Artillery carriage

“ In gunnery, by track is understood the distance between the furrows formed by the wheels of artillery carriages in the ground. It is important that the track should be the same for all carriages likely to travel the same road, in order that the wheels of one carriage may follow in the furrows formed by those of its predecessor, and thereby prevent a loss of tractile force. The track of artillery carriages is 5 feet, and the extreme length of the axle-tree is 61⁄2 feet for field-, and 63⁄4 feet for siege-carriages. ”

“ Every artillery carriage, of whatever description, had 6 horses; the long 6-pounder gun had 8, and the 12-pounder 214 had 10. Besides this, horses were required for the officers, non-commissioned officers, and for park duties; and the ammunition waggons, for conveyance of such as could not be carried on the limbers, were drawn by a motley collection of horses, mules, and oxen. ”

“ All the nations whose tendencies have been considered in this report have experienced to a varying degree with field gun carriages, particularly in a desire to design a carriage permitting a greater angle of elevation and greater movement of the gun in the traverse. The Italians have expressed themselves in the modified Deport Carriage; this vehicle is of the split trail type and permits an elevation in excess of 75 degrees, and a traverse on each side of the center of the carriage of about 20 degrees—about 356 mils. ”

“ Garrison and ship carriages were far different from field, siege, and howitzer mounts, while mortar beds were in a separate class entirely. Basic proportions for the carriage were obtained by measuring (1) the distance from trunnion to base ring of the gun, (2) the diameter of the base ring, and (3) the diameter of the second reinforce ring. The result was a quadrilateral figure that served as a key in laying out the carriage to fit the gun. Cheeks, or side pieces, of the carriage were a caliber in thickness, so the bigger the gun, the more massive the mount. ”

“ Is a rising ground, or eminence, commanding a plain, sometimes almost parallel to the works of a place. It is a great disadvantage to have rideaus near a fortification, which terminate on the counterscarp, especially when the enemy fire from afar; they not only command the place, but facilitate the enemy’s approaches.
Rider. In artillery carriages, a piece of wood, which has more height than breadth; the length being equal to that of the body of the axle-tree, upon which the side-pieces rest in a four-wheel carriage, such as the ammunition-wagon, block-carriage, and sling-wagon. ”

“ It is used in siege and garrison service for transporting artillery short distances. [Pg 110]
87. Describe it.
It is a two-wheeled carriage made entirely of iron, except the pole, which is of oak. The axle-tree is arched to make it stronger, and connected with the pole by strong wrought iron straps and braces. In the rear of the axle a projection is welded to receive the end of a strong hook. The end of the pole terminates in a ferule and an eye. The eye is for the purpose of attaching to the cart when necessary, a limber or a horse. ”

“ THE TRUCK CARRIAGE From the small truck, trochos, or wheel on which it ran, the four-wheeled carriage which served for centuries as a mounting for the long guns of fighting ships has come to be known as a truck carriage: the gun, with trunnions cast upon it, as a truck gun.
Artillery being from the first an affair common, in almost all respects, to land and to sea service, and being applied to ships as the result of its prior development on land, it would be expected that naval practice should in its evolution follow in the wake of that on land. ”

“ The limber and wheels are the same as those of the siege-gun carriage. The body consists of a platform of rails and transoms, resting on an axle-tree, the two middle rails being prolonged to form the stock; six stakes or standards are inserted in sockets on the side of this platform and used to secure the load.
The side-rails are prolonged to the rear, and furnish pivots for a roller placed immediately in rear of the platform. This roller has holes for the insertion of handspikes, and is used in loading the wagon; the guns, mortars, &c., being drawn up on the stock. ”

“ When a fixed object is to be fired at by night, the piece should be directed during the day, and two narrow and well-dressed strips of wood laid on the inside of the wheels, and two others outside of the trail of a siege carriage, and nailed or screwed to the platform. In case of a barbette carriage, the traverse-wheels should be chocked in the proper position. To preserve the elevation, measure the height of the elevating screw above its box, or take the measure between a point on the gun, and another on the stock ”

