75 MM. GUN CARRIAGE MODEL OF 1916.
LEFT ELEVATION.
75 MM GUN CARRIAGE. MODEL OF 1916.
RIGHT ELEVATION.
The trail is made in two halves of box section built of bent and riveted steel plate. Each half is bolted to a lug on the equalizing gear, so that it may be rotated horizontally from the junction point of the trail to the point where the trail hits the wheel.
The trails are locked together in traveling position by means of a cone-shaped vertical lug on the lunette bracket which fits in a socket in the trail coupling, and is locked in place by the trail-coupling latch. Trail-coupling latch has a handle and catch with a vertical spindle seated in a socket in the lunette bracket. A handle-return spring is assembled around the spindle and the latch engages a catch on the trail coupling when trails are fixed in the traveling position. Latch is opened by moving handle forward.
Lunette consists of a ring for attaching the carriage to the limber and is bolted through the lunette bracket.
Floats are attached to the bottoms of both trails at their rear ends, consisting of flanged steel plates for the purpose of increasing bearing area of the trails on soft ground.
Spade bearings are riveted to rear of the trails and form bearings for spades in firing position. Spades are driven through the bearings, and their upward movement relative to the trails is prevented by spade latch.
Spade-latch bracket consists of a bronze plate with a cylindrical chamber for a spring and plunger and two bearings for latch-handle pin. Bracket is riveted to the inside top of trail in front of the spade. Spade-latch plunger, with a spring assembled around it, is seated in the chamber and the spade-latch handle is pinned in the bearing. Top of handle extends through the trail and is roughened for use as a foot pedal. Lower part of handle engages with the plunger. When the spade is driven the plunger is forced into a notch in the spade by means of the spring, and the slope on face of plunger allows a downward movement of the spade and prevents upward movement. To release spade the foot pedal on latch handle is pressed down, disengaging plunger from spade, and the spade is removed.
Trail handles are riveted to outside of both trails for lifting trails. Name plate is riveted to outside lower left trail. It is important that the number of carriage on this plate be recorded by the officer in charge of the unit to which it is assigned and that this number be used as a reference in all correspondence. Wheel guards, rear, are plates riveted to the outside lower left of both trails for the protection of trail bodies against contact with limber wheels on short turns. Trail guards are bent plates riveted to the top of trail in front of trail-coupling latch to prevent battering of trails by sledges used for driving the spades.