IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS, PISTOLS, AND GON STOCKS, AND IN CUTTING AND CARVING WOOD, METALS,. MINERALS, AND OTHER MATERIALS, BY MACHINERY
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Crickmay, of Lambeth, in the County of
Surrey, and Frederic Joseph Clowes, of Camberwell, in the same
County, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS,
PISTOLS, AND GON STOCKS, AND IN CUTTING AND CARVING WOOD, METALS,.
MINERALS, AND OTHER MATERIALS, BY MACHINERY."
Sealed the 22nd April 1856, and dated the 24th October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Crickmay and
Frederic Joseph Clowes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 24th October 1855.
We, CHARLES CRICKMAY and FREDERIC JOSEPH CLOWES, do hereby declare
the nature of the. said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GUNS, PISTOLS, AND GUN STOCKS, AND IN CUTTING AND CARVING WOOD, METALS;
MINERALS, AND OTHER MATERIALS,. BY MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
The timber is first roughly sawn to a form approximating to that required,
and the shape of the stock is then marked upon it by means of a flat pattern.
It is then cut off to the exact length by two parallel circular saws. An iron:
pattern, having its extreme ends turned over at right angles, and being pierced
with three holes at the butt end for marking the centres, is then placed on
the stock, and the centres are marked, and the exact outline required is marked
on the back of the stock.

page_text: The stock is now taken to a saw bench, and the surplus wood beyond the
outline of the pattern is taken off. The edges of the fore end are also taken
off to facilitate the turning of certain parts. Two small portions of the stock
are now turned in a lathe, so that they may fit in blocks or bearings in the
carving machine for the purpose of steadying the stock during the carving
process. The portion nearest the nose end of the stock is first turned rather
larger than required, and the stock is then steadied by this part while the
second portion is turned. The second portion then serves to steady the stock
while the first portion is turned to the proper size..
Several stocks, as, for example, six stocks and a cast-iron pattern stock, are
now laid on their under sides on one of Jordan's carving machines, and
secured by cramps or other means. The groove for the barrel is then cut, by
three or four revolving cutters acting on each stock, which is gradually
advanced with the pattern. The cutters are made of such form as to cut the
edges as well as the groove. The depth of the cut is regulated by a screw or
other means. The groove for the barrel is cleaned out by a revolving plane
with a diagonal blade of the shape of the barrel.
two or more bearings or necks turned upon it.
groove a semicircular piece of iron, having half-circular projections left on it to
correspond with the turned portions on the fore end of the stock, so as to allow
it to be firmly clamped by the blocks on the carving machine. A clamp con-
taining a centre hole is fitted over this piece of iron, and over the end or nose
of the stock.
The plane is supported by
There is now fitted into the
The stocks are now fixed by their centres in the carving machine, which is
constructed with revolving centres or chucks, which are capable of being turned
and fixed at any angle by means of an endless screw driving a toothed wheel on
each chuck or centre, and having a division plate and pin for fixing it. The
stock is now carved to the required form by means of revolving drills or cutters,
which also cut out the space for the lock, the side screw holes, the holes for the
nuts and side screw heads, trigger and trigger plate, and guard, and the place
to receive the strap of the heel plate and the tang of the barrel. The stocks
are now taken to another machine and firmly fixed in a vertical position, and
the bottom of the butts cut to receive the heel plates. The shoulder for
receiving the nose cap at the fore end of the stock is cut by a revolving cutter
driven by machinery. The cutter is made with a set-off or stop to regulate
the amount of shoulder required. Guides are placed for the fore ends of the
stocks, which are pushed up towards the cutters. In the same machine a square
hole or socket may be made for placing the head of the boring bit for making
the ramrod hole. The depth-adjusting nuts in the carving machines should.

page_text: be large, with four or more holes for inserting a lever to turn them round and
adjust them accurately. It is intended to fit a slide at each end of the mandril
bar to prevent vibration. The cross beam which carries the sliding frame may
be fixed to the uprights in carving gun stocks, but when the machine is to be
employed for a variety of different work, the cross beam should work on V or.
other guides, and should be capable of being raised and lowered by simul-;
taneously turning a screw at each end, so that in each case it may be brought
as near to the works as possible.
