|
|
| |
Anderson's
Bullet Machine
By Tom Henrique
|
As
collectors, we frequently discuss the multitude of variations in
the Enfield style bullet and the number of different basemarks found
in the plug cavity variants of this bullet. Between the bullets
that were imported from England and those made in the Condederacy
it seems there is a nearly limitless number of variations, both
in cast and machine pressed enfield types.
Before the American Civil War, England had conducted extensive testing
to determine the proper form, diameter and weight of the ball to
be used in British Military firearms and had determined that the
most economical, consistant and problem free type was the smooth
sided Enfield bullet. Being the most technologically advanced country
in Europe at the time, it was decided that these projectiles would
be produced by compression, utilizing a bullet press to ensure consistency,
reduce manufacturing costs and guarantee production of the quantities
needed to equip the various arms of the Royal military.
 |
| Click
to Enlarge |
The
primary bullet machine used at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich was the
Anderson's Bullet Machine, available in two and four die configurations.
This bullet press was the standard against which all other designs
would be compared and was a major influence on all subsequent bullet
machine patents. It was capable of producing large quantities of
extremely consistent enfield bullets, the size of the bullet being
determined by the interchangeable die configuration.
Lead would be shaped into either wire or rods of a suitable diameter
for the bullet being produced and then fed into the machine as seen
in the top left portion of the drawing (in this case, wire is being
fed into the machine from a spool that was left out of the drawing
for simplicity). The lead wire/rods would pass through a set of
rollers and would be cut into appropriate length pellets by the
machine (top right element in drawing). These lead pellets would
be dropped down to the die area and held in place by two scissors
type arms to align the lead with the opening to the die.
 |
| Click
to View Animation |
The
Anderson Machine used an ingenious motion transfer system to convert
the rotational motion from belt driven shafts into the linear motion
needed to operate the various machine functions and produce bullets.
The motion transfer was accomplished by an eccentric disk attached
to the spinning shaft. When turned inside the "Drive Box"
of the machine the eccentric orbit would contact the sides of the
box, converting rotation into a linear motion of approximately three
inches. Arms attached to the Drive Box would impart this motion
to the various stations on the machine. Each Drive Box would power
two die sets mounted opposite each other on the machine's worksurface
and two drive boxes were present on the four die configuration.
 |
| Click
to View Animation |
To form
the bullet, a punch machined to the shape of the cavity would press
the lead pellet into the die, compressing the lead into the eventual
bullet shape and creating the cavity in the interior of the bullet.
The cavity punch was designed to be smaller than the interior diameter
of the die in order to allow excess lead to extrude out from the
base of the bullet. Once the cavity punch was withdrawn from the
die a cutting tool called the film plate would remove the excess
lead, trimming the bullet to the intended length. Once trimmed,
the completed bullet was ejected from the die by the motion of an
extractor rod contained in the nose section of the die. This rod
had a machined central channel to allow pressure to release from
the die during the compression stage and a mis-aligned extractor
rod would produce a small ring around the nose of the bullet, frequently
mis-identified as a nose pour line. The finished bullet would drop
into a storage bin and the process would be repeated.
|
The
cavity punch also produced the basemarks that continue to fascinate
19th Century bullet collectors. The end of the punch could be engraved
to create a raised detail in the cavity, usually indicating manufacturer,
machine number or bullet diameter. These "basemarks" have
become a collecting subject themselves and Enfield collectors expend
quantities of time and money in the pursuit of rare specimens.
|
Some
Base Marked Enfields
Click on the photos to enlarge
 |
 |
 |
 |
55
|
57
|
57
variant
5 higher than 7
|
dot
57
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
L
|
L1
|
L2
|
L
dot
|
|
 |
 |
 |
P
|
dot
P
dots at 9 and 12 oclock
|
3
dot
|
S
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Wheel
|
Rimless
Wheel
6 spokes
|
Rimless
Wheel
7 spokes
|
Rimless
Wheel
Rose Variant
|
|
| The
Enfield bullet, with an apparently limitless diversity in form and
basemarks has become a favorite among collectors and will continue
to fascinate, and frustrate, future generations of leadheads. For
more information about the Anderson Bullet Machine and British manufacturing
processes I suggest "Rifle
Ammunition - being notes on the manufactures contained therewith.
As conducted in The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich" written by
Arthur B. Hawes and available in our bookstore. |
|
All
Photo/Animation Publication Rights Reserved
Thomas P. Henrique/Bay Media Production
|
BACK
|
