IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR RIPLING FIRE-ARMS.
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Colt, of Spring Gardens, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
RIPLING FIRE-ARMS. "Partly a communication.
ກ.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Colt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd February
1854.
I, SAMUEL COLT, of Spring Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR RIFLING FIRE-ARMS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of self-acting machinery,
whereby the rifling of gun and pistol barrels may be effected with great rapidity
and precision. The barrels are arranged side by side in the machine, and are
each fixed in a hollow axle mounted in suitable fixed bearings. Keyed to
each of these axles is a circular plate, provided with radial notches, equal in
number to the rifle grooves to be cut in the barre'. These notches are
intended to receive a bolt, which holds fast the barrel while the cut is being
made. A traversing frame with jointed inclines lifts up all the bolts of the
several notched plates simultaneously out of their respective notches; at the
same time catches formed on the under side of the jointed incline pieces take
on to pins projecting from the side of the notched plates, and thereby cause
the hollow axles with the barrels to perform a partial rotation, for the purpose

page_text: of presenting a fresh portion of the inner periphery of the barrels to the action
of the cutting tools.
These rifling tools are mounted on a traversing frame, which moves in the
direction of the axes of the barrels, and carries a rack that takes into pinions
on the tool spindles, for the purpose of giving the tools an irregular axial
motion. Jointed to the rack of the traversing frame is a vibrating lever,
which works on a fixed but adjustable fulcrum, and through the movement of
the traverse frame receives a vibratory motion, by which it is enabled to move
the rack in its guides at variable speeds. The stems of the cutting tools pass
through the hollow axles and barrels, and they are furnished with a slot at
their forward end to receive the cutting tool, which is dropped into and left
loose in the slot. The cutting of the rifle grooves commences at the rear end
of the barrel, and the cut is consequently made during the backward traverse
of the tools. Below the cutters, and in the same slot which contains them, a
wedge or taper rod is inserted, and by the forward movement of the traverse
frame these rods are driven against slowly advancing stops, the effect of which
is to cause the cutters gradually to protrude more and more from their slots,
until they have advanced sufficiently far to make the full depth of cut required
in the rifle barrel. The cutters when protruded from the barrels run in con-
tact with oil brushes, which supply them with oil, and assist in clearing them
from the metal cuttings which they have made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Colt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
COLT, of Spring Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Samuel Colt, Her special license that I, the said Samuel Colt,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Samuel Colt, 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,

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR RIFLING FIRE-ARMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Samuel Colt, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Colt, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of self-acting machinery,
whereby the rifling of gun and pistol barrels may be effected with great
rapidity and precision. The barrels are arranged side by side in the machine,
and are each fixed in a hollow axle mounted in suitable fixed bearings. These
hollow axles receive an intermittent axial motion, for the purpose of turning
the barrels after every successive cut made by the rifling tools (which tra-
verse to and fro through the barrels), and thereby bringing up a different
surface to the action of the tools.
a
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of my
improved rifling machinery; Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section; Fig. 3 is
partial longitudinal section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2, shewing the
arrangement for operating the cutting tools; Fig. 4 is a cross section, taken in
the line 3, 4, of Figures 1 and 2, shewing the arrangement for giving an inter-
mittent axial motion to the barrels under operation; Fig. 5 is a cross section
taken in the line 5, 6, shewing the mode of imparting to the cutters the axial
motion required for putting a twist into the rifle grooves; and Fig. 6 is a
cross section in the line 7, 8, of the arrangement for driving the cutters out-
wards from their sockets, and keeping them up to their work; and Fig. 6* is
a cross section taken through the centre, and in the direction of the length of
the driving shaft. A, A, is the main framing, and B the main driving shaft.
of the machine. C is the driving pulley, and D, D*, are crank wheels at
opposite sides of the machine, to which connecting rods E, E,' are jointed.
The other ends of these rods E are connected by adjustable pins a, a, to a
traversing frame F, which carries the rifling tools. This frame F rests on the
top of the framing A, and is caused to slide thereon by means of the crank-
rods; b, b, are short socketted axles turning in bearings in the frame F, and to.
these axles the pinions .c, c, are. keyed fast. Stretching across the machine

