1947 US Navy WWII 8 Inch 3 Gun Turrets 220p

8/14/2019 1947 US Navy WWII 8 Inch 3 Gun Turrets 220p.

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-INCH 3-GUN TURRETS MAIN ARMAMENT FOR USS SALEM CLASS

Folks,

8-Inch 3-Gun Turrets Main Armament For Uss Salem Class, Turret Description And Operation, July

947 was created just after WW II.

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OP 1180 (Vo



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31 JULY 1947

This publication is RESTRICTED and shall be safeguarded in accordance with the security provisions

U. S. Navy Regulations, 1920, Article 76.

This Page Blank

NAVY DEPARTMENTBUREAU OF ORDNANCE

WASHINGTON 25. D. C.

31 July 1

ORDNANCE PAMPHLET 1180 (VOLUME 1)

TURRET DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION,

-INCH THREE-GUN TURRETS, USS SALEM CLASS

. Ordnance Pamphlet 1180 (Volume 1) describes and provides operating and maintenance instructions

or the turret of the rapid-fire automatic 8-inch guns of heavy cruisers of the USS SALEM class. It

ncludes appended general engineering data and Safety Precautions applying to the guns and to all othe

urret installations.

2. This publication, together with the references of paragraph three, provides complete information for

nstallations of the turrets. It is to be used by operating personnel, maintenance personnel ashore and

float, personnel of installing activities, inspectors, and the Advanced Technical Service Schools, and ather training activities providing instruction concerning the gun and its mount services.

. Ordnance Pamphlet 1180 (Volume 1) is one of a series of six volumes describing the turret, turret

peration, and all of the turret installations. The other volumes are designated:

OP 1180 (Volume 2)-Guns and Slides

OP 1180 (Volume 3)-Elevating and Training Gear Drives and Controls

OP 1180 (Volume 4)-Ammunition Stowage and Hoist Equipment



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OP 1180 (Volume 5)-Turret Fire Control and Electrical Installations

OP 1180 (Volume 6)-Tools, Accessories, and General Instructions for Turret Installations

. This publication supersedes two volumes of a limited blueprint edition issued by the Naval Gun

Factory for interim use of the Advanced Technical Service Schools, designated: OP 1180 (Preliminary)

Chapters 1 and 2, respectively.

. This publication is RESTRICTED and shall be safeguarded in accordance with the security provisionf U. S. Navy Regulations, 1920, Article 76.

G. F. HUSSEY, JR.

Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy

Chief of the Bureau of

Ordnance

CONTENTS

Introduction

Page

The Ship and Armament vii

Chapter 1-Turret, General Description

Structural Assembly 1

Rotating structure 1

Gun house structural plan 3

Suspended structure 6

Turret roller bearing 8

Fixed structure 10

Ordnance Installations 13

Ordnance designs 21

Gun and slide assemblies 22

Gun laying equipment 26

Ammunition hoist equipment 37

Projectile stowing and handling equipment 41

Fire control equipment 43

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Auxiliary Installations 49

Power supply 49

Ventilating system 52

Sprinkling system 55

Communications 61

Illumination 65Air supply services 67

Gas ejector 67

Counterrecoil 68

Hydraulic equipment filter system 69

Chapter 2-Turret Operation

Introduction 71

Station activities and turret control methods 71

Firing cycle 73

Personnel organization 73

Crew stations 74

Personnel Duties 77

Turret officer 77

Turret captain 78

Talkers 79Computer operator 79

Radar operators 80

Electrician (turret officer's booth) 81

Gun captains 81

Gun captain's assistants 81

iv



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Page

Trainer 82

Sight setter 85

Pointer 87

Checker 87

Projectile ring operators 89

Projectile men 91

Parbucklers 91

Electrician (lower projectile flat) 91

Petty officer in charge (powder handling room) 91

Powdermen 93

Preparing for Operation 93

Manning stations 93Starting operations 94

Casting loose 95

Establishing communications 98

Ordnance Equipment Preparations and Starting Operations 98

Safety checks, operating precautions, and tests 99

Energizing main power circuit 99

Starting drives 99Setting controls; energizing control circuits 102

Firing Operations 104

First round 104

Normal automatic fire 108

Gun laying, firing 109

Turret operation, local control 113

Turret operation, hand (emergency) control 115Sighting 115

Range estimating 116

Gun Casualty Operations 117

Misfire operations 117

Manual case extraction 120

Manual case ejection 120

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Manual projectile extraction 120

Manual hoist operation 120

Securing Operations 121

Stopping equipment 121

Conditioning for stowing 123

Securing 123Stowing Ammunition 126

Stowage handling via the hoist route 128

Appendix

1. General Turret Data 131

2. Ordnance Data 133

3. Index of Assemblies 135

4. Safety Precautions 145

v

USS Salem-Armament Arrangement



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vi

8-INCH 3-GUN TURRETS

USS SALEM CLASS

INTRODUCTION

The ship

USS SALEM is the first of a new class of heavy

ruisers. The hull is larger; the belt and deck

rmor are more extensive; and the fire power is

reater than in ships of the BALTIMORE and

arlier classes. The displacement is 17,000 tons.Over-all length is 716.5 feet; the beam 76.5 feet.

The armament

Antiaircraft, secondary, and main batteries and

ire control installations include new ordnance

ypes and new arrangements.

Antiaircraft batteries. Forty-eight minor-caliberuns comprise the defensive antiaircraft

rmament. These guns are arranged in two

atteries; twelve twin mounts of 20-millimeter

machine guns are symmetrically located on the

weather deck and in the superstructure; twelve

win mounts of 3-inch/50 caliber guns are em-

laced on the weather deck and on pedestals

bove it.

The 3-inch mount is a new automatic, rapid-fire

ype, tactically replacing the 40-millimeter

ntiaircraft installations of earlier ships. The

mounts are located and arranged for independent

r divided fire control. Four mounts are on the

weather deck-two forward on centerline, and two

ft at the transom. Eight are amidship-four port

nd four starboard-in positions that permit low-

ngle fire over adjacent mounts of the secondary

Main battery. The main battery consists of three 8

inch 3-gun turrets, described in this ordnance

pamphlet. They are rapid-fire, automatic turrets o

an entirely new design.

All three turrets are located on centerline, the gun

houses of turrets I and III being immediately abovthe weather deck while that of turret II is at the lev

of the first superstructure deck. Turret centers are

157.5, 205.5, and 538.5 feet (for turrets I, II, and I

respectively) from the bow. Gun trunnion axes, in

the same order, are 27 feet 9 inches, 36 feet 2

inches, and 28 feet 9 inches above the 24-foot

waterline. These positions and the large arcs of tra

provide fire concentration of nine guns on either

beam, six forward and three astern.

All turrets are virtually identical. Their gun house

and below-deck structures, emplacements,

magazines, and Ordnance installations only differ

minor details, adapting each to its ship location an

the fire control plan.

Turret structural and space arrangement plans

however differ substantially from the conventiona

turret designs of all previous battleships andcruisers. This difference is due, in part, to the use

semifixed ammunition, for the first time in

Ordnance of this size, and, in part, to the design

types and details of the guns and the ammunition

handling equipment. These ammunition and

Ordnance equipment designs have permitted and

required omission of flameproof bulkheads

separating the guns, the control stations, and the



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attery.

