Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Compound Bullets.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
4
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Compound Bullets.
1, ARTHUR GREENWOOD, of Albion Works, Leeds in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to facilitate the manufacture of what are known as
compound bullets, that is, bullets which consist of a leaden core with an envelope of
copper or other metal, and are designed to be used in rifled fire arms.
I first prepare, in any well known manner, a tubular casing of suitable length and
bore, with a closed end. This casing, which is intended to receive the leaden core, I
submit to a machine which I will term No. 1, for the purpose of pointing it, or
reducing its rounded end to the proper form for fitting over the pointed core.
I next submit the pointed casing to a machine No. 2, for the purpose of having
the leaden core inserted therein, and secured tightly in place by end pressure applied
to the core.
The next operation is to turn over the edge of the casing, and press it tightly in
contact with the rear end of the core. This operation I propose to effect in two
or more stages, using for the purpose a machine which 1 will term No. 3, the dies
being shifted to continue and complete the operation, or counterparts of the same
machine being used with slightly varied forms of dies.
The metal which I propose to employ for the casing may be copper or its alloys,
or steel and its alloys, a coating of non-oxidisable metal, such as nickel, being used,
when required.
The machines to which I have referred have the like general features in common,
the object of each being the application of pressure through punches and dies to
complete the compound bullet.
Machine No. 1 is fitted with an inclined shute, down which the tubular casings are
fed to a transversely channelled slide, which serves to carry, the casing or envelope
within reach of a reciprocating pair of tongs, which seize it, lift it from the slide
(which then retires), and present it to a fixed die, opposite to which a travelling
punch is mounted. The die is coned at its inner end to the shape required for the
bullet point, and it is slightly tapered in its length in order to facilitate the with-
drawal of the shaped casing. The plunger, which is cylindrical, is shaped at its point
to correspond with the shape required to be imparted to the end of the casing, and it
is mounted in a sliding block, so as to move freely therein, motion being imparted to
it by a crank on the driving shaft. The sliding block in which it works is also
operated directly from the crank shaft, its traverse being shorter than that of the
plunger.
This block carries, on its face, a steel plate through which the plunger passes,
and is steadied thereby in its forward movement; this plate also serves the purpose
of discharging the shaped casing from the end of the plunger on its back traverse,
the plunger, after pointing the casing, drawing it out of the tapered die, and bringing
its outer edge into contact with the plate preparatory to its release from the
plunger.
The slide which carries the cases to the tongs is connected to a bell crank lever.
which is rocked by a cam on a cam shaft, connected by gearing with the main driving
shaft. On the same longitudinal shaft is a second cam, which serves to actuate the
tongs that pick up the cases from the slide, and present their closed ends to the fixed
die, for the purpose of being pointed, as above explained.
In No. 2 machine, there is a similar die and punch to those above described, but
the tongs are replaced by a rocking sector, grooved to receive, from a double shate,
the pointed metal case or envelope, and the leaden care which is to be inserte.l

page_text: therein. This sector, when charged with the component parts of the compound bullet,
brings them into line with the punch and die. By the advance of this punch, the
core is pushed into the tube, and the tube into the die, which die is fitted with a rod
for driving out the bullet.
The plunger, in its forward motion, not only inserts the core into the tube, but, by
imparting an end pressure to the core, it causes it to fit tightly in its metal envelope,
leaving, by the longitudinal contraction, the open end of the tube projecting beyond
the core.
The movements of the acting parts are obtained in substantially the same manner.
as the corresponding parts in the first described machine. The pin for driving out
the bullet from the die receives its movement through a rocking arm from a face cam
on the longitudinal cam shaft.
For turning in the projecting edge of the metallic envelope, the machine No. 3 is
provided. Here the plunger is formed with a cup-shaped extremity, so that the
bullet, when taken from the slide by means of the reciprocating tongs, as in the first
machine, and presented to the plunger, is forced into the fixed die, and its projecting
edge is bent inwards by the pressure of the cup-shaped plunger. To complete this
closing up of the end of the bullet, it is preferable to submit it to another machine of
like construction to that of No. 3, but having a flat-ended plunger. The action of
this plunger will be to press down the turned-in edge of the envelope upon the end
of the lead core, and thus to complete the formation of the bullet; or the end of the
plunger may be grooved to form a bead on the end of the bullet.
By duplicating No. 3-machine, the necessity for shifting the plunger to suit the
different stages of the finishing operation will be avoided.
For discharging the finished bullet from the die, the same contrivance is provided
as that described with reference to machine No. 2.
