I am building my oscillator for an RG Gun now. I hope to get it mounted to the gun this weekend.
The function of the oscillator is to sweep the gun through a field of fire as the crank is turned. The Crank Shaft is extended through the left hand side of the Housing and is fitted with a form of a barrel cam. Typically the barrel cam has a straight groove and a spiral groove. If the Oscillator Pin is place into the straight groove the oscillator has no function or effect on the operation of the gun and it fires straight ahead in the direction the barrel are laid. If the oscillator pin is place into the spiral groove it will swing the breech of the gun back and forth as the crank is turned and the end of the pin tracks in the spiral groove.
In service Gatling Guns were typically Crew Served Battery Weapons with six or more guns in a battery. The idea tactic was to place the guns in a line parallel to the field of fire some distance apart. When the guns were fired the oscillator caused the guns to sweep back and forth interlocking with the arc of the gun beside it. The result is a solid wall of interlocking fire across the front of the battery.
nitewatchman
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