Colt Production gauge

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt worker loading a rack of revolver frames into a gas furnace for the bluing process circa 1937
courtesy of Connecticut State Library


[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt employee next to a large machine in 1920

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Machines in the Colt armory complex, many attached to the ceiling through belts and pulleys, in 1938

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A workshop in the Colt armory complex in 1938

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Production gauge

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Aerial view of the entire Colt complex including the armory, offices, and other buildings circa 1950

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Colt employees at work in a shop in the armory complex in 1938

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Colt assembly line workers circa 1910

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt employee working the barrel rifling machine invented by Elisha King Root

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A group photo of Colt assembly line workers in the East Armory. A machine gun stands in the foreground. Inscription at the bottom reads 1909.



[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Boxes marked "Colt's" stacked on floor and on shelves behind pile on floor.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
The president's office at the Colt's office building. A picture of Samuel Colt hangs on the back wall and several early telephones can be seen around the room. Inscription on back: "Colt Co. President's Office Old Building - 1864-1940"

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Shop area probably in Colt's East Armory showing machines used in firearms production. A Gatling gun and machine gun can be seen in the foreground.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Shop area probably in Colt's East Armory showing racks of finished rifles and revolvers.

Faite un agrandissement à la taille originale...



Connecticut State Library, State Archives, PG 460, Colt Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Box 3, Folder 2, Item 7

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Machinery - Drill press

A four spindled drill press operated with a lever and foot pedal. Used in the Colt's firearms manufacturing process. Inscription on back, "300 P.W + C 440 450"

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A "Small Automatic Turning Lathe" used in the Colt's firearms manufacturing process. Inscription on back: "4 ft. Small Eng. Lathe Plain PW&C 208 225/250."

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
An assortment of unidentified machine parts used in the Colt's firearms manufacturing process.

Connecticut State Library, State Archives, PG 460, Colt Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Box 3, Folder 3, Item 4

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A lever operated single spindle drill used in the Colt's firearms manufacturing process. Inscription on back: "Dwight Slate 262 Main St Hartford CT "Maker"" Printed on back: "R.S. DeLamater Photographer Three Doors Above Post Office Hartford, Conn."

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Machinery - Turret lathe
A turret lathe used in the Colt's firearms manufacturing process.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Cylinder boring machine
Designed and patented by Elisha K. Root, the cylinder boring machine (U.S. Patent No. 12,002, issued 28 November 1854) allowed a cylinder to be locked in place throughout the drilling process. Instead of moving the cylinder the drills could be moved to to allow each chamber to be drilled in succession.


[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A young Colt employee stands beside a single spindle drill. This drill was used to drill a frame's recoil shield.


[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
An older Colt worker stands at one end of a large slide lathe which was used to cut the external flats on a rifle barrel.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt employee stands behind a pistol barrel boring machine to demonstrate its use. The employee wears a unique hat that is square at the top and seems to be made of folded paper.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
An older Colt employee wearing a sooted apron stands beside a vertical shaping machine. This machine may have been used to cut the ends of trigger guards and backstraps.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
Possibly used to cut barrel forgings to size, a Colt employee stands behind this circular saw cutoff machine demonstrating how it works.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A bearded Colt worker stands behind a cylinder shaping machine, used to drill holes and cut the ratchet teeth in the rear of a cylinder.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A young Colt employee demonstrates how to use a milling machine. The milling machine may have been used to taper the frame of a revolver.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
The use of the revolver frame jigging machine is demonstrated by a Colt worker. This machine could cut both the interior and exterior surfaces of a revolver frame. The inner hub of the machine is engraved "Col. Saml. Colt Hartford Ct." The employee wears a unique hat that is square at the top and seems to be made of folded paper.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
The operation of a universal milling machine is demonstrated by a Colt employee. The milling machine was used to cut and shape small parts used in the manufacturing process.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt worker poses next to a slide lathe, which is used to cut barrel forgings.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt employee demonstrates the use of a single spindle drill, marked "175" on its side. The drill was most likely used to drill holes in the frame of a revolver. The young man pictured is wearing a unique square folded hat that appears to be made of paper.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A Colt worker demonstrates how to use the vertical drop hammer designed and patented by Elisha K. Root (U.S. Patent No. 9,941, issued 16 August 1853). The drop hammer was used to forge iron and steel into barrels, cylinders and various other revolver parts.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A pair of Colt employees demonstrate how to use the deburring machines to remove burrs and sharp edges from pistol components before being sent to the polishing shop.

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir cette image]
A slotting machine made by Lowell Machine Shop in Lowell, Massachusetts. This slotting machine may have been used in the manufacture of the tools used to make revolvers.