page_text: and gearing into these pinions is a rack d, which slides in a V guide made for
it in the frame F. Connected to this rack by means of a pin e is a vibrating
red G, which has its fulcrum at the extremity of a bracket frame H, and
actuates the rack during the traverse of the frame F, and causes it through the
pinions c, c, to turn the axles b, b, in their bearings; f, f, are sockets affixed
to their respective axles b, as shewn at Fig. 3, for the purpose of carrying the
cutter stems g, g. These cutter stems are shewn detached and on an enlarged
scale at Figures 7, by reference to which Figures it will be seen that they are
bored out at their forward ends in the direction of their length to receive
respectively a wedge h, and that a diagonal slot is likewise cut from their
periphery inwards to meet the wedge hole. This diagonal slot is intended to
receive a steel cutter i, which is carried by a frame that fits the slot, the inner
end of the wedge h lying beneath it. By this arrangement it will be under-
stood, that by simply striking the outer end of the wedge h, I am enabled to
force the cutter outwards, by scarcely appreciable advances, and so keep it
always up to its work, whereby a smooth-faced rifle groove will be produced,
and that with great expedition. The mode of imparting a progressive motion
to the wedge h will be hereafter explained.
The barrels to be rifled are arranged in a row, as shewn at k, k, Fig. 4, and
carried by hollow axles 7, (see the longitudinal section, Fig. 3), which are
mounted in bearings in the fixed cross head I. Each barrel is adjusted to
bring its bore concentric with the axle 1, by means of radial set screws, with
which an inner cylinder * (capable of being readily removed from the hollow
axle and forming a kind of faame to receive the barrel) is provided. m, m,
are tappet wheels mounted on the axles 7, and intended to impart an inter-
mittent rotary motion thereto. These wheels are provided with notches at
their periphery in number corresponding to the number of grooves to be cut
in the barrel, and they are also furnished on one face with a corresponding
number of pins set in a ring, and equidistant from each other. n, n, is a
horizontal sliding frame to which a set of forked clicks or drivers o is jointed,
for the purpose of rotating the wheels m. Recesses are made in the
inner face of the frame to receive these clicks, which are peculiarly shaped,
as shewn best in the detached views, Figures 8. The end of the upper
prong or finger of each click is bevilled, to form an inclined plane, which,
when the frame n is moved forward, is caused to bear against the under side
of a pin projecting from a bolt p, and raise it clear of the notches of the
tappet wheel, (which it is intended to lock,) and permit of that wheel, and
consequently the hollow axle which carries it, making a partial revolution.
The lower prong or finger of the catch o, as the bolt is raised, comes in con-

page_text: tact with a pin on the wheel m, and drives it round until an inclined groove
in the catch o arrives under the pin of the bolt. The backward traverse of
the sliding frame n now commences, and the pin of the bolt runs down the
inclined groove of its catch o, permitting at the same time the descent of the
bolt, which being pressed upon by a coiled spring falls into a notch in the wheel
m, succeeding to that which it last entered, and locks the wheel as before. I
have said that the notches and pins of the wheels m correspond in number to
the rifle grooves required to be made in the rifle; the arrangement shewn in
the Drawings gives seven as the number, but more or less may be made, as
desired, by changing the wheels m, and altering the cam from which the
traverse motion of the frame n is derived. The forward and backward
traverse of the frame n, and the intermittent axial motion of the hollow axles.
1, to bring the barrels under the action of the cutters, is effected by the fol-
lowing means-K is a horizontal bar carried by the framing A, and provided
at one end with a pin, which takes into a cam groove in the face of the crank
wheel D. To the other end of this bar a rack is secured for the purpose of
gearing into, and driving a segment rack similar to and on the same shaft as
that shewn at q, in the partial plan view, Fig. 9. This segment rack 9 gears
into the rack teeth r, carried by the frame n; as therefore the crank wheel D
revolves, a reciprocating motion is given to the bar K, and communicated
through the segment racks to the frame n. It will now be understood, that
if this movement, and the advance and recession of the frame F, which carries
the cutters, are properly timed, the frame F will advance, and carry the tools
through their respective barrels, (to bring them into a position for acting),
while the barrels are quiescent and the wheels are locked, and that when the
cutters have passed through the barrels, the latter will, with the hollow axles
which carry them, be turned round a seventh of a revolution, and held fast in
that position. The return motion of the frame F will now bring into, action
the cutters, which will commence rifling the barrels at the breech end, forming
the groove for a short distance nearly straight, and gradually increasing the
twist as they advance towards the forward end of the barrel. This twist is
obtained by giving the cutter stems a gradually increasing axial motion while
the cutters are returning through the barrels. This axial movement of the
cutter stems is effected through the agency of the vibrating rod G, which as
the frame Frecedes from the cross head I, draws the rack d in the direction
of the arrow, Fig. 5, and thereby effects the rotation of the pinions c, c, and
their axles b, to which the cutters are connected. The amount of twist of the
rifle grooves is capable of very delicate adjustment, by varying the length of
the rod G, which may be done by means of the screws at either end of that

