The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

ARMOURED TURRET FOR TWO 150-MILLIMETRE GUNS through a hand-wheel held in the right band of the gunner. This works through a set of screws and pinions, a square pinion which gears in a large wheel fitted to the pivot rest. The lateral training mechanism works very smoothly, owing to two small rollers placed in front, in spring bearings, and which bear on the guiding shaft. A strong brake fixes the turret fast for firing ; the brake is worked by the gunner. The required ammunition is placed on shelves round the circumference of the lower room. These can carry a minimum of 500 rounds. An assistant places the cartridges, as they are needed, on a small plate between the mounting cheeks, where they are within easy reach of the gunner. After each round, the empty cartridge- case is thrown through a brass shoot, whence it falls into a ehest or sack easily removed. The gun is easily dismounted, with the help of a small portable winch fixed for the circumstance on the manœuvring platform. The fore-shield is of cast iron, in two parts, 240 milli- métrés (9.449 in.) ai top and 150 millimétrés (5.905 in.) thick at bottom. The section can be inscribed in a square of 1 metre. The joints are strengthened by inside ribs and bolts. Rain-water cannot penetrate the turret ; it falls in the space between the fore-shield and the guiding shaft, and flows out through a pipe or drain suitably placed. Armoured Turret for Two 150-Millimetre (5.905-In.) Guns (Figs. 1013 to 1019, Plate CLXVI.).—The turret body is built up of steel plates, and consists of : A cylindrical wall of plates 20 millimétrés (.787 in.) thick, strengthened by fourteen uprights of plate and angles ; a flooring carried on three longitudinal and two trans- versal beams, similar in section ; a spherical cover, formed of two plates 20 millimétrés (.787 in.) thick each. The cover is joined to the cylindrical wall by means of a strong circular cast-steel piece, the section of which is that of an angle with a heel flange, and which serves as a frame for the protective armour. The turret turns on a series of forty-two rollers placed between two racers, one bolted to the turret and movable with it, the other being fixed to the masonry work. One of the segments of the latter racer is cut and fitted with a movable wedge, to allow the replacing of the rollers. The turret is centred by vertical rollers, which bear against a ring strongly fixed to the masonry work. Clamps which hook on this ring prevent the raising of the turret wlien firing takes place ; it serves also in fixing the turret, and facilitâtes obturation for preventing the gases from penetrating. The whole rotating mechanism is thus perfeetly protected. There are two mechanisms for lateral training : one, placed in a recess made level with the lower room, serves to cause the turret to face rapidly the target aimed at, and the other, within easy reach of the gunner, to lay the gun accurately. The mechanism in the lower room consists of a winch which drives, through conical gearing, the vertical shaft of a pinion tliat gears in the toothed ring fitted to the top racer. That worked by the gunner contains a set of toothed wheels worked by a hand-wheel, and which drive a vertical shaft, on which is keyed a pinion tliat actions a toothed ring fitted to the lower racer, or, in other words, to the masonry work. The top of the turret is covered by protective armour in three parts, 200 millimétrés (7.874 in.) thick. The armour is placed on the ceiling of the turret, with the interposition of a certain thickness of leacl, to insure a close contact. The armour-plates are held by bolts, placed 300 millimétrés (11.811 in.) apart, and by the circular cast-steel piece above mentioned. In order tliat besiegers may not see the position of the embrasures while the turret is manœuvring, the armour is made without projections, and tlie guns do not project over the outsicle surface. The outside edge of the armour-plates comes belovv the glacis, and is, therefore, protected from the effeets of grazing fire. The turret only projects one metre above the glacis. The fore-shield, of hard cast iron, is in six parts, two of which are less than the four others. They are joined together by cast-steel heel plates and keys. A wide passage is made under the fore-shield, to which access is had through a door cut in the cylindrical body of the turret, and which is closed when firing takes place. The mounting is with hydraulic recoil and automatic return. Its characteristics are the folio wing : The gun recoils in a line parallel with its axis under all angles of elevation. The recoil check and the device for insuring return, act in the plane which passes through the axis of the gun and through the trunnions. The gun oscillâtes around the embrasure, without any othei- guiding tlian that insured by curved guides, cut in the mounting cheeks. The whole of the movable system is balanced by a counter- weight, which transmits its action as near as possible to the centre of gravity. The gun is carried in two slides let in the trunnions, and joined to the lower part of the chase by a ring made in two parts, so as to prevent all oscillation round the trunnions. The slides travel in slide-paths of the cradle ; their sides are mads with heels that fit in the curved grooves of the carriage cheeks. Return is obtained by means of spiral springs in two sets, in a line with the slides. The springs are mounted on rods, and bear against stays fixed to the cradle ; the system is held up in front by a collar fitted to the gun chase. Four cylinders are provided to absorb recoil ; the rods that are jointed to the cradle stays are so arrangée! that wlien the front one leaves the cylinder, the rear one enters it; and by establishing a communication between the two cylinders on one same side, a constant volume is maintained. Grooves of varied section are cut inside the cylinders, to insure the flowing of the liquid from one side of the pistons to the other. The springs for insuring the return of the gun are capable of running out the gun under the maximum angle of elevation. Under the angle — 2 deg. the return of the gun is moderated by the recoil cylinders. 4 A