History
The original rotary cannon was the Gatling gun, designed by the American inventor Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1861 and patented in 1862. Hand cranked and hopper fed, it could fire at a rate of 200 rounds per minute.
The Gatling gun was a field weapon, first used in warfare during the American Civil War and subsequently by European and Russian armies.
The design was steadily improved; by 1876 the Gatling gun had a theoretical rate of fire of 1,200 rounds per minute, although 400 rounds per minute was more readily achievable in combat. By 1893, the M1893 Gatling gun was capable of a maximum rate of fire of some 800–900 rounds per minute.
Ultimately the Gatling's weight and cumbersome artillery carriage hindered its ability to keep up with infantry forces over difficult ground and was superseded by lighter and more mobile machine-guns. All models of Gatling guns were declared obsolete by the U.S. Army in 1911, after 45 years of service.
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