Secondary battery. Six twin 5-inch, enclosed,

dual-purpose mounts, of the same type and

rrangement of earlier cruisers, comprise the

econdary battery. They are located as follows:

wo port, two starboard on the weather deck

midship, and one before and one abaft theuperstructure, on centerline at the second

uperstructure deck.

powder service.

The emplacements are conventional foundation

structure, barbette, and magazine designs. Their

arrangements are quite similar to those of earlier

heavy cruisers, differing principally in the magazi

stowage provisions and powder-passing scuttles f

powder cases instead of powder bags.

vii

n their Ordnance installations, the turrets are

ntirely new. The guns operate automatically, and

equire no attendants in the gun compartment;

hey fire at three times the rate of the 3-gun turrets

f the BALTIMORES. Other features are:omparatively fast gun laying and turret train

drives; loading at all angles, while gun laying;

ubstitution of radar range taking equipment for

ptical rangefinder; local radar train control;

utomatic fuze setting; and other original fire

ontrol arrangements for local and remote control.

Fire control installations. The ship's fire control

nstallations comprise extensive arrangement ofptical and radar director equipment, together

with related computing and stabilizing devices.

The system is more complex than that of any prior

ruiser. It includes forward and after main battery

directors; four secondary battery directors, one

ach located forward, port, starboard and aft;

multiple directors for

the 3-inch mounts; and four plotting rooms, two

each for main and secondary batteries. Plot

switching arrangements permit many variations o

control.

Main directors are combination radar and optical

rangefinder types, adapted, with their plotting roo

equipments, for divided turret control or single

control of all turrets, using remote automatic or

remote indicating control.

Secondary directors are of two types. The ones

above the superstructure, on centerline, are

combination radar and optical rangefinder types omodified Mk 37 design. The other two are an all-

radar type of new variation of a similar design.

These directors and their switching circuits are

arranged to function as auxiliary directors for the

main battery.

The directors for the 3-inch battery are fast-tracki

lead computing, gun sight combinations of radar-

ranging and open sight arrangement.

viii

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CRUISER 8-INCH TURRET - PART 1

Chapter I

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TURRET

ach turret consists of the following

ructural units and equipment

stallations:

ructural assembly Rotating structure

Turret roller bearing Turret circular

undation Ordnance installations Guns

Gun laying equipment Ammunition

ists Ammunition stowing equipment

Ammunition handling equipment Fire

ntrol equipment Auxiliary installations

Power supply Heating system

Ventilating system Fire protectionrinkling system Turret illumination

Communications Compressed air

pply systems

TRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY

he three large units comprising the

ructural assembly are the fixed and

ovable parts designated in the profileagram of figure 1. They are a circular

undation, a rotating structure, and a

ller bearing between the two.

he circular foundation consists of parts

uilt into the ship to support and protect

e rotating structure. These parts are the

undation bulkhead, barbette, and other

xed elements described on pages 10-13.

he roller bearing is the turret roller

aring assembly described on pages 8-

0.

he rotating structure is the part that is

ated on the bearing and that mounts and

closes all the ordnance mechanisms and

Rotating structure

The rotating structure is a steel weldment nearly 45 feet

high, weighing 270 tons, consisting principally of thestructural plates identified in figure 2. It is a five-story

structure erected in the form of a rectangular gun house

above a cylindrical assembly of four flats.

The plates identifying the five levels are: the shelf plate a

the bottom of the gun house, the pan plate at the bottom o

the gun pits, two levels called the upper and lower projec

flats, and, at the lowest level, the powder handling platfo

These plates are joined together by a cylindrical bulkheaand gun girders between the shelf and pan plates, a id

another cylindrical

Figure 1. Turret Structure Fixed and Rotating Elemen

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xiliary installations. This rotating

ructure is the armored gun house, the

ructure beneath the gun house, and the

tached hatches, doors, ladders, trusses,

d special devices described in the

ragraphs which follow.

1



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Figure 2. Turret Subdivisions and Principal Structural Units

2

ulkhead and a central column extending from the

n to the powder platform. The column, both

ulkheads, and the outer edges of all floor plates

low the shelf plate are concentric with the turretnter of train rotation. This arrangement-and the

elded construction of all plates, girders and

ulkheads-ties the entire rotating structure

gether in one rigid unit. It divides the turret into

principal functional spaces of gun

mpartment and ammunition handling

mpartments. Those spaces are within the

llowing over-all measurements:

Dimensions, Rotating Structure

ertical distances:-

Powder platform to lower projectile

at

10 ft.

Lower projectile flat to upper

rojectile flat

7 ft. 6 in.

Upper projectile flat to pan plate 9 ft. 7 in.

Pan plate to shelf plate 8 ft. 7 in.

Shelf plate to turret roof plate 9 ft.

un house length 32 ft. 10 in.

un house width 30 ft. 8 in.

iameter at pan plate 24 ft. 3 in.

pper projectile flat diameter 22 ft. 10 in.

ower projectile flat diameter 22 ft. 10 in.owder handling platform diameter 14 ft. 4 in.

entral column diameter 22 in.

ower circular bulkhead diameter 14 ft. 4 in.

un house structural plan

he space enclosed between the gun house roof

Wing girders isolate two small spaces between th

outboard sides and the circular bulkhead. These a

called the pan plate wing chambers, left and righ

each a series of vertical plates, transversely placeand welded between the bulkhead and the girder

stiffen the girder and the pan plate. These details

the arrangement of access openings in each plate

girder and within the wing compartments are sho

in figure 3.

Truss girder details are also illustrated in figure 3

Each is a weldment of two parallel plates with w

bracing and stiffening plates. They are transversestiffened with box structures at the front, extendi

from wing girder to wing girder. In the interior o

spaces of both truss girders, electric cabinets,

hydraulic system tanks, and other equipment are

mounted. These installations fill the trusses-exce

for personnel passages between pockets, at the re

All four girders extend above the shelf plate to th

level of an elevated floor of the gun house. Theforward portion of each has two structural

extensions that extend nearly to the



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d the pan plate is not subdivided by flame

rriers. This 17-foot high gun and gun pit

mpartment is formed and partially subdivided

y the following design arrangements.

un pit details. Extending vertically above the

n plate (and supported by it) are five major

mponents of the turret. These are the enclosingrcular bulkhead and four gun girders. The latter

e longitudinally parallel, vertical units dividing

e gun pit into three pockets.

ll gun pockets are approximately the same size:

ch is ten feet deep and seven feet wide, and the

erage length within the curving end walls is 22

et. The gun girders that form their parallel sides

e different design types; the outer, or wing,rders are plate structures; the center units are

uss girders.

Figure 3. Gun Girder Construction

3

rret roof plate. These extensions are shown in

gure 3. One is a seat for a deck lug bearing; the

her is a support for a curved guide rail that is an

ement of the ammunition hoists described on

ges 37-41.

un house details. The shelf plate is welded to

e above-described gun pit structure, resting on

e circular bulkhead and abutting the two wing

rders. It extends outboard beyond the circular

ulkhead, overhanging slightly at the front and

des and nearly nine feet at the rear. It is cut

way in the area between the wing girders,

oviding a clear opening above all three gun pits.

arallel with the shelf plate and elevated 18

ches above it, are floor plates. These form a

ntinuous floor throughout the gun house,

cluding the top plates of the truss girders, except

r the gun pit area and two depressed control

ation areas, one at the right side and one



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posite at the left side.

the space under the floor, floor beams and

ffening plates, together with the shelf plate,

rm a rigid box structure. This structure is

signed to receive and support the gun house

mor at its outer edges, and, in the space between

elf and floor plates, to accommodate units of thentilating system described on pages 52-55.

hree transverse arch-beams rise from the shelf

ructure and extend across the gun pits,

Figure 4. Gun Port Arrangement

Figure 5. Gun Port Gas and Water Seal Deta

six feet above the floor level. These large structucolumns and beams .are armor plate supports. W

the shelf structure and the armor plates, they

constitute ,the entire gun house structure.

