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
To make a sun of the best sort, there should be two rows of cases, as
in fig. 48, which will shew a double glory, and make the rays strong
and full; the frame or sun wheel, must be made after the following
manner; have a circular flat nave made very strong, twelve inches
diameter; to this fix six strong flat spokes, A, B, C, D, E, F. On the
front of these fix a circular fell, five feet diameter. Within which
fix another fell, the length of one of the sun cases less in diameter;
within this fix a third fell, whose diameter must be less than the
second, by the length of one case and one third; the wheel being made,
divide the fells into as many equal parts as you would have cases
(which may be done from twenty four, to forty four;) at each division,
fix a flat iron staple; these staples must be made to fit the cases,
so as to hold them fast on the wheel; let the staples be so placed,
that one row of cases may lay in the middle of the intervals of the
other.
In the center of the block of the sun, drive a spindle, on which put a
small hexagon wheel, whose cases must be filled with the same charge,
as the cases of the sun; two cases of this wheel must burn at a time,
and begin with them on the fells; having fixed on all the cases, carry
pipes of communication from one to the other, as you see in the
figure, and from one side of the sun to the wheel in the middle, and
from thence to the other side of the sun. These leaders will hold the
wheel steady while the sun is fixing up, and will also be a sure
method of lighting both cases of the wheel together. A sun thus made
is called a brilliant sun, because the wood work is entirely covered
with fire from the wheel in the middle, so that there appears nothing
but sparks of brilliant fire; but if you would have a transparent face
in the center, you must have one made of paste board, of any size; the
method of making a face is, by cutting out the eyes, nose, and mouth,
for the sparks of the wheel to appear through; but, instead of this
sort of face, you may have one painted on oiled paper, or Persian
silk, strained tight on a hoop, which hoop must be supported by three
or four pieces of wire, at six inches distance from the wheel in the
center, so that the light of it may illuminate the face; by this
method you may have in the front of a sun Vivat rex, cut in paste
board, or Apollo painted on silk, but for a small collection of
fire-works, a sun with a single glory, and a wheel in front, will be
most suitable. Half pound cases, filled ten inches with composition,
will be a good size for a sun of five feet diameter; but if larger,
the cases must be greater in proportion.
Of three Vertical Wheels Illuminated, which turn on their own Naves
upon a Horizontal Table.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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