Year: 1876

require many different processes IN most
ingeniously designed machines, as well as
some small amount of hand labor, before
being handed over to the inspector for
viewing and testing. This branch of in
dustry is extensively carried on at the
Small-Arms Factory, Smallheath, near Bir-
mingham, under the management of Major
General Dixoe; who finds employment in
busy times for about 1000 men, and is
capable of turning out complete as many as
1900 rifles a week. This production can if
necessary be increased to 5000, if what is
called s'double shift" or relay of men be
employed in some of the departments.


At this establishment none but walnut
wood chiefly obtained from Italy, is used
for the stocks of firearms, though inferior
stocks are made of beech. The block of
wood rough-sawed out of q inch plank,
is made to revolve in kind Of lathe called
sough-stocking machine, the tool of which
advances and recedes, so as to give the re-
quired shape, in accordance with the con-
tour of a 'tformer" Or cast-1ron counterpart
of the stock. The result is that any num-
Der of stocks are identical in form, one ma
chine alone being capable of turning 600
per week. One especial feature in the
working of this machine, and all others in
the same department., is that it is not only
self-acting, but also stops itself as soon as
it has accomplished its task, or to speak in
more concise and technical language, the
feed stops as soor as the cut is finished.


After the general external form has been
given to the stock the groove for the barrel
is cut out by a machine for that purpose.
1t is then smooth-turned and afterwards
transferred to the lock-bedding machine,
by which the recess is made for receiving
the lock. In this machine there is sta
tionary bed-plate, on which the lock is
fixed. Loose on the central spindle is
circular frame, carrying four drills, and
formers in pairs; a large pulley revolves
about the frame, and on the lever being de-
pressed small pulley on the drill spindle


is driven rapidly by friction. When the
work has been performed by that pair,
catch IS loosened, and the frame revolves
until the next pair are brought into posi-
ton, and so on. The consequence is that
the stock is quite ready to receive the vari-
GUS parts made Of iron or steel, and, after
little smoothing and coat of linseed Oil,
the stock is perfectly complete. All these
machines have either been designed by the
officials at the works or have been improved
by them from American models.


All the metal portions of the stock and
lock are stamped out while hot between
dies by means of "drops" and steam ham,
mers, the "fash'' or rough point left at the
joint being afterwards removed by trim
ming press after the nature Of a punching
machine but previous to this the work is
annealed and picked, to soften the metal
and remove the scale. Trigger-guards for
Snider work are drawn out under Ryder
hammer. and the steel ''shoes' containing
the action of the Martini Henry rifle (the
stock of which is in two parts) are forged
under Is cwt. Davy hammer Another
hammer of the same power afterwards
stamps the "shoe," mandrl having been
driven into the hole drifted by the first
hammer.


Barrels are not at present made at the
factory, although rolling mills and furnaces
have been erected for the purpose, but are
obtained with hole ready drilled through
them. The barrel is first rough bored,
then turned or "stripped," as it is called,
in three different lathes !. e., three cnts
are taken off. The barrel is next polished
in vertical machine, five being worked
together, up and down, like SO many pump
rods, twisting at the same time between
blocks of wood fed with emery and oil.
and kept against the barrel by springs.
Then comes the fine boring. Six barrels
are laid on machine table, while steel
rimers, ground to the right size and of
square section, are made to revolve in their
spindles, the barrels being gradually brought
up to them by means of weight passing
over pulley. To keep the ''bits' steady
strips Of wood Of segmental section are
placed over the sides of the rimer, packed
up as required by slips of paper. In the
Martini Henry rifle the bore is O.449 of an
inch. The rifling in the same barrel con-
sists of seven shallow grooves, making one
turn in twenty inches. This operation is
performed by an ingeniously devised ma
chine, capable of rifing to any pitch, but
which cannot we'll be described without
elaborate drawings, The machines are in
clined so az to allow the soapy water form
ING the lubricant to run down the barrel.
The breech end of the barrel is finished by
milling machinery, as also are the several
parts of the lock. In all cases the system
Of working with q former is adopted, in
order to insure the interchangeability of
parts. The setting of the barrel is per-
formed between the boring and stripping
operations by blows of hammer, before
turning, and mallet afterwards, the work
men being able to ascertain whether the
barrel is straight or not by looking through
it and noting how the shadow of horizon
tal line falls inside. The barrels are proved
twice first, after boring, with y drachms
of powder, II ounces of lead, and cork
wad and again after rifing and the addi-
tion of the lock, this time with 5 drachms
of powder. The rifle is also fired in. the
ordinary way when quite complete, witt
the usual service charge of q drachms. In
the first proof, ten loaded barrels, with
plugs, containing firing holes screwed into
the breech, are laid with the hole down
wards on train OF gunpowder.


The bayonets now being made for the


government are the Snlder. of triangular
section. They are forged from 1 Lie


inch round steel bar. which is drawn down


under Ryder hammer, about four inches
| remaining untouched to form the socket.
It is next bent, OR "broken down." as the


term is, in two places. After being cut of


from the bar, sufficient metal being left FOL


the blade, it is stamped for pair of dies


the blade is then drawn out by the Ryder


hammer. The rolling is very interesting


operation, and is performed by Barnes's
| nato,t roIl;no machines in which there are