GB130630A - Improved Gun Carriage or Mounting for Heavy Artillery. - Google Patents

Abstract

130,630. Caterpillar Tractors, Ltd., (Holt Manufacturing Co.). Feb. 25, 1918. Field carriages.-Consists in providing carriages for heavy guns with self-propelled endless-track trucks detachably arranged at each end of the carriage frame and replaceable by rail trucks when it is desired to use the carriage on railways. Jacks are provided to support the frame during the interchange of trucks. Fig. 1 shows a gun 12 mounted on a frame 10 carried at each end by gimbal-jointed rings 28, 29 on chain-track trucks 15 each of which is independently operated and controlled for propulsion and steering by a motor 22. Each truck 15 pivotally carries smaller spring-supported frames 16 provided with rollers 18 to run on the ground stretch of endless-chain tracks 21, a pair of which are arranged on each side of each truck, Fig. 6, so as to be driven by the motor 22 through change-speed gear 26, a central shaft 23, and countershafts 25 gearing at each end with sprocket-wheels 19. Controllable clutches 27 are provided on the shafts 25 by which a differential movement is obtained between the tracks on opposite sides of each truck for steering and manoeuvring. The gimbal-jointed rings 28, 29 are connected by a king-pin 14, Fig. 3<b>, to permit the trucks to turn relatively to the frame. Increased stability may be obtained by using wedges 31 to prevent movement about the longitudinal axes of the gimbal joints. The frame 10 carrying the gun may be lifted from the chaintrack trucks and transferred to railway trucks by employing hydraulic or other lifting-jacks 34 carried by arms 35 which are pivoted to the frame 10 so as to fold towards the centre when not in use.