GDG- Cannon Fire

[Batrinque at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/1/2007 8:19:50 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
jspragg at iw.net writes:

Can  anyone shed light on the design of the shell's driving band?  How 
was  it constructed so that the shell could be rammed down the bore, yet 
catch  the rifling to spin the shell during firing?  Were Parrot driving  
bands different from the other rifled guns of the  period?




The concept was similar to that used for rifled-musket bullets, except the  
rifle bullet was all one material whereas the band (cup, ring) on the rifled  
cannon shell was usually of a different material (for Parrotts, frequently  
brass) and attached with screws to the base of the shell.  When the gun was  
fired, the pressure of the gases would distort the band/cup/ring and expand it  
outwards to engage the lands within the bore.
 
Hotchkiss shells typically used instead a lead band wrapped around the  
center of the shell, for the same purpose.  Schenkl shells had a paper  mache sabot 
in which the base of the shell was set.  
 
 
Bruce  Trinque
41°37'52"N    72°22'29"W



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