The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

256 MESSRS. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. A latch-bolt is introduced for tixing the turret when at sea. The mechanism for elevatine' the gun consists of a toothed rack placed under the jacket, and which gears with a pinion on a shaft carrying a helical toothed wheel. An endless screw that drives the latter is connectée! to a work- ing crank through two bevel pinions. The gun can be trained by hand or electric power. An endless screw is keyed on the electric motor shaft ; this drives a hélicoïdal wheel, the shaft of which carries a pinion which gears in The gun is supplied with ammunition by means of a carrier containing three compartments placed side by side, fitted with three pairs of rollers that travel in the guides placed inside the central tube. The lower pair of rollers is fitted to two arms jointed on the charge-holder ; a ring is fixed on the cross-piece that unités the two arms ; it holds an endless chain worked by a winch placed in the lower part of the system. The chain passes round the tension pulley between the two floors of the rotating plat- form. The winch is worked from an electric motor, which the circular rack fitted to the central tube. The electric motor is driven by a coinmutator of the type styled cartouche électrique, placed on the right of the carriage within easy reach of the gunner. For training the gun by hand, the mechanism com- prises a wheel, toothed on the inside of the rim, keyed on the hélicoïdal wheel shaft, and a suitable gearing, The two sets of gearing may be thrown in or out by means of a clutch, accorcling to whether hand or electric power be employée!. operates a horizontal shaft providecl with a brake. The carrier descends by its own weight, the speed being regu- latecl by the brake. The motor is started with the Help of a rhéostat. The winch can also be worked by hand from the charging-room. Safety devices are provided for stopping the carrier at both ends of its travel. The pro- jectile is brougbt to the rear of the gun in a truck pro- videcl with three compartments, and made to travel on rails, and a small turntable, placed on the top flooring of the rotating platform.