The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. exhaust ; so that when one ram is protruded, the other is vvithdrawn to an equalamount. Lateral training, therefore, is obtained by putting one or the other of the two cylinders in connection with the accumulator, according to the direction of rotation requirecl. The valves are worked by a handwheel controlled by the gunner; a special mechanism operated by the sanie handwheel causes a continuons revo- lution, more or less rapid, one way or the other ; the rotating movement stops when the handwheel is released. For loading, the gun is elevated to its highest angle. In this position its centre line corresponds to that of a plate which supports the charge-holder. The plate is also guided by two slide shoes, which travel in the slides fitted to the tube. The charge-holder is mounted on a truck, which renders it movable in its support, and which is fitted with two rollers that travel in vertical slides; these are made to branch off at their top part. This arrangement forces the truck to travel first vertically, and when it nears the breech, to slide back, so as to take up a suitable position for the loading of the gun. At the lower staging, the operations follow each other thus : Crânes raise the projectiles and half-cartridges to the height of the lower Platform with Starting and Controlling Mechanism. Hydraulic Brake for 340-Millimetre Gun. hydraulic rammer, with a telescopic ram carried on the turret platform ; this rammer serves to drive home the projectile and the two half-cartridges. The charge-holder is of the same form as that already described ; it has three tubes mounted on an axle, placed, when in position for loading, at the same angle as the gun ; a partial rotation through 120 deg. brings the projectile and the two half- cartridges successively opposite the breech ; an automatic laich-bolt fixes the barrel in the required positions. The charge-holder is worked by two hydraulic pistons, the cylinders of which are placed vertically in the tube, near the guiding slides. The two plate-chains are fixed at one end to the head of the piston-rods, and at the other to the deck, from where they are taken by a set of tackle that travels on a circular line, made concentric with the ammunition tube. The tackle discharges in a cradle fitted O to the lower part of the tube ; the charges have then only to be slid in their compartments in tlie barrel. The gun can be loaded, whatever be the position of the firing platform. 3. SHIP TURRETS WORKED BY ELECTRICITY AND BY HAND POWER, WITH CENTRAL AMMUNITION TUBE. The Schneider-Canet system of electric turrets has been largely supplied for varions ships : they are now generally preferred to hydraulic turrets.