Armor. The armor plates consist of nine pieces

shaped, fitted, and welded together to form an

integral structure. Their identities and thicknesse

are:

Face plate 8 inches

Front side plates, right and

left

3.75 inches

Rear side plates, right and left 2 inches

Rear plate 2 inches

Roof plates, front, center, rear 4 inches



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Figure 2 shows the assembled form of the armor

plates and details of the attached foot

4

d hand rails, ladders, and platform. Face and

de plates slope inward; the rear plate is vertical.

ttached devices and the openings in the armorffer for the three turrets; the arrangements of the

ustration, for turret II, are the most extensive.

he armor openings of turrets II and III are the

me. Each has 13 openings. These are: three gun

rts, three sight hood openings, two periscope

d two antenna openings, and three access

orways. Turret I openings are the same, except

r omission of the antenna holes in the roof plate.ccess doors in all turrets are located in the rear

ate. These and all other

openings, with exception of the gun ports, are fit

with conventional gasket seals or fabric bucklers

They are arrangements that make the gun house weather and gas sealed enclosure.

Gun ports. Arrangements for sealing the three gu

ports are fixed and moving and inflated elements

special design. They are the arrangements illustr

in figure 4. These consist of a weldment of splint

plates on the rear side of the face plate, a mating

shield plate on the gun slide, an air hose sealing

device, and, on the exterior, a large fabric buckle

Figure 5 shows the details of the special gun por

and weather sealing device. This device



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Gun Port Buckler

5

a leather strip that encircles the edge of the

linter plate weldment and bears on the surface

the moving gun port shield. A rubber hose,

stended by compressed air, is secured in

ecial fittings and clamps, so that it presses

ainst the leather strip to assure mechanical

al. Air supply for this seal is tapped from the

s ejector system described on pages 67-68.

gure 6 shows the details of the buckler. It

cludes a steel weldment called a buckler tube

tension, mounted on the gun slide. This unit

s a water seal between the extension and the

coiling surface of the gun. A laminated fabric

of the three lower levels of the turret. It is suspend

from the pan plate and the upper roller path.

Upper roller path. The upper roller path is a larg

forged steel ring, 24 feet in diameter, secured und

the pan plate and the circular bulkhead and concenwith the train axis and the cylindrical structure. It

the upper race of the turret roller bearing. The bot

face is a precisely milled horizontal surface 13 fee

below the gun trunnion axis. From this bearing

surface, the suspended structure hangs 27 feet to t

level of the powder flat.

Suspended structure details. The main units of t



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uckler* is clamped to this tube extension and

so to a buckler attaching band bolted on the

ce plate.

un house subdivision. No bulkheads

bdivide the interior of the armored enclosure,

ut pipe stanchions and rails enclose the rear and

wo sides of the gun pits. On the rear line ofanchions and rails are mounted many control

struments and devices. These form a partial

ulkhead separating the gun compartment from

e turret overhang space called the turret

ficer's booth.

ccess passage between the booth and wing

aces and the gun pits is provided by the

llowing arrangements. Left and right sightntrol station areas are directly accessible from

e booth by narrow walkways at the sides of the

un pits. Similar narrow walkways along the

ps of the two truss girders are unobstructed by

ors and give access passage from the booth

to the gun compartment. Ladders at the rear of

e gun pits permit passage between the booth

d the pan. At the left side, a floor hatch and

dder give access to the left wing compartmentthe pan and thence to the forward part of the

ft gun pocket.

uspended structure

he portion of the rotating structure extending

low the pan plate is a suspended structure that

isolated from the gun house and gun pits

cept for conventional flame-tight hatches ine pan plate, one at the rear center and two

rward. This structure consists

Tentative material; actual specification of this

aterial or alternate leather buckler not provided

date of this publication.

suspended structure are the lower circular bulkhea

the central column, the upper and lower projectile

flats, and the powder handling platform.

The column and the bulkhead are continuous steel

cylinders fastened to the pan plate and extending

through and supporting all three floor structures. O

each level the bulkhead has cutaway sections. Theprovide access archways through the cylinder on t

two projectile flats and form an open sector for pa

the powder handling platform. A straight bulkhead

built-in with the ammunition hoists described on

pages 37-41, encloses the remaining portion at the

bottom level. This forms a semicircular compartm

that is partitioned into three small storerooms,

flameproofed from the surrounding powder handli

space and from each other. Although they areidentified as "storerooms," these three sub-

compartments are primarily fire-hazard safety spa

They are flame isolating chambers. Each confines

downward flame and explosion of a powder hoist

permitting limited expansion but blocking the fire

hazard from the other hoists, the powder handling

space, and the magazines. This purpose limits the

type and amount of storage permitted in the three

chambers to noninflammable tools and accessorie

small volume.

Both the upper and the lower projectile flats / are

identical in compartment subdivisions and space

arrangements. The circular bulkhead separates eac

flat into an inner circular compartment, and an out

ring-shaped space. The latter is 23 feet in diamete

and is enclosed by the foundation bulkhead of the

fixed structure.



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6

Figure 7. Projectile Ring Arrangement

the floor of both compartments are roller-

ounted circular platforms. These are at the outer

mits of each space and concentric with the

ntral column and the circular bulkhead. They

e rotating platforms that are power-driven by the

uipment described on pp. 49-50. The top

rface of each is flush with the adjacent floor

ates of the flat. These units are projectile

owage platforms called projectile rings. Each is

integral platform weldment with an enclosingrcular coaming, arranged with chain lashings

d other details as illustrated in figure 7. The

atforms are 16.75 inches wide and their outer

ameters are 14 feet 1.5 inches and 22 feet 11

ches for the inner and outer rings respectively.

heir projectile capacities and other data are

cluded with the descriptions of the ordnance

stallations on pages 19-21.

A cross web of heavy I-beams, passing through t

circular bulkhead, supports the floor plates and t

two stowage rings of each projectile flat. It is an

exceptionally heavy floor-beam construction, cro

braced by other beams, stiffened by the platform

plates, and designed to carry the large floor load

and particularly the cantilever outer ring loads

without apparent deflection.

The structural details of the upper flat include a

major difference. In the inner compartment a hea

transverse platform, in the forward sector, extend

across the compartment above the projectile ring

This is a supporting platform for mounting some

the units of the train power drive.

Access facilities between the projectile and powd



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flats are vertical ladders located under hatches at

rear of the turret. These hatches

7

the projectile flats are vertically under the rear

ame-tight hatch of the pan plate. Together they

ovide a clear hoist strike, for removing andstalling equipment, between the gun house and

e powder handling compartment.

kirt plate. A cylindrical plate hangs from the

ttom of the pan plate into the projectile stowage

ace of the outer compartment of the upper

ojectile flat. This is called the cylindrical

skirt plate. It is a functional element of the turret

turning installation and not a structural member.

it are mounted the units that hold the rotatingstructure down and that buff the turning moveme

at train limits. These parts are the holding-down

clips and the hydraulic training buffer identified

figure 8.

