THE GARDNER GUN (CAL. 0.45").

Fig. 94.

Weight of gun142lbs.
Weight of gun and carriage502"
Shots per minute357

This gun consists of two breech-loading rifled barrels, a ([Fig. 95]), (chambered at the rear to admit a flanged centre-fire metallic cartridge), having their axes in the same horizontal plane enclosed and supported in a bronze casing. The two openings in the front part of this casing are for the circulation of air to keep the barrels cool.

The barrels are without motion, and are loaded and fired by the action of the breech mechanism, which is contained in the rectangular rear part of the casing. This is closed at the top by a hinged cover, c, which is firmly locked in position by screwing up the cascable.

Fig. 95.

Fig. 96.

Motion is given to all the parts by the cams (a, [Fig. 96]), which are attached to the three steel disks, b, at opposite extremities of a diameter, and the whole is rotated around an axis, c, by means of a crank, d. The parts abc form the main crank, which is supported in journal-boxes that are locked into the body of the rear case as shown in [Fig. 95].

Fig. 97.

The Lock ([Fig. 97]) in form resembles the letter U, having an extension from its side which contains the firing-pin, h; the mainspring, i, whose ends abut against the collar, k, on the firing-pin, and the sector-sleeve, l, which slides over the firing-pin; the sector or spring-compressor, n; the extractor, b; the sear, e; and the sear-spring, j. The U part of the lock, that works under and around the cam, is curved at the inner front to correspond with the outer circle of the cam, the office of the curved front being to hold the lock in position for firing. The circular firing-pin is flattened a portion of its length near the front end, to allow it to pass under the extractor, by which it is held in position. It extends from the head of the lock through the mainspring and sector-sleeve, terminating in a head, m, for locking into the sear. The sear, e, pivoted in the centre of the lock, holds the firing-pin securely, and prevents it from touching the cartridge until it is released from its hold by the action of the cam, when the lock is in its extreme forward position.

The sector or spring-compressor, n, hinged in a recess of the lock, and engaging, by means of gear-teeth, with the sector-sleeve, l, has its arm, g, forced against the safety-stop, o, as the cam advances, thus compressing, through the medium of the sector-sleeve, the mainspring, and holding it tense until released by action of the sear.

The lock-heads serve as breech-plugs, and receive the recoil when the cartridges are fired. Each lock carries a hooked extractor which rides over and catches the flange of the cartridge, when the lock is forced forward, and when the lock retreats withdraws the empty shell until it comes within reach of the ejector, by which it is positively thrown out. The ejectors, ff, hinged to the case, are driven by projections on the sides of the locks which give them positive movements to eject the empty shells.

The Feed, resembling the Bruce feed but without the wheel, is fixed to the casing in rear of the barrels. Below the feed-guide the casing has two holes for the passage of cartridges, and below the holes is the feed-valve, which slides at right angles to the barrels when driven by the forked-shaped lever which receives its motion from the bolts as they move forward.

OBSERVATIONS.

1. If the crank be turned before the feeding of the cartridges is commenced, the first few will fall irregularly and check the working of the gun.

2. Be careful to reclamp firmly the swivel and pointing-lever after pointing.

3. To oscillate the gun without changing the elevation, unclamp the swivel and turn the gun back and forth from right to left by means of the pointing-lever, regulating the amplitude of the vibration by the oscillation-stop head.

4. When the firing is discontinued, turn the safety-crank downwards and to the front, until the crank-stop drops into its front recess in the casing.

5. This gun may be fired by turning the crank backward.

NOMENCLATURE OF THE GUN.

In and about the Casing.—Lock (lock-frame; lock-frame heads; lock-frame truck; locking-lever; locking-lever pins; locking-lever stop-pins; firing-pin; firing-pin rack; mainspring; sear; sear-pin; sear-spring; sear-spring pin; extractor); casing (body); casing (cover); cascable; cascable-screw; rear sight and pinion; rear-sight guide; lock-cam; lock-cam recoil-plates; lock-cam journal-boxes; perforated plate; perforated plate cartridge-support; shell-starter; cocking-cam; cocking-cam screws; hand-crank; hand-crank pin; hand-crank handle; ejector; ejector-pins; lock-guide; cartridge-guide; feed-valve; feed-valve slide; feed-valve seat; feed-valve lever; feed-valve lever-screw; feed-valve lever-slide; feed-guide; feed-guide catch; feed-guide cartridge-stop; front sight; mainspring-compressor; lever and compressor locks; compressor-guide; safety-crank; safety-crank stop; safety-crank stop-spring; safety-crank shaft, safety-crank shaft-lever and pins; front-sight spring; barrels; front barrel-plate; front barrel-plate pin; rear barrel-plate; rear barrel-plate pin.

