A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF PRACTICAL INFORMATION, ART, SCIENCE , MECHANICS, CHEMISTRY, AND MANUFACTURES.
Vol. XXII ··No. 8./
I
(NEW SERIES.]
\ $3 per Annum.
I [IN ADVANCE.]
NgW YORK, pgBRUARY 19, 1870.
••
CARRIAGES AND SLIDES OF THE SP4NISH GUNBOATS the friction rollers of the slide, is firmly bolted to the deck way, the gun becomes unmanageable, and that much time is
beams, and that it projects above the deck all round; the ob­ lost in screwing up and unscrewing the friction gear for each
DESIGNED BY CAPTAIN ERICSSON.
ject of this projection being that of giving lateral support to
discharge.
this city for the Spa)1ish Government, may be regarded as
tends below the surface of the ring, and which is attached to
in our monitor turrets, during the war, was owing to the
naval gunnery which have been introduced since the close of
The new carriage removes these difficulties entirely by
A fiat bar of metal
bearing that when the gun r'ecoils the strain imparted tot·he termed the friction bar, 6 inches wide and It in<:h t hick i
The carriages and slides of the gunboats recently built in
among the most i.mportant improvements connected with
the war.
The solution of the problem of firing the gun over the bow,
n a direct line
a bent plate, which corresponds with the curvature, and ex­
the forward end of the slide.
It may
be mentioned that the slow fire of the heavy guns
time thus lost in tightening and relieving the friction appara·
It should be ooserved that the
tus.
central pivot of the slide, secured to the deck by means of a
the device shown in the engravings.
casting firmly bolted to the deck beams, fits so loosely in the
:
with the keel, in
end
of
the
slide; the oth.
er end of the
such a manner
that it may be
trained
in
all
directions,
bar being sup­
ported by
a
has
engaged the na­
cross piece ex­
tendi n g b e
val artillerist for
a long time.
It
tween the two
is evident that
sides
unless the slide
on
which
of
the
slide frame.
the
gun carriage
Wrought iron
iI!
run in .md out,
can
be
so
�
firmly sec red
to the forward
lined
clamps
ar­
with wood, se­
ranged as to ad­
cured
motion round a
means of hori­
mit of a rotary
to
the
carriag e
b y
central pivot,the
zontal
cannot
pinch the fric­
object
in
tained.
view
be
On
at­
re­
links,
are
made
to
tion
bar
by
oval shaft
ac­
flection it
will
apparently
in­
tuated by a lev­
d ifficuIty r e n del'S such an ar·
dily be under­
means
be found that an
surmoun t a b I e
rangement
of
an
er, as will rea­
stood
im.
practicable, viz.,
by
in­
specting
the
T ha t
the
engravings.
the central pivot
round which the
clamps may be
slide is to turn,
made to pinch
rear of the trun-
bar,
will be far in the
nion of the gun
the
CAPTAIN UIGSSON'S GUN CARRIAGE.
when run out ready for firing.
Experts well understand
by any desira-
slide is received wholly 'by the deck ring through the bent
ble degree of friction may be produced, by simply forcing
that the result of this will be, that at the first instant of plate, which accordingly takes the. place of the ordinary
the recoil of the gun, it will be lifted upwards with great fighting bolt. This bent plate, which hooks the deck ring,
said lever downward, is self evident; likewise, that by lifting
the lever upward the friction ma.y be reUeved in an instant.
violence.
The reason is obvious.
The line drawn from may therefore be considered as a continuous fighting bolt,
the center of the trunnions to the pivot round which the slide which, in whatever direction the gun is fired, sustains the
revolves, is a diagonal of about 45° of inclination; hence, as
the point of resistance is in the rear of,.and far below the
fri c t i o n
and there-
The
gun is ordinarily run out by means of the crauk handle,
pinion, and cog wheel, shown in the engravings.
force of the recoil of the gun.
Recent
trials with the new carriage have proved that in a sea-way ,
By referring to the engravIngs it will be seen that even the friction may be safely relieved at any time, and that the
I
point of pressure-the center of the trunnion-an upward when the gun is run full out, the center of the trunnion will gun may be run iu and out by the rolling of the vessel with
movement of the gun must take place. Owing to this diffi.. be in the rear of the bent plate which hooks the deck ring; out employing the hand gear.
(-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'\
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--.- -'-'- -'--_.- -"-
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culty naval artillerists have resorted to the expedient of"piv­
oting" the gun slide, which means, to secure the same by a
vertical" fighting bolt" passing through its forward end into
certain sockets inserted in the deck.
and that a diagonal line drawn from the point of contact be­
nion, will have a backward inclination.
The following extract from the report of Captain Simpson ,
U. S. Navy, to the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, dated
Consequently, the Dec. 13, 1869, will M read with interest.
tween the said plate and the ring to the center of the trun­
Apart from the trouble tendency of the force of the recoil will be that of. pressing
and delay of having to move the slide fi;om side to side of the gun downwards in place of lifting it up, as when the
the vessel, and changing the fighting bolt from one socket to f>train is brought against the central pivot of the slide.
obedient to the roll, of the vessel, and its motiol1 was found to
·small gun boat, does not admit of the large sweep necessary
that of checking the recoil by means of friction instead of
lever, who could check it at any point.
ment is, however, attended with serious
characteristic of this carriage, is its system of compression
another, the coofined space on the deck near the bow of 1\
on the pivoting system.
The slide represented by our engra­
vings has been constructed to overcome these difficulties.
It
Most of our readers are aware that the modern practice is
employing breeching, as formerly.
This modern improve­
inconveniences;
" During the firing thus tabulated, the running out gear
was but seldom used, the carriag
. e being allowed to move
be perfectly under the control of one man at the compression
"The most prominent advantage, in fact the essential
will be seen that the deck rin2' or circular rail which supports namely, that when thlO friction gear is lilackelled, in a sea which is compllOte and instantaneous."
© 1870 SCIENllFIC AMERICAN, INC.