the spherical bearing, which tits in the bulwarks of tlie ship. The rear part carries the breech-closing cover, the powder- chamber, the firing and safety devices. The front closing cover is worked by a rod placecl on the top centre line of the tube, and a handwheel. The compressée! air chamber is bolted to flanges, cast in one piece with the tube. A bent pipe joins this chamber to the rear of the tube ; the pipe is provided with a valve, which is connectée! with the launching mechanism in such a manner that the compressée! air cannot be delivered in the tube, unless the breech-closing cover be completely locked, and the front cover open. Two pressure gauges record the air pressure in the chamber and in the tube. The electric diseno-ag-ino- mechanism for percussion-firing is fitted in the usual place ; the firing device can also be worked by hånd. The whole of the system is carried on a mounting suspended under the deck beams, generally as described for preceding patterns. It can be drawn in during the navigation of the ship. Fig. 788 shows the arrangement, the breech-cover open and a torpedo in the tube. Schneider-Canet Tube, with Intermediate Expan- sion Chest.—In closing this brief review of the Schneider- Canet tubes for launching torpedoes above the water line we may give a description of a special arrangement, with expansion chest, adaptée! fer certain particular cases. Fig. 790 shows the arrangement in question, the advantages of which are the following : (a) It enables quick ignition powders to be used, without damage to the torpedo-propelling meehanism. (b) It allows the production in advance, when necessary and with the use of explosives, of the compressée! fluid required, which is introduced in the tube only at the instant of firing’. (c) It combines ail the advantages that result from the use of compressée! air and powder charges. To obtain this result, and to enable the gases to expand fully, the powder charge is ignited in an auxilary receiver (a) ■ of suitable volume, fixed to flanges (b) cast in one piece with the tube. One end of the receiver is closed by a screwed