MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 85 



strip being- placed nearest the centre, while the apes or narrow part of the 

 upper Y-shaped piece is placed downwards, or nearest the centre, whereby 

 the spaces between the first strip will be filled up, and after being rolled and 

 welded in the usual manner, or otherwise finished, will form a perfectly tight 

 and solid barrel or pipe. 



Improvements in the Manufacture of Ordnance Shells and other Hollow Ves- 

 sels. An invention of Richard Peters, London, consists in the employment of 

 a hollow mould, made in two or more parts, into which the metal or other 

 material to be moulded, is poured through a pipe, which descends about 

 midway into the mould, and imparting to the mould, after a sufficient amount 

 of metal or other substance in a fluid or a semi-fluid state has been poured 

 therein, two centrifugal motions at right angles or nearly so to each other. 

 The centrifugal force acting in all directions, distributes the contents of the 

 mould evenly all round the inside thereof, while the internal pipe acts as a 

 vent for the escape of air and gases, and prevents any considerable quantity 

 of material (if any) being forced therefrom. On stopping the two motions and 

 opening the mould, the hollow article will drop out, perfectly formed. When 

 making a shell, a ferrule, threaded on its inside, is set round the internal pipe, 

 and being incorporated with the shell, it will be ready for receiving a fuse 

 threaded with a corresponding screw. 



Volcanic Repeating Firearm. There has lately been commenced in New 

 Haven, on an extensive scale, the manufacture of a rifled arm, the joint inven- 

 tion of Messrs. Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson. As the novelty 

 consists more hi the ball than in the gun itself, this may first be described. 

 It is a complete cartridge, cased water tight hi metal. The ball is hi the 

 cylindro-conoidal or Hinie form, with a deep cavity hi the backside in which 

 is inserted both the powder and the percussion cap. A coating of cork inter- 

 venes between the cap and the thin metal which forms the outer covering, 

 the softness and elasticity of which material removes all possibility of explod- 

 ing the powder by any ordinary violence. 



The rifle or pistol is provided with a thin case extending the whole length 

 under the barrel. This, by a simple movement, is filled with balls which are 

 pressed backward by a coiled spring. The barrel is open at each nd, and is 

 chambered somewhat larger at the breech to receive a bah 1 easily. By a for- 

 ward movement of a suitable lever just front of the trigger, the breech phi is 

 drawn directly backwards, and a bah 1 is carried up and placed hi line with the 

 bore. Next, by drawing the same lever back to its original position, the 

 breech phi is forced to its place, driving the ball into the barrel, and at the 

 same time puncturing by a point on its end quite through both the metallic 

 Covering and the cork, and pressing fairly upon the percussion portion of the 

 inclosed cartridge. The gun is now loaded, and on pulling the trigger the 

 hammer strikes fair upon the hinder end of the breech-pin and transmits a 

 sufficient shock to discharge the piece. 



The movement of the lever described in charging the rifle also pushes back 

 the hammer, or in other words cocks the gun, but hi the smallest pistols it is 

 found easier to place the thumb on the hammer and draw it back while some 

 of the fingers work the lever beneath. The mechanism by which the whole 