Turret roller bearing

The rotating structure turns on the roller



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Figure 8. Turret Roller Carriage Arrangement

8

Figure 9. Cage Sector and Roller Spacing Details

aring assembly shown in figure 8. This unit is a

nventional turret bearing design. It is supported

n a lower roller track unit of the fixed structure

scribed on the next page.

earing components. The bearing consists of 96

llers assembled in 12 cage sectors that are

tached together by butt straps to form a 360

aring ring. Its outside diameter is slightly more

an 24 feet.

ollers. All rollers are identical. Each is a tapered

roller tracks of the upper and lower races or rolle

paths. Each roller is drilled, bushed, and fitted w

spindle bolt. This bolt locates and retains the roll

in a precisely allotted position in the cage sector

Cage sectors. The twelve cage sectors are alike

to construction, but differ as to the assembled

positions of the eight rollers retained by each. Th

difference applies to variations in the spaces

between the axes of the 24 rollers of a quadrant;

four quadrants are alike. Thus in each quadrant o

three 30 sectors, the spaces between rollers vary



23/220


ller of forged steel with integral flanges, 10.5

ches across flanges, 6.75 inches maximum

ameter (at the inner flange) , providing linear

ntact of eight inches on the

increasing increments that are constant for each

sector but differ

9

Figure 10. Lower Roller Path, Training Bufferand Train Stop Arrangement

value for the three sectors. The spacing data of

ypical quadrant are indicated in figure 9. In

ctor No. 1, the distances between rollers

crease clockwise by increments equal to four

inutes of arc, in sector No. 2 by six minutes of

c, and in sector No. 3 by eight minutes of arc.

he design arrangement is for the purpose ofeventing "brinelling," or roller path

formation, from developing at the points of

near contact-a condition that would develop

nder firing and sea-way load stresses if all spaces

ere equal.

oller access. The arrangements of the cage

ctors and the turret structure provide for

may be jacked until the roller flange can clear thtracks, sliding the roller from the spindle bolt

without disturbing the outer cage ring or spindle

Fixed structure

The fixed, or nonrotating, turret structure consist

the circular foundation, lower roller path, powde

handling flat, base casting, and barbette. Their fo

and relative positions are indicated in figure 1.

Turret circular foundations. Turret circular

foundations differ for the three turrets. Each is a

large cylindrical steel weldment, 23 feet 8 inches

diameter, supported and secured at the ship's sec

platform. For turret I this cylinder extends upwar

25 feet 2 inches above the second platform; for

turret II, 33 feet 3 inches; and for turret III, 24 fe

inches.

Each circular foundation is a stand for the lower

roller track unit. See page 11. In addition, it is an

enclosing bulkhead for the projectile and powder

handling compartments and provides attached

elements that function with the arrangements of

those compartments and the turret turning

mechanism. These elements are training stops, fl

seals, and powder scuttles.

Two training stops are located near the top of the

foundation in the way of the training buffer, as

shown in figures 8 and 10.

Two flame seals isolate the ammunition flats. Th

are angle brackets formed into complete rings. E

is mounted on the bulkhead so that it mates with



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spection, lubrication, and replacement of rollers

ithout dismantling the turret. Holes in the

lindrical skirt plate permit access to any and all

llers from the upper projectile flat by turning the

rret. To remove a roller, the inner ring of any

ge sector can be unbolted and lowered into the

ojectile flat. By similarly removing the holding-

wn clips, the turret

complementary ring at the bottom of a projectile

flat. This combination provides a mechanical bar

between the compartments, but permits free turn

of the turret.

Six powder passing scuttles and two access door

are located in the bottom section of the bulkhead

These are communications arrangements betweethe powder handling room and the magazines.

Scuttles are vertically positioned cylinders, each

with two powder cartridge chambers. They are

manually rotated units that transfer powder cases

(without tanks) from the magazines to the handli

room and maintain mechanical seal between the

turret and magazine compartments.

10

owder handling flat. At the bottom of the

rcular foundation, a ring-shaped floor structure

rms the powder handling flat. The floor plates of

is flat are flush with the powder handling

atform of the rotating structure. They provide a

wder case truck maneuvering area nearly five

et wide in front of the six magazine scuttles,

hich are equally spaced in the foundation. Thus,

all positions of turret train, three scuttles are

nveniently accessible to the open sector of the

volving platform (and the hoists), and rapid

ssing is possible without traffic interference.

ower roller track. The lower roller track an

sembled ring-shaped weldment of box-section.

form and construction, and its riveted

tachment at the top of the foundation, are

ustrated in figure 10. Two surfaces are preciselyilled after the ship is launched. The top or roller

ack is a bearing surface of the same form, finish,

d size as the similar surface of the upper roller

ack (24 feet in diameter). The inner vertical face

a true cylindrical surface, concentric with the

ller paths and the axis of the rotating structure.

is keyed and tapped for accurately seating the

ctions of a large annular rack called the training



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rcle. This rack is a 360 gear of 196 teeth and

6-inch pitch diameter. It is the fixed gear of the

rret turning drive described on page 29.

ase casting. The lowest element of the fixed

ructure is the base casting. This part is a large

anged and hollow pintle, of 22.5-inch diameter,

feet high, that is secured below the secondatform and is accurately centered beneath the

rret center of rotation. It is a dual purpose

ement, functioning to align the rotating structure

d to lead-in the communications, power, and air

pply. It extends into and provides a radial

aring for the lower end of the central column. A

rcular plate, horizontally positioned at the

ttom and drilled in a pattern of equally spaced

les, separates the cables and prevents them fromafing. These features are shown in figure 11.

arbette. The barbette is an assembled cylinder

heavy armor plate consisting of seven

lindrical segments. These are joined by dovetail

ys and, at the abutting decks, by deck

Figure 11. Base Casting and Central Column

Wiring Tube Arrangements

11



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Figure 12. Turret General Arrangement, Longitudinal Section

12



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am straps, the whole forming a built-in unit that

closes all of the turret that is not protected by

e belt, deck, and gun house armor. Its outside

ameter is 27 feet. It extends vertically upward

om the third deck, through the second and

eather decks and above the latter to a plane one

ch below the shelf plate. Thus the three

rbettes of the ship have different heightscause of the different heights of the foundation

ulkheads and the positions of the roller tracks

ith respect to the weather deck. For turret I this

rbette dimension is 19 feet; for turret II 27 feet

inches; and for turret III 20 feet.

arbettes differ also in thicknesses of plates. The

andard thickness is 6.3 inches for the entire

rimeter of turret III and for six plates each ofrrets I and II. One plate each of the barbettes of

rrets I and II is 5.5 inches thick. These are the

posing 45 segments of those barbettes.

ll barbettes are supported at their lower edges by

rge, heavy steel plate, flanged brackets that are

tached to the outside of the respective turret

rcular foundation. These brackets are entirely

low the armored, third deck and are in thespective powder magazine compartments. This

nstruction of supporting brackets is otherwise

ffened and braced by weldment of the abutting

ck seam straps and other details at the juncture

the barbettes with the three decks.

he space within the barbette brackets, between

e circular foundation, the brackets, and the

rbette, is isolated from the magazines. But it hasrtable plate access to ladders on the outside of

e foundation. These provide access to the

terior cage sectors of the turret roller bearing.

RDNANCE INSTALLATIONS

he ordnance installations mounted in the turret

tating structure described in the preceding text

Gun equipment

Gun laying equipment

Ammunition hoists

Ammunition stowing equipment

Ammunition handling equipment

Fire control equipment

Turret ordnance assembly differences. Theseveral types of equipment are identical turret

assemblies in all turrets, with exception of the fir

control equipment of turret I. In that turret, the ra

assemblies and certain instruments associated wi

turret local control are omitted.