“ It is formed like the field-gun carriage, but much smaller, the cheeks not being formed of pieces distinct from the stock, but all three made of two pieces bolted together. The axle-tree is of wood, which lessens the recoil, and gives an elasticity to the whole carriage, better adapted to resist the shocks of firing. ”

“ These eccentrics are so arranged that when the centres of the wheels are at their lowest points, the surfaces of the wheels bear on the rails of the chassis and raise the gun-carriage tie from it; and when the centres are at the highest points, the surfaces of the wheels do not touch the rails, and the ties are in contact with them. [2] A similar arrangement is made for the rear part of the carriage, except that the axle does not extend all the way through, but the wheel on each side has a projecting piece of axle which works into a box placed near the end of the tie. ”

“ The standard type of disappearing carriage in the coast artillery of the United States army is the Buffington-Crozier carriage, in which the gun trunnions are secured at the upper and after ends of a pair of heavy levers, at the lower ends of which is attached a counterweight of lead. The levers are pivoted at their middle points, which are, with the top carriage, permitted restrained motion along the slightly inclined chassis rails. ”

“ Describe the gun-carriage.
It is formed of two upright pieces of timber, nearly vertical, behind which are placed two inclined braces, mortised into the uprights, and designed to receive the force of the recoil, the whole forming the cheeks, which are firmly connected and braced by transoms and assembling bolts, thus forming a triangular frame-work, which is less liable than any other form to become deformed from the shocks of the gun. A horizontal piece (the transom and axle-tie) runs from front to rear between the cheeks, connecting the axle-body and [Pg 101] rear transom. ”

“ Some late eighteenth century field and siege carriages had a second pair of trunnion holes a couple of feet back from the regular holes, and the cannon was shifted to the rear holes where the weight was better distributed for traveling. The United States siege carriage of the 1860's had no extra trunnion holes, but a "traveling bed" was provided where the gun was cradled in position 2 or 3 feet back of its firing position. A well-drilled gun crew could make the shift very rapidly, using a lifting jack, a few rollers, blocks, and chocks. ”

“ The single-trail carriage (fig. 13) used so much during the middle 1800's was a remarkable simplification of carriage design. It was also essential for guns like the Parrott rifles, since the thick reinforce on the breech of an otherwise slender barrel would not fit the older twin-trail carriage. The single, solid "stock" or trail eliminated transoms, for to the sides of the stock itself were bolted short, high cheeks, humped like a camel to cradle the gun so high that great latitude in elevation was possible. ”

“ Instead of this the gun alone is allowed to recoil several feet and although the recoil energy is in this case greater than it would be if gun and carriage recoiled together yet it is so gradually communicated to the carriage that instead of a violent jerk we have a steady, uniform pull, the only effect of which is to slightly compress the earth behind the spade. In a well designed carriage the amount of this pull is always less than that required to lift the wheels off the ground by rotating the carriage about the spade. ”

“ In firing, the carriage should yield to the recoil. Were it fixed [Pg 95] immovably, it would soon be destroyed, no matter how great its solidity. Its weight should be proportional to that of the piece. If too heavy it would soon be destroyed by the shocks of the piece. If too light, the recoil would be immoderate. Its weight should always be less than that of the piece. A heavy piece upon too light a carriage will perform better service than the reverse arrangement, since the effort exerted by a piece depends upon its mass multiplied into the square of the velocity. ”

“ On the rear end of the middle rail is placed a carriage hook, similar to a pintle-hook, to which the lunette of a gun carriage whose limber has become disabled, may be attached, and the gun carried off the field.
The caisson has the same turning capacity and mobility as the gun carriage, so that it can follow the piece in all its manœuvres, if necessary. It also carries a spare wheel, spare pole, &c.
73. What provision is made for repairing the carriages of a field battery when required?
Every field battery is provided with a FORGE.
74. Describe this wagon. ”

