The Republican journal., 1875-01-07
Assembling in Machine-Making.

The system of making the component
paris Of a machine or implement in dis
tlnct pieces OF fixed shape and dimensions,
so that corresponding parts are inter
changeable, is known as assembling. The
term is, however, more strictly applicable
to their fitting together after being separ-
atelY and accurately made according to
fixed patterns, and constantly compared
by gauge and templates which test the
dimensions.
This system Of interchangeability OF
parts was first introduced into the French
artillery service by General Gribeauval,
about 1865. He reduced the gun-carriages
to classes, and SO arranged many of the
parts that they could be applied indis-
crimiuatcly to any carriage OF the class for
! which they were made. The system Was
aftarward extended into several of the
| European services and into that Of the
| United States
| The first tire-arm attempted to be made
| on this system was the breech-loader OF
| John II Hall, of North Yarmouth, Mass,
| 1911, Of which 10000 were made for the
! United States, 80 900 being voted the in
ventor in 1886, being at the rate of one
| dollar per gun. Some of them We're
captured in Fort Donelson, February 16
1862, They were probably the first
| breech-loading military arms ever issued
! to troops.
! The extent to which the system of
! guages was actually carried with the Hall
arm is not accurately known, but it is
! doubtless true that the principle was first
I brought to a high state OF system and ac-
curacy by Colt, OF Connecticut, in the
| manufacture OF his pistols Among the
most important OF the extensions OF the
| principle has been the making Of special
| machines to fashion particular parts, or
| even special portions OF individual pieces,
| 50 that each separate part may be shaped
| by successive machines and bored by
| others, issueing in the exact form re-
| quired.
This plan requires large capital, and
will not pay unless a great number OF
! similar articles be required, but has been
extensively introduced into this country
| and from hence into England and to some
extent on the continent Of Europe. All
| the government breech-loading fire arms
Of Europet and Egypt are thus made in the
United States for the various countries.
The Snider gun, modification of an
American model. is made at the Enfield
Arsenal, England, on special machines
made tor that purpose in duplicate at the
Colt Works, Hartford. Connecticut. Pratt
and Whitney of Hartford, are Just com
pleting for Germany a full set OF special
machines and gauges for the manufacture
of the Mauser rifle, adopted by Prussia
for the confederate German States.
The first watch made on this plan was
the ''Americann watch of Waltham, Mas
sachusetts, the system extending down to
the almost microscopic screws and other
small parts. All the prominent sewing
machines are SO made; the same with
Lambs knitting machine, harvesters,
thrashers, and wagons, are made Of inter-
changeable parts. The system has been
carried into locomotive building; about
seven grades OF engines, it is understood.
are employed on the Pennsylvania Central
Railroad. corresponding parts Of given
grade being precisely similar so as to fit
any engine Of the class This is the
American system Of assena5ltng Har
pers Magazine for January.