Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-10-24
The Enfield Rifle.

fne Enuelu Kline.
On the banks ofthe river Les about ten
miles from the city Of London s situated
the little town Of Enfield now ndered ia
nous as the site of the Goverhu lent factory
for the manufacture of the Enfield rife
In 1854, when experience gained in the
Russian war had taughtthe English Govern
nlent that the time had gone by for con-
tinued use of the old Brown Bcss," the
manufacture of smooth bore small arms was
abandoned, and the factory at Enfield was
enlarged and adapted IN the production of
riiled arms; the pattern known as that of
1858 being adopted as the best, became sub
sequently world-renowned as the Enfield
rifle.
The buildings which constitute the factory
are situated on; the banks Of the river, the
site being undoubtedly shnssa ;a.sonsdera-
tlon the available water power. and also
the means Of transport which the navigable
portion OF the river presents The rooms in
which the manufacture is conducted are of
course very numerous, as the different pro-
cesses amount to no less than 76y and in
addition to the actual working and engine
rooms, there are number of houses, be-
longing to the Government, in the occupa-
tion OF those Employed mechanics insti-
tute and library, small church and school
house.
The first form of the rife barrel is an OBJ
long tile like plate of the best wrought char
coal iron of thirteen inches long, little
more than half an inch thick, and five and
half inches wide on one side and five inches
on the other, the edges being beveled in or
der to ensure close Join" The plate is
first heated and after several passages
through powerful pair of rollers contain
ing series of grooves and projections, it
assumes form not unlike small agricultu-
raj drain pipes. The barrel is then again
heated in a reverbatory furnace, and passed
through series Of rollers on set of rods
until it is drawn out to the proper length.
The operation is rather difficult, the grooves
Of the rollers not being concentric the work
man has to watch his opportunity very nice
ly and thrust in the barrel ut the exact mo-
ment the proper part of the roller comes
round. The work is so exhaustive that dur
ing the hot weather the men are only al
lowed to work five hours day.
The next process the barrel undergoes is
that of rough boring" This is perform
ed in machines in which four barrels are
operated on at time. An instrument like
a twisted auger, attached to long rod
which is made to revolve, the barrel being
fixed horizontally, passes right through -
The barrel is then set and Strengthened with
hammers by hand Afterward it is turned
on the outside and bored for the third time,
the chamber at the breech bored out, and, ,
after the end has been tapped with a fine
thread for receiving the breechpin, it is
proved for the first time with a heavy charge
of powder. The object of this early proving
is to save the labor which, might else be
wasted on faulty barrel IF after a close
inspection it is approved, il is sent to the
'grindery," where the outside is ground to
given guage. 1t then goes through some
sixty-nine different operations of minor i'm.
portance before it is ready to be rihed. The
rifing machines are of Belgium manufacture
The barrel is firmly fixed at the lower end
steel rod, containing the cutter that form,
the grooves is made to pass clear through it
a special contrivance insuring that this shall
be deeper at the breech than the muzzle end
The twist of the grooves, which amounts t.
half turn in the length of the barrel, i
obtained with the assistance of radical stee
bar, which is set at such an angle that
rack which slides on it, the other end oi
which gears into pinion fixed to the cuttin,
bar, makes that bar revolve to the extent o
half turn as it slides from end to end
The metal is constantly fabricated and KEEP
cool by stream of soap and water. The
barrel having been ritled is then polishe,
and otherwise prepared for stocking.
The stocks are made by D copying lathe
which like many of the machines in use, ar
of American invention and manufacture
The copying lathe is machine in which
steel model is placed below the actual stocl
in the same relative position, and both mad
to revolve at exactly the same rate, thirty
five times per minute. Against the model
guiding wheel revolves and cutter, revolv
ing three thousand times minute, 500
brings the stock to the shape of the mode
There are nearly two thousand hands EN-
ployed in the factory, who are paid by th
piece. Any material that is wasted is charg
cd to the account of the workman who in
jures it; and as every portion of the riff
passes through SO many hands, the work
men are a continual check on each other
each giving receipt for the material h
takes in hand, to the foreman of his depart
ment
Many operations through which each riff
passes before it is ready for use, and thos
relating to its fittings, and to the manufat
ture of the bayonet, &C., are so similar t
like operations in other factories, that the
do not need .description,--lN. Y. Commel
cial Advertiser.