438 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OF 
Magazines containing 20 to 25 cartridges each, have been replaced 
by drums containing, with our service arm, 240 rounds. 
The spring extractor has been improved, so as to ensure the empty 
case being withdrawn. 
Each lock can be taken out separately, and replaced by a new one. 
An automatic “ scattering 33 arrangement has been added, which can 
be put in gear or not, as required, and which is worked by the crank 
which moves the system. 
300 to 400 rounds per minute can be fired from this mitrailleur. 
Two men are sufficient to serve one in action. 
We have two natures in our service—the 0*65-in. and the 0'45-in. 
bore* 
a , 
Construction m detail. (Vide Plate I.) 
Ten steel barrels, rifled on the Henry principle, are fixed in a circle 
round a centre shaft of steel. To this shaft are keyed two gun-metal 
discs, through one of which the muzzle ends of barrels pass, while their 
breech ends are screwed into the other. 
The shaft itself is fixed in a “ gun-frame 33 (aa, Eig. 1) of wrought- 
iron, made of two bars connected in front of muzzles by a curved 
cross-piece (», Fig. 1). The rear ends of this gun-frame are connected 
by screws to a cast-iron box, or “ breech-casing 33 ( C\ Fig. 1), which 
contains the mechanism. In this casing is a vertical diaphragm, 
through which the shaft passes towards the breech, and the breech 
end of the casing is closed by a “ cascable-plate 33 (D, Fig. 1) of 
cast-iron. 
Inside the casing, upon the rear end of the shaft, is a small (pinion) 
worm-wheel (TV, Fig. 2), which gears into a worm (f, Fig. 2) on a 
crank-shaft or spindle (gg, Fig. 2), which passes into the breech-casing 
on the right side, and at right angles to the main shaft. By turning 
a crank-handle secured to this spindle, the m'ain shaft and barrels are 
caused to revolve. When not in use, this handle is pushed in out of 
the way. 
Fastened by screws to the gun-frame, is a “ pivot4)lock 33 of gum 
metal ( p , Figs. 1 and 3); a pivot (P, Fig. 3) passes through this, and 
into an iron trunnion-plate (ee, Figs. 2 and 3)* and upon it the system 
turns when lateral spread of bullets is required. 
The trunnion-plate has projections, or trunnions, on which the 
system revolves for elevation, and is secured at the rear end by a 
bolt and nut to a locking-bolt plate which fits into an undercut slot 
in bottom of breech-casing. 
When a scattering fire is required, the frame, barrels, &c», turn 
on this “ block 33 through the required arc by means of an automatic 
arrangement (AF> Fig. 2) worked by the crank-handle before mem 
tioned. When such is not required, the fire is concentrated by putting 
this arrangement out of gear, and preventing any transverse move* 
ment by means of a locking-bolt 33 (l, Fig. 2) let down into a slot in 
trunnion-plate at the rear* 