The cutters or drills should be made as short as possible to prevent springing
and vibration. They may be made circular where they are fitted into the
mandrils, except at the extreme top, which should be flat.
A circular groove
is made in the tool at a short distance from from the top, and a spring froni
the mandril enters this groove and secures the tool in its place; or the cutters
may be fixed by screws or otherwise.
The stocks are finished in the carving machine by a broad flat revolving
cutter, the stocks at the same time being slowly turned round by the gearing
herein-before mentioned. A cutter having three or four teeth cut on its end
and circumference may precede the finishing cutter.
When the carving machines are to be constantly used on one article, as in
making gun stocks, the bearings of the mandrils which carry the cutters may
all be bored out of one piece of metal, so that they are always at the proper dis-
tance apart. For general purposes, however, they may be made adjustable in a
slot, and secured by screws and nuts. Vibration of the table may be prevented
by fitting it with slides underneath, adjusted by screws. The cutters are driven
very fast for cutting and carving wood, but by driving them slower and varying
the tools they may be employed for brass, iron, or other, metals and minerals:
In this way the inside of gun or pistol barrels may be bored, and their outsides
turned. The barrels are first put into an ordinary lathe, and the extreme ends
are turned to the sizes required; they are then fitted into the machines by cone
plates at each end. Square or other boring bits are firmly fixed exactly oppo-
site to the barrels. These bits should either be hollow, or have a small tube
secured through their entire length, so as to allow some liquid (as water or oil)
constantly to flow towards the cutting part. Six or eight barrels thus mounted
on the lower table of the carving machine are then made to revolve in' the
plates, so that by pushing the table up in a right line the boring may be done;
at the same time the outside of the barrels may be turned to the proper shape
and size by means of turning tools fixed to the top table of the machine. This
table must be guided by means of weights, which draw it towards a duminy or
pattern firmly fixed on the outside. The machines may be made self-acting,

page_text: with the exception of the attendance required each time that the bit passes
through to adjust the pressure on the cutting part.
In making the locks of fire-arms, the plate of the lock is heated and placed
in a mould or die, into which it is forcibly pressed by another die, so as to
cause it to take the exact shape of the mould. The other limbs or parts of
the lock are made in a similar manner..
The parts of the locks are finished in the carving machines by drills and
:SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Crickmay and Frederic Joseph Clowes in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 24th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
CRICKMAY, of Lambeth, in, the. County of Surrey, and FREDERIC JOSEPH
CLOWES, of Camberwell, in the same County, send greeting..
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day, of October, in the year of our
Lord. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of.
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Charles Crickmay and Frederic Joseph Clowes, Her special licence
that we
the said Charles Crickmay and. Frederic Joseph, Clowes,, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles
Crickmay and Frederic Joseph Clowes, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times. thereafter during the term therein expressed, should, and lawfully
night make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and. Isle of Man, an Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS, PISTOLS, AND GUN STOCKS, AND
IN CUTTING AND CARVING WOOD, METALS, MINERALS, AND OTHER, MATERIALS, BY
MACHINERY," upon the condition. (amongst others) that we,, the said Charles
Crickmay and Frederic Joseph, Clowes, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals; or under the
band and seal of one of us, or them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and, in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same, to. be filed in, the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW ANOW I, that we, the sand aries Crickmay
Clowes, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thercon, that is to say:-
We manufacture gun stocks, and we turn and bore the barrels of guns and
pistols, by means of machinery, which is also applicable to cutting and carving
wood, metals, minerals, and other materials, as herein-after described. .
For manufacturing gun stocks we proceed in the following manner :-The.
timber is first roughly sawn to a form approximating to that required; the out-
line of the stock is then marked upon it by the aid of a flat pattern or template.
It may then be cut to the exact length by means of two parallel circular saws;
or it may be left a little longer than it is required to be when finished. The
stock blanks are then taken to the machine, represented in Figures 1 and 2;
by which the surplus wood is removed from the top and bottom edges of the
blanks.
