Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-08
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The first cut gives very good idea Of the
general construction of the large caliber gun
Of this variety, which is something like "a
ordinary powder gun mounted on trunnionA
Only small part of the barrel is shown here
The patent is upon ''the combination Of
chamber A so made as to contain an explosive
3 is piston, located therein. In the rear Of
the piston is chamber for the explosive. D
Is the gun barrel, with a projectile in it, F,
the headpiece, connects the gun barrel with
the air comprising chamber in front of the
piston. Means for loading the barrel breech
piece, L; the explosive chamber, C, and the
means for loading and exploding the charge
The gun will work as follows: The charge
of powder is placed in position in the small
chamber C, with the heavy piston B, at the
rear of the chamber A. also the proiectile as
shown in the cut. The powder is exploded
by the usual means driving the piston for
ward in the chamber, rapidly congresses the
air between the piston and proiectiie and
starts the latter in its flight The larger the
size of the chamber in proportion to the size
of the barrel the greater viii be the speed of
the shot
At the point E the barrel is hinged and
locked at a. Release H to load and let the
gun barrel drop into an inclined position
The piston is then pushed back to the rear of
the chamber, the shot placed in the gun
barrel and by turning the breech to one side
the charge of powder is put in from the rear.
The range of the new gun will probably be
much less than that of the Zalinski and it
appears that such heavy charges cannot be
thrown. As no air COMPRISING machinery
is required, number of these guns could be
mounted like ordinary guns on board ship
for using small charges of high explosives at
short ranges The Mefford-Zalinski dyna-
mite gun which throws immense charges at
all distances up to two miles, still remains
distinct type.
When used as field gun the system is
somewhat changed, though the governing
principle remains the same. The Zahnslli
gun is not intended, nor can it be used, for
field artillery service, owing to the necessity
for reservoirs and pumps. An entirely novel
means Of throwing high explosives in army
operations is found in the new gun. The
second cut shows the gun mounted on its field
carriage. The chamber, A, is adapted to
contain air to be compressed by an explosive
therein. B is the breech piece. G is an ex-
plosive charge, with firing mechanism B.
There is also safety valve consisting of
diaphragm plate, D, and the cap EE holds
it in place. A gun barrel, G, contains the
projectile 81 and has breech piece, l, and
the tube, F. uninterruptedly connects the air
COMPRISING chamber with the gun barrel
The field gun has no piston to compress the
air, as the expansion Of the powder gases per-
forms that function. The diaphragm plate,
D, being thinner than the breech piece or the
IL, % -
first, as round opening is left for its frag-
ments in the cap EE, and thus safety is Sc
cured. By removing the breech piece, l, the
projectie is put in at the breech end of the
gun barrel, and the charge in the chamber is
put in from the rear by removing the breech
piece, B. The gun can be elevated like any