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IA Y 2 5, 1 g oo .] MODERS FIELD ARTILLERY. (ConclwUd from page 640.) THE c B XEIDER-C . L iEI y ~ r r. 15 - M illimetre ( 2. 5 2 I t ~ . G o L ong T y p e 11 Carrif.U e •cilh H ydro- P neumatic R ecoil attd T rail pad e . 898Patt ern ( Figs. 142 to 144 ) .-This type ma y be taken to embody all the expe ri ence obtai ned by trials o f pr evious models, and ro r e present the most advanced · chneider - Canet practi c e. It may fairly be cl a imed f o r it, that it is the m ost efficient type o f gun m ()unt ing that ~ yet been produced. The f ollowing are some particulars : - - • • - Weight o f gun ... . . , projectile . .. ~ f n z z l e velocity . . . - • F I G . 143. 365 kilogs. (804 1 .) 6. 5 ( 1 4- 550 m . (1804 ft. Height o f axis of gnn above gr:rund level . .. ... .855 m. ( 33 661 in. ) Elevati o n ... ... . from - 5 deg. to 14 deg. Tmni ng . . ... . . . throngb 4 d e ~ . Diameter o f wheel3 . .. ... 1220 m. (48 .030 m. ) DLctMoe between wheels .. 1400 m. ( 55 .11 8 in. J weight in battay .. . ... 1010 kiJogs. ( 2226 lb .) Weight of fore.limbel'em pty, with 38 cartridges . .. 1 . 2 kilogs. ( 1702 lb. ) This type is characterised by an almost co mplete immobility of the carriage under firin g, a co ndition which has been obtai ned with o ut reducing in any ny the powe r of the gnn the precision with which it is fired, o r the ease with whi c h the material can be ca.tried from o ne place to another. The gun is joined to the carriage by a long-travel recoil m e chanism, with constant re sista nce ; the effort due to recoil has been r educed ro a minimum o win g to the wej ght o f the recoiling mass-365 kilogrammes (SO lb. ) . The carriage does not recoil ; it is h e ld to the ground at three points, by the trail-spade • E N G I N E E R I N G. a nd by tw o drag-spades placed under the wheels. L1oteral deviation is practically abse nt ; and vertical deviation i s very s light the trail not penetrating the ground ; co rrecti o ns f o r traini n g , wh e n they are necessary, are therefore very quic kly effected . As the carriage scarcely moves under .fir e , and it is possible to seat two gunners o n the trail ; their wei o ht contributes still more to the stability o f the carriage, and they can rap id ly train and l oa d . La t e ral training is effected by clispl:lcing th e carriage o n t he axle , the wh e els tu rning o n the drags j this arrangement do es away with the strain that would r es ul t fr om th e o bl i quit y o f the gun o n th e c a rriage. • • FI G . 142. • • • ____ • I 11 · I - • - - . • . • . - • • • • - • • - - • - • - - • - • - • • apply to the present model. The breech opens ~ t h one circular action. Firin g takes place by preSSJng o n the catch through a spring rod i x ~ to h ~ cradle eith e r direct or through a lin e j the firing deVI ce d oes not, therefore, recoil with the gun ; and the gnnner has it constantly under his control, but he cannot fire the gun until it has run completely out. Thou sands o f r o unds have been fired with this device. S o tools are r eq uired f or taking apart the b r e e c ~ - block and firing device, and this can be done m l ess than one minute . The carriage is fitted at the r ea r with a r i g i ~ trail-spade ; it carries the cradle in fr ont o n hon - • •• • • - • • - -- - - - - • • •• • • - - • • • • • • FIG . 144. Trained gunners can fire with this type 20 to 24 ' zontal trunnions. The axle runs through the aimed rounds per minute, ~ to the simplicity carriage . The e in h i ~ h the gun recoils is of o f the manc.euvres . The quick and smooth return f o r ge d gun steel m one p1ece; it contains the o f the gun is one o f the elements necessary f o r rapid trunnions, slides, recoil cylinder, and the cylinder firing. Th e system f ollowed f o r fixing the carriage and reservoir of the air recuperat o r. The slides to the gr o und d oes not caus e trouble and delay in are lined with brass, and are so arranged that recoil the placing o f the gun in battery, nor in removing is insured, whatever be the state in which it to other spots and attaching it to the f o re-limber. the sliding su rfaces happen to be whether damp The f orce o f r eco il is absorbed by the hydrauli c or rusty, or covered with sand o ~ mud. On th~ rec o il cylinder in the simplest manner possible, and left-hand side of the CTadl e are fitted the scales and r eturn is n s u r e by an_ n d e p ~ n d e ~ t c o m p r ~ - a i r sight, and to the ~ of ~ h e s e is a s mall guard recu perato r, '_Vhich, ~ ~ 9wte tight, r eq m .res n ~ plate. _The _h ydraulic:: recoil. c ylinder (o n the left special attention. As It 1s mdep e nd e n t o f the r eco il hand s1de) lS very srmple m design; the piston cylinder, in case of an accid ent firing can still be works in the cylinder. The inside surface of the proceeded with, the gun being_ run out by b a n ~ . ~ l a t ~ r is made in such a w ~ y that the liquid, by pump f orms part of the eqwpmentj and With 1t fiowmg through ports of vaned sections opposes 8 one m a n can charge the recuperator afresh in five consta n t resistance to the force of r ~ i l . The minut es . piston-rod gland is made tight, and a hydraulic The gun consists o f a tu b e, a jacket, and se v e n bnfier counter-rod does away with all shocks on chase coils, o f tempered and annealed ste e L The return of the gun. The recuperator cylinder co n same remarks made in the description of the pre- tains compressed air, which acts on a piston, the ceding type, regarding the construction of the gun head and r od o f which are fitted with tight linings,
