Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-10-23
The Enfield Rife.

al The Enfield Rife.
On the banks of the river Lea, about te
E miles from the city of London, is situate
the little town of Enfield, now rendere
famous as the site of the Government fac
tory for the manufacture of the Enfield RI
ie. In 1854, when experience gained i
f the Russian war had taught the Englis
Government that the time had gone by 70
the continued use of the old "BrOwn Bess,
the manufacture of smooth bore small arm
was abandoned, and the factory at Enfield
was enlarged and adapted to the prOduc
ton of rifed arms; the pattern known a
that of 1858 being adopted as the best, be
came subsequently wOrld-renOWned as tn,
Enfield rife
The buildings which constitute the fac
tory are situated on the banks of the river
the site being undoubtedly chosen in con
sideration of the available water power, anC
also the means of transport which the nav
iigable portion of the river presents. Th'
rooms in which the manufacture is conduc
ted are Of course very numerous, as the diff
ferent processes amount to no less thai
769; and in addition to the actual working
and engine rooms, there are number O
houses, belonging to the Government il
the occupation of those employed me.
chanics' institute and library, a small
church and school house.
The first form of the rife barrel is ar
oblong tile like plate of the best wrought
charcoal iron of thirteen inches long, lit
tie more than half an inch thick, and five
and half inches wide on one side and five
inches on the other, the edges being bevel-
ed in order to ensure close Join The
plate is first heated, and after several pas
sages through a powerful pair of rollers
containing series of grooves and projec-
tons, it assumes form not unlike small
agricultural drain pipes. The barrel is
then again heated in 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 be-
ing concentric; the workman has to watch
his opportunity very nicely, and thrust in
the barrel at the exact moment the proper
part of the roller comes round. The work
is 50 exhaustive that during the hot wealth
er the men are only allowed 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 twisted sugur, attached to q long rod
which is made to revoive, the barrel being
fixed horizontally, passes right through.
The barrel is then set and straightened
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 fine thread for receiving the breech-
pin, it is proved fer 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 alter close inspection it is ap-
proved, it is sent to the 'grindery,' where
the outside is ground to a given gauge. 1t
then goes through some sixty-nine different
operations of minor importance before it is
ready to be rihed. The riAing machines
are of Belgian manufacture The barrel
is firmly fixed at the lower end; a steel
rod, containing the cutter that forms the |
grooves is made to pass clear through It, q !
special contriyance insuring that tbs shall
be deeper at the breech thar the muzzle
end. The twist Of tie grooves. which
mounts to a half turn in the length of
the barrei, is obtained with the assistance
Of radial steel bar, which is set at such |
an angle that rack which slides on it, the |
other end of which gears into a piriOn
fixed to the cutting bar, makes that bar
revolve to the extent of half a turn as it
slides from end to end. The metal is con-
stantly fabricated and kept cool by
stream of soap and water. The barrel hav-
ing been rifed is then polished and other
wise prepared for stocking.
The stocks are made by a copying lathe,
which, like many of the machines in use,
Ire of American invention and manufac-
'ure. The copying lathe is machine in
which steel model is placed below the a.
ual stock in the same relative position, and
10Th made to revolve at exactly the same
ate. thirty-fve times per minute. A
.ainst the model a grinding wheel revOlyes;
md cutter revolving three thousand
lines minute. soon brings the stock to
o the shape of the model
There arc nearly two thousand hands
Employed in the factory, who are paid by
he piece. Any material that is wasted is
harged to the account of the workman
VAO Injuries it; and as every portion of the
life passes through so many hands, the
are a continual check on each
ther, each giving receipt for the materi-
j ne takes in hand, to the foreman of his
apartment
Many operations through which each
life passes before it is ready for use, and
hose relating to its fittings, and to the
manufacture of the bayonet, &C., are so
imilar to like operations in other factories,
hat they do not need descriptiOn.-N Y.
Commercial AdCertiSer.