:
Figure 1 is a side view of the machine, and Figure 2 is an end view of the.
same. The same letters refer to similar parts in each Figure.
l
.A, A, is the framing of the machine, on which slides the bed B, which is
driven backwards and forwards by means of a rack a, and the wheels b, c, d, e,
and the worm wheel C, driven by the endless screw D. The endless screw 1)
is driven by means of bevil gear f, g, h, and. the pulleys i,j, k. The bevil wheel
g is attached to the pulley i, and the bevil wheel h is attached to the spindle of
the pulley k. j is a loose pulley; is the strap for. driving the machine. By
shifting the strap on to the pulley k, the bed B is driven in one direction, and
by shifting the strap on to the pulley i, the bed B is driven in the opposite
direction. E is a beam which extends across the machine, and carries guides
on each side for guiding the vertical frames F, F, which are united by cross
pieces G, G, which carry the cutter shaft H. On each end of the cutter shaft,
or on a stud in a line with its axis, is a loose pulley or wheel I, which rests upon
an iron template J, fixed upon the bed B. K is a cord or band which com
municates motion to the cutter shaft H. This band passes under the pulleys
m, n, and takes a turn round a pulley on the cutter shaft. The cutter shaft
may be made square with plane irons or cutters fixed upon it, as shewn in
Figure: 18, or it may be made with a slot in which the cutters are secured.
.
The stock blanks are placed side. by side on the bed B, and firmly secured
by clamps, or otherwise. The cutter shaft is caused to revolve with rapidity,
while the bed B'is slowly advanced. The cutter shaft being supported by the
pulleys I, 1, descends and ascends as the templates J, J, pass under them, an

page_text: the stock blanks are thus eut to the required form on one edge. The bed is
then run back, and the stock blanks are turned over, and the templates J, J,
are also turned over. The other edges of the blanks are then cut by advancing
the bed, as before.
Two small portions of the stock are now turned in a lathe, so that they may
fit in blocks or bearings in the carving machine, for the purpose of steadying
the stock during the carving process. The operation of turning may, however,
be omitted when the said bearings are made with circular bushes or sockets
with square holes, as herein-after described.
The groove for receiving the barrel is then cut by means of the machine
shewn in Figures 8, 4, and 5. Figure 3 is a side view, Figure 4 is an end
view, and Figure 5 is a plan, of the machine. A. is the framing which carries
a bed B, running upon small wheels or rollers a, a. This bed is moved back-
wards and forwards by means of a long screw b, driven by a crossed and an
open strap, either of which can be shifted from its loose pulley c or d on to the
pulley e, which is fixed to the screw b. The bed B carries another. bed C,
which slides transversely upon it, and is moved by a screw f.. The stock blank
Z is fitted between two stops g, h, on the bed C, and is secured by screw clamps
j. D, E, F, are three revolving cutters, mounted. on vertical spindles and
driven by a cord or band G. Figure 17 is a side view, and Figure 18 is a plan.
on a larger scale, of one. of these cutters. The spindle carries a square block k,
on which the chisels or cutters. l, l, are fixed. These cutters are made of the
proper form for cutting the groove for the barrel, and also for cutting the
edges on each side of it. The cutters E are rather larger than F, and
the cutters D are rather larger than E, to allow for the tapering form of the
barrel. The bed C is advanced by the screw. f until the cutters have entered
to the proper depth, when it is arrested by, a stop. The bed B is then made
to travel endways to an extent equal to the space between the cutters, so that
the grooves cut by the three cutters may unite in one long groove. Two
cutters or four or more cutters may be used in this machine instead of three.
The stock is then taken out of this machine,. and the groove is finished by
means of a revolving plane G, shewn in Figures 11 and 12. Figure 12 is a
side view of the plane, which corresponds in form to the gun barrel,.and which
is provided with straight or spiral plane irons or cutters. It has four necks or
journals, by which it is supported on the frame H, in Figure 11, and it termi-
nates in a rose cutter at the larger extremity, and carries a, pulley at the
smaller extremity, by which it is driven. Figure 13 is a transverse section on
a larger scale of the plane G, and one of its supports or bearings. The stock.
