The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-02-11

fulfil my promise, and give you bric
description Of the manner Ia whichihey al,
prepared ior use.
First, ~ The casting, great care i re
quired, for the she'll must lie e,erywher,
perfect, and Of equal thickness, so 1t may
exactly balance.
The "corf j. composed Of black sand
which possesses the peculiar property Of
becoming hard and retaining its shape
when cold, but when heated. as il is by
the pouring IN" Of The melted iron, il be.
comes soilrned and /. then easily removed.
They are iheu taken from the foundry
10 The turning shop" and here the small.
er end is first turned and then filed.
Next the shell is pat INTO a lathe aud
the iapcring portion and wings" are
turned and filed.
They are then taken 10 tile planes,
whore the portions between the wings are
planned and they are then ready TO receive
the 'outer coating" which is composed OF
/ Fin, Lead, aud Antimony. The proper
ton Of the composition is secret Of the
inventors.
This coating is put on so as 10 avoid
any injury 10 the guns in dschargins,
which would be likely 10 occur from the
iron, but this composition being readily
fuSble when heated, adapts itself 10 amy
little irregularities which may occur in
The bore Of the gun,
The shell, as received from the planes
is first washed in an acid, then dipped sew
eral times into solution of tim, after
which, the surface being covered nearly
an eighth Of an inch with this metal, il is
placed in the moulds, which consist Of
three portions tightly fitting each other,
the first or clover part for that portion
Of the shell which is tapering, the second,
extending over the winged part" and the
third, simply cover through which i. an
aperture TO admit the metal. The space
(about ono quarter Of an inch) between
the mould and shell IL then filled with
solution Of lead aud anthony, fused to-
gcthcr, and kept constantly heated.
Two men are required in the process,
and can cover on an average five she'll
per hour As soon as the metal is cooled
the upper and lower portions
Of The mould are removed and the she'll
placed in a powerful hand press. The
over end Of the mould being lrfe
smaller the shell is forced downward,
hus making all solid, and causing it TO
irmly adhere 10 The iron.
Then they are taken by tie proven
Who with Eight iron, taps every part Of
he covering, and ii any flaw is discovered
is immediately cast aside, for nothing
'ut perfect work will "pass muster"
They are then conveyed to another
'nilding, where any little roughness is t
notified by filing, and here also is the i
Weighing department.
Every she'll is required TO be exact
n weight, as any difference would pro-
uee corresponding difference in the a
The caps are next put on. I
The caps are so placed that, upon sirik- 9
lg any object, they will explode, but a, !.
lis will sometime "miss fire. TO make
hem more sure, fuse extends through ).
he cap, 10 the powder within the shell, Il
nd this takes fire upon the discharge of 81
&c gun. The next and last process here Is u
re packing Tie boxes are provided :,
ilh handles TO facilitate their transp0rta- !,
IN, and each contains four shells. They N
re sent from here TO Captain George A. Il
.ensel. Chi'f OF Artillery, Boston. Tie u
,ells ar. Of different size, from five 10 =
xty pounds. The smai,.r ones are made
ithout "wings," The metal, when heated 6,
, the discharge Of the gun, readily ex =,
nding aud filing the bore, thus giving il de
G desired rotary motion. til
A patent canister shot has also been 50
here which is filed with sp
nce balls and turning sllayings, n al =
fnaie layers. The shells, when packed, u
Il seven dollars, and this is the price sr
I'd by government Tor The larger ones, M
, coming every thing, Il Gusts about IL
else dollars, each time one Of these se
rs is discharged. =
c. H.. II. 81
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