How'd they do it?

[CarlS]

I was looking at this cut shell being offered at fine value by Mike and it got me to wondering how they got the working components in it.  

• Somehow they got the pusher plate in the cavity when it doesn't look like it will fit through the fuse.
• Somehow they got the powder inside the post area.
• Somehow they got the pusher plate on top of the powder.
• Somehow they then managed to fill the upper cavity with balls and matrix.
• Somehow they got the fuse in it and kept a good path from fuse to powder.
• Somehow they did all this without blowing it up!

If anyone has any insight on how this is done I'd appreciate hearing it.

BTW.. Neat cut shell with the cut exposing the nail in the powder chamber.

Thanks,
Carl

[Dave the plumber]

   \

maybe they were cast in two halves and JB welded together ??  Aliens ??
 

        Good questions - but why are you thinking about Hotchkiss shells at 12:21 AM  ??

[uscs digger]

iy might be possible it was made like they did with the segments in the britten projectile. Jack Melton Jr explained it in NSTCW magazine July/August 1994. Just a thought.

[speedenforcer]

A true Collector is ALWAYS thinking about shells, buckles, plates, muskets, swords, You get the idea.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Carl and those interested;
     Today is Sunday and I thought others would have replied to your questing.  I dislike butting in but didn't want the question to go unanswered.
     This subject was broached on the old Forum and I havve since revised my drawing to hopoefull explain the "ship in the bottle".
      Without regard to the technical aspects of sand casting and postions of the shell being horizontal or the positions of the vent and sprew,  May I present my basic explaination.
      My reviwsion is a result of chatting with Pete George and a professional sand caster of wrought iron, cast iron and steel.
     1. A wooden model of the outer shell body and shell cavities is made to shape.
     2. These wooden models will form the shell body and central core shapes.
     3.  The casting sand (very fine black sand)  forms the mould for the outer shell body on both sides of the sand filled casting box.
     4.  The inner shell cavity is formed by mouldomg  casting sand mixed with  linseed oil  to form a  into a very hard core which is then oven baked.
       4.a. A pre-cast  pusher plate is cast in the core center.
      5.  The core is suspended between the two halves and the box is bolted together  and poured.
      6. After cooling, the box is opened and the casting knocked free of its outer sand casting.
     7.  The sand core is then knocked loosed and the pusher plate pushed to one side and the black powder is funneled in the the powder cavity. .
     8.  The fuse connecting tube is inserted and the balls and matrix poured in.
     9.  At some point in the process the fuse hole is drilled to size and threaded and the fuse adapter threaded into place.
I hope this helps and I invite further comments on the process.
Regards,
John aka Bart

[uscs digger]

John you are the man. 

[CarlS]

John,

Good info.  I'd not really considered the positioning of the pusher plate in the sand cast.  I guess they could coat it with something that kept the shell body pour from sticking to it so they could knock it loose and move it out of the way.  Personally I'd be very nervous filling the post with powder and then putting the iron pusher plate in place over the powder.

It seems the balls and matrix would have to be poured into the shell body above the pusher plate and then an ignition path drilled to the powder and the hole in the plate cleaned out (or a plug removed).

Quite a complicated little item to mass produce.  Impressive.

Best,
Carl

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Carl
    Re-read step 8, this keeps matrix  out of the powderr. I have been told that either a paper or cloth disk was placed atop the powder as an additional precaution..
Regards,
John

P.s. Can your son chage the white colors to a darker color on the 'reply' button?

[CarlS]

Confusing thing to me is how they can get those balls in the shell if there is a tube stuck down the fuse hole.  That's a pretty small hole to do all that through.

We've looked into it but they are images and basically we'd have to build new ones of a different color.  It's on our list!

Thanks for the info.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Carl,
     Once the pusher plate has been seated, the short connecting tube is inserted into the plate hole; the tube would then be sealed with a rod insrted into the hole to keep out the hot matrix.
     With this done the matrix and balls could be filled; after the matrrix has solidified , the fuze body hole enlarged  and the fuze screwed into place with a gasket to seal around the fuze head.
      Please remember this is speculation on my part.  Perhaps another member has a reference to documen the procedure.  
      I have noticed that in most case shot, smaller balls are used near the top of the matrix and noticed that the matrix may not be completely full to the top.
Regards,
John

P.S. Notice the cut nail is missing on this specimen as the shell was cut at a slight angle cutting off the nail in a vertical position.

[CarlS]

John,

Great info.  Thanks.