Manufacture of Small Arms
Year: 1855

page_text: Manufacture of Small Arms, &c.
3.
D
(This Invention did not proceed to the Great Seal.)
'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Higgins and Thomas..
Schofield Whitworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 7th March 1855.
We, the said JAMES HIGGINS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,"
Machine Maker, and THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH, of the same Place,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "-IMPROVE---
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SMALL ARMS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS
ALSO APPLICABLE TO HARDENING OTHER ARTICLES OF METAL," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates, firstly, to the manufacture of musket "bands," in
order to effect which we employ a machine which severs the right length of
material and joins the ends after being bent round with a "scarfed" or half
lapped joint. The severed portion of metal is carried forward by a slide and
bent partly around a mandril; a side tool then advances and effects the
"scarfing" of one end, after which the other is in like manner operated upon.
The form of mandril upon which this is done admits of one end of the metal
being laid behind the other, but when the two are in that position, the mandril
is moved so as to bring another part of its circumference coincident with the
metal, which part is the shape of the intended band, and upon this it is
completed in form by the action of dies; after which the mandril is withdrawn
and the band allowed to fall through. To facilitate the discharge we adapt a
finger to which a pressing action is communicated. The bands thus formed
are completed by welding at the scarfed joint.
Another improvement under this part of our Invention consists in a method

page_text: of finishing the bands to the proper gauge; for this purpose we employ two
spindles mounted upon centres, which are capable of being regulated according
to any determined distance apart; these spindles carry cutters, which are
caused to advance so as to operate upon the interior periphery of the band at
either end, and their range of motion will therefore determine the gauge. The
spindles are also provided with other cutters, which at the same time operate
upon the edges, and by which the bands are reduced to the required-thickness;
they are held during these operations by means of clamps.
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Secondly, our Invention refers to the manufacture of bayonet "locking
rings," for which purpose we employ a machine similar in some of its parts
to that above described, but as the severed ends of metal are not to be
joined, the tools for scarfing them are unnecessary. The metal is cut into the
required lengths as before, or previously to entering the machine is pressed
around a mandril by dies, and subsequently discharged therefrom as above
described
'
Thirdly, our Invention relates to the hardening of bayonets, swords, and
other articles of metal, and consists in mounting them in a moveable frame,
so governed in its motion that the bayonet or sword or other article, on being
plunged into the cooling liquid, will become equally immersed on either side;
a method we adopt for accomplishing this is to guide the moveable frame by
a template cut into the required form.