Turret ordnance design identities. The equipm

of the above types comprising each turret assemb

includes one or more units of the following 8-incOrdnance design identities, with exception of the

omissions mentioned in the preceding paragraph

GUN UNITS, 8-INCH

Gun Mk 16 Mod 0

Housing Mk 1 Mods 0 and 1

Gas Ejector Mk 16 Mod 0

Slide Mk 20 Mods 0 and 1

Rammer Mk 18 Mods 0 and 1Case Ejector Mk 1 Mods 0 and 1

Slide power equipment

Deck Lug Mk 18 Mods 0 and 1

GUN LAYING EQUIPMENT, 8-INCH

Elevating Gear Mk 23 Mods 0, 1, and 2

Training Gear Mk 22 Mod 0

AMMUNITION HOISTS, 8-INCHProjectile Hoist Mk 31 Mods 0, 1, and 2

Powder Hoist Mk 36 Mods 0 and 1

AMMUNITION STOWING EQUIPMENT, 8-

INCH

Projectile Ring Mk 1 Mod 0

AMMUNITION HANDLING EQUIPMENT, 8-



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nsist of the units identified and arranged as

own in the vertical sections of the turret, figures

2 and 13, and the turret floor plans of figures 14

21 inclusive. These installations comprise the

llowing types of equipment.

rdnance types. Each turret ordnance assembly

nsists of units of the following types:

INCH

Parbuckling Gear Mk 1 Mod 0

FIRE CONTROL EQUIPMENT

8-inch Sight Mk 32 Mod 0

8-inch Elevation Gun Attachment Mk 7 Mods 0

and 2

8-inch Training Gun Attachment Mk 7Mod 0 Fuze Setter Mk 20 Mod 0

8-inch Firing Circuit Mk 8 Mod 0

Train Receiver-Regulator Mk 25 Mods 0, 1, an

13



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Figure 13. Turret General Arrangement Transverse Section

14

Figure 14. Gun House Ordnance Equipment. Plan View



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RE CONTROL EQUIPMENT (CONTINUED)

Gun Elevation Indicator-Regulator Mk 47 Mod 0

Error Reducer Mk 1 Mod 0

Fuze Setting Receiver-Regulator Mk 1 Mod 1

Radar Equipment Mk 27 Mod 0

Antenna Train Drive Mk 5 Mod 0

15

Figure 15. Ordnance Equipment Above Pan Plate. General Arrangement. Plan View

RE CONTROL EQUIPMENT (CONCLUDED)

Computer Mk 3 Mod 9

Multiple Turret Train Indicator Mk 12 Mods 7

d 9

Gun Elevation Indicator Mk 45 Mod 0

Gun Train Indicator Mk 25 Mod 7Gun Elevation Order Transmitter Mk 4

Mod 0 Sight Setter's Indicator Mk 8 Mod 0

Turret Train Order Transmitter Mk 14

Mod 1 Periscope Mk 20 Mod 5

Periscope Mount Mk 5 Mod 15 Telescope Mk 53

od 1

Telescope Mk 98 Mod 0

Telescope Mk 99 Mod 0

the tabulations of 8-inch Turret Assemblies

appended at the back of this book. These listings

include references identifying the Fire Control

Equipment Sketch Lists of Assemblies and the

Turret Ordnance Equipment Sketch Lists of

Assemblies for every turret installation of CA 13class.

Turret ordnance location arrangements. All

ordnance items listed on pp. 13-16 are mounted i

the rotating structure as indicated in the ensuing

description of the five floor levels.

Gun house ordnance arrangement. Figure 14



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urret ordnance assembly references. The

act number and identity of each of these

mponents of the turret assemblies are listed in

shows the location arrangements of all ordnance

equipment in the gun house, with exception of th

sight and gun attachment shaft transmission

systems. These are located at the front above the

guns, transversely spanning the compartment, an

under the floor at the

16

des and rear of the gun pits. In addition to the

dnance installations, the picture also shows the

sitions and relative sizes of some large elements

the ventilating and sprinkling auxiliary

stallations described on pp. 52-60.

the gun house are located all units of all three

uns, except the forward portions of the barrelsd the power plants of their slide power

uipments The latter are located two levels

low.

Other principal units in this space are componen

the fire control equipment. They are grouped in

three locations; trainer and sight setter controls a

the right side, pointer and checker controls at the

side, and controls for the turret officer, the turret

captain, the three gun captains, the radar control

operators, and the computer operators in the boo

over the overhang at the rear of the compartment

Many elements of these controls are mounted



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Figure 16. Ordnance Equipment on Pan Plate. General Arrangement. Plan View

17



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Figure 17. Ordnance Equipment Above Upper Projectile Flat. General Arrangement. Plan

Viewn panels under the rear transverse roof girder and

e not shown in the figure. They are identified in

e descriptions of the fire control arrangements

n pages 43-45.

un pits ordnance arrangement. Figures 15 and

show the location arrangements of all ordnance

uipment in the gun pits; units immediately

nder the guns are designated in figure 15, whileose on the pan plate or on platform structures

e located just above the pan in figure 16.

the gun pits are located all components of three

evating gear drives and their indicator-regulator

ntrols, parts of the training gear drive, the upper

ds of six ammunition hoists,

three fuze setters and fuze setting regulators, ele

controller cabinets, and many tank and other

devices. of the elevating and training gears. Man

these units are mounted within the void spaces o

the two truss girders.

Two important access hatches are indicated in fig

16. These are control station hatches giving acce

to the emergency gun laying stations for the righand center guns. They are reached by ladders fro

the upper projectile flat. The similar station for t

left gun is manned from the gun house via a hatc

indicated in figure 14 and thence through the left

wing girder compartment and the archway

designated on figure 16.



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18

pper projectile flat ordnance arrangement.

gures 17 and 18 show the location arrangements

all ordnance equipment and of stowed

mmunition units in the upper projectile flat

mpartments. Figure 17 designates the units thate above the floor and overhead; figure 18 those

n the floor.

the inner compartment of this space are four

mmunition hoists, three principal units of the

aining gear drive, eight electric power cabinets, a

rge hydraulic oil reservoir, and a motor, pump,

d tank of a training gear lubricating system, all

shown in figure 17; also

two projectile ring drives, a parbuckling gear mo

gypsy head, and steady arm mechanism, 74 servi

projectiles, and three drill projectiles, as identifie

figure 18.

In the outer compartment are two ammunition

hoists, a whip hoist, two large hydraulic reservoi

training gear control motor, receiver-regulator an

main driving pinion, as indicated in figure 17, an

nine power plants for hoists and slide equipment

two parbuckling gypsy heads, two steady arm

mechanisms, and 151 service projectiles and fou

drill projectiles, all as shown in figure 18.

Figure 18. Ordnance Equipment on Upper Projectile Flat General Arrangement. Plan



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View

19

Figure 19. Ordnance Equipment Above Lower Projectile Flat General Arrangement. Plan

View

his congested flat has clear areas for handling

ojectiles in the immediate vicinity of the three

ojectile hoists only.

ower projectile flat ordnance arrangement.

he arrangements of the lower projectile flat aremilar to those of the upper flat with respect to

e ammunition hoists, parbuckling gear, and

ojectile ring installations. Projectile stowage is

e same, with the exception of one additional

ill projectile. These arrangements and the

llowing differing details are indicated in figures

and 20.

power drive controllers except the elevating and

training gear drive controllers, which are in the g

pits (fig. 16).