Z is mounted upon a sliding bed, and the frame. H with the revolving plane G

page_text: is caused to descend and plane out the groove. The sliding bed is then
advanced a little, so as to carry the plane over the parts under its bearings,
and the rose cutter then finishes the end which is to receive the breech of the
barrel. The stock is now placed in one of the carving machines, for which
Letters Patent were granted to Thomas Brown Jordan, bearing date at West-
minster, on or about the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
Figure 6 is an end view, and Figure 7 is a side view, partly in section, of
the carving machine. A is a framing, on which runs the lower table or bed B,
which carries the upper table or bed C, which runs transversely upon the lower
table. A cord is attached to a bracket at each end of the transverse table C
and passed round a pulley on the spindle of the wheel a. Another cord fixed
at each end to the frame A (or to the walls of the building in which it is
erected) is passed round the pulley on the spindle of the wheel c. By
turning the wheels a and c by hand, the upper table C may be caused to move
either transversely or longitudinally or in a diagonal direction, while still
preserving its parallelism. The table C carries seven bearings d, d, and seven
back centres e, between which are mounted six stocks and an iron pattern
stock or model. Each stock Z is fixed by screws to a lever or arm f, attached
to a spindle passing through the bearing d. The two outer spindles carry
worm wheels'g, g, which are driven by endless screws.h, h, on the spindle i. All
the spindles carry cranks k, k, which are connected together by the rod 1, so
that by turning the spindle i all the stocks and the model are made to revolve
simultaneously. A small cap is fitted on the small end or nose of each stock
to receive the point of the back centre.e. D is a cross beam, supported by
the walls of the building, or by columns, or part of the framing of the machine.
This beam is furnished with vertical guides, in which works the cutter frame E,
which carries six blocks or bearings F, F, and a central block G. The central
block G carries a tracer, which rests. upon the iron pattern or model. The
blocks F carry vertical spindles, having pulleys on their upper ends, and drills
or cutters fitted into their lower ends, and they are placed at the same dis-
tances apart as the spindles which carry the stocks and pattern. The cutter
spindles are all driven by a cord or band II, which passes round the pulleys
m; n, and takes a turn round each of the pulleys on the cutter spindles. I, I,
are additional guides for steadying the cutter frame E, which can be raised
and lowered by a treadle or by hand. The stocks and model. on the table C
are moved about in various directions under the cutters and. tracer, which are
lowered down upon them, and the stocks and model are turned on their axes,
and the stocks are thus carved to the shape of the niodel. The stocks would,

page_text: however, be liable to spring and vibrate if only supported by the two ends;
two intermediate bearings J, K, are, therefore employed. If the corre-
sponding portions of the stock have been previously turned, as herein-before
mentioned, the bearings J and K are simple circular bearings made to open
to admit the stock. The groove in the stock is then filled by a semicircular
bar of iron, having semicircular or segmental projections upon it, which fit
the bearings and supply the place of the wood, which has been removed in
forming the groove for the barrel. If, however, these parts of the stock have'
been left square, the bearings J, K, are furnished with circular blocks or
bushes, which turn in the bearings, and are provided with square holes or
sockets for receiving the stock, as shewn on a larger scale in Figures 14, 1,
and, 16. Figure 14 is a front view, and Figure 15 is a side view, of one of the
bearings J with its bush p. Figure 16 shews longitudinal and transverse
sections of the bush p. The revolving cutters carve the stocks to the proper
shape, and also cut out the space for the lock, the side screw. holes, 'the holes
for the nuts and side screw heads, trigger and trigger plate, and guard, and the
places to receive the strap of the heel plate and the tang of the barrel. When
this operation is completed, the bearing. J may be removed, and the small
square part of the stock may be carved in a similar manner.. When this is
done, the bearing K may be removed, and that portion of the stock finished;
or these square portions may be finished by hand, after removing the stocks
from the machine. The number of stocks which are operated upon simul-
taneously may be varied. The butt ends of the stocks are carved in a
similar machine, in which the stocks are placed vertically with their butts
upwards. They are, however, "clamped or fixed to the upper table, and pass
through it instead of being mounted on spindles..
