Artificial fire-works : $b improved to the modern practice, from the minutest to the highest branchesJones, Robert
History
Artificial fire-works : $b improved to the modern practice, from the minutest to the highest branches
Jones, Robert
Fireworks -- Early works to 1800
Saucissons are generally fired out of large mortars without chambers,
the same as those for aigrettes, only somewhat stronger: saucissons
are made of one and two ounce cases, five or six inches long, and
choaked in the same manner as serpents; half the number which the
mortar contains, must be drove one diameter and a half with
composition, and the other half two diameters, so that when fired they
may give two volleys of reports; but if the mortars be very strong,
and will bear a sufficient charge, to throw the saucissons very high,
you may make three volleys of reports, by dividing the number of cases
into three parts, and making a difference in the height of the charge:
after they are filled, pinch and tie them at top of the charge, almost
close; only leaving a small vent to communicate the fire to the upper
part of the case, which must be filled with corn powder very near the
top; then pinch the end quite close, and tie it; after this is done,
bind the case very tight with waxed pack-thread, from the choak at top
of the composition, to the end of the case; this will make the case
very strong in that part, and cause the report to be very loud:
saucissons should be rolled a little thicker of paper than the common
proportion. When they are to be put in the mortar, they must be primed
in their mouths, and fired by a case of brilliant fire, fixed in their
center.
The charge for these sort of mortars should be one sixth, or one
eighth, more than for pots des aigrettes of the same diameter.
To fix one Rocket on the Top of another.
When sky rockets are thus managed, they are called towering rockets,
on account of their mounting so very high. Towering rockets are made
after this manner; fix on a pound rocket a head without a collar; then
take a four ounce rocket, which may be headed or bounced, and rub the
mouth of it with meal powder wetted with spirit of wine, when done put
it in the head of the large rocket with its mouth downwards; but
before you put it in, stick a bit quick-match in the hole in the clay
of the pound rocket, which match should be long enough to go a little
way up the bore of the small rocket, in order to fire it, when the
large one is burnt out; the four ounce rocket being too small to fill
the head of the other, roll round it as much tow as will make it stand
upright in the center of the head: the rocket being thus fixed, paste
a single paper round the opening of the top of the head of the large
rocket. The large rocket must have only half a diameter of charge
rammed above the piercer, for if filled to the usual height, it would
turn before the small one takes fire, and entirely destroy the
intended effect; when one rocket is headed with another, there will be
no occasion for any blowing powder; for the force with which it lets
off, will be sufficient to disingage it from the head of the first
fired rocket. The sticks for these sort of rockets, must be a little
longer than for those headed with stars, rains, &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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