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- Fig 78.—British 6″ B.L. Gun on H.P. Mounting, Mark IV.
fig. 80 a transverse section through the recoil cylinder. The gun trunnions (fig. 78) are supported by the two arms of the elevator A, which is pivoted to the front of the lower carriage at B. The breech is supported by the two elevating bars C whose lower ends are attached to the elevating arcs D. These arcs are worked by the elevating gear actuated by the hand-wheel E. The arcs are struck with the bars C as radii, their centres being points at the upper end of the bars when the gun is in the loading position. Elevation can thus be given to the gun whilst it is being loaded. The lower carriage rests on a ring of live rollers G, which are free to traverse round on a circular racer H, motion being given by traversing gear actuated by the hand-wheel I. Supported by vertical stanchions attached to the lower carriage is a horizontal circular shield J through which the gun rises to the firing position. The manganese bronze ram F which is attached to the elevators A by the cross-head L is forced on recoil into the central chamber of the recoil cylinder (see fig. 79), which is supported by trunnions M resting in the brackets of the lower carriage. There are ten chambers N (figs. 79 and 80), all of which are connected at the bottom with the recoil valve chamber O, and consequently with each other. Nine of these contain liquid in their lower portions and highly compressed air above, and are connected at the top by a channel P to equalize the pressure in each chamber. The tenth chamber N′, which is situated lowest in the cylinder, contains liquid alone and has at its up[ier end the raising valve Q. On recoil the liquid in the central chamber is forced by the ram through the recoil valve R into the outer chambers N, thus further compressing the air. As R is a non-return valve the air is maintained in this highly compressed state during loading. The gun is raised by pushing the lever S (fig. 78) to the front which actuates the rack T (fig. 79), thus opening Q, which allows the air in the nine chambers to force liquid from the tenth chamber N into the centre ram chamber, lifting the ram. U is a pump (fig. 79) by which the gun can be pumped down at drill. The liquid employed in the buffer is a mixture of methylated spirits, mineral oil, distilled water and carbonate of soda, and its aeration, due to the churning it receives on recoil, is a serious drawback to this class of mounting. From a 6″ B.L. gun mounted in this fashion somewhat more than one aimed round a minute can be obtained; from a 9·2″ B.L. about four such rounds in five minutes.
The foregoing description is now, however, principally interesting as showing an ingenious application of mechanical principles for military purposes. Mountings of this type are being gradually withdrawn from the British service.
The Buffington-Crozier Principle.—In the United States a type of disappearing carriage known as the Buffington-Crozier (fig. 81) is used. Here, as in the earlier types of Moncricff carriage, a counterweight is employed, but the energy of recoil is partly absorbed by a buffer, and the counterweight, which is constrained by guides to move vertically up and down, is just able to raise the gun to the firing position. A satisfactory rate of fire is claimed for this mounting, which has recently been improved.
Balanced Pillar. — Another type of disappearing mounting for guns of type (b) or (c), known as the balanced pillar, is found on the continent of Europe and in the United States, where it is used for 5″ guns and under. A long steel cylinder, which supports the gun and its carriage, has a vertical movement of about 35 ft. in an outer cylinder. The inner cylinder and all that it carries is balanced by a counterweight. After the gun is fired it can be brought with its length parallel to the parapet.
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- Fig. 79.—Vertical Section through Recoil Cylinder of Gun shown in fig. 78.
- Fig. 80.—Transverse Section through Recoil Cylinder of Gun shown in fig. 78.
Then by the action of the mechanism the inner cylinder can be made to sink in the outer cylinder and the gun is brought down to the loading position; the release of the counterweight will cause it to rise again. The gun has the usual motion of traverse round the common axis of the two cylinders.
