86 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



is accomplished is very simple and apparently durable, the movement of the 

 breech-pin being effected by a toggle joint which is so nearly straight at the 

 tune of the discharge that the reaction produces little strain. The breech-phi 

 fits very tightly, and it has been proved by trial that the pressure and inertia 

 of the hammer alone will keep the breech-pin in place even if the toggle joint 

 and all the other parts are removed. The penetration of the bans thus con- 

 structed and projected appears about equal to those of the Minie rifle, or all 

 that need be desired. The balls are prepared at a profit for $1 per hundred, 

 and may be discharged at the rate of one per second. The rifles hold thirty 

 and the smallest pistols seven balls each. 



Improvement in Shot Guns. By Buckel and Dorsch, of Monroe, Mich. 

 This invention consists in giving the barrel of the gun a slightly undulating 

 form, for the purpose of causing all the shot to strike within a certain circle, 

 and prevent its indiscriminate scattering. The barrel is divided into an odd 

 number of parts, say five, seven, or nine, according to the length, the said 

 parts being made alternately of larger and smaller diameter. The parts next 

 the breech and at the muzzle are of the larger diameter, and the intervening 

 parts smaller and larger alternately, thus producing an undulating bore. 

 Many experiments, we are told, have been made with shot guns of this con- 

 struction, and the result in all cases is, that the shot fall within and evenly 

 cover a certain sized circle, never scattering beyond. 



New Bullet Machine. Mr. "Win. H. Ward, of Auburn, N. Y., has recently 

 invented a machine for manufacturing bullets from lead wire. The wire is 

 coiled upon rests at the top of the machine, and suspended by means of arches, 

 from which the lead is fed downwards into the machine, where it is measured 

 and cut off as required for each bullet, after which it is forced forward into dies, 

 and formed into the desired shape by compression. It makes musket, rifle, 

 and pistol, elongated, hollow, and conical expansion bullets; also round or 

 shell balls all at the same time. At one corner it makes round balls, 

 at another musket, at another rifle, at the other rule and pistol elongated 

 bullets each corner being double, with two sets of dies and punches, which 

 gives eight bullets to one revolution of the machine. The machine is capable 

 of being worked up to twenty-five turns in a minute, which is equal to 200 

 bullets per minute, 12,000 per hour, or 120,000 per day. 



Improved Primer for Fire Arms. In this invention, by Lieut. J. N. 

 Ward, U. S. A., the percussion hammer is made hollow, and the priming 

 paper rolled up and placed within. Whenever the hammer is cocked the 

 paper is fed out for a little distance, and then cut off and exploded on the 

 nipple by the descent of the hammer. It is certain in its operation, and 

 the mechanism is~ simple. The improvement can be applied to all guns hi 

 use at a very small cost, without any alteration hi the lock part, the only 

 change being in the form of the hammer. 



Reeves' Breech Loading Rifle. In this English invention, a movable 

 breech -is employed, which is made to fit into the end of the rifle barrel, and 

 is held in close contact with it by the lateral pressure of a wedge piece, 

 which is hinged to the barrel and the lock frame, and which drops between 

 the end of the breech and a false breech. To charge the rifle, this wedge 



