The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

272 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. This mortar is of similar construction to the liowitzer just described. The mounting has been designed specially for plunging fire. It consista of the following main parts ; A bedplate with slide and beam. The slide rests on a set of rollers, and is held in place by two damps that bear on a rim of the bedplate, thus insuring the stability of the system, and preventing it from rising when the gun is fired. The beam consists of two arms strengthened with ribs ; in these arms the gun trunnions are fitted ; the beam turns round a sliaft carried in two Blocks, east in one piece with the slide. Between the shaft and the beam are placed india-rubber sleeves for deadening the shock produced when the gun is fired. The beam arms are continuée! below the shaft, for making connections with the movable recoil cylinders. The piston is fixed, and its rod is jointed on the slide. A set of springs surrounds this rod inside the cylinder, and forms the recuperator for running out the gun. The hydraulic recoil is of the type with central counter-rod, already described. Two rods hold the chase of the gun, one being jointed on a collar, the other pivoting round the beam axle. Lateral training is obtained by working the system direct by means of a lever similar to the one for the 15- centimetre howitzer. When the gun is trained in the position required, the lever is let go, and the jaws with which it is fitted hold the platform fast. For elevating the gun, a lever is provided which works in a socket in one piece with the rod that pivots round the beam axle ; the chase of the gun is thus acted upon direct to obtain the required incline, a screw holding the gun when it is in firing position. A scale is marked on the left-hand trunnion plate. 150-Millimetre (6.102-In.) and 120-Millimetre (4.724-In.) Howitzers on Double-Brake Mountings (Figs. 889 to 895, Plate CLIL).—These types have been supplied in large numbers to the Russian, Danisb, and other Governments. 155-Milliinetres. 120-Millimetres. Weight of gun... 1100 kilogs 520 kilogs. (2425 Ib.) (1146 Ib.) ,, mounting ... 3000 kilogs 2300 kilogs. (6612 Ib.) (5071 Ib.) ,, projectile ... 40 kilogs. 20 kilogs. (88 Ib. ) (44 Ib.) Muzzle velocity 300 m. 300 m. (984 fr .) (984 ft.) Elevation - 5 deg. — 5 deg. + 60 deg. + 60 deg. Training, through 360 deg. 360 deg. The howitzer is of the Schneider-Canet type, already described. The breech-closing mechanism works gene- rally in two actions. The mounting has been specially designed for plunging fire with guns of high power, while reducing as mueh as possible the shocks caused by the firing, and is characterised by the combination of two distinct hydraulic recoil cylinders. One acts parallel with the direction of the guides of the oscillating slide, and counteracts the force of traction developed by the gun trunnions; while the other serves to deaden the effeets of shocks which, in this kind of ordnance, would reach sometimes considérable proportions. Part of the force developed during recoil is taken up by a spring recuperator ; it is given back afterwards to insure the automatic running out of the gun. The mounting contains the following main parts : The carriage, the slide, the recoil cylinders and i'ecuperator, and the bedplate. The carriage supports the gun by its trunnions ; it con- sists of a gun-metal cradle, and contains the two traction recoil cylinders. The carriage travels during recoil and return on the oscillating guides, to which it is clamped, to prevent its skifting during firing. The piston-rods are tixed in the front of the guides, and their section is such tliat the résistance given during recoil to the flowing of the liquid, remains practically constant. The slide is of cast steel, and consists of a movable part, with two oscil- lating guides which carry the slide-shoes of the carriage, and of the fixed frame, formed of two vertical cheeks strengthened by ribs and firmly stayed together. These cheeks are joined at their lower part by a circular plat- form, in the thickness of which is made the racer for the ball bearings. In the centre part of the platform is made the vertical cylinder in which fits the fixed pivot of the carriage bedplate ; its circumference is provided with damps that prevent the shifting of the system. A hori- zontal shaft is placed at the top part of the cheeks, round which the movable slides oscillate. The percussion recoil cylinder contains a piston, the rod of which is jointed at its top part to the middle cross-piece that joins the oscillating guides. When the piston descends, the liquid driven by it, acts on a movable piunger that bears on a cross-piece loadeel with two sets of Belle- ville springs; this takes place when, under the action of firing, the oscillating slide turns down on its hori- zontal axis. When recoil is spent, and the motion of the guides ends, the recuperator springs relax, and cause the system to rise at a moderate speed; and when the two guides have resumed their normal angle, the carriage i’esumes the firing position, under the action of gravity. The carriage can also be fixed in any position by means similar to those described for the 15-centimetre howitzers and mortars, namely, by jointed jaws on the rim of the lower platform. A groove is cut round the circumference of the bolster, to form a roller-path for the balis ; its central part forms the vertical pivot round which the movable slide revolves. The bedplate is provided with a ring for bolting it to the foundation. Lateral training is obtained by acting direct on the system, by means of levers that work in sockets forming part of the platform. The position can be regulated during firing, either by sighting a distant point or by means of the scale 011 the bedplate. In certain cases, the required elevation can be given by acting direct on one of the gun trunnions with a square-studded lever ; a screw brake serves to fix the gun when it has been given the required an»le. For measuring this the sieht scale is used. with movable slide. In cases of masked firing, a mirror placed in front of the sight objective enables the gun to be