IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOXER OR OTHER CENTRAL-PIRE CARTRIDGE CASE"
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Eley, of the Firm of Eley,
Brothers, of Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BOXER OR OTHER CENTRAL-PIRE CARTRIDGE CASE"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Eley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th August.1866.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS ELEY, of the Firm of Eley, Brothers, of Gray's, lun
Road, in 'the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
* BOXER' OR OTHER CENTRAL-FIRE CARTRIDGE CASES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved arrangements of mechanism
employed in the manufacture of "Boxer" or other central-fire cartridge cases
for the purpose of compressing the paper packing therein, regulating the
size of the chamber for the reception of the percussion cap, and for shaping
and finishing the head of the cartridge case ready for the reception of the cap

page_text: and charge. For this purpose a series of dies and punches are arranged in
combination with a rotating table mounted upon a suitable frame, the table
with the dies and punches having a rotating step-by-step movement imparted
thereto so as to bring each die and punch in succession under a block or anvil
fixed to a cross head on the framing of the machine. The cartridge cases
previously made up with a cylindrical block of paper and percussion cap
chamber combined therewith are inserted in succession in the dies as they
rotate towards the anvil, and as each die containing its cartridge case comes
to a stand in a central position below the anvil the end of a mandril actuated
by a lever descends into the percussion cap chamber, and at the same time
the punch is driven up by a sudden blow produced by a weighted lever (by
preference actuated by a cam), by which means the head of the cartridge is
compressed against the face of the anvil and between the die, so as to
uniformly shape and finish each one in succession, the size of the chamber for
receiving the percussion cap being regulated by the introduction of the
mandril whilst the compression takes place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Thomas Eley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
THOMAS ELEY, of the Firm of Eley, Brothers, of Gray's Inn Road, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and. grant unto
me, the said. William Thomas Eley, Her special licence that I, the said
William Thomas Eley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Thomas Eley, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF 'BOXER OR OTHER CENTRAL-FIRE CARTRIDGE CASES," upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Thomas Eley, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Thomas Eley, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
:
This Invention relates to certain improved arrangements of mechanism
employed in the manufacture of "Boxer" or other central-fire cartridges
for the purpose of compressing the paper packing therein, regulating the size
of the chamber for the reception of the percussion cap, and for shaping and
finishing the head of the cartridge case ready for the reception of the cap
and charge.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed
which show several views of a machine for the manufacture of central-fire
cartridges having my improvements applied thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an end
view of a machine arranged and constructed so as to show the manner in
which my improvements in such machinery for the manufacture of "Boxer"
or other central-fire cartridge cases are performed or carried into practice;
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the rotating table (on a larger scale than the
other Figures) showing the combined punch dies and plunger in the position
they assume when in the act of compressing a cartridge case; Figure 5 is a full
sized sectional view of one form of central-fire cartridge case which my
improved machinery is adapted for manufacturing.
a is the main driving shaft or axis of the machine, to which motion is com-
municated by means of a strap or band from a steam engine or other motive
power passing over the pulley a¹ fixed on the axis a.
The toothed pinion a³
fixed on the driving shaft a takes into and drives the
toothed wheel b¹ fixed
on the shaft or axis b, upon which is fixed the toothed wheel b, which takes
into and drives the toothed wheel c¹ fixed on the cam shaft or axis c to give
motion thereto; d is a circular table mounted so as to rotate around the

