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
Cases for flyers, may be made of different sizes, from one to eight
ounces; they must be made thick of paper, and eight interior diameters
long; they are rolled in the same manner as tourbillons, with a
straight pasted edge, and pinched close at one end; the method of
filling them is thus; the case being put in a mould, whose cylinder,
or foot, must be flat at top, without a nipple; fill it within half a
diameter of the middle, then ram in half a diameter of clay, and on
that as much composition as before, on which drive half a diameter of
clay, then pinch the case close, and drive it down flat; after this is
done, bore a hole, exactly through the center of the clay in the
middle, then in the opposite sides at both ends make a vent, and in
that side you intend to fire first make a small hole to the
composition near the clay in the middle, from which carry a quick
match covered with a single paper, to the vent at the other end; then
when the charge is burnt on one side, it will, by means of the quick
match communicate to the charge in the other, (which may be of a
different sort). The flyers being thus made, put an iron pin, that
must be fixed in the work on which they are to be fired, and on which
they are to run; through the hole in the middle, on the end of this
pin, must be a nut to keep the flyer from running off. If you would
have them turn back again after they are burnt; make both the vents at
the ends on the same side, which will alter its course, the contrary
way.
Of Table Rockets.
Table rockets are designed merely to shew the truth of driving, and
the judgment of a fireworker, they having no other effect, when fired,
than spinning round in the same place, where they begin; till they are
burnt out, and shewing nothing more than an horizontal circle of fire.
The method of making these sort of rockets, is as follows: Have a cone
turned out of hard wood, two inches and a half diameter, and as much
in height; round the base of it draw a line, on this line fix four
spokes, two inches in length each, so as to stand one opposite the
other; then fill four nine inch one pound cases, with any strong
composition, within two inches of the top, these cases are made like
tourbillons, and must be rammed with the greatest exactness.
Your rockets being filled, fix their open ends on the short spokes,
then in the side of each case bore a hole near the clay; all these
holes, or vents, must be made in such a manner, that the fire of each
case may act the same way; from these vents carry leaders to the top
of the cone, and tie them together. When you would fire the rockets
set them on a smooth table, and light the leaders in the middle, and
all the cases will fire together (See fig. 38.) and spin on the point
of the cone.
These rockets may be made to rise like tourbillons, by making the
cases shorter, and boring four holes in the under side of each at
equal distances from one another: this being done they are called
double tourbillons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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