John Abraham
John Abraham (c1820-1899) of the Birmingham Metal and Munitions Co
1856 Patent sealed: John Abraham, Birmingham, for new or improved machinery for the manufacture of percussion caps, and for cutting out and raising articles metal generally; dated Jan. 16, 1856.[1]
1857 Abraham's wire gauge, patented 17 August 1857, described in The Engineer 1858/04/02, 2 April 1858. It was a bench Micrometer with two jaws moved by screws having different pitches. See illustration.
1861 Patent sealed: John Abraham, Birmingham, improvements in brass nails to be used in sheathing ships and for other like purposes - Feb. 4, 1861.[2]
1868 Patent sealed: John Abraham and Thomas R. Bayliss, Birmingham, improvements in central fire cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms. Dated March 20, 1868.[3]
1899 Died. 'WE much regret to have to record the death of Mr. John Abraham, one of the directors of the Birmingham Small Arms Co, who passed away at his residence at Northfield, early on Saturday morning.'[4]
1899 Obit. 'The death is announced of Mr John Abraham, Northfield, Birmingham, a gentleman who was for closely connected with business life in Birmingham. He was born at Dunstable and went to Birmingham when about 20 years of age. He turned his attention to steel pen making and invented a machine for cutting out the steel blanks for making steel pens, a machine for punching the blanks for percussion caps; a machine for turning out complete percussion caps - caps which needed no further treatment - and this machine he brought before the notice of the Government. The machine was capable of turning out a large number of finished caps per minute, and meeting with favour the Government placed a good order with the inventor, and the machines were sent to Woolwich Arsenal. When the War Office decided to use the breechloading rifle, wel known as the Snider, Mr. Abraham was invited to Woolwich, and asked if be could convert his percussion cap making machines to meet the requirements for the manufacture of some of the parts for the Snider cartridge, an invention of Colonel Boxer. He undertook the alteration, and although the task was a difficult one, succeeded. The Government orders, together with the general metal trade he had built up, caused him to purchase land at Saltley and here he commenced the Adderley Park Rolling Mills. This was in the year 1866, and in 1872 he sold the works to the Birmingham Small Arms Company. In 1890 he started the well known King's Norton Metal Works, which was turned into a limited liability company in the same year. Mr. Abraham, who died om Saturday was in his 80th year.'[5]