The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

XLVII. LANDING OR BOAT GUNS. IN the following paragraphs, some particulars are given concerning the Schneider-Canet guns which have been designed and manufacturée! for landing batteries or boat guns : 75-Millimetre (2.952-In.) Gun, on Rigid Landing- Carriage. Weight of gun... ,, carriage ,, projectile. ... Mtizzle velocity 100 kg. 141 kg. 4.6 kg. 285 ni. 220 Ib. 31(1 Ib. 10 Ib. 935 ft. The gun trunnions rest in tvvo trunnion-plates riveted to the carriage ; the latter is rigid, and is formed of tvvo steel plate brackets, stayed togetlier, and raised up at the rear to form the block-trail. A wide trail-plate prevents the trail from ploughing up the ground, and contains the booking ring. The brackets rest direct on the axle ; they are strengtliened on the outside by means of a riveted plate. The ends of the axle journals are threaded, and are fitted with a mit which serves to tighten the system more or less on the axle, by means of a steel ring, to lessen the extent of recoil. The elevatino- gear is 011 a type siinilar to that described in the preceding chapter on mountain guns. For facilitating the displacement of the gun when it is landed, the block-trail is made to rest on a roller, the support of which ends in a spindle, round which the pivot bolt socket and shaft attachment are made to turn freely. The shaft consists of a steel tube with cross-piece, by which the gun can be drawn along by the men. The carriage wheels are of iron throughout. 65-Millimetre (2.559-In.) Guns.—This specimen differs from the preceding one, only in the details of the recoil device and recuperator. Weight of gun... 80 kg. 176 Ib. ,, carriage 140 kg. 308 Ib. ,, projectile ... 3.5 kg. 7.71 Ib. Muzzle velocity 310 111. 1017 ft. The wheels are of wood ; the nave is of brass, and is made with a drum, round which fits a steel strip brake lined inside with leather. The steel strip is fixed at one end to the axle, and at the other to the brake swing-tree. The latter is fitted with a nut, which moves along a threaded rod worked by a crank. By acting on the crank, the brake is tightened or loosened. The required elevation is given by a screw which turns in a nut fixed to the carriage. The nut is made on the outside with hélicoïdal teeth, which engage an entliess screw on a horizontal shaft, worked by a handwheel. The fore-limber [ has a watertight caisson, built up of plates and angles, I and made to bear direct on the axle ; it carries four ammunition chests. The latter are also made watertight, and are provided with handles, so as to be easily carried ; they are divided into three compartments, the centre one containing the charges. It is made to be fitted with one or two shafts. 65-Millimetre (2.559-In.) Quick-Firing Gun, on Landing Carriage, with Compressible Trail and Hydro-pneumatic Recoil (Figs. 991 and 992). Weight of gun... 80 kg. 176 Ib. ,, carriage 250 kg. 551 Ib. ,, projectile ... 4 kg. 8.81 Ib. Muzzle velocity 300 m. 984 ft. The gun is mounted on a small carriage, sitnilar to tliat of the 70-millimetre (2.756-in.) mountain gun already described ; it only differs from it in the arrangement adopt- ée! for the slides, as in the case of the 65-millimetre (2.756 in.) carriage; the displacements for lateral training are so devised that the symmetrical axis of the small carriage platform always corresponds with tlie trail. The carriage proper is of cast steel ; the trail is of forged steel. The general arrangements are similar to those for the field guns of the same type ; tlie cast steel tube is provided at its rear end with a collar made with two solid sections and two interruptions ; the collar can be displaced by means of a handle, and made to occupy two positions, one 90 deg. from the other. The collar is held fast by bringing down the handle, and fixing it to a lug on the tube. When it is required to render the trail rigid, either for transport or when the gun is fired with free recoil and without a spade, it is sufficient to raise the handle I and to turn round 90 deg., when the solid sections I meet corresponding extensions on the trail. The length of the trail can be reduced for transport by bringing back I the carriage support, and causing the collar to turn, so that the solid sectors come in the rear of the extensions on the trail. The recoil cylinder and recuperator are contained inside the trail, the liquid aud air being separated by a movable diaphragm. The air contained in the piston-rod is compressed during recoil, its expansion insuring the running- out of the gun. Fig. 992 shows the manner in which the gun can be arrangée! on board a boat, to cover, for instance, the landing of troops. To this effeet, the boat is provided in front with a platform built up of plates, on which is riveted the path for the wheels; a slot is cut in the