Object Image

Hotchkiss 37 mm revolving cannon and Field Carriage

Similar in concept to the earlier rotary gun designed by Richard Gatling, the Hotchkiss was designed by fellow American Benjamin B. Hotchkiss. A cluster of five barrels were equally spaced around a central shaft and supported by an outer frame. This was attached to a breech casing that housed the firing mechanism. Each barrel was screwed into a heavy circular breech plate with frontal support provided by a similar muzzle plate of lighter weight. This whole assembly was rotated by revolving a crank handle (not fitted) on the right-hand side of the unit, firing each barrel in turn similar to the earlier Gatling gun.

It was the inefficiency of the French Mitrailleuse (a type of volley gun) durin...

1879
Steel, wood
XII.11076
Image and text © Royal Armouries, 2021