The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-29
BIGGEST GUN THE WORLD.
The Monster Weapon Recently Con-
structed in New Jersey.
Jersey City Journal. ]

The largest gun in the world for throwing
dynamite projectiles has been made in the
shops of Ribon q March, IA First street.
Jersey City. The tube or barrel is 60 feet
long, bore inches, and brass lined through
out. The gun, with its ponderous frame and
carriage, weighs 43 tons. The barrel is of
heavy wrought iron pipe, in four sections of
10 feet each, bolted together by means of
couplings forming collar around the tube
and bolted with steel bolts. The bore is
smooth and the brass lining is an eighth of
an inch thick The gun rests on truss
made of l beams and heavy steel plates re-
volving in the trunnion bearings at the
breech The truss is heavily braced. The
gun is fired by compressed air. The air
chambers, which act as reservoirs, are cylin-
ders 16 feet long and II inches interior diam
eter. There are eight of these reservoirs
resting on frame, four on each side of the
gun The air cylinders connect with the
main castings by means of brass nozzles,
The barrel is bOlted to the reservoirs and up
right castings, which are carried ON frame
of 12-inch channel irons. These in turn are
fastened to rollers which can be trained lat
orally in any direction. The barrel can be
elevated to an angle OF 60 degrees above the
horizon. A cylinder placed in the frame,
charged with compressed air, elevateS the
the tube to any angle from the plane of the
horizon to 60 degrees above it. The truss is
also elevated by compressed air by simply
turning one handwheel.
The gun is charged with cartridges five
feet long, eight inches in diameter, and con-
tanning 1S0pounds of dynamite. Brass shells
containing the dynamite are inserted in
cast iron cone, forming the projectile, which
eXplodes wherever it strikes. The prOjec-
tiles are hOisted with a crane and inserted in
the breeeh, which closes with a self-acting
apparatus. This consists of a large brass
nut which screws into the breech and is COW
cred with cup valye thereby making the
magazine chamber perfectly air tight. The
gunner stands on the platform, and with
small lever and handwheel elevates or
trains the gun. Upon pulling another
lever, which operates series of valves,
the braZen thrOated giant is instantaneously
discharged There is no recoil and no re-
port. The moment the projectile leaves the
barrel, the series OF valves admitting the air
pressure close, shutting off all further escape
of air After the first bomb is thrown, FIVE
more can be discharged without any addi-
tional supply from the air compressor The
telescope sight is fastened to the ends of the
trunnions Of the breech, so that a perfect
aim is obtained in line with the centre of the
barrel. The frame rests on carriage with
four wheels. The forward wheels revolve
around king-bolt on bed plate; the hind
wheels on curved rail. The gun was made
lOl lil6 ny Uun company
of New York. 1t has been tested in every
part to a pressure of $500 pounds to a square
inch, and will stand much higher pressure.
Work on the formidable dynamite gun was
begun lastlOctober. The entire work was
under the supervision of Foreman William
Mcllvrid of Ribon & March's shop. 1t is
high honor to this firm to pluck the laurels
from Krupp, the ordnance king of the world,
with the biggest gun ever made.
The gun VIII be removed 10 Fort LAFAYETTE
in day or two, for target practice with dyn-
amite cartridges. 1t is irtended for coast and
harbor defence, but can be used on war ships.