GB191415865A - - Google Patents

Abstract

15,865. Compagnie des Forges et Acieries de la Marine et d'Homecourt. May 8, [Convention date]. Void. [Published under Section 91 of the Act.] [Addition to 15,736/14.] Field carriages.-Relates to carriages having divided trail beams of the kind described in the parent Specification, in which the beams are connected to the axle by a ball-and-socket joint so that the whole trail may be rocked about a vertical as well as a longitudinal axis, and in which the effective length of the trail may be reduced when the beams are swung together for limbering up. The present invention consists (1) in locating the ball-and-socket joint directly in the axle, (2) in operating the wheel brakes by cables passing through the hollow wheel axle, and (3) in providing a special pivotal sliding joint between the trail beams and their junction-piece. Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through the hall-and-socket joint formed between the axle 4 and the junctionpiece 1 of the trail beams. A socket 7 having longitudinal trunnions 8 carries the training pivot 9 of the npper carriage 10, training being effected by a pinion 14 on the upper carriage engaging a fixed rack 13. The trails may be laterally displaced by moving them, together with socket 7, about a vertical pivot 11 on the wheel axle, and they may also be inclined about the longitudinal trunnions 8. The usual wheelbrake levers are operated by cables passing through the hollow axle, and over fixed pulleys 31; the centre part of the cable passing round a pulley 29 carried by a nut 27 which is moved to operate the brakes by rotating a screw 26 through a handle 25. To bring the trail beams together, and also to reduce their effective length, the beams are moved successively into the positions I, II, III, IV shown in Fig. 8 To effect this, each beam is rocked about a pivot 38, moved forwards by the sliding of the parts 39 in the guides 40, and locked by the engagement of a projection 42 in a groove 43. Fig. 14 shows an alternative arrangement for swinging the trail beams together for limbering up. The beam 44, fixed to the junction-piece 1, is first swung into line with the longitudinal axes of the gun, and the beam 46 is then swung on a pivot 45, relatively to the member 1, and locked by a projection 47 engaging a recess in the axle. The beam 44 may be used as a rolling track for dismounting the gun barrel.