About the Carriage.—Swivel (the brass casting connecting casing and carriage); swivel and casing pivot-pins, ring, chain, and lock-pin; swivel-clamp; swivel-clamp screw, gunner's seat; swivel-clamp screw-collar; swivel and carriage pivot-bolt locks; swivel and carriage pivot-bolt lock-lever; swivel and carriage pivot-bolt lock-lever ring and chain; elevating and pointing-lever; pointing-lever pivot-pin ring chain and lock-pins; pointing-lever clamp, lock-chain; pointing-lever clamp-screw; oscillation-stop, trail handspikes, oscillation-stop traversing-screw; oscillation-stop limit-screw.

Implements, etc.—Wiping-rod; T screw-driver; lock-wrench; headless shell-extractor; packing-case; shell-driver; hammer; drifts; breech-casing cover (leather).

THE CARRIAGE.

The distinctive feature of the carriage is the arrangement for oscillation, the lateral movement being regulated by a clamp, which compresses, or allows to expand, a metallic ring concentric with the pivot around which the gun moves. The lever for elevating or depressing, as well as giving the oscillation, is peculiar to this gun.

THE LIMBER.

The limber-chest is opened in rear by a lid, which falls down, and is held in place by jointed braces, thereby serving as a shelf. When down, it exposes a series of drawers six in number, and two recesses for implements. In these drawers the ammunition is carried in the original pasteboard packages. Each drawer has a capacity for 45 packages or 900 rounds, thus giving to each limber 5400 rounds.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DISMOUNTING.

1. Unscrew the cascable and raise the breech-cover.

2. Remove the locks. To do this, turn the crank until one of the lock-cam recoil-plates is uppermost; rotate the corresponding lock about the recoil-plate until it is vertical, and draw it out at front. The other lock may be removed in the same manner.

3. Remove the ejectors directly by their pins.

4. Remove the lock-cam, raising it vertically by means of its journal-boxes.

5. Turn out the feed-valve and valve-lever screws, and remove valve, valve-slide, lever, and lever-slide.

6. Drive out the safety-crank pin, and remove crank.

7. Drive out the safety-crank shaft and remove the spline.

TO DISMOUNT THE LOCK.

1. Drive out the extractor-pin, and remove the extractor.

2. Unscrew the lock-head by means of the lock-wrench.

3. Uncock by pressing on the sear, and turn the cocking-lever to the rear; drive out the cocking-lever pin, and remove the lever.

4. Draw out the firing pin, remove the rack, and unscrew the mainspring.

5. Drive out the sear-spring pin, and remove the spring.

6. Drive out the sear-spring, and remove the sear.

7. Drive out the truck-pin, and remove the truck.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING.

1. Put in safety-crank shaft and spline.

2. Put in safety-crank and crank-pin.

3. Replace the feed-valve, valve-slide, lever, and lever-slide, and the feed-valve and valve-lever screws.

4. Replace the lock-cam, lowering it vertically into place by its journal-boxes, with the oil-holes in journal-boxes on top.

5. Replace the ejectors.

6. Replace the locks. For this purpose each of the lock-cam recoil-plates must be uppermost, in succession.

7. Lower the breech-cover and screw up the cascable.

TO ASSEMBLE THE LOCK.

1. Replace the truck and drive in the truck-pin.

2. Replace the sear and pin.

3. Replace the sear-spring and pin.

4. Screw on the mainspring, replace the rack with notch towards head of firing-pin.

5. Replace cocking-lever with its front tooth in front space on rack, put in lever-pin, and cock by turning cocking-lever to the front.

6. Turn the firing-pin so that its flat is parallel with the extractor-slot, and screw on the lock-head by means of the lock-wrench.

7. Replace the extractor and extractor-pin.