Are there any drawnings of Borchard's paper patching machine? Thanks for your answer,  Hank

Hank,
Hugo Borchardt did patent an excellent but rather complicated machine, and, like nearly all Patent Drawings there are no dimensions given. It was belt driven from one of the many rows of overhead pulleys. A modification to it by another inventor came out just about the time that the Sharps Factory went broke and if I recollect correctly it was assigned to the UMC Co., who had a factory in Bridgeport. I have tried to trace any existing machines but after 10 years I haven't a clue is any survived. I'll try and find out that patent no. for you. If you Google Patents and search for bullet paper patching machines you will find a number of varying complexity.

Harry
Edit
Patent no US2575585 by Hobbs, Boyd & Richards issued 1882 assigned to UMC. Just a slight improvement to the paper supply on the PP machine.
Harry

Rooooooollllllll another one, just like the other one....

I have severe doubts that the figures for young ladies paper patching bullets by hand are correct. Paul Mathews in his book "The Paper Jacket" doubts if machinery was ever used for Paper Patching lead bullets and quotes a figure of women hand patching each individual bullet. On page 8 of his book he quotes a figure of 12,000 bullets per working day were produced per girl. I have seen this figure quoted on various websites and in books.
  
I submit that this was impossible. Assuming for the sake of argument that the girls worked a 12 hour day and took no meal, coffee, or comfort breaks on any kind, then they would have to paper patch 1,000 bullets per hour. That figure divided by 60 gives a total of 16.66 bullets per minute. Divide that by 60 again and you get one bullet patched every 0,2777 seconds, for the whole working day.

I submit that this is clearly a total impossibility, the only way such figures could be achieved is by the use of a machine with hoppers feeding both bullets and paper patches. The Sharps Rifle Co did have either steam or hydraulic bullet making presses which no doubt, were capable of rapid production, after all they usually produced at least four bullets in each calibre they made. Three of these would usually be PP designs and one a grease groove design of different weights. Hugo Borchardt only produced one bullet paper patching machine whilst working for the Sharps Rifle Co, his later improvement was assigned to the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. Attached is PDF file of his first PP bullet patching machine.  This is the only paper patching machine patented whilst he worked for The Sharps Company.

Harry

Chris, 
I could do that 20 years ago, but Arthritis has deprived me of my dexterity. One in two minutes would be nearer the truth for me.

Harry