The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-16
For the American.
HOW CARTRIDGES ARE MADE

Z. 3 Il t's ~ 'St''
For the American.
HOW CARTRIDGES, ARE MADE.
In view Of the threatening state of the times, as
il has been satisfactorily ascertaned that those in
authority possess, and may bring into use almost
unlimited powers, and be amenable to no law ex-
cept the lea talionis it becomes imperatvely ne
cessary that every one should place himself in q
proper condition for the exercise of that law
The description we propose to give of the man
ufacture OF cartridges is, as the business is con.
Quoted in the United States arsenals and navy
yards.
| The bench, on which the maker sits, has before
It sort OF fiat desk or table, with upright contin-
uations of the supporters short distance above
the top. On the inside Of these uprights are fas.
| tened two elects, nclining backwards, on which
is placed movable box, with sides and bottom.
| On the left Of the table are small wooden strips
nailed, with the divisions for buckshot and bal,
and to prevent them from falling off On the right
is strong piece of wire, inserted perpendicularly
in the table, on which is placed large spool Of
shoe thread the wire running throughout its length
| and thus causing it to run easily.
The choker is piece Of strong waxed hempen
Irvine, about Is inches in length, and fastened to
a staple in the front of the desk.
The Former, the principal instrument, is round
stick of the size of the balls of either musket or
dDOut IL lncHeS long, SHghtfy hollow at
end, and round at the other.
The operatives, who are usually boys are divided
into different classes to facilitate the manuf ctrre
The tirst and most important class are the makers,
those who form and give shape to the materials
furnished them by a runner as they are desired
piece of paper four inches square, somewhat
wider across one end than the other is rolled up
| on the former, with the widest part Of the paper
on and projecting about half an inch beyond the
round end Of the former, and choked down with
the choker, by taking single hitch around the
| projecting end, with the thumb of the left hand
gently pressed on it, in order ta spread 1t at the
same time,
! a kind of double hitch of thread is then taken
| upon the fingers Of the right hand and brought
over the place where it is choked and drawn tight
somewhat in the manner fish hook is fastened TO
| line. The former is now withdrawn, and q
musket-ball inserted aud pushed 70 the fastened
part with the hollow end Of the former, and tied
If for buck and ball, three buckshot are first in
serted and tiled with the same double hitch, aud
then the ball put in and secured in the same
manner, the thread, in the meantime remaining d
until the last operation is concluded, when il is
cut of. .
more expeditions method is to roll the ball and
former up together, and leaving space for the in
sertion of the buckshot (if for buck and ball and
then choke and tie as instructed. This answers
very well for the single ball cartridges, but good
buck and ball cannot be made in this way.
Rifle cartridges are made quite dilerent from
those of the musket
For their manufacture, beached cotton is boiled
in oil, dried in measure, and then cut into small
round bits, about the size Of half dollar, called
patches. These patches arc places over an iron
nut, fastened 10 the table, with hole in the mid
die, Of the size and depth of rife ball, and the
ball is pressed by the thumb, will. the middle o.
the patch into this hole and the ends are gathered
up, checked tight around the BAH and tied.
:, The ball fits rife very tight and hence the
necessity of using this CREASED patch, in order &c
enable Il to be easily loaded, and cleaned Oh III
passage out. .
Thepaper is then rolledu as in musket cartridges
ON the hollow erd Of the former, and the ends OF
the patch arc inserted in the projecting space left
for the purpose, the paper then cbokcd upon the
patch and securely tied.
This finishes the form Of the cartridge, and il !:
| then placed in tho box aforementioned, with
| the balend resting in the bottom Of the box
When full the box is taken out aud carried 10 the
clerk, who credits the maker with the number
which each box Is calculated to hold and IL they
should be rife cartridges, his name is written Of
the box, so that If any should prove detective II
any Of the subsequent manipuiations, they ma.
be deducted.
The boys who are engaged in this class, ar,
usually paid by the hundred; and fast boy cal
make 100 rife cartridges per hour, and consider
ably more Of the other sorts. They are then takei
to the filler, whose business it is to fill them witt
powder, by means of funnel.shaped instrument
with a kind Of double cut OF in the spout, which
he inserts in the mouth Of each cartridge an,
gives il turn back and forth, alternately, empty
ing charge in each cartridge.
The folders now take them in hand to fold tn
ends which they accomplish by turning the en-
on one side between the forefnger and thumb, q
the same time rapping the cartridge against th
tnble to shake the powder down. Eeach side G
this lattened end is Tapped over, as in wrappin
up pound Of sugar, and the whole end is brough
over the top and beaten against the table, so tina
1t may retain that position.
| Bundling Is the next in order, and this is don
by another class Of operatives. Two wooden elect
are nailed to the table, the width Of five cartridge
apart aud two in height. A piece of paper Of tn
proper size is placed between these elects, an
! ten cartridges pressed in on the paper, head an
! TAIL two deep, with twelve percussion caps, tw
more than there arc cartridges, to supply defec
i've ones. The paper is then folded over all, al
} tied up with packthread. They are then packC
I In boxes or casks, and this concludes the exc
cises
7 The paper used for bundling is prepared
, soaking in preparation of beeswax and tallo'
in order to effectually exclude the moisture.
l Cartridge paper Is somewhat similar to tn
. used in making envelopes, though not quite
j fne
There is another kind OF cartridge which
" have not mentioned, they not being much In u
e al the present day though much used former
n The carbine cartridge is made similar to the I'M
# ket, but with twelve buckshot and no ball II,