The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

288 MESSRS. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. closed the trail at its front part ; it was closed at the rear by a cover, in the centre of which was fixed the central counter-rod. A ring, to which was fitted the trail-lifting lever, was also screwed on the lower end. The spade was attached to the trail with a groove and rib, as described for the prececling type, this arrangement enabling the gun to be trained over small lateral angles. The spade was of steel, and bore against a horizontal trail-plate ; it could be easily removed when, for any reason, it was desired to fire with free recoil, as in the old rigid trail system. To obtain this, it sufficed to fix the two tubes one on the ; other by placing a ring in a groove on the rear tube ; the | movable tube butted against the ring, and the trail remained rigid. The hydraulic recoil cylinder and the recuperatoi- were contained in the lower fixed tube. The recoil cylinder was | on the Schneider-Canet system, with central counter-rod. The liquid when displaced, acted on an airtight movable i diaphragm, which separated the liquid from the air contained in the top part, and the diaphragm compressée! the air in front of it. The air by expanding when recoil ceased, caused the liquid to flow back, and the gun ran out again automatically. The results obtained with this type were very satisfactory as regards stability. The gun, which recoiled after each round with the front tube of the trail, retumed almost completely to the position it occupied before firing the preceding round ; and by regulating the ports in the recoil cylinder and the air pressure in the recuperator, the rising of the wliole system [ was practically done away with. The spade held well, and generally penetrated completely at the first round I without loosening the ground. The device for slightly rectifying the lateral training worked satisfactorily, even when covered with earth and mud. Several specimens of this type, and of varions calibres, | were manufacture«! and tested in succession. In some cases the gun rested in a small carriage made to pivot on the carriage proper, a special liandwheel being provided for adjusting lateral training. This arrangement also gave I satisfaction, and it was chosen by the Uruguayan Govern- | ment for the ordnance they ordered, and which was manu- l factured at the Havre Works. 75 Millimétré (2.952-in.) Gun, on Carriage with Compressible Trail Adopted by the Uruguay Govern- ment (Fig. 922, and Figs. 923 and 924, Plate CLV.).—The following are particulars of this gun : Weight of gun 260 kg. 573 Ib. ,, carriage 585 kg. 1289 Ib. ,, projectile ... 5 kg. 11 Ib. Muzzle velocity 470 111. 1542 ft. Energy of projectile 56 t.-m. 186 foot-tons This type contained, besides those parts mentioned in the preceding description, a small carriage movable on the gun-carriage proper, and which serves for rectifying lateral training. This arrangement nécessitâtes a second hand- wheel for the lateral training. The srnall carriage consists of a cast steel circular platform in one piece with two vertical brackets, the gun trunnions fitting in the top part of the latter. The platform is free to turn round a central bearing which forms a vertical pivot ; it rests on two circular guides, fitted with gun-metal slide-plates that form part of the gun-carriage proper, damps in front and in the rear preventing the skifting of the system when the gun is fired. The left-hand bracket is continuée! at the rear as a support for the gun-training mechanism. The required elevation is obtained by a screw, the head of which bears constantly against the breech end of the gun. It travels in a nut carried on the extension of the small carriage, the rotation of the nut being produced by an entliess screw worked by the liandwheel. The gun is trained laterally by displacing the small carriage by means of a screw, the nut of which is jointed on the shoe-plate of the gun-carriage proper; the rear end of the screw rests on a second jointed support mounted on the extension of the small carriage. The system is worked by a handwheel. The wheels are of wood with steel centres ; the brake used when the ordnance is wheeled from one place to another consists of a circular band that surrounds the nave ; it is not used during firing. Fig. 922. 75-Millimetre Gun with Elastic Ti'ail for the Uruguay Government. This description complétés the section dealing with elastic trail carriages. This system has been carried by Messrs. Schneider to a high degree of perfection ; it allows the firing of 10 and 12 rounds per minute by gunners having no special training. This speed is in excess of what could be obtained at the time with rigid trail carriages, provided with elastic devices for deadening the force of recoil. As has been previously stated, the system works smoothly, and the spade scarcely recoils when the gun has once started regulär firing. The rising of the carriage is négligeable. This type is, therefore, suitable to replace the older ones, over which it con- stitutes a marked improvement. During firing, however, the gunners are obliged to stand in the rear, or outside the wheels, owing to the back ward and forward motion of the latter. The con- séquence of this is, that the guns cannot be fired with the rapidity now demanded by modem conditions without undue fatigue to the gunners. This led Messrs. Schneider and Co. to design and experiment with another dass of gun-carriage for extra rapid firing, in which the wheels remain in place, and by which 20 or even 25 aimed rounds per minute can be fired, without fatigue for the gunners.