AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BANDS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL ARMS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wilson, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BANDS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL
ARMS."
Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BANDS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL
ARMS."
Sealed the 24th April 1855, and dated the 10th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th January 1855.
I, THOMAS WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BANDS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SMALL ARMS" to be as follows:-
The said bands consist of rings of iron or other metal made of a figure
somewhat resembling an ellipse. These bands are usually finished by the
process of filing. My Invention consists in finishing the said bands by
mechanical means in the following manner :-An axis, mounted after the
manner of a lathe head, carries a series of four or other convenient number
of cutters, the said cutters describing during their revolution the figure to be
given to the band. The bands roughly formed are fixed in a clam or vico
situated in a line with the axis of the cutters, the said clam or vice being
capable of a sliding motion. A band having been fixed in the clam or vice,
the latter is made to slide towards the cutters, the said cutters having a rotary

page_text: motion. By the action of the said cutters the desired figure is given to the
band. The lathe head may be double, that is to say, the axis may carry a set
of cutters at each end; and instead of making the band stationary and the
cutters revolve, the cutters may be stationary and the band revolve. Where
the band revolves, one cutter moving on a suitable rest may be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th July 1855.
i
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant 'unto me, the
said Thomas Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Wilson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said Thonia's
Wilson, my 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 might make, use, .exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BANDS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF. SMALL
ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Wilson,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, should particu-
larly 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.
:
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Wilson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say)
:
,
My Invention consists in finishing bands used in the construction of small
arms by the use of the machinery herein-after described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing The said bands, one of which is shown of the full

page_text: :
size in front view in Figure 1, and in edge view in Figure 2, consist of rings
of iron, or other metal or alloy, of a nearly elliptical figure. The said bands
are used for securing the barrels to the stocks of small arms. These bands are
usually finished by, the process of filing. The machinery or apparatus by
which I effect the finishing of the said bands is represented in elevation in
Figure 3, and plan in Figure 4. a is an axis, mounted in bearings b; c is a
toothed wheel on the said axis a;, d is a pinion on 'the axis e; f, g, are fast
and loose pulleys, on the axis e. Motion is communicated from the driving
power through a strap or band to the pulley f, and, from the said pulley f
through the axis e, pinion d, and toothed wheel c, to the axis a. h is a clam
or vice, the jaws i, k, of which are closed by a screw, acted upon by the
handle 1; the upper jaw of the clam his capable of a sliding motion on
the lower jaw, as represented in the clam on the left-hand side of the Draw-
ing. A roughly-formed band, Figures 1 and 2, is placed on the lower jaw k
of the clam or vice h, and the upper jaw i having been slid forward, so as to
grasp the band between it and the lower jaw, the said clam or vice is then
tightened by means of the handle 7. Each of the clams or vices h, h, has a
sliding horizontal motion on the beds o, o. The bars on which the clams or
vices h, h, are fixed have a V shape, and slide in V-shaped grooves on the
beds o, o. This motion is effected by the screw p and screw box q, which so
nearly resemble mechanism commonly employed in lathe machinery that I
do not think further description of the same necessary. Each end of the
axis a has a hollow cylindrical chamber or cutter block; this chamber or cutter
block is marked r in Figures 5 and 6, which said Figures represent, the
former a front view, and the latter a section, of the end of the axis a. s, s, 5, 8,
are four cutters, fixed in slots formed in the side of chamber or cutter
block . The form and position of these cutters will be understood by an
inspection of Figures 5 and 6. On turning the screw box q, by means of the
wheel q', the band n is made to advance into the chamber or cutter block r,
and a rotatory motion being given to the axis a, the cutters s, s, turn the
partially formed band, and give the desired form to one-half of the said
band; the said band is then withdrawn from the action of the cutters, and
is transferred from the position n to the position m, in which last position
it is operated upon by cutters, which finish the other half of the said band.
Although I prefer to use four cutters, yet I do not limit myself thereto, as a
greater or less number of cutters may be employed with the same or nearly
the same effect; neither do I confine myself to the use of rotating cutters acting
upon stationary or sliding bands, as the band to be finished may receive a
rotatory motion by being fixed on the axis a, and the cutter or cutters may be

page_text: stationary. When I use a stationary cutter, I prefer to support the same
on a rest, with a sliding motion, corresponding with the elliptical figure of
the band.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature. of my said Invention; but I claim as my
Invention, finishing bands. used in the construction of small arms by the
process of turning or cutting the same by means of the rotating or stationary
cutters or tools and machinery or apparatus herein-before described, and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord Onc
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
THOMAS WILSON. (L.S.)