The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

XXXVI.-SOHNEIDER-CANET NAVAL TURRETS. rpHis is an important branch of the Schneider-Canet -L system of armament, both as regards the iinprove- ments carried out in successive turrets built, and the large number, adapted for all calibres of guns, that have been supplied to the French and varions foreign Governments. The Schneider-Canet system was tbe first to combine balancée! turrets with a central tube, and worked either | by electricity or by hånd. The present section is, there- fore, of special interest, and we shall classify it, in order to facilitate the description of the varions types, under the three following heads : 1. Hjdraulic, non-balanced turrets, for loading in all positions. 2. Hydraulic, balancée! turrets, with central tube, for loading in all positions. 3. Electrically-working turrets. i. HYDRAULIC, NON-BALANCED TURRETS, FOR LOADING IN ALL POSITIONS. As a type of this, the Schneider-Canet turrets for 138.6-millimetre (5.456-in.) guns may be taken. The turret consista? of a platform with a conical wrouo’bt-steel socket; the gun mounting; a hoist with loading platform ; a means for the discharge of empty cartridge-cases ; and the mechanism for lateral training and elevation of the gun. One side of the turret space is set aside for delivery of ammunition to the gun and the discharge of empty cartridge-cases, the other side being reserved for operating the breech-block, and the elevating and training mechanism. Ammunition from the magazines is placed in the hoist on the orlop deck. The platform consists of two longitudinal and six transverse beams built up of plates and angles, and strongly fitted together with wrought-steel Hooring plates; it carries the gun and its inounting with the interposition of a cast-steel bearing, in the sides of which the trunnions are placed. Angles fitted to the ends of the beams round the flooring plates, serve to fix the armour and backing to the platform. The turret is 1.800 metres (5 ft. 10J in.) high to the springing of the top plates. The conical socket consists of two 12-millimetre (.472-in.) steel plates lap-jointed together; the upper part enters a steel casting which connecta the soeket with the platform, and tho lower part is closed by another steel casting forming the pivot support, which is of forged steel ; it turns on a busli of hard gun-metal placed inside a gun-metal step bearing, bolted to a cast-steel foundation plate. The rotation of the bearing allows the height of the turret to vary by a few centimètres. The pivot, the step bearing, and the foundation plate, are rocessed in the centre to receive the pipe that delivers water under pressure. The turret is guided in a cast-steel ring fixed to a guide plate, the joint between the soeket and the platform being lined with gun-metal friction ring, which turns inside the cast-steel ring. The OTn mountin" is arranged with limited recoil and o o o automatic return ; it consists of a trunnion carriage, two recoil slides, and a spring recuperator. The centres of the carriage trunnions and those of the recoil slides are in the same plane, the spring recuperator being placed underneath the carriage. The carriage is of cast steel, in two similar parts, connected vertically in front and at the rear. On the sides are the trunnions on which it is carried, and tlie slides for the slide-blocks. The jointed parts in front and in the rear, form two jackets, placed as far apart as possible ; these serve as guides for the gun. They are lined with gun metal, as also are the lateral slides, in order to reduce friction during recoil and return. The slide-blocks are rectangular, and are placed symmetrically ; they contain the brake cylinders ; two half rings welded to the Blocks unité them together in a vertical plane. These half rings are made with projections which fit in grooves cut in the gun, thus causing the slide-blocks to follow all the motions of the gun. Recoil is absorbed by the two recoil cylinders. The piston-rods in front of the carriage pass through the cylinders from one end to the other, the volume in the brake therefore remaining con- stant. Grooves of varying sections are cut inside the cylinders to allow the liquid to flow from one side to the pistons to the other : they are calculated in such a way as to offer a practical ly constant résistance through 250 millimétrés (9.842 in.), which is the length <>f the recoil. The recuperator consists of two sets of spiral springs, symmetrica! with the gun, and bearing on tbe rear end of two rods, the front ends being fixed to the front of the mounting. The springs are compresse«! during recoil, through a forged steel crosspiece fixed to tlie half rings of the slicle-block. Wlien the recoil is spent, the reaction of the springs, runs out the slide-blocks and the gun. The springs can be easily and quickly replaced. Return to firing position is controlled by the brake during the greater part of the travel, and afterwards by a hydraulic buffer. The gun is supplied with ammunition by means of a hydraulic hoist and loading platform. The hoist consists of a tube with a lateral opening, which serves as a guide for the ammunition, and of an endless chain, fitted at