In the outer compartment, three large relay tanks

the gas ejector air supply system are mounted in forward quadrant. This compartment has space f

stowing 40 additional projectiles in the forward

sectors, but the initial turret designs do not inclu

stowing brackets and lashings.

Powder handling flat ordnance arrangement.

Figure 21 shows the arrangements at the bottom

the turret. These include three powder hoists and



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the inner compartment, 15 electric controller

binets are mounted on the circular bulkhead

ver the projectile stowage, as shown in figure 19.

hese comprise all of the ordnance

their loading scuttles, and six magazine scuttles.

20

his picture also indicates three compartmentbdivisions in the rotating structure.* These are

iscellaneous store rooms for powder drill cases,

rret tools and accessories, and an oil clarifying

ant. The latter is a Skinner pump, filter, tanks,

d pipe system for flush-cleaning the hydraulic

ive units and purifying the hydraulic fluid.

rdnance designs

he installation arrangements described on pages

2 to 26 include design features, details

For an explanation of this compartment and

ructural arrangement, see page 6.

of construction, and functional relations ofequipment controls that adapt the assemblies for

continuous automatic fire. These are mechanical

electrical, and hydraulic operating and controllin

devices which enable the guns to be separately

served and loaded but provide for different meth

of selective control of all guns and the turret, so

the turret is controlled as a unit. They constitute

turret operating and coordinating systems. The

features of each type of assembly that provide th

characteristics are briefly indicated in the

descriptions beginning on page 22.



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Figure 21. Powder Handling Flat. General Arrangement Plan View

22



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Figure 23. Gun and Slide General Arrangement Right Side

Figure 24. Gun and Slide General Arrangement Left Side

24



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Figure 25. Gun and Housing Arrangementown in figure 25, and returns the gun to battery

y means of a conventional hydropneumatic

unterrecoil cylinder unit. Its loading-tray design

cludes two large tubular transfer trays, hinged

d operated by hydraulic cylinders arranged as

own in figures 23 and 24.

hese trays fold inboard into ramming position in

ignment with the bore and a power-operatedlding chain rammer. The power unit is a

ydraulic motor, mounted at the rear and coupled

a large chain sprocket.

he powder transfer tray of this loading tray

rangement has an attached tray that is mounted

n curving rails. This tray is called an

empty-case tray. In firing position it is aligned w

the bore and receives extracted empty powder ca

When the transfer trays move to loading position

ramming the next round, the empty-case tray dum

the empty case into a compartment at the rear an

bottom of the slide. In the floor of this compartm

is an endless chain conveyor, driven by a hydrau

motor, arranged as indicated in figure 22. This

conveyor thrusts the empty case into a tube that

extends through the gun port shield and the front

the turret.

The slide is pivoted by means of trunnions in rol

bearings supported in deck lugs that are



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25

Figure 26. Gas Ejector System. General Arrangement

tached to gun girder extensions illustrated in figure

In this position, the entire assembly of gun and

de is balanced, and the elevating arc indicated in

e pictures is meshed with a spur pinion of a speed

ducer of the elevating gear mechanism.

he trunnion arrangements of the slide include

urnals for mounting two cradle units. These are

ements of the ammunition hoists described on

ges 37-41.

ide power equipment. The breech mechanism,

e transfer trays, and the rammer and case ejector

ydraulic operating units receive hydraulic powerr performing their actions from a hydropneumatic

cumulator. This unit consists of the large vertical

linder and two air flasks mounted at the side of

e slide as shown in figure 23. It is connected by an

tensive system of hydraulic pipes to all operating

nits and to a pump that is mounted with its electric

otor on the upper projectile flat, as shown in figure

. A feature of this power operating arrangement is

Slide equipment control system. Hydraulic pow

operations of the gun units are controlled by an

electric installation of switches and solenoids.

These are limit and interlock switches and valv

operating solenoids on the breech, rammer, traand case ejector mechanisms, and control

switches of a gun captain's control panel. The

latter is mounted at the rear of the gun in the tu

officer's booth. Its interconnecting system of w

circuits to the slide switches and solenoids, an

the identities and functions of the latter, are

indicated in figure 27. This system enables all

loading and firing actions to be performed with

attendants in the gun compartment and withoustopping gun laying. It is part of the system wh

controls the hoists as well as the slide, breech,

rammer. This system is called the gun loading

control system.

Gun laying equipment

Figures 28 to 34 inclusive show assembled



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ntinuous delivery of power, throughout the

riods of all gun loading and gun firing actions.

arrangements of the turret turning mechanism

typical gun elevating drives and their controls

These units consist of the training gear

26

Figure 27. Gun Control System. General Arrangement



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27

Figure 28. Training Gear. General Arrangement

28



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29

Figure 30. Train Receiver-Regulator and Auxiliary Power Unit Turret

Arrangement

he latter amplifies the signal and ports an

uivalent amount of servo fluid to the stroking

linder to cause the A-end to deliver an

uivalent amount of drive fluid to the B-end

otors. This action can be controlled by receiving

electrical signal from a remote director or by

ceiving a mechanical signal from the trainer's

ndwheels. These methods are called AUTO and

OCAL control respectively.

he third method of control is called HAND. It

es not use the servo control units. It controls the

-end pump output by mechanically stroking the

ump tilting device through direct connection

ith the trainer's handwheels.

rainer's control equipment. The control

vices at the trainer's station that enable him to

panel, the control selector, the handwheels, the tr

indicator, and the sight. The manner in which the

are employed in the different methods of control

explained in Chapter 2; their arrangements are as

follows:

The control and indicator panel is an electrical

cabinet containing the power drive master switch

and six indicator lights. By means of the master

switch the main and auxiliary electric motors are

started and stopped. Indicator lights show the

conditions of power supply circuits for the regula

instrument as well as the power drive and includ

"ready," "neutral," and "stop" indicators.

The control selector is a manually operated lever

that has three positions, designated, HAND,

LOCAL, and AUTO, respectively. It actuates a



47/220


art and stop the drive, to select the method of

ntrol, and to control turret turning in LOCAL

d HAND control are identified in figure 31.

hey are the control and indicator

flexible cable that is connected to a device at the

regulator which positions a selector valve of that

instrument.

30

Figure 31. Trainer's and Sight Setter's Station General Arrangement



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31

Figure 32. Elevating Gear General Arrangement

32



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Figure 34. Pointer's and Checker's Stations General Arrangement

34



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he handwheels are part of a conventional hand

ntrol gear that extends to mechanical inputs at

e A-end assembly and the regulator. These are

utched and unclutched hydraulically for the

spective control selections by shifting of the

lector valve and other control valve units.

he train indicator is a gun order follow-theinter dial indicating instrument providing turret

ain direction in LOCAL or HAND control. In

dition to its conventional arrangements for

sually directing trainer handwheel operations, it

cludes an electrical transmitter that is part of an

ternative method of automatic drive control.

his method is the radar system local train control

rangement described on page 49.

he trainer's sight equipment is part of the sight

sembly described on page 45.

evating gear. Each of the three guns is

dependently driven in elevation and depression.

he three mechanisms do not have mechanical

oss-coupling, but their controls are arranged so

at they are synchronized to operate together.

lternatively they can be controlled separately.

ach elevating gear is a worm, wormwheel, and

nion reduction gear meshed with the elevating

c of the slide and driven by an electric-hydraulic

ive. The installed arrangements in the left and

ght gun pits, as shown in figures 32 and 33

spectively, are typical of all three assemblies.

ach drive consists of a 25-horsepower electricotor direct coupled to a Waterbury A-end pump

sembly. The valve plate of the latter is

nnected hydraulically to a Waterbury B-end

ydraulic motor by two drive pipes, and the B-end

utput shaft is coupled to the worm of the driven

duction gear assembly.

evating gear control. Hydraulic fluid delivery

operating the slide to an unloading position, calle

UNLOAD control. Their hand control facilities a

different, as explained below.

