AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RE-CAPPING CENTRAL-FIRE CARTRIDGE CASES
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Miller at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
May 1873.
I, THOMAS MILLER, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Gun
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RE-CAPPING CENTRAL-FIRE CARTRIDGE CASES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction of apparatus for re-capping
central-fire cartridge cases, by means of which that operation is per-
formed more expeditiously and perfectly than by the means hitherto
adopted.
Upon a bed plate of brass or other suitable metal a vertical metallic
cylindrical rod carrying a steel needle for the purpose of forcing out
the shell of the old cap, as herein-after described, is fixed. Upon this
cylindrical rod a loose metallic collar provided with a thumb piece or
lever by which it can be rotated or partially rotated is placed. A
cylinder of brass or other suitable metal having a solid head at one
end thereof through an aperture in which the steel needle herein-

page_text: before mentioned projects when the cylinder is in its normal position,
is placed over the cylindrical rod and loose metallic collar, and is kept
in position by means of a screw pin which passes through the side
thereof into a longitudinal groove formed in the cylindrical rod, thus
forming a "pillar" upon which the cartridge case to be operated upon
is placed.
Upon a lever or handle pivoted to a rod which is fixed in the bed
plate in rear of the "pillar" a lump or projection is formed for the
purpose of pressing the new cap into its place in the "
cup" in the
head of the cartridge case, and over this lump or projection a moveable
block having a cavity formed in its face is capable of sliding.
"
When it is desired to re-cap a cartridge case it is placed upon the
"pillar and the lever or handle pivoted to the rod in rear thereof
depressed, the face of the sliding block being thereby brought to bear
upon the head of the cartridge case until the needle, which protrudes
through the head of the outer cylinder of the "pillar," forces the used
cap and anvil from the cartridge case into the cavity in the sliding
block. The loose metallic collar is then rotated or partially rotated,
and by means of cam teeth or other suitable arrangements thereon
acting upon suitable arrangements in the interior of the outer cylinder,
raising the latter until it completely covers the steel needle, and the
interior of the head of the cartridge case rests upon the flat face of
its solid head, in the centre of which a cavity is formed for the
reception of the "cup" for containing the anvil and cap in the
cartridge case. A new cap and anvil are then placed in the "
and the sliding block removed from over the lump or projection formed
on the lever, and which lump or projection is then brought to bear
upon the cap to press it into its proper position. The cartridge case,
which is now ready for filling, is removed from the "pillar," and when
the metallic collar has been rotated so as to lower the outer cylinder,
and the sliding block re-placed over the lump or projection on the
lever the apparatus is ready to receive another cartridge case to be
re-capped.
cup,"