Class Book for the School of Musketry, Hythe: Prepared for the Use of OfficersWilford, Ernest Christian
History
Class Book for the School of Musketry, Hythe: Prepared for the Use of Officers
Wilford, Ernest Christian
Firearms; Gunpowder; Military education; Shooting, Military
The keeping qualities of powder are very much improved by removing the
dust, which quickly absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. This
operation, for large-grain, is performed by cylindrical reels, about
8ft. 6in. long, and 3ft. 8in. in diameter, clothed with 28-mesh canvas,
which revolve at the rate of thirty-eight times per minute. Those for
large-grain are called horizontal reels, in contradistinction to those
for fine-grain, that are called slope reels. Each is enclosed by a
wooden case, to prevent the dust flying about the house. When the powder
has run its time, one end of the reel is lowered. It then runs out into
barrels placed to receive it. This entirely separates the dust, and
imparts a fine black gloss, which is sufficient glazing for the
large-grained powder.
DUSTING FINE-GRAIN POWDER.
~Dusting fine-grain.~
The fine-grain powder has a much greater proportion of dust when it
leaves the granulating house than the large-grain, and it is found
necessary, on this account, to use a different kind of reel. They
resemble those for the former powder, except that they are covered with
44-mesh canvas instead of 28, and are placed at an incline which
prevents their being choked up with the quantity of dust; each end is
also open, and a continuous stream of powder, fed by a hopper, passes
through while they revolve, and pours out at the lower end into barrels.
This process is repeated a second time, which sufficiently frees it from
dust.
GLAZING FINE-GRAIN POWDER.
~Glazing fine-grain.~
The fine-grain powder thus dusted, is then glazed for three hours in
barrels capable of holding 300lbs. which are 3ft. 6-in. in length, and
2ft. 8-in. in diameter, revolving at the rate of thirty two times in a
minute. By the mere friction of the grains against each other and the
inside of the barrel, a glaze is imparted, presenting a fine polished
surface to the grain.
~Object of glazing.~
Powder glazed in this way withstands the action of moisture to a far
greater extent than unglazed powder, and in transport very little dust
is formed.
STOVING OR DRYING POWDER.
~Drying.~
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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