Title: Christopher Spencer: the manufacturing technology of his repeating rifle
Abstract: Following a description of its methodology, the paper begins with a discussion of Spencer's career and contributions to firearms and manufacturing technology and the relationship of his work in the design of breechloaders to those of others, including Jennings. The detailed design of the mechanism of the Spencer repeating rifle is reviewed with respect to its manufacturability, identifying changes between the design produced in volume and the original and some subsequent patent applications. This, and an examination of weapons in the reserve collections of the Royal Armouries, demonstrates that previous patent coverage is likely to have forced Spencer to take a radical step in the design of his breechloader — the rotating guide required to move the cartridge from the magazine held in the butt of the rifle to the breech — and this step required the use of the most up to date manufacturing technology of the time, primarily the index miller of Frederick Howe. The review also shows that there was a significant design change in the extraction mechanism to both simplify and strengthen the mechanism. One of the weapons in the Royal Armouries collection appears to be the only known example of the Lane extractor. Another weapon shows surprising quality issues — particularly the level of internal surface finish — that perhaps reflect the level of quality requirements of the time but give useful indications of the manufacturing processes and machines used.
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 3
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