The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

274 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. The rods oscillate at their lower part on a shaft supported by two sliding shoes, which fit in circular grooves made in the front of the slide brackets. Two smaller rods join the shoes to these arms, in a line with the cheeks, below the drums. The hyclraulic recoil cylinder is movable ; it is placed horizontally between the brackets, and is provided in front and in the rear with two cross- bars that travel in gun-inetal guides fitted to the slide. The piston remains fixed ; it consists of a cylindrical rod hollowed out along its length, tlie central couiiter-rod being held on the bottoin of the recoil cylinder. The recuperator is formed of two hollow drums, round which the beam turns. The bottom of each drum is in communi- cation with the recoil cylinder through a pipe fitted with a loaded valve. In the valve seat are two narrow vents which cross at right angles ; these openings can be closed wholly or in part by a conical-pointed rod worked by a screw. This establishes a direct passage, the area of which can be made to vary at will, thougli tlie valve be fallen back on its seat. The other end of the drums can be put in connection with. an air compressor, worked by liand or by power; a movable airtight diaphragm is put in both cylinders, between the liquid from the recoil cylinder, and the compressée! air delivered by the com- pressor. When the gun is run up and ready for firing, the pointed regulating rod is screwed clown, closing the vents. Then, when the gnu is fired, the recoil causes the beam to turn round the drums, and the arms fitted to the lower part of the beam cheeks are driven forward, drawino- with Q I them the recoil cylinder in which the piston enters. Pressure is thus exercised on the liquid which flows through the opening that remains free between the counter-rod and the central port-hole in the piston : it raises the loaded valve, and enters the two drums, driving before it the airtight diaphragme above referred to, which act on the compressée! air and inerease its pressure. This continues as long as the gun has run completely clown. An elastic buffer is placed in the rear of the slide, to deaden the shock, should the motion of the system exceed in any way the extent calculated for a normal oscillation. When the gun is run clown, tlie loaded valve falls back on its seat, and cuts off com- munication between the recuperator drums and the hydraulic recoil cylinder ; the gun then remains run clown, and eau be reloaded and reset. For runnino- it up again, the pointed rod is unscrewed by means of a hand-wheel ; tlie liquid under pressure can thus flow back to the recoil cylinder, which resumes its former position, drawing with it the arms at the lower part of tlie beam. The running up of the gun can therefore be controlled at will. For rapid firing, the firing device can be arrangée! to act automatically when the gun lias run up in battery, the only stoppage in the action being that for loadino- 1 • • ° ° and training. l’or lateral training it is sufficient to act direct by traction 011 the movable slide, with the help of one or more levers placed on the eircumference of the platform ; a scale enables the position of the gun to be noted and maintained. The required elevation is obtained by work- ing the rods jointed on tlie gun ring ; to this effeet the slide-shoes, in which is fitted the shaft that joins the two rods at their lower part, extend over the guides in two brackets. À shaft on which two pinions are keyed goes through the two brackets. The pinions gear in circular racks, cut in the outside surface of the fixed guides. The system is worked by a hand-wheel driving tlie shaft which carries the two pinions. A scale is cut on tlie outside ledge of the guides. The gun can be set to a given angle of elevation, either when it is run clown or when it is in firing position. A horizontal shield, carried on columns attached to the slide, protects the varions parts of the mounting. It is made with a longitudinal opening to admit the passage of the gun. 24-Centimetre (9.448-In.) Gun on Disappearing Carriage with Counterweight (Fig. 898).—This type, though working automatically, can be driven by a steam motor or by electric transmission. It contains only mechanical parts and a counterweight, compressed air not being resorted to. Weight of gun 22,200 kg. 48,942 Ib. ,, mounting 124,000 kg. 273,370 Ib. ,, projectile 150 kg. 331 Ib. Muzzle velocity ... 820 m. 2,688 ft. Elevation ... ... - 6deg. + 15deg. — 6 deg. 4-15 deg. Training, through 360 deg. 360 deg. The gun is built throughout of steel, and is of a standard Schneider-Canet coast-defence type. The mount- ing is formed of the following main parts : (a) The carriage proper, which carries the gun in its movements of recoil and return. (b) The slide, on which the carriage travels ; this slide disappears after each round, and runs the gun up again in a firing position. (c) The movable platform, which transmits to the system tlie lateral training displacements. The platform remains fixed during the disappearing motion of the gun. (cZ) The bedplate, which carries tlie whole installation and rests on the foundation. The carriage proper consists of a cradle ; it contains the two lateral recoil cylinders, and an intermediate recuperator placed in the centre line of tlie system and at the lower part. It is provided with trunnion-plates, in which the gun rests. The lower surface of each of the cylinders forms a slide-shoe, and is provided with a damp that holds the edges of the slide guides. The recoil cylinders are on the Schneider-Canet system, with central counter-rods. The recuperator communicates with the cylinders through two branched pipes and a valve-chest ; it contains a piston, which, on recoil, is driven by the liquid that flows from the recoil cylinder, and presses clown two sets of springs parallel with the centre line of the mounting. The slide is formed of two vertical cheeks, the