page_text: central pin or axis d'' fixed to the top plate or framing f of the machine. To
the upper surface of the rotating table a series of hollow dies e, e, are fixed,
in each of which a punch e¹ is arranged to move up and down, the lower ends
of which punches pass downwards through suitable openings in the table d
into a circular groove or channel f* formed in the top plate f, a portion of the
'circumference of the groove f* being formed with an incline so as to cause
each punch e (after being forced upwards to compress the cartridge case as
herein-after described) to rise in succession and force the compressed cartridgo
case upwards a short distance out of each hollow die e, from which it can
then be readily removed by hand; after such removal the punches e¹ are
allowed to fall in the diese by passing down another incline in the groove f*,
as shown at ex, Figure . . As each die e has a punch e¹ always in it upon
which the cartridge case to be stamped is placed there is no danger of dis-
turbing the inside of the case, as will occur if the punch is arranged to enter
the case after it is placed in the die. A rotating step-by-step movement is
imparted to the circular table d (in order to bring each hollow die e with a
cartridge case having the various parts previously put together placed therein
into a position to be acted upon as herein-after described) in the following
manner-g is a cam fixed on the cam shaft c, on the circumference of which
a suitable groove is formed, into which enters a pin or roller carried by the
lever g³, the lever g' being supported by and moving on the stud or pin 9³ fixed
in the top plate f. To the other end of the lever g' a paul g³ is attached by
a pin joint, one end of which is constantly pulled in one direction by a
weighted.cord 9' (or spring), so as to pull the nose of the paul 9³ between
the rotating hollow dies e, by which the circular rotating table d is caused
to make a partial revolution when the lever g¹ is acted upon by the cam g
for this purpose.
After each partial rotation of the table d its further
movement is arrested by the stop lever h¹, the curved end of which is caused
to enter between the dies e by means of a cam h.fixed on the shaft c, a truck
or roller on the other end of the lever h¹ being constantly borne against the
face of the cam h by the weighted cord h³ or by means of a spring. As each
die e (containing a cartridge case together with its punch e¹) is brought to a
stand below the moveable plunger and anvil the latter is caused to descend
so as to press the face of the anvil down upon the top or face of the die e,
and thus compress the rim of the cartridge case contained therein. This face
I prefer to make separate, as shown, for facility of repair. The plunger and
anvil are held for a time in the position shown at Figure 4, by the
straightening of the jointed links between the plunger i and the fixed
cross framing of the machine, the plunger i being caused to move up and

page_text: down in the fixed guide in order to alternately hold and release the face i
of the plunger from pressing upon the upper surface of the die e as they
rotate underneath in the following manner :- is an eccentric upon the cam
shaft c, which works in a slot formed in the end of the connecting rod k¹
attached by a pin joint k to the links 1, so as to alternately bend and straighten
the same in order to hold and release the plunger i as previously described.
Immediately after the plunger is pressed down upon one of the dies e the
lower end of the central mandril' is caused to descend into the cap chamber n
(see Figure 5) of the cartridge case contained in the die e, in the following
manner is a lever moving on a pin joint carried by the support l³, one
end of the lever passes through slots in the fixed guide and block ¹ into a
slot in the upper end of the mandril 1, as shown, the other end of the lever
being connected by a link with an eccentric * on the cam shaft c, by
which an up-and-down movement is imparted to the lever to raise and
lower the mandril as required. The mandril having passed down
into the cap chamber n of the cartridge case the punch is pressed upwards
in order to compress the block of paper o (see Figure 5) within the head p,
Figure 5; of the cartridge case, and thus shape and finish the same whilst
securely held in and between the dies, as previously described. Each punch e¹
is forced upwards in succession in the following manner :-m is a cam fixed
on the lower cam shaft or axis b. The surface of the cam m acts on a truck
or roller m carried by the pressure lever m², a weight m* being connected
thereto by the rod m³ which moves up and down in guides, as shown. The
lever m³ is supported by and moves on the axis m* carried by suitable bearings
fixed to the framing of the machine below the top plate f. m³ is a plunger
the lower end of which rests on the short end of the lever m², the plunger m*
being pressed upwards thereby, when the cam m allows the weight m* to
descend to its lowest position, by which means each successive punch
forced upwards to compress, finish, and shape the head p of the cartridge
case. A weighted break band d* is applied to the table d to ensure steadiness
in the motion of the table d; another break band a* is also applied to the
driving axis a, which is brought into action by the throwing out lever in order
to assist in arresting the motion of the machine. Figure 6 shows separate
views of the arrangement of cani m which I prefer to employ to actuate the
lever m³.
is
The different motions of the machine take place in the following order:
When the circular table d of the machine is at rest and the truck or roller m²
is at or near the point A on the cam m the cam g begins to act upon the
lever g¹ to set the circular table d in motion so as to bring the next die e

