GB124489A - Improvements in Light Artillery Guns. - Google Patents

Abstract

124,489. Schneider, E..Tan. 29. 1916. Field carriages; recoil apparatus. - The gun barrel itself, or its cradle, is formed with a rearward extension B directly pivoted by a universal joint C to an anchoring-device such as a spade platform D. Various constructional arrangements are described embodying means for adjusting the gun in relation to the anchoring-device for elevation and training. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fore end of the gun is supported upon a wheel axle G, being formed with a rack a engaging a pinion g splined on the axle. Adjustment for range is effected by displacing the axle G relatively to the universal pivot C, the pinion g rolling on the rack a, and being clamped in any desired position by means of a yoke K pivoted on the axle and carrying a screw hand-wheel L operating a clamping-jaw L'. Training is effected by sliding the barrel and yoke along the axle G, or finer adjustments may ba effected by displacing the ball-and-socket members C, D<1> laterally on the spade platform by means of a rachet lever E operating a screw-and-nut connexion d<1>. The ball member C of the universal joint is formed with a stem c rotatably mounted in the extension B of the gun. This enables the spade platform to be inverted by rotation about the axis c, and secured so that a cross-bar F may be used as a push handle for transport purposes. The gun may be set at very low angles of elevation by inverting the yoke L and suspending the barrel by means thereof beneath the axle G, a rack a<1> on the upper side of the barrel then engaging the pinion g. The rearward extension B serves as a charging shoot. In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the pinion g on the wheel axle engages a curved rack P secured by a collar p to the gun barrel. The rack P may be inverted for low elevations. A further modification is shown in Fig. 11 in which a pair of pinions U are carried by a sleeve V on the gun, being rotated by a crank-handle, whilst in engagement with a pair of curved racks Q mounted on a base-plate q rotatable in a forward anchoring platform R. In this arrangement, the ball-and-socket joint C is movable in a slide block S working in an areshaped guide T mounted on the spade platform D, the gun being trained by shifting the slide block S in its guide by means of a rack-and-pinion gear actuated by a lever E and ratchet e as shown. In Fig. 8 is shown an arrangement for adjusting the height of the axle G relatively to the wheels H, the axle being journalled in bearings M adapted to be raised or lowered in guides N<1> by means of hand-screws 0. The guides N<1> are provided with hollow journals N on which the wheel hubs can turn. For transfort, the axle ends can be pushed into the hollow journals N. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wheels may be displaceable along the axle for transport purposes, or for passing through trenches. Instead of the toothed pinion g and racks a, a<1> on the gun, plain rolling members guided by ribs may be substituted. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 10882/15.