The cross beam which carries and guides the cutter frame in these carving
machines may be permanently fixed to the framing, or. to. the walls of the
building, or it may be capable of sliding up and down on the framing, as
shewn in Figures 8, 9 and 10. Figure 8 is an end view, and Figure 9 is a
side view, of a machine so constructed. The cross beam D slides upon guides
L, L, and.is secured at any required height by clamps M, M, which embrace
the guides L, L.. The cutters are driven by a band from the pulley N, whose
spindle is mounted on the top of the framing, and provided with fast and loose
pulleys O, P. In Figure 10 the cross beain D is raised and lowered simul-
taneously and equally at both ends by means of two screws Q, Q, driven by
means of bevil wheels R, R, which receive their motion from the bevil pinions
S, S, mounted on the transverse shaft T.
We turn and bore. tlie barrels of guns and pistols in the following manner:

page_text: The barrels are first put. into an ordinary lathe, and tlie extreme ends are
turned to the sizes required. They are then fitted between cone plates fixed
on the lower table of a machine, similar to those shewn in Figures 6, 7, 8,
and 9. A pulley or wheel is fixed upon each barrel for the purpose of driving
it. Square or other boring bits are firmly fixed exactly opposite to the barrels ;
these bits should either be hollow, or have a small tube secured to them through
their entire length, so as to allow some liquid (such as water or oil) constantly
to flow towards the cutting part. The barrels are then made to revolve, and
the table is gradually advanced until the boring bit has traversed the whole
length of the barrel; at the same time the outside of the barrels may be
turned to the proper shape and size by means of turning tools fixed to the top
table of the machine. The top table, does not then run upon rails on the
lower table, but upon independent rails, or, supports attached to the framing of.
the machine; it is guided by means of weights, which draw it towards a
dummy or pattern firmly fixed on the lower table. As the lower table advances
with the barrels and pattern; it causes the upper table to advance or recede in
a transverse direction, and thus to turn the barrels to the proper form.
In making the locks of fire-arms, the plate of the lock is heated and placed
in a mould or die, into which it is forcibly pressed by another die, so as to
cause it to take the exact shape of the mould. The other limbs or parts of the
lock or some of them are made in a similar manner. The parts of the locks
are finished in the carving machines by drills and cutters working on the
different limbs or parts which are firmly fixed on plane iron tables. Several
limbs may thus be operated upon at once. For this purpose, the beds of the
machines are mounted upon slides instead of rollers, and the drills or cutters
are made short and strong, and driven much slower than when employed for
carving wood. The cross beam which carries the cutters is brought as
close to the work as possible, and every part of the machine is made very
strong.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that what we
claim is,
Firstly, the cutting and carving wood and other materials for the manufac-
ture of gun stocks or other purposes by fixing, the pieces of. wood or other
inaterial upon a sliding bed, which passes under a revolving cutter or cutters
mounted on a transverse axis or shaft, supported by a frame which is capable
of sliding up and down, and whose motion is regulated by templates fixed
on the aforesaid sliding bed, as herein-before described in reference to Figures
.1 and 2.

page_text: Secondly, the mode of grooving gun stocks for the reception of the barrel
by-nieans of two or more revolving cutters of different sizes, applied as herein-
before described in reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5.
Thirdly, the mode of grooving or completing the grooving of gun stocks by
means of a revolving plane, as herein-before described in reference to Figures
11, 12, and 13.
Fourthly, the mode of applying Jordan's carving machinery to the carving
of gun stocks, by mounting the gun stocks in such manner as to be capable of
revolving upon an axis, and supporting them by intermediate bearings, as
berein-before described.
Fifthly, the mode herein-before described of boring gun or pistol barrels,
by-mounting two or more barrels on a bed, and causing them to revolve on
their axes, while the bed is advanced to the fixed boring tools.
Sixthly, the mode herein-before described of simultaneously boring the
interior and turning the exterior of gun and pistol barrels.
Seventhly, the mode herein-before described of manufacturing the locks or
parts of the locks of guns and pistols, by pressing them in moulds or dies, and
then carving them by means of the carving machinery herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Crickmay and Frederic Josephi
Clowes, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth
•
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
Witness,
CHARLES COWPER,
CHARLES CRICKMAY.
(L.S.)
FREDERIC JOSEPH CLOWES. (L.S.)
20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London.