The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-10-07
new MATERIAL FOR WAR
The Latest Hotchkiss One
Founder Automatic Gun.
NOUNTINGs OF VARIOUS FORMS.

Piece Weighs About 37i Pounds and
Fires a ProicctIe Weighing one
Pound with ~ MuggIc Velocity OF
I,OiO Foot Seconds - Consists OF
Thirty-thrce Component Parts.
The one FOUNDER automatic machine
gun is based on the same principle as
that Of the well known UOtchkiss ride
calibcr machine gun, but the details
of the mechanism have been greatly
modified in order to simplify the con.
struction and strengthen the breech
closure, says the New York sun. The
gun consists Of thirty-three component
parts, Of vVth fifteen comprise the op-
Grating mechanism. In these latter are
contained no screws or pins and only
three springs, Of which one alone is
essential to the working of the gun.
All the motions Of the mechanism are
parallel TO the axis Of the gun. and
therefore the accuracy of fire Is not
affected by the vibrations. The entire
mechanism may be dismcunted or as
semblrd In about thirty seconds with.
out the use OF tools aud has been SO
designed and simpIIded that /: may be
operated and cared for by any man o.
ordinary intelligence.
The firing gear is arranged for firing
single shots or continuously at will the
rate OF fire in the latter case attaining
200 rounds per minute The gun is
loaded 10y means of feed strips holding
eight or ten rounds or by belts of
twenty-five or fifty pounds The rate
of fire is the same for both methods OF
loading. Both strips and belts are
made wholly of mild steel and may be
employed indefinitely without reform
ing and, being entirely metallic, are
not affected by water and climatic
conditions. The feed mechanism is in
dependent of gravity ana Is not infu-
enced by the elevation or depression of
the piece.
The cartridges are not fed into the
chamber until the instant of firing and
consequently are not subjected to ex-
cessive temperature in case the firing
is suspended with the gun loaded. The
barrel is fitted with n radiator which
absorbs great portion of the heat de-
veloped by the powder and obviates the
necessity Of water Jacket
The principle of action may be stated
briefly thus: a gas port is drilled into
the barrel of the gun n few calibers
from the muzzle and brings the bore
into communication with n cylinder
parallel TO and beneath 1t. Within the
cylinder is a piston, and when on the
discharge of the gun the projectile
passes beyond the gas port the powder
gas enters the cylinder and throws the
piston TO the rear The rearward mo-
tion of the piston congresses the main
spring, and this, when not prevented
by the trigger, Immediately returns the
piston 10 its original position. The re-
naming parts of the mechanism are
actuated by this reciprocating piston
and perform the operation Of opening
and closing the breech. extraction and
election Of the empty cartridge case,
feeding, loading and firing.
The gun, weighing about 3T4 pounds.
has bore Of LAG inches and fires a
projectile weighing one pound with a
muzZle velocity of l,G40 foot seconds
The cartridges are normally loaded
with n charge Of forty grams OF French
smokelcss powder with an l;nlter OF
two grams.
The mountlngs are of various forms
for naval deck. boat, masthead. land
ing, field. barbettc and cascmate. In
field operations the role of the one
FOUNDER gun is intermediate between
that of field artillery and machine
guns. For this reason an equipment of
great mobility is required together
with provision for carrying IA large
quantity Of ammunition.
The weight behind the gun team is
2,222 pounds, and that Of the calsson
fully equipped is 2,420 pounds. The
Timber carries 2Ss pounds and the cais-
son 57G.
This piece represents the lCtest i'm
provements In gun construction and is
a type Of the automatic gun Of medium
caliber with all its mechanism perfect
ed to the present state Of our knowl.
edge of the subject