Making Shrapnel Cases

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 September 1915, Page 4

Making Shrapnel Cases

DESCRIPTION OE PItOCEiSiSES

) Orders for no less than £4b\ooo,;'-0 •worth of munitions have been placed . in Canada, the only portion ei ihc •outer Empire that has gained for itkseif such material compehsa + io i for :ts wiar expenditure. The Brass World, comnid(i;.')g 1 j»ou the groat stimulus that; munitions contracts have given to the crass, and coppor industry in Canada, slates ilai a plant lor copper refining will probably bo established in Canals.. ft is intended to have overy part ol the shells that Cauada is sup;jly:n t T undo locally, and, as tar as possible , ol Canadian products. The iDomiiniion is now turning out 3D.000 shells a- day, both high explosive and shrapnel. The journal also gives an interesting description of how the brass case of a British 18-pounder'shrapnel shell is made. No fewer than seventeen distinct operations arc required. The case is llj inlong and 3-gin. in diameter, and is formed from a flat circular blank f>J inches in diameter and -g-inch thick. This blank is first drawn into a shallow cap. and is then gradually elongated by being forced through steel dies progressively smaller in diameter. These drawing operations are controlled that only the sides of the case made thinner, the bottom obtaining the original thickness to ensure the required strength. The case when drawn must/ be smooth and seamless, and the next operation is to turn the bottom true, and to bore and thread a central ho e to receive the primer or cap for exI ploding the propelling charge. As those brass eases, as well as those for other kinds of ammunition, contain about 65 per cent, of copper, the importance of this metal in modern warfare is apparent. For the nose of the shrapnel shell brass plugs and socket castings and required. These are simple circular shapes easily made in the foundry, of a special lorgeable alloy. They are cast in iron moulds or chills, open f.t the top. like ingots; and as fast as the metal solidifies, the moulds are emptied and refilled, the process thus being continuous/. The oastijngs [require no cleaning, the only operation being a rougli sizing cut, which is taken off the face in a continuous milling machine. To obtain the form desired the blanks are put 'through a forging operation. For this purpose a 250-ton stamping press is employed, the di.vs being very simple. The blanks are brought to a red heat in 'an oil furnace. Three men are employed. One looks after the heating, the second places the blanks in the die and the third operates the press and removes the finished forging. The finishing operations of the various parts are carried out on brass monitor lathes.