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recoil -- max piston travel.jpg [ 95.22 KiB | Viewed 1144 times ]
With the brake cylinder mounted, it is now possible to make some basic measurments of the maximum possible travel associated with a recoil. The travel is limited absolutely by the distance that can be moved by the piston inside the shock absorber.
This turned out to be 80 mm, as shown. Not sure this is a realistic value and would welcome comment. It implies that in a single cycle, the piston (actually the cylinder) traverses about 6 inches altogether through the glycerine fluid -- 3 inches aft and then 3 inches forward.
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recoil slides aft & brake cylinder.jpg [ 236.16 KiB | Viewed 1144 times ]
Shown from below at the full extent of a recoil. The slides, their mounting ring, the gun tube and the brake cylinder all shift aft as an integral unit with the recoil. Note the slides protruding aft from the guides. Inside the brake cylinder can be seen a fixed disk and retainer that provide the base for the internal springs. The cylinder freely slides past this disk as the gun recoils.