The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-05-21
Wrought Iron Cannon.
THEIR MANUFACrURR-A VISIT TO rHE AMEs IRON
WORRH.

IRON the Winsted (Connl Herald.1
We greatly enjoyed visit 20 the Ames Iron Works
Falls Village few days since Mr. Ames sometime sir ce
devised wrought iron gun which he with much reason
nearly two years he necessarily but Intellectually mpor
tuned the War Department for an order for the trial Of
nj: ~. 70. o.. Of
order for fifteen has now in the works
and some Of which viii be completed the present month
All large masses OF wrought iron are accumulation
OF smaller pieces OF bars worked together BY pro.
cess OF welding bot how TO weld and handle such
It that the interior Of the shall be equally welded
str ng and perfect with the exterior been the rock
upon sncs ons. inventors lee. Ingenious and persever-
pan which promises sple1dia sseress His method is
bar Of round iron eighteen fee, long ten inches n
Diameter at one end and fourteen st the other made
to serve a. the handle Of the gun. Upon the larger
end Of this are welded one 6y one large bars Of
iron Of about two feet In length, until a round
mass has been formed OF thirty inches In Dime.
tor perfectly solid This 10 to serve the breech Of the
gun, and the end upset by horizontal steam hammer
until IL perfectly even and true After this, the gun
built M OF sections Of the full (crcumfersnce) o.
gourteen feet long whsn completely being composed OF
thirty transverse sections These sections made up
follows: cylindrical block Of the best refined Iron
turned seven inches long, inches In diameter
and with Q four inch hole through its length Thts
bars ~ =. v o. m
into another band OF three inches In thickness These
bands are closely welded and solid - the best
chauism make them. When thus put together 10
will be that the whole forms cylindrical section
(or whee) OF thirty inches in Characteristic greater
length being near the centre.
Ons large furnace devoted 70 the principal gun while
another employed 70 heat the secope. The breech
I've should here remark that toe cooled
the nrst process upon the brcech until ~ welding com
pietcd) swung from IL furnace by immense crane,
WIN soms thirty mon working upon the long handle We
nave described under hammer the drop which
weighs seven tors Immediately 10 front back OF
hammer set the horizontal "upeetting hammer, and
section OF the gun brought At white welding heat 10
les place against the breecb. Tue zonta hsmmer i'm
medaley begins Us work and In far less time than
can write - toe section securely fastened and becomes
part OF the solid The immense drop hammer lOId
Thor they coll ~ 10 put into intervals and by
two heats the nrs Tor Welding and the
and hnisbnE each section 10 complete In IL
place, and The rum increased 10 length five inches
We have already remarked that the section 10 little
longer the centre than ~ the outside BY this means
and by continued bammering the whole Ia brought eyc
and smooth 70 receive she sect on which Ia 70 follow
the gun towards the muzxe where less strength
required the outer band (hreesch) OF the sections
omitted reduc nc the sire by 30 much steel plug
centre repeatedly driven into the gun each
ton laid securing accuracy OF bore and perfection or
the parts.
The gun M built one and half inch larger than /,
Intended 20 be when turned or and IL IL buiIt up with
such accuracy that II IL thought this wh sford SUFFICIENT
ares and leave the gun a. perfect polished needle.
The 10 be rifed-the rings making about half
turn 10 the entire length OF the The Lass
IN the manufacture the placing OF the unnlons, which
nrs carefully finished and ntted then heated and
shruAk upon the gums.
Mr. Ames 10 Justly sansuns his proph ecies regarding
bis guns, and he does NOT hesitate predict for them
range Of mfes From q careful investigator into
comparative resssancs OF wrought and cast iron. MT.
tnes srpeos 70 uss n his guns with entire safety twice
the heaviest charge used In the DAhsrens, and with
which the latter are emincnty unsafe