The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

MOUNTINGrS FOR QUICK-FIRING FIELD GUNS. 293 the jacket, there being, therefore, no unbreeehing effort to counteract. The jacket carries a certain nuinber of parts forged in one piece with it, namel-y, the lugs which hold the recoil piston-rods and the recuperator-rods, the flanges that act as guides in the cradle, the T-shaped guide for lateral training, and the hinge which carries the breech-block. The breech-block seating is made with two threaded parts and two interruptions. The breech-closing device contains but a limited number of pieces, and these are strong and of simple shape ; they are easily put in place and removed by hånd, no tool being required. It projects but little over the rear end of the gun. Firing takes place by percussion, the striker being cocked automatically ; the gun can also be fired by elec- tricity. The carriage has a hydraulic recoil and indepen- dent spring recuperator. It is fitted with a spade placed half-way between the carriage axle and the trail end. The spade is made with an elastic joint. According to the hardness of the ground, it penetrates more or less by varying the length of the traction-rod with a key. During transport, it is raised and hooked on to the trail. The recoil of the gun on the carriage bas been limited to .300 metre (11,811 in.); this was the maximum that it seemed possible to obtain with a direct-acting spring recuperator made independent of the recoil cylinders, the liquid in these being under no pressure when the gun is not in action. This length of recoil did not prevent the recoil of the carriage owing to the power of the gun compared to its weiglit, but this model, as it stands, contains improve- ments which allow the lateral training to be rapidly rectified, and the firing of eight to ten aimed rounds per minute. The recoil pistons are not made tight ; the recuperator springs require no regulating, and the system of connecting the gun to the carriage is very simple. The axle is made with a wide opening in its centre, in which the cradle is placed (Fio-, 944, Plate CLVIL); the latter is made with two trunnions, round which it pivots, carrying the gun with it. The axle journals are conical, and in a straight line ; the wheels are lubricated through the centre, so that they need not be removed. The gun- metal cradle is fitted with the recoil cylinders, the seatings for the vertical trunnions and the lugs for fixing the recuperator casings, and the sight and scale. The two recoil cylinders are placed laterally in a line with the centre of the gun, so as not to create diagonal friction of the latter in the cradle. The recuperator springs work in compression ; they are contained in steel casings joinecl to the cradle by collars. The trail is built up of steel plates ; it is made with two brackets and two stay-plates, the latter hollowed out to allow a free recoil for the gun. It carries in front the jointed supports on the axle, and in the rear the trail-plate, which rests on the ground ; it is, moreover, fitted with all the requisite accessories. When in battery. the gun and cradle are balanced on the axle. To obtain the required elevation, the cradle is made to turn by means of a crank which operates a curved rack fixecl to a cradle through an endless screw and a pinion. The crank, endless screw, and pinion are held in a support bolted on the right-hand bracket. A handwheel serves to regulate the pressure on the endless-screw wheel, the latter being driven by friction ; thus the junetion of the gun with the carriage is not too rigid, yet sufficiently so to prevent any deviation that might be caused by acting on the firing line. For transporting the material from one place to the other, the gun is buckled on the carriage, the breech-end being lowered, and thus the mechanism suffers no shocks. The gun is trained laterally, as is customary, with the help of the trail lever ; in this model, however, two small sights have been added on the axle, which give a central sighting line, and enable the man at the trail to replace tbe gun in the required direction when a round has been fired. The gunner has then only to give the gun a slight lateral displacement on the carriage, by means of a handwheel and an endless screw, which engages a horizontal sector ; with this device the gun can be made to pivot through about 2 deg. on each side. The handwheel is fitted on an arm fixed to the axle, and the sector is made movable over a dovetailed arc. The gun slides, during recoil, in a T- shaped groove, which joins it to the system, while it does not prevent its displacement. The wheel brake consists of a cross-piece fitted with shoes ; two suspensions under the trail ; two bars and two crank nuts carried in the axle supports. The brake is only used occasionally during firing. The gun is sighted by means of a scale and sight placed on the right side of tlie cradle, at a sufficient height, so tliat the gunner has not to stoop when he sights the gun ; sighting and loading take place simultaneously. A small oscillating level is provided, to rectify elevation in quick firing. To maintain the carriage in perfect working order it is only necessary to keep it clean and well lubricated. Leakage of liquid from the recoil cylinders is not to be feared ; it could only take place through the glands that surround the rods, and these are easily kept quite tight. The recuperator springs being regulated in advance to run out the gun completely under the greatest firing angle, they are submitted to only moderate action, and require no attention during firing. The surfaces, against which there is a sliding action, remain uncovered only during the time recoil lasts. The limber is practically similar to that of the preceding type. 75-Millimetre (2.952-In.) Gun, Long Type, on Car- riage with Hydraulic Recoil, and Spade under Axle or at End of Trail (Figs. 951 and 952): Weight of gun „ carriage .. ,, projectile.. Muzzle velocity Energy of projectile .. 330 kg. 686 kg. 6.5 kg. 550 111. 102.5 t.-m. 727 Ib. 1512 Ib. Ib. 1804 ft. 341 foot-tons In this specimen the gun is fitted at its lower part with a bearing soleplate, which slides, during recoil, in a gun-metal guide fitted to the carriage. The guide contains