“ Moreover, vulnerability was not a fatal defect as against a battery or two of the enemy’s horse artillery, whose main task is to fire with effect into the closed squadrons of mounted men on the verge of their charge, and above all to avoid a meaningless duel of projectiles. The use of wheeled carriages was therefore quite admissible (although in fact the equipment was detachable from the carriage) and, given the rapidity and sudden changes of cavalry fighting, both desirable and necessary. ”

“ It consists of two rails and a tongue, joined by two transoms, and supported on traverse-wheels in front and rear. The track on each rail is curved up at each end, and provided with hurters to prevent the carriage from running off the chassis. A prop fastened under the rear end of the tongue prevents the chassis from upsetting backwards in firing heavy charges, and may be used as a point of support in raising the chassis. An iron fork is bolted to the under side of the front end of the tongue, to which is bolted an iron tongue. ”

“ The vehicle upon which this gun is mounted permits an elevation of 37 degrees and an axle traverse of 41⁄2 degrees on each side. The trail is a box trail and the carriage is simple and steady in its construction and lends itself to rapid production.
Motorization. At some time in the future it is probable that all the division artillery will be motorized. The result of such a change in the prime mover would be to remove the present restriction as to weight of gun and carriage. The board senses a demand in the near future for a light field gun having a maximum range of approximately 15,000 yards ”

“ Mention other parts of a field-carriage.
Cap-squares, ear-plates, trunnion-plates, under-strap, elevating screw, wheel guard plate, axle-tree, trail-plate, trail-handles, prolong-hooks, pointing-rings, washer-hooks, lock-chain, sponge-chain, sponge and rammer stop, bolts, rings, bands, hooks, keys, straps, nuts, and nails. [Pg 96]
19. What is the limber?
It consists of a similar axle-body, axle, and two wheels, and on these rests a frame-work to receive the tongue. On top of the whole is an ammunition box, the top of which forms a seat for three cannoneers. ”

“ CHAPTER IV. Matériel organization, and its successive changes—Guns and carriages first used—Royal pattern—Madras pattern—Ammunition-carriages—Tumbrils—Horse Artillery ammunition-carriage—Elevating-screws—Ordnance in use—Siege-carriages—Howitzer and Mortar combined carriage—Gribeauval’s pattern—French caisson—Hardwicke’s pattern—Horse Artillery guns—Mountain-train carriages—Siege-carriages and ordnance—Royal pattern (block trail) —Gun and Ammunition carriages introduced, p. 163–198. ”

“ It is also pierced with a conical hole for the axle-arm; and to diminish wear and friction, it is lined with a box of brass or cast iron, called the nave-box. The spokes serve to transmit the pressure of the load to the rim of the wheel. In all artillery carriages there are seven felloes and fourteen spokes. The felloes are the wooden segments which form the rim, and are joined together at their ends by wooden pins, or dowels. The tire is a strong band of iron, shrunk tightly around the felloes, to hold them together, and protect the rim from wearing away by contact with the ground. ”

“ The non-commissioned officers in charge of sub-divisions will attach to their harness and stores, pieces of basil having the number of their sub-divisions written upon them. The harness for each carriage should be embarked with it.
2. The gun detachments will prepare the carriages for embarkation. They will take off the side arms and secure them together, take out the elevating screws, unkey the cap-squares, unlash the ammunition boxes, and coil up the lashing ropes. Each carriage, when called for, is to be run forward to the boat or crane; the gun is to be unlimbered and dismounted ”

“ There were half a dozen artillery ammunition waggons, a few infantry transport carts, several Army Service Corps vehicles. All of them were moving at a trot, the waggons rumbling and lumbering heavily and noisily over the cobblestones, the drivers stooped forward and peering out anxiously to pick a way between the obstacles in their path. ”