Dated this 5th day of September 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Compound Bullets.
I ARTHUR GREENWOOD of Albion Works, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to facilitate the manufacture of what are known as
compound bullets, that is, bullets which consist of a leaden core, with an envelope
of copper or other metal, and are designed to be used in rifled fire arms.
I first prepare, in any well known manner, a tubular casing of suitable length, and
a bore with a closed end. This casing, which is intended to receive the leaden core, I
submit to a shaping machine, for the purpose of pointing it, or reducing its rounded
end to the proper form for receiving and fitting over the pointed core.
I next submit the pointed casing to a machine designed to insert the leaden core,
and secure it tightly in place by the application of end pressure thereto.
The next operation is to turn over the edge of the casing, and press it tightly in
contact with the rear end of the core. This operation
propose to effect on two or
more stages, using for the purpose a machine provided with a die for holding the
bullet, and a suitably shaped plunger for turning in the end of the case, and shifting
the punch, to continue and complete the operation, but I preferably use two of such
macbines fitted with compressing punches suitable for different stages of the turning-
in operation.
The metal which I propose to employ for the casing may be copper or its alloys, or
steel and its alloys, a coating of non-oxidisable metal, such as nickel, being used when
required.
The machines to which I have referred have the like general features in common,

page_text: the object of each being the application of pressure through punches and dies to
complete the compound bullet.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shews in plan view the machine for shaping
or pointing the end of the metal envelope. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 an
end elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section, shewing the shaping
portions of the machine, with the envelope filling the die.
A A is a bed frame supported on a box casting A, and serving to carry all the
working parts of the machine.
The forward or overhanging portion of this bed frame is cast with a central boss, in
which is fitted a steel cylinder B, threaded at its opposite ends to receive binding nuts bb,
which serve to adjust it lengthwise in its place. The inner end of this cylinder
is rebated to receive the die C, in which the metallic envelope is to be shaped.
The die C, which enters the rebate in the cylinder B, is formed with a shoulder to
bear upon the end of the cylinder, and it is held in place by a nut c, which is shaped
internally to fit against the coner back of the die shoulder. The nut c screws onto
the end of the cylinder B, and thus holds the die firmly in place. In front of this die,
works a punch D, fitted to a plunger D', which works in guides carried by a slide e.
This slide works in V guides carried by the bed frame, and it receives a to and fro
motion, together with the plunger D¹, from a two-throw crank sbaft F formed with
three cranks.
This shaft turns in bearings carried by the bed frame, and it is fitted at one end with
fast and loose band pulleys, and at the other end with a fly wheel for steadying its
rotary motion.
The slide E is connected by links e to the crank shaft, and the plunger D¹ is
similarly connected by a link & with the central crank of the shaft F. This central
crank has a greater throw than the side cranks, its use being to force the punch D,
together with the metal envelope, to the bottom of the die C, whereas the side
cranks serve to move the slide only so far as is necessary to provide the requisite
support for the punch.
In front of the slide E is a steel plate e', through which the punch passes to receive
and carry forward the metal envelope. The use of this plate e', is to strip off the
envelope from the punch, when, by its back motion, the punch draws out the shaped
or pointed envelope from its die. It is to provide for its action that the traverse
movements of the plunger D¹ and the slide E vary in their length and speed.
G is an inclined shute carried by a standard bolted to the side of the main frame,
and down this shute the metallic envelopes or cases are fed, to a transversely channelled
slide G', which works in guides formed for it in the standard. This slide is controlled
in its movements by an edge cam G2 on a cam shaft I, the slide being connected by a
rod G³ to a bell crank lever G' fulcrummed below the bed frame, and carrying a bowl
which is held in contact with the cam G2 by the tension of a spring G³, which
couples the heel of this crank lever to a stud pin on the side of the bed frame. The
slide G serves to carry the metallic cases in succession within reach of a pair of
reciprocating spring tongs H, fitted to a rocking arm H³, which is keyed to a rock
shaft H2 mounted in bearings on the bed frame A.
A short arm H³ on this rock shaft, is pivotted to a connecting rod H*, leading down
to one arm of a bell crank lever H, pivotted to a pendent bracket on the underside of
the bed frame. The other arm of this bell crank lever carries a bowl, which, by
reason of the tension of a spring H, is caused to bear upon an edge cam H' on
the cam shaft I. A tendency is thus given to the tongs to rise and retain an
elevated position. The cam shaft I turns in bearings on the underside of the bed, and
is situated centrally therewith, and longitudinally thereof. The inner case of this
shaft carries a mitre wheel, which gears into a mitre wheel on a transverse shaft I',
supported in bearings on the underside of the bed frame. A spur wheel on this shaft I¹
gears into a spur wheel on the crank shaft F, which is the main driving shaft, and
through this gearing, therefore, rotary motion is communicated to the cam shaft,
and the cams G and H', which control respectively the movements of the slide G
and elastic tongs H.

