Gatling Gun, Long Barrel, Model 1883.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DISMOUNTING.
1. Remove hinge-pin and take off hopper.
2. Remove lock-plug by turning to the right and take out locks.
3. Turn off the adjuster-knob by pressing down the catch and turning the knob to the left, or pressing down the catch and turning the crank in the same direction as when firing.
4. Remove the worm-cover, pull out the crank-shaft split-pin, and remove washer from left end of crank-shaft; hold one hand under worm-cover hole and draw out the crank-shaft to the right. In this operation the worm will fall through the worm-cover hole, and should be caught in the hand.
5. Take off the cascable-plate. To do this, first see that the cocking-switch is in the firing position, which is indicated by the arrow pointing forward. Then turn out the cascable-plate screw, and turn the plate to the left until the arrows on the plate and casing meet; hold one hand under worm-cover hole to receive worm-gear, and pull the plate off to the rear.
6. Take out the lock-cam. First pull the cocking-switch outward, turning it to the right until it snaps in the notch, the arrow pointing downward; the cam can now be pulled out, using the cam-extractor, or the fingers of both hands.
7. Take out the shell-guide.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING.
1. Put in the shell-guide.
2. Put in the lock-cam, then turn the cocking-switch so that the arrow points forward.
3. Put on the cascable-plate. Be sure that the gear is inside the worm-cover hole, and turn the plate and gear until the grooves on the latter meet the splines on the main shaft; then push the plate into place, and turn to the right until the arrows on plate and casing meet.
4. Put in the crank-shaft and worm (countersunk-end of the latter to the right) and secure with washer and split-pin.
5. Screw on the adjuster-knob; turn it up as far as possible, and then back until lines on catch and ratchet meet.
6. Put in locks as numbered on front of locks and rear barrel-plate, and put in lock-plug.
7. Put on hopper and replace hinge-pin.
NOMENCLATURE OF THE 1-INCH GUN.
In View.—Main shaft, around which the barrels are clustered; front plate, which supports the front of the barrels; rear plate, which supports the rear end of the barrels; barrels; gun-frame; trunnions; gun-face; front sight; rear sight; breech-casing; breech-casing screws; cascable-plate; hopper; ejector; cartridge-carrier; crank; elevating-screw; elevating-screw box; elevating-screw bed; elevating-screw handle; wiping-rod (brass); ejecting-rod (iron); lock; lock-tube; lock-hammer; lock-spring; firing-pin; extractor.
Within the Breech-casing.—Lock-cylinder; rear-guide nut; cocking-ring; cocking-ring clamp; spiral cam; diaphragm; diaphragm-plug; gear-wheel; pinion; rear-cam screw.
TO TAKE THE GUN APART.
The piece is first dismounted and placed with its casing resting on blocks. Mounting and dismounting are best accomplished by means of a gin. In case of necessity, it may be mounted and dismounted as a field-piece, care being taken to place blocks of wood to receive the gun-frame and to prevent injury to the front sight, or to the barrels.
The operations of taking apart are executed in the following order:
1. Block up the frame and barrels.
2. Remove the hopper.
3. Remove the cascable-plate.
4. Take out the steady-pin; then turn the crank downwards and remove the crank shaft in that position.
5. Remove the rear sight, and take out the large gear-wheel.
6. Take out the rear plug in the diaphragm, and then gently revolve the gun until a lock presents itself on a line with the hole in the diaphragm, through which one lock after another is taken out.
7. Take out the breech-casing screws, and remove the casing by drawing it off to the rear. Care is taken in this operation to have the lock-cylinder and gun supported, so as to keep the axis of the main shaft parallel to the top of the frame. This is necessary to prevent the rear end of the gun from dropping when the casing is removed.
8. Remove the pin from the large nut on the main shaft in rear of the locks, and take this nut off by turning it to the right; then remove the lock-cylinder and carrier from the main shaft.
The spiral cam need not be taken out of the casing in order to take the gun apart.
TO ASSEMBLE THE GUN.
1. Put the main shaft in its place through the plates which hold the barrels, and then put in their proper places the carrier, lock-cylinder, and large rear nut. The latter should be screwed up tight and have the taper-pin put through the nut and shaft.
2. Place the gun within the frame, and let the front end of the main shaft rest in the hole designed for it in the front of the frame. When the gun is in this position, the cocking-ring should be shoved over the lock-cylinder and left for the time loosely around the carrier.
3. Let the breech of the gun be slightly raised, when the breech-casing can be shoved over the lock-cylinder to its place; then screw the casing to the frame, putting, in the meantime, the cocking-ring in its proper place. Revolve the gun to the right or left so that the places for the locks will come on a line with the hole in the diaphragm, through which one lock at a time can be inserted in its proper position; afterwards the screw-plug should be inserted to close the hole.
4. Put on the cog-wheels, replace the crank-shaft, pinion, and steady-pin. Put on the rear sight, and screw on the cascable-plate and hopper, and the gun is ready to be mounted. The piece is mounted on a 3-inch gun-carriage widened between the cheeks to receive it. The ammunition-chests are arranged for twelve trays. For field service each piece is accompanied by one caisson.