The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

 MESSRS. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. 258 Coast-Defence Gun and Mounting. S56 to 860, 26,500 kg. 36,500 kg. + 20 deg. - 8 deg. 1.100 m. 82 kg. 216 kg. 600 m. 58,4001b. 80,4001b. + 20 deg. - 8 deg. 43,307 in. 1811b. 476 1b. 1,9701b. Weight of gun.. ,, mounting ... Angles of elevation Recoil of mounting ... Weight of powder charge „ ordinary projectile Muzzle velocity The gun consists of a steel tube, strengthened by eight steel hoops. The breech-block is made with three threaded parts and three interruptions, the rear threa«! being con- tinuons for limiting the travel. The body of tlie breech- block is made with two grooves for guiding it on the Fig. 855. 27-Centimetre 28-Calibre its former place through the small vents cut in the valve seats. 27-Centimetre (10.630-In.) 30-Calibre Coast-Defence Gun, on Central Pivoting Mounting (Figs. Plates CXLVII. and CXLVIII.). with a toothed wheel ; two other shafts placed in front of the mounting, work the toothed wheels, and transmit tlie motion to all the system. The varions parts being embodied with the slide, this gets displaeed on the bedplate immediately the grooved pulley is made to draw on the chain. A charging cradle is usecl for raising the projectile from the ground level to tlie rear of the gun ; it is placed ai the end of a lever which revolves round a horizontal axle carried in bushes in the rear of the slide. On this same axle are keyed : (a) a cam, on the circumference of which is a chain, the other end of this chain is attachée! to a spring recuperator ; and (6) part of a hélicoïdal wheel. This is moved by an entliess screw which in its turn is worked by a set of pinions, these being driven by a crank. The spring recuperator to which the chain is fitted, consists i of a piston, the rear surface of which bears on a series of Belleville springs contained in a fixed cylindrical ehest. This arrangement renders the efforts for raising the cradle containing the projectile, and the lowering of the empty cradle, practically equal. When the lowering of the empty cradle takes place, the Belleville springs are pressée! clown through the traction of tlie chain which is drawn by the crank, the relaxing of the springs taking place during the hoisting of the cradle loaded with a projectile. The charging platform is in the rear of the slide, two ladders giving access to it. Tha gun-carriage proper is in the shape of a cradle ; it contains the two recoil cylinders, which end at their lower part in two shoes that travel on the rollers of the slide, and form clainps which prevent all raising of the system when the gun is fired. There are two ribs through one of which the two conduits of the recoil cylinders pass ; tlie ribs insure the stifihess of the whole arrangement. Tlie trunnion bearings are on the top of the recoil cylinders ; they are kept in place by ineans of top trunnion plates and screws. Lugs on the ou tside of the cylinders serve for taking the material to pieces and for its re-erection. The hydraulic recoil cylinders are fitted with central counter-rods, on the Schneider-Canet system ; the pressure inside the cylinder is constant during the time the recoil lasts. The pistons arejoined to the slide; when a round is fired, the gun draws back the mounting, and the glycérine contained in the recoil cylinders is compressée! in the cylinders by the pistons ; it raises the valves placed in the centre of the pistons, and flows through an annulai’ opening cut round the counter-rod. When recoil is spent, the valves under the action of their springs, fall back on their seats, and the liquid can only return to