page_text: The cut of the cam H' is such as.to allow of the tongs dipping down into the channelled
slide G¹, and seizing the metallic case contained therein, then rising to allow of the
slide returning to its normal position; and, or the retirement of the slide, descending
to the dotted position of Fig. 3, and bringing the case into coincidence with the die C
and the punch D..
The rotation of the crank F will now carry forward the plunger D', supported and
guided by the slide E, and cause the punch to enter the case and thrust it into the die
with a force sufficient to mould the closed end of the case to the pointed shape
required. The continued rotation of the crank shaft F will cause the plunger. D¹ and
slide E to retire, but at such unequal speeds, that the plunger D', in its rapid retreat,
will cause the end of the case to strike against the steel plate e of the slide E, and
thereby effect the stripping of the pointed case from the punch. The case or envelope
thus shaped will fall down a spout leading to suitable receptacle, and will be ready to
receive the leaden core which is to complete the compound bullet.
For stopping and starting the machine, a belt shifter K is provided, which slides in
fixed guides standing up from the bed frame, and is connected through a stud pin with
the short arm of a rock shaft K¹, having its bearings on the side of the bed frame.
A coarse screw thread is cut on this rock shaft, to correspond with a thread formed in
one of its bearings. This is for the purpose of giving an endway travel to the shaft,
as it is rocked, through a handle by the attendant. The end of this rock-shaft passes
through, a vertical arm K2, pivotted to the bed frame, and carrying at its upper
end a brake block in line with the fly wheel fitted to the crank shaft F.
Lock nuts on the end of the rock shaft K₁, & bearing against the back of the brake
arm, serve to connect the shaft and arm together. In front of this arm, bears a coiled
spring, which lies between the arm and a collar formed on the rock shaft.
When it is desired to stop the machine, the belt shifter and the brake block are
simultaneously brought into action by turning the rock-shaft K' in its bearings, the
short arm on the shaft acting on the stud of the belt shifter, to bring the driving band
on to the loose pulley, while the end way motion of the shaft draws the brake block
into contact with the fly wheel.
A reverse axial motion of the rock-shaft will force the brake block out of action,
and throw the driving band from the loose to the fast pulley.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, shew the machine by which the leaden core is inserted into the
metal envelope or case, Fig. 5, being a plan view, Fig. 6, a side elevation, and Eig. 7
an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 8 is an enlarged section shewing the com-
ponent parts of the bullet, thrust into a holding die, and the plunger which effected
that operation in its most advanced position.
The construction of this machine is in great part like that above described, and as
corresponding letters to those above used are applied to corresponding parts in
the two machines, it will be unnecessary to repeat much of the foregoing
description.
The shute G, which is now designed to supply to the operating parts of the machine
both the metal case or envelope and the leaden core, is made of such a breadth as to
receive, on opposite sides of a central partition, the case and the filling core or
leaden bullet."
.
These parts, which are to constitute the compound bullet, are delivered one by one
on to a rocking sector, which performs the part of the slide G and elastic tongs H of
the above described machine. This sector is made preferably of two parts L L',
to admit of their independent adjustment, so that when raised with their load, they
may place both the core and the case opposite the holding die C in the line of
its axis.
L* is the pivot pin on which the sectors rock freely. This pivot pin is carried by
lugs on the bed frame A.
are grooves formed in the sector to receive respectively the lowermost core and
case, which are delivered thereto by the shute G, when in their normal position,
as shewn at Fig. 7...
The sectors are linked at their lower ends to arms L³ fulcrummed on bracket.

page_text: bearings bolted to the underside of the frame A. These arms each carry a bowl set
opposite to their respective edge cams L³, L, keyed on the cam shaft I.
Pressure springs L L serve to hold the bowles up to their cams, and as the
smaller radius of the cams is brought into line, to raise the sectors with their load into
line with the holding die C, ready for the action of the punch D. This punch
is carried by the slide E, which receives a traverse motion in its guides from
the crank shaft F, one crank only being required in this case, instead of three in the
first described machine. The sectors, as they rise with their respective loads, roll the
same over the segment shaped lips of guards g, which overlie the lower portion of
the divided shute, and when, by the continued rise of the sectors, the case and core are
freed from contact with the guards, a pair of elastic fingers L' L³, press down upon
the core and case, and hold the same firmly in the grooves of the sectors, while the
punch D is advancing to thrust the case and core into the holding die.