page_text: containing a cartridge case into a central position below the plunger i, the
end of the lever h¹ having been withdrawn by the cam h is re-introduced
between the dies e, as previously described, to arrest the motion of the
table d. The cam k now acts upon the rod to straighten the links *
between the cross framing; and the plunger and anvil i, thus pressing the
face firmly down upon the hollow die e.and upon the head and rim of the
cartridge case contained therein. The cam * acts rapidly upon the lever l' to
cause the lower end of the central mandril 7 to descend into the cap chamber n
of the cartridge case; the cam m then allows the weight m* to descend, and
thus force the plunger m³ and punch e' upwards so as to compress the block o
in the head of the cartridge case contained in the die e between the punch e¹
and the die e and whilst firmly held down in a fixed position by the plunger
and anvil i. The cam m now begins to raise the weight m*, the table d,
links, and mandril remaining stationary until the weight m* has nearly.
reached its highest point; the lever then first raises the mandrill out of the
cap chamber n, the face remaining fixed until the mandril is fully
withdrawn from the chamber n, thus preventing the chamber from being
drawn out of the cartridge case by adhering to the mandril. After the
mandrilis withdrawn the lever k¹ begins to act upon the links to lift the
plunger and anvil i, and thus remove the pressure from the die e, the circular
table & being then at liberty to make a further partial rotation to bring the
next die e with its punch e¹ and cartridge case into position to be operated
upon, as previously described. On this further rotation of the table d being
made the die and punch e, e', carrying the cartridge case which has just been
completed is caused by the incline before mentioned in the circular groove f*
to raise and thus lift the cartridge case a short distance out of the die e so
as to enable it to be readily removed by hand.
It is well known that some of the parts employed in the arrangement of
machinery herein-before described have been previously used in other arrange-
ments of machinery for the manufacture of cartridge cases; it should therefore
be clearly understood that I make no claim to any of such well-known parts
separately, except so far as they are used in certain combinations of parts in
my improved arrangements of machinery previously described, such improved
combinations of parts constituting the novelty and utility of my Invention.
am aware that circular rotating tables and dies have been used in arrangements
of machinery for the manufacture of cartridge cases, but each of the rotating
dies in such arrangements did not carry its own separate punch as in my
improved arrangement and combination of rotating dies and punches e¹,
wherein each cartridge case is placed upon a separate punch in each die e,
I

page_text: thus avoiding all risk of injury to the inside of the cartridge case, as will
sometimes occur when the punch is caused to enter the case after it is placed
in the die, and also avoiding the necessity of having a relative motion between
the die and punch e¹ of a length considerably in excess of the cartridge
case to be manufactured, which extent of motion must in those machines
where one punch e¹ only is used in connection with several dies e, such extent
of motion necessarily rendering the action of such machinery much more slow
than those arranged according to my Invention as hereiu-before described.
Another important feature of my improved arrangement of machinery
previously described consists in causing the mandril 7 to pass down through
the plunger and anvil i into the cap chamber to maintain its correct size
immediately after the face of the anvil i has descended on to the top of the
hollow die and head of the cartridge case contained therein, and in so
actuating the parts that after the cartridge case has been subjected to the
pressure of the internal punch e¹ the mandril is withdrawn again before the
face rises or ceases to press upon the die e, thus preventing the cap chamber n
from being drawn out of the cartridge by adhering to the mandril, or the
whole of the cartridge case from being drawn out of the die e, as will some-
times occur where the mandril forms part of the upper die in machinery of
this character.
Another advantage resulting from my improved combination of the dies
and punches e is the facility it affords for forcing each cartridge case out of
its die e by causing the lower ends of the punches e in their rotation to
travel up an incline, thus forcing them and the finished cases into a position
to be readily withdrawn from the dies e without injury thereto.
The mode of transmitting pressure to such punch e¹ in succession by means
of a weighted lever and plunger actuated by a cam as previously described
also constitutes an important feature of my improvements, whereby in place of
allowing the weighted lever to rest upon the punch as heretofore practised it
is removed by the action of the cam, so as to allow the circular table and dies
to rotate freely without loss of time.
Having thus fully described the nature of my improvements, and the
manner of performing or carrying the same into practice, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein-before
described, but what I claim is, the improved arrangement of machinery for
manufacturing "Boxer" or other central-fire cartridges, whereby the series of
rotating dies e and punches e' are caused to act in combination with the
plunger and anvil i and central mandrill, so as to compress, shape, finish, and
expel each cartridge case successively in the manner and for the purpose

page_text: herein-before described and shown by reference to the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Eley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM THOMAS ELEY. (L.B.)