Elevating gear AUTO and LOCAL methods of

operation are similar control actions. In both

methods, electrical signals simultaneously contro

three drives. Their only difference is the origin osignals. In AUTO, the signals are received from

remote director, whereas in LOCAL the signals a

transmitted from a device that is operated by the

pointer's hand-wheels.

UNLOAD control arrangements separately contr

each drive through switching units of each gun

captain's controls.

Elevating gear HAND controls are not pointer

controls. They are emergency hand-wheel

arrangements that are separate for each drive; the

are located in the forward gun pits and operate

similarly to the training gear hand method.

At the same gun pit stations are facilities enablin

each drive to be controlled with servo power by

using a small hand crank of the regulator instrumThis method functions the same as the training g

LOCAL control method, but is designated

REGULATOR CHECKING control.

Pointer's control equipment. Figure 34 shows t

controls at the pointer's station. These devices are

similar to the trainer's controls, but their system

arrangements differ as indicated in the paragraph

following. The manner in which they are employin the different methods of control is explained in

Chapter 2.

The pointer does not have a mechanical control

selector device; instead, the control panel include

three switches that separately control the signal

receiving circuit of each regulator. Each of these

switches has three position selections, designated



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each B-end motor is controlled by separately

rying the displacement of each A-end pump.

ach drive has a servo control regulator

strument and an auxiliary hydraulic power

pply unit for a stroking cylinder device on the

-end pump. These arrangements are similar to

ose of the training gear, and they provide

milar servo control selections for AUTO andOCAL control operation. In addition, however,

ey include provision for automatically

HAND, LOCAL, and AUTO, respectively.

Other elements of the pointer's control panel are

three vertical columns of indicator lights that sho

the conditions of readiness of the power and

regulator electric supply circuits. Three switches

separately control the illumination supplies for th

indicators. Another series of three switches are threspective master switches for starting and stopp

the main and auxiliary electric motors.

35



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Figure 35. Projectile Hoist General Arrangement

36

Figure 36. Projectile Hoist Cutaway



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he pointer's handwheels are a manual drive for

ectric transmitter units of an instrument, called

e Gun Elevation Order Transmitter, mounted

nder the handwheels. This is the LOCAL

ntrol unit for signal transmission to all three

un elevation indicator-regulators.

he gun elevation indicator is a gun order follow-e-pointer dial indicating instrument for gun

ying direction in LOCAL control.

ointer's sight equipment is part of the sight

sembly described on page 45.

Ammunition hoist equipment

The transfer trays of each slide are separately serv

automatically, with projectiles and powder cases b

two ammunition hoists. These units make their

deliveries without stopping the gun laying

movements to bring the gun to a loading position

required in all previous main battery installationsThe designs of the two hoists are similar, as show

figures 35 to 38 inclusive. Each hoist consists of a

endless chain conveyor, a cradle, and an electric

37



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Figure 37. Powder Hoist General Arrangement

38



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Figure 38. Powder Hoist Cutaway

39

Figure 39. Projectile Ring. General Arrangement, Upper and Lower Projectile



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Flats

40

ydraulic power drive. Their operating

rangements and differing details are indicated

the following brief description of each.

rojectile hoists. Each projectile hoist conveyor

a tubular unit that extends from the lower

ojectile flat into the gun pit at the side of its

un. It has a power-driven sprocket at the upper

d and an idler sprocket at the bottom. Its

dless chain has 16 flights or chain lugs for

pporting projectiles. At each projectile flat,

ere is a loading aperture with shutter and

ntrol devices.

hese loading aperture arrangements and control

lecting devices enable the hoist to be

multaneously loaded on alternate ascending

ghts at both stowage flats, or to be loaded on

ery ascending flight at either flat. In either

ethod of loading, the hoist automatically lifts

load one stage or flight distance when loading

completed, and the empty cradle is latched ate top of the hoist.

he cradle is a tubular unit suspended from a

urnal on the slide trunnion and arranged to

wing between the top of the hoist and the side

the slide. In this oscillating movement its

wer end is guided by an arc-shaped rail

ounted on the gun girder. When it moves to

e slide, it latches there and moves with the gunying action. In this position it is aligned with

e transfer tray when the tray is in its firing

sition. When it moves to the hoist, it latches

that it is held in alignment with the hoist.

he cradle has a pawl at the bottom and a large

ring-ram device within. When the conveyor

ts a projectile upward, the ram is compressed

The controls include a manually operated selector

This is a remote switch and flexible cable unit loca

in the gun compartment. It is a three-position func

selector through which the controls are set to hoistlower projectiles or to stop cycling action (but not

stop the power drive electric motor). The lowering

control of this device has two purposes: It enables

automatic cycling action to be reversed in emergen

when a misfire or casualty occurs or "cease fire" is

ordered and it is necessary to unload the gun. And

enables the hoist to be employed when stowing

ammunition on the handling flats.

Hoist power drive. Each hoist is separately driven

a power drive. This consists of an electric motor a

A-end pump unit mounted on the upper projectile

and a hydraulic pipe system connecting with a B-e

hydraulic motor that is coupled to a worm reducer

that drives the upper sprocket. The cradle is operat

by a double-acting hydraulic cylinder.

Powder hoist. The powder hoist is like the projecthoist, except that its cradle is larger, its conveyor i

longer, it has only one loading level, and its loadin

aperture is fitted with an automatic scuttle.

The scuttle is a revolving flameproof cylinder dev

with two compartments. It is independently driven

an electric motor which operates an oscillating cra

mechanism. This mechanism rotates the cylinder 1

when the inner compartment is empty and the outecompartment has been served with a powder case.

Projectile stowing and handling equipment

The two groups of equipment for stowing and

handling projectiles are six power-driven assembli

installed in the projectile flats. These units are fou

projectile ring drives and two parbuckling



58/220


d the pawl moves beneath the bottom of the

ojectile, thereby latching the projectile in the

adle. In this position the fuze of High-Capacity

ojectiles is automatically set by a remotely

ntrolled fuze setter located in the top of the

adle.

oist controls. The devices which control thecling actions of the hoist and the cradle, and

hich operate the latches and pawl, are

ydraulic valves and an installation of switches

d solenoids. It is a system comparable to the

de equipment control system, and certain of

switches are included in the interlock

rangements and controls of the gun captain's

ntrol panel.

mechanisms. Their arrangements are shown in figu

39 and 40 respectively.

Projectile ring drives. Each inner and outer proje

ring of each projectile flat has an attached annular

rack. This rack is driven by a spur pinion through

worm gear speed reducer and an electric hydraulic

power drive. The ring, the power drive, and thecontrols permit the ring to be driven clockwise or

counterclockwise.

