The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-21
MAKING HEAVY GUNS.
An Interesting account OF Ho" 1t y
Dom.

An Interesting account o' TO" ~
Dom.
In sentember est Nicholas .'...
an illustrated article on "ihe 'lA i''''
drv al washington The author say
The guns are made OF what 's ,'''''
forced steel This steel DIS made oY p''
,.fo firms principally dt tie i'"''
s,thfoher, works Boz peunsylNanlA' $500 ~
sent to tine gun foundry n ln'
of large tubes and 200 olh'i F-'i '.
IA Jackets and hoops. These rl-'' f'
.fter boinc finished are pun '"s '"'
made into gums The jacket OBJ r'"
about half the length OF lhe t'.
self b. really q large tune. l"'
tube when 90 arrives Dis lul l"'' % .t.
and has thc hole bored Guy 10
sigs b. win ba when finished ln'h t ''
,',rned down inside for about hat DIS
lonefh from the rear OBJ 1fe'.n fiN I'D ',
nroner size Turned down means 'l.l
fbe metal is cut on with steel .N..e''
Tba Jacket also o. bored put rMos .li.'
and the hole carefully measured. .'
dfqnefar of this hole or bore BOD iAe jack
ct is n little smaller lsome hundred '.
am inch. than the outside ol '"' ''"'
after being turned DOWN
overhead I'm the shop arc big oi'h'-
which travel back and forth 600 ll"eha'
and which can easily NIl ihN
heavy weights The largest crane
called the if0-ton crane. hut 81 WHN NIl
% weight even greater. Neff ih' 'fh'I'
of the gun shop Is large nIi lh "N.'n
ar. furnaces. After the une bias '''n
bored ont and turned down OUTSIDE N ~
carried bv "a crane and lowered IN'' ..'
nit near the furnace 500 fnai pr alt.''
ON IT'S muzzle cnd tho ore'rh QUO ..Ns
up I'm the air. THE iacko' is also NI''N
and lowered into frrnIce ana h'.
This furnace has top. cover NNi.h
ufts or and which is nuf nn aii0r mo
Jacket has been lowered into d. H.i nf
rs forced into this furnace Wnicn hrt'7
tho Jacket I'm it expands 500 Chat t1a siz'
~ lbs bore becomes greater bob diameter
than the size of the trhe Dr. is Dob in.'-
when an g. ready The cover If Nftlf i'nn
the furnace the crane hook. 1n ln iNe
Jacket lifts it ont of The furnace ana
swings a. over the tube. The jacket ls
then quickly measured and carefully lowe
cred over the tube. which If standing
on IT'S end 4 stream OF colo wHI.f r
then admitted into Tho lower nni oi ne
tube. This water rises nearly % the
top Of the tube and helps to cool both
tube and jacket now Cited together.
As the Jacket COois b. shrinks 'o fs prnp-
- size. and $50 squcczes and holds mo
tube tight within.
when both are cold fho partly made
gun is lifted ont OF che pit, put into an-
other lathe and turned down outside so
as 10 Doe ready tO have the hoops gut
on. These hoops. which have been bored
ont 10 the proper siLe are heated ana
shrunk on over the gun just as tho jack
ct was shrunk ON over the tube. Ils
whole gun is made OF built up. In this
manner After all the hoops are on the
gun is bored out again 10 final sizc pnt
into a rining machine and rifed. that is.
u has grooves cut inside OF the bore
throughout us length. These grooves
commenced at the muzzle and gradually
curve till they reach the end Of the bore.
They are cut by what 10 called a ri1ing
bar. which De- a long shaft with cut
tcrs az one end. Tho gun remains steady
while the bar enters into the gun no the
muzze. and turns 40 the same time. thus
cutting what are called spiral grooves
throughout the length OF the bore %
the gun. This riding f. done so as 20
give the shot or shell when tho gun IL
fired a twirlng or rotary motion. which
prevents it from tumbiing end over end.
and causes IL 10 keep pointed I'm tho
iectlle). is long and has a copper band
fitted on It's rear end. When the gun IL
fred this copper band. being softer than
the steel OF the gun. enters into tho
grooves. is turned by them and gives ths
proiectile a spinning motion during 10
flight