IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING FIRE-ARM8
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Robert, of Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MANUFACTURING FIRE-ARM8."
Sealed the 30th October 1855, and dated the 1st August 1855.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Joseph Robert at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration, on
the 1st August 1855, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROBERT, of Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Mechanical Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING FIRE-ARMS," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn declaration that I verily
believe myself to be the true and first Inventor thereof:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Robert, do hereby declare that
the following complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully describes

page_text: and ascertains the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, on which letters and figures of reference are placed to denote similar
parts, where such parts appear or can be seen in each of the Diagrams
respectively, that is to say:-
My Invention has for its object the better performance of that operation on
the barrels of fire-arms (of all descriptions) called rifling or grooving, which
by my improvements is effected in a more perfect manner than by the
machinery or apparatus hitherto employed for that purpose. The modus
operandi, as well as the construction of my Invention, will be best understood
by an immediate reference to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and forming
part of this my complete Specification.
Figure 1 is a Diagram representing an elevation or side view of my appa-
ratus or machine; Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; Figure 3, a plan view
of the hook D and cone O; Figure 4 shews a view of a portion of the interior
mechanism as it would appear if a part of the side surrounding the letter A,
Figure 1, were removed; Figure 5 is a side view of the cone O and the hook D,
used in the operation of rifling or grooving, the dotted lines shewing the
position of the hook when raised upwards; and Figure 6 shews a back view
of the apparatus.
I now proceed to explain the working of my machine or apparatus. On
the operator turning the handle Z (which may be effected by hand or other
power) the rack B is put in motion by means of the pincier A (shewn most
clearly at Figure 4). The carriage C, which is fixed at the extremity of the
before-mentioned rack B, advances and retires simultaneously therewith. The
cogged wheel 1 (Figures 1 and 2) puts in motion the rack 2, in which it gears
by means of the radiated toothed wheels H, H', which work out the rifling
or grooving of the barrels operated upon; (these wheels are best seen at
Figure 2,) that is to say, they cause the cylinder 6 (Figures 1 and 2) to
revolve spirally either a half or whole turn during its course, according to the
proportions of the gearing with H, H. This gearing rests on or is carried
by the rack 2 (Figures 1 and 2), which in its turn, supported on and by the
sliding bearers 3, 3, 3, which, by means of the slots therein, admit of the rack
and all it carries being raised or lowered, according to the diameter of the
system of catch wheels, (or, in other words, according to the nature of the
rifling or grooving required in the cylinder aforesaid. The rod or rail W
(seen at Figures 1 and 2) is pushed by the point of the carriage until the
meeting of the ring S with the ring X, after which it causes the escapement

page_text: to rise; this escapement is composed of the parts marked K, M, N, Figures
1, 2, 6. The rod Y, Figures 1 and 2, acts in accordance with this escapement,
and passes into the barrel which is to be rifled or grooved 5 (Figures 1 and 2,
and thence into the cylinder 6 (Figures 1 and 2), where it forces onwards a
screw which is placed in the said cylinder, and this screw pushes a cone O
(Figures 3 and 5), which causes the hook D to rise, and whose province it is
to effect the grooving of the barrel. The needle moving with the rod marks
on the dial the depth of the groove; as it will be seen that it can only move in
conjunction with the escapement, before mentioned, and, as before stated, when
the escapement acts, the hook D rises, and consequently the rifling or grooving
is made the more or less deep, and by these means I obtain equal cuts, rifles,
or grooves. The rests P, Figures 1 and 2, serve to maintain the barrels to be
operated upon in position; that marked P¹, however, acts as a support or bearer
to the escapement. The rests P, P, are moveable at pleasure, and slide on
the bench according to the length of the barrels, and are capable of being
enlarged to receive barrels of any bore, and slide on the bench according to
the length of the barrels operated upon. The platform F (Figures 1 and 2)
carries the divisions of the rifle cuts or grooves, shewn in the Drawing, on the
face of F by four points 1, 2, 3, (the fourth being invisible) if four rifle cuts
or grooves are proposed to be made in a barrel. These points or holes are
screw-threaded in the interior; they may also be multiplied, according to the
number of rifle cuts or grooves intended to be formed in the barrel of the
fire-arm to be operated upon. The key I (Figures 1 and 2) serves to hold
firmly fixed the platform F, before mentioned, by screwing it into one of the
screw holes, and then when a rifle cut or groove is of the depth required
the said key is withdrawn, the platform turned in which lies the barrel, and
the key is then fixed or screwed into the next hole (in rotation) of the
division. If this operation be well performed, and the divisions of the plat-
form be regular, it is inevitable the cuts or grooves in the barrel operated
upon should also be made of even depth and nicest regularity.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the means by which
I carry it into practical effect, I would here observe that I do not confine
myself to the particular size of machine to be used for the purposes of my
Invention, nor to the exact relative proportions of the parts of the apparatus,
as such may and indeed must be varied to suit particular circumstances; nor
do I lay any claim to the exclusive use of any of the mechanical parts herein
named, described, or shewn when taken seperately as parts, and not put
together or used for the purposes of my Invention; which I declare to be, and

page_text: I claim, the exclusive use of the combination, as herein-before described and
shewn, of the mechanical parts and arrangements by which an improved means
of cutting, rifling, or grooving the barrels of fire-arms is secured.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Robert, have hereunto affixed
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
HTE BIEBUYCK,
Rue du Commerce, Brussels.
J. ROBERT.
(L.8.)