These fingers are made fast to short rocking arms L³, fulcrummed on a pin carried
by lugs bolted to the frame A. The upper ends of these short arms are connected by
rods L to their respective sectors L L.
As, therefore, these sectors are rocked, they will draw down the elastic fingers
on to the case and core, and prevent them from swerving under the pressure of the
advancing punch.
12 are adjustable stops for limiting the rise of the sectors under the pressure of
their respective springs, and thereby ensuring the proper presentation of the case and
core to the holding die and punch.
It will now be understood, that as the punch is advanced by the action of the
crank shaft F on the slide E, the punch will force the leaden core into the case
or envelope, and drive the latter forward into the die C. The continued advance of
the punch will press the core completely into the envelope, and compress it therein, so
as to ensure the firm adhesion of the two parts of the compound bullet, leaving the
open end of the case to over-lap the base of the core.
The closed end of the die C, is fitted with a pin m for driving out the bullet on the
retirement of the punch D. This pin is carried by a plunger M, which slides in the
cylinder B, fitted in the end of the base frame A. Opposite to the end of this plunger
is a rock lever M', fulcrummed on a bracket bearing on the bed frame A, and
carrying at its upper end an adjustable screw stud m³, for pressing on the end of the
plunger, which, by means of a light spring, is permanently connected with the
rock lever, to ensure its moving backwards with the lever. The lower end of this
lever carries a bowl, which is held by a spring M² in contact with a face cam M³ on
the end of the cam shaft I. As this shaft receives its motion from the crank shaft. F,
as in the first described machine, it follows that the retiring movement of the
punch D, and the advance of the rock lever M', will take place relatively to each
other. Thus, when the pressure of the punch is withdrawn from the bullet, the
pin m will advance, and thrust out the bullet from the die into a spout, which will
discharge it into a suitable receiver. The acting end of this pin m is hollowed out to
receive the point of the bullet, and prevent injury thereto, when pressure is applied to
the discharging pin.
For turning in the projecting edge of the metallic envelope, I employ the machine
shewn at Fig. 9, 10, 11, 12, which, in its material points, corresponds in construction
with the machine first described. I have therefore, for the sake of conciseness,
applied to the like parts, similar letters to those used in describing the first
machine.
Fig. 9 is a plan view, Fig. 10 a side elevation, and Fig. 11 an end elevation of the
machine for turning in the projecting edge of the filled case or envelope. Fig. 12 is
an enlarged section of the die and its fittings, with the bullet in place, and the punch
in contact therewith.
The bullets, as they left the last described machine, are arranged in the shute G, and
delivered therefrom singly, by a slide G, to a pair of elastic tongs H, which presents
them to the die C, ready to be acted upon by the punch D. This punch, like that in

page_text: the last described machine, is carried. by the slide E, which is operated by the crank
shaft F.
To ensure the proper turning in of the projecting edge of the case, the end of the
punch is cup shaped; as, therefore, it strikes the case, the projecting edge will be laid
over the rear end of the lead core.
}
The die C is fitted with a discharging pin m, which is operated by a rock lever M',
as in the last described machine, to effect the discharge of the bullet from the die.
The cam shaft is, in this example, fitted with a face cam M³, for actuating the rock
lever M', and it is also fitted with edge-cams G2 and H', for actuating the slide G'
and the elastic tongs H.
This machine, and also that last described, are fitted, like the shaping machine, with
a belt shifter and brake for starting and stopping the machine.
To enable this machine to finish the bullet, it will be necessary to replace the cup-
shaped punch by a flat ended punch. For the convenience of working, however, as
already stated, I prefer to use two such machines, .but fitted, the one with the
cup-shaped punch, and the other with a flat ended punch, using the one to turn in the
projecting edge of the envelope, and the other to complete the formation of the bullet,
by pressing down the turned-in edge of the envelope upon the end of the lead core.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement of machinery above described for pointing compound bullet
cases or envelopes, and discharging them from the machine by the back movement of
the punch.
2. The arrangement of mechanism above described for feeding simultaneously, into
the machine, the pointed envelope and core, and compressing the core into the casing
or envelope by an automatically advancing punch.
3. The arrangement of machinery above described for turning in the projecting
edge of the filled case or envelope, and closing over the same upon the lead
filling or core.