The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-09-27

Ks6es, steel gun, nine Inches, win Be cast
before the largest SIZE i placed ia tba,
flask Near the rolling mill, but 70 The
west Of Il, Is located a steam FIRE engine,
while at the extfeme southeast corner Of
the enclosure, beneath a knoll raised
especially for the purpose, IS the magazine,
IN which are securely guarded abort three
hundred barrels Of gnnpowder. The most
interesting points. however, are in the
manufacturing rooms proper, where are
made the friction primers for ordnance and
cartridges for the Springfield rifles. The
machinery in both departments is Of the
most elaborate description, specially de-
sigped for the work 1t has to do, and doing
1t effectnaly.
The process Of making friction primers
may be briefly described as follows, first
promising that when completed they re-
semble in shape the letter I, one arm Of
which is an elongated loop, the hook ofthe
lanyard being placed in this loop to ex-
plode il when placed in the vent Of the
cannens A thin strip of brass is placed in
a double-acticn pressing machine, which
nes only cuts disc from the sheet, but,
by means Of punch inside the cutter,
forms cup. The cup is taken to other
machines, until it becomes tube, when II
Is cut off the proper length, and hole
bored in one end to receive shorter tube,
which forms one arm Of the I. A wire
with serrated edge is then inserted on
the other side, charged with wet friction
composition, and the end of the small arm
is closed up, while the wire is twisted and
forms the elongated loop, as the other arm.
The long tube is then filed with rife pow
der and closed up The operation is very
simple: pull on the wire, the friction
powder isiites, fires the powder in the
tube, thence it flies to the vent Of the gun
and the discharge takes place.
The process in making the metallic ser
vice cartridge is identical, except they are
made Of copper, which, does not require
as much annealing as brass, it having more
duesile tenacity. These cartridges are
made by similar double-acting presses, the
disc, the drawing, cutting off, &c. They
are about II inches in length when ready
for service. The difference in manufac-
ture consists in the fact that, after being
drawn out into tube, they are placed in
a heading machine, which raises fange,
prevents them going too far into the gun,
and, after their discharge, secures their
easy extraction. Another process IS also
necessary; Cups are placed inside the tube
to contain the Illuminating powder, the
cups being prepared in the same way, from
discs on smaller machines. They are
vented, |. e. two holes punched in them,
are then indented with a light punch, the
Illuminating powder placed IN them, and
1 then the 'primed cap, as It Is called,
Is crimped into the bottom OF the case
These caps are allowed to remain a day
70 dry, when the cases are taken to the
loading machine, which, by rotary and
oscilating motion combined, shakes a
charge Of powder into them, and squeezes
the bullet on the top OF the ease, the COM
| pleted cartridge falling into box beneath.
They are then packed in paper boxes Pre.
pared In another room, containing 20, and
these again in wooden boxes containing 80
boxes 1000 cartridges in all, } and are
ready for shipment The cases are lubri-
Gated with oil to prevent the explosion Of
the illuminate, and are all washed after the
process is complete. Toward the eastern
boundary Of the grounds is the firing and
testing department, under the control of
/ Captain Prince, OF the statf, who has