page_text: rod. The cutting tools as they pass out at the rear end of the barrels and also
in returning, come in contact with a rotary brush s, several of which (one for
each cutter) are mounted on an axle t, carried by a frame u, which is supported
in bearings on a cross head L. These brushes are for the purpose of clearing
off the metal cuttings and imparting oil to the tools; oil is supplied to the
brushes by a pipe leading from a can v, and rotary motion is given to the
brushes by a driver won the bar K, striking against the pins of a tappet
wheel a, which is carried by a stud from the frame u, and is in gear with a
pinion on the brush axle t.
.
I have stated that the wedges h (Figures 7) are employed for thrusting out
the cutters i from their sockets and keeping them up to their work. These
wedges are driven inwards by being brought into contact with stops y, (Figures
2 and 3), when the frame F has arrived at the end of its forward traverse.
The stops y are carried by racks z, which slide in slots made through the cross
head L. In gear with these racks are the pinions 1, 1, which are mounted
on the shaft 2, (see Fig. 6), that has its bearings in the cross head. Rotary
motion is communicated to this shaft 2 in the following manner:-On the
sliding bar K is an adjustable screw 3, which, as the bar moves in the direc-
tion of the arrow, Fig..2, strikes against a spring slide, which carries a click 4
in contact with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 5, and drives that wheel round
the distance of one or more teeth. This ratchet wheel (see Fig. 6, and also
the detached views, Figures 10,) is mounted on an axle 6, which carries at its
lower end a worm 7 in gear with a worm wheel 8 on the shaft 2.
The axle 6 is carried by an excentric 9, which fits into a concentric recess
made for it in the cross head L, and to it is jointed a rod 10. The use of the
excentric and rod is to throw the worm 7 in and out of gear with the worm
wheel 8, as desired. It will now be understood, that at every movement of the
bar K in the direction of the arrow, the screw 3 will drive forward the click 4,
and move round the ratchet wheel, which movement will be imparted through
the worm 7 and worm wheel 8 to the shaft 2, the pinions of which will propel
the racks z slowly forwards, and thereby advance the stops y, for the purpose
above explained.
In order to stop the movements of the machine when the rifling operation
is completed, the driving pulley C is mounted loosely on its shaft, and caused
to slide thereon in and out of contact with a fixed clutch 11, by means of a
forked sliding rack 12, carried by the main framing. Into this rack gear the
segment teeth, formed on the fulcrum end of a spring lever 13, keyed to a
vertical rod 14, which has its bearings in the main framing. The free end of
the lever catches into a notch formed in the cross head L, and when in that

page_text: position the clutch 11 and boss of the driving pulley are in contact. The
shaft 2 carries a pin 15, which is set so that when the rifling operation is
completed, it will strike against the end of the lever 13, and release it from
the notch which held it in position. When this release is effected, a
spring 16,
coiled round the rod 14, gives the rod an axial motion, and throws the lever
13 into the dotted position of Fig 2. This vibration of the lever causes the
forked rack 12 to advance, and thrust the boss of the driving pulley C out of
contact with the clutch 11, and thereby stop the action of the machine.
When first starting the machine, it is desirable to drive it by hand until all
the parts are ascertained to be properly adjusted. To facilitate this, the crank
wheel D is formed with cog teeth on its periphery, and capable of gearing
therewith is a pinion 17 mounted on an axle, which carries a handle 18 at its
extremity and may be slidden endwise in its bearing. When therefore the
machine is required to be driven by hand, the pinion 17 is slidden into gear
with the teeth of the crank wheel D*.
Having now set forth the nature and object of my Invention of "Improved
Machinery for Rifling Fire-arms," I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim the general arrangement and
construction of the rifling machine above described with reference to the
Drawings. And particularly I claim,―
First, mounting the cutters loosely in traversing rods, and keeping them up
to their work by means of advancing wedges, as explained.
Secondly, giving to the traversing cutting rods an axial motion, through the
agency of a vibrating rod or arm, or other analogous contrivance, the vibration
of which will regulate the amount of twist to be given to the rifle grooves.
Thirdly, I claim the use of advancing stops, for driving inwards the cutter
wedges, and keeping the cutters up to their work.
And fourthly, I claim the arrangement above described for rotating and
locking the axles or cylinders which carry the barrels to be rifled.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Colt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Signed & sealed in presence of
EDUP N. DICKERSON.
JNO. CLEMENS.
SAM. COLT. (L.S.)