Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-08-29
TO THROW DYNAMITE.
A Rival of the Mefford- -Zalinski Gun
Invented.

Another form of pneumat' C gun has
appeared in the field, having been pat
ented by Dana Dudley, af Lynn, Mass,
aud sod to an English ordnance com
pany.
The essential difference between the
new system and the Zalinski gun is to
be found in the methods of COMPRISING
and using the ali that prope's the shot.
In the Zalinski gun the mir is COM
pressed by very powerful air pumps,
and is stored i'll reservoirs sufficient to
provide for about twenty shots, the air
being admitted to the gun from the
reservoir at each fire by specially con
structel valve. In the new system
there is to be no storage OF a I, but a
charge Of powder acting upon moving
piston congresses the air at each dis
charge, and mt the same time drives the
shell from the bore of ihe gun. 1t ap-
pears that the system is to be applied to
both large and small guns to be used in
batteries ahoat and ashore, as well as
for field artillery.
The patent is upon the combination
of chamber adapted TO contain an
explosive; piston located therein;
an explosive in the chamber in rear of
the piston; pro; ;ecti!e, gun barrel,
head piece, connecting the gun barrel
with the air compressing chamber in
front of the piston; means for loading
the barrel; brecch pie e; the explosive
chamber, and the means for loading and
exploding the charge.
The action will be substantially as fol-
lows: The charge of powder beingplac-
ed in position in the small chamber,
with the heavy piston at the bottom or
rear of the chamber, and the projectiles
inserted; the charge of powder is ex
ploded by the ordinary means, impell-
ing the piston forward in the chamber,
rapidly COMPRISING the mir between the
piston and tho pro, ,ectile and starting
the latter in its flight. TIE larger the
volume OF the chamber in proportion to
the volume of the gun barrel the great
er will be the velocity of the shot.
How fur this weapon may compete
with the Zalinski gun is a matter of con
lecture, but it would not appear that
such heavy charges can be thrown, and
the range will probably be much less.
The system has the great merit OF ex-
treme simplicity. AS no air compress
ing machinery is required, number of
such guns could be mounted like pow
der guns on board ship for using small
charges of high explosives at short
ranges. The rd-Zalinski dyna-
mite gun, which throws immense charges
ut all distances up to two miles, and
aims primarily to secure torredo action
by projecting a torpedo through the air
instead of through the water, still it re-
mains distinct type.
For field artillery the system is some
what changed. though the governing
principle remains the same. The "a
linski gun is not intended nor could it
be used for artillery service, owing TO
the necessity for reservoirs and pumps
The new weapon offers an entirely novel
means of throwing high explosives III
army operations.
In the field gun there is no piston to
compress the air, the expansion of the
powder gases performing that function,
and the air being allowed to escape from
the powder tube to the rear of the pro
jectile in separate tube. Safety is SO
cured by diaphragm plate at end of
powder tube, which is thinner than the
breech piece or than the walls of the
gun, and will therefore give way first,
circular opening being left for its frag-
ments in n front clamp or cap. Tho
projectie is put in mt the brecch end of
the gun barrel by removing the breech
piece. The charge i'll tho chamber is
put in from the rear by removing tho
breech piece. The gun can be elevated
like any other field piece. BY making
the air chamber very strong and the gun
barrel of small calibrc, it would appear
that u considerable range should be at
tanned.