41



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Figure 40. Parbuckling Gear Arrangement Upper and Lower Projectile Flatsll four power drives are alike, except for their

ntrols. Each drive consists of a 20-horsepower

ectric motor, an A-end pump and control

sembly, a B-end hydraulic motor and brake

echanism, and a manual control mechanism.

he A-end unit is a variable displacement pump

ith an automatic cycling control. This control

vice is a manually initiated type that operatese ring for a short arc of movement and then

tomatically decelerates, stops, and locks the

avy load. Inner and outer ring arcs of movement

ntrolled by this device differ,

but each controls its ring so that the arc of

movement presents six projectiles within reach o

the parbuckling steady arm mechanism.

The manual control mechanisms are hand-wheel

with a system of gear boxes and shafts coupled t

the A-end control input. Inner and outer ring des

differ, as shown in figure 39, because of the

positions of the handwheels.

Parbuckling gear assemblies. The two parbuck

gear installations are identical. Each consists of a

vertically positioned 7.5-horsepower motor whic

drives a system of gear boxes and shafts that

operates three gypsy heads. These



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42

e adjacent to the loading apertures of the three

ojectile hoists. They run at constant speed.

pivoted mechanism called a steady arm is also

ounted adjacent to each hoist. This device is arbuckling auxiliary that is manually controlled

d power-operated by the gypsy

head snubbing rope. It operates to grab projectile

one-at-a-time from the projectile ring, and to gui

and thrust them into the hoist.

Fire control equipment

The sights and gun attachments, and the control

instruments listed on page 13 comprise the

Figure 41. Sights and Gun Attachments. General Arrangement



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43

Figure 42. Trainer's and Sight Setter's Station. General Arrangement. Right Side

44



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tomatic control.

hese correcting functions also occur when the

rret is controlled locally by target sighting. In

at method of control, all actions are controlled

y the pointer's and trainer's station equipment.

rainer's station. Figure 42 shows the sightrangements at the trainer's station. The telescope

this station has common deflection

PRIMARY CONTROL, so that the gun and turr

drives are remotely controlled by the main direct

or,

SECONDARY CONTROL, so that the gun and

turret drives are remotely controlled by directors

the secondary armament; or,

LOCAL CONTROL, so that the drives are

controlled by the target sighting actions describe

above; or,

45

Figure 43. Pointer's and Checker's Stations. General Arrangement Left Side View

46



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Figure 44. Turret Officer's Booth. Fire Control Arrangement Forward Bulkhead

Figure 45. Turret Officer's Booth. Fire Control Arrangement Rear Bulkhead

47



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e forward or after aloft director.

secondary control, the turret drives may be

ntrolled by similar automatic and indicating

ntrol variations that employ different

mbinations of the secondary directors and

otting rooms.

urret local control methods include "target-

ghting" control, radar control, periscope

ntrol, and combinations of these. All use

e local computer for solution of external

llistics, but turret I is excluded from radar

ntrol except via turret II.

adar control arrangements are among the

ature innovations of the turret. Thestallations are in duplicate. They include

wo complete radar control sets in the booth,

d two antenna train drives, antennas, and

ive regulators.

his installation enables the turret crew to

certain target direction, distance, course,

d speed. It is a range-finding system that

mpletely displaces the optical range-finderearlier turret designs. It is a system that

ovides new alternative methods of local

ntrol. These enable the radar signal beam to

e target to be employed as a combination

ne-of sight and range data factor. From

rived and computed data, transmitted to the

ght setter and the turret train indicator, the

tenna and the sights are offset identically in

imuth, and the sights are offset in elevation.his permits two methods of drive control:

tomatic train drive via radar operator's

rret train order with conventional pointer

rget sighting control, or conventional target

ghting control by both pointer and trainer.

uze setting control. Figure 46 shows the

neral arrangement of all fire control units

to stop fuze setting and set SAFE position for return

stowage.

Gun firing control. The gun and powder ammunitio

designs provide for electrical firing only.* Powder ca

do not include percussion primers, as a safety precau

because of rough handling in automatic loading.

The electrical firing system includes other safety

precautions and special arrangements. It is a selective

firing control, as indicated in the diagram of figure 47

that interlocks with the gun loading and gun laying

actions and permits remote or local firing. Safety

features of this circuit, in addition to automatic interl

switches, include manually operated firing stop switc

accessible to the turret officer, each gun captain, the

pointer, and the trainer.

The automatic interlock devices consist of four switc

operating mechanisms for the firing circuit of each gu

These block the firing until the transfer trays are in fi

position, the breech is completely closed, and the gun

pointing into a safe firing zone. Their positions and

identities are designated in figure 47. All these switch

positively open the firing circuit when their mechani

are actuated.

AUXILIARY INSTALLATIONS

Power supply equipment and circuit installations-and

also all turret heating, ventilating, sprinkling,

illumination, communications, and air supply system

are auxiliaries of the turret ordnance installations. Th

service facilities are units of Bureau of Ships design

cognizance. Their features and general arrangementsdescribed in the remaining pages of this chapter.

Power supply

Normal and emergency electric power is supplied to

each turret from the ship's four main 450-volt, 3-phas

60-cycle turbo generators. This power is supplied to e

turret through feeder cables originating at connection



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scussed above, and of the installations for

tomatic fuze setting and fuze setting

ntrol.

ach projectile hoist cradle includes a fuze

tter. It is an automatic, power-driven and

motely controlled design that controls the

ze setting action of mechanical time fuzes.rders received in the turret through the

ansfer switchboard are routed via the gun

ptain's control panels to amplifier cabinets

cated in the gun pits. These boost the power

gnals that operate the fuze setting motors,

d their switching arrangements enable the

un captain

boxes in the wiring trunk located below the base cast

Cables lead upward through spacer

* The gun has arrangements for attaching an accesso

that permits emergency percussion fire, provided a

special short-case powder charge is substituted for th

normal charge.

49

ocks in the central column to a wiring

cess at the top of the column, just beneath

e pan floor. Slack is provided in the cables

the bottom of the column to permit twisting

d flexing of the cables during turret

tation. From the wiring recess, cables are

uted to a manual bus transfer panel, located

n the inner wall of the inner circular

ulkhead at the right rear of the upper

ojectile flat. (See figure 17.) This panel is

uipped with switches and indicating lights

r selection of either normal or emergency

wer supply. From the manual bus transfer

nel, power is supplied to five circuit breaker

wer panels, consisting of: three gun

uipment power panels, one for each gun; a

training gear equipment panel; and a miscellaneous

equipment power panel. These circuit breaker power

panels serve to supply power to all controller

components of the power drives and the several auxil

services, except the illumination system.

Illumination supply. Normal and emergency power

the illumination system is supplied to each turret from

the 120-volt, 60-cycle ship's electric service system. T

power is supplied to the turret by flexible cable, throu

the central column wiring tube, similar to the

arrangements described in the preceding paragraphs.

From the wiring recess at the top of the central colum

the cable is routed to an automatic bus



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Figure 47. Gun Firing Control System

50



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Figure 48. Turret Ventilating System. General Arrangement

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means of a spring- and weight-loaded automatic

shutter, shown in figure 49, vertically mounted i

the right wing sight station area, before the partia

bulkhead. Air exhaust for both projectile levels i

via screened openings cut through the upper

52

Figure 50. Turret Sprinkling System General Arrangement



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53

d of the turret circular foundation, beneath the

wer roller path.

ectrical components of these ventilating sets are

Documents

1947 US Navy WWII 8 Inch 3 Gun Turrets 220p