Endless Amusement: A Collection of Nearly 400 Entertaining Experiments in Various Branches of Science; Including Acoustics, Electricity, Magnetism, Arithmetic, Hydraulics, Mechanics, Chemistry, Hydrostatics, Optics; Wonders of the Air-Pump; All the Popular Tricks and Changes of the Cards, &c., &c. to Which is Added, a Complete System of Pyrotechny; Or, the Art of Making Fire-works.Unknown
Science
Endless Amusement: A Collection of Nearly 400 Entertaining Experiments in Various Branches of Science; Including Acoustics, Electricity, Magnetism, Arithmetic, Hydraulics, Mechanics, Chemistry, Hydrostatics, Optics; Wonders of the Air-Pump; All the Popular Tricks and Changes of the Cards, &c., &c. to Which is Added, a Complete System of Pyrotechny; Or, the Art of Making Fire-works.
_Honorary Rockets._--These are the same as sky-rockets, except that
they carry no head nor report, but are closed at top, on which is
fixed a cone; then on the case, close to the top of the stick, is tied
on a two-ounce case, about five or six inches long, filled with a
strong charge, and pinched close at both ends; then in the reverse
side, at each end, bore a hole in the same manner as in tourbillons,
to be presently described; from each hole carry a leader into the top
of the rocket. When the rocket is fired, and arrived to its proper
height, it will give fire to the case at top; which will cause both
rocket and stick to spin very fast in their return, and represent a
worm of fire descending to the ground.
There is another method of placing the small case, which is by letting
the stick rise a little above the top of the rocket, and tying the
case to it, so as to rest on the rocket: these rockets have no cones.
A third method by which they are managed is this: in the top of a
rocket fix a piece of wood, in which drive a small iron spindle; then
make a hole in the middle of the small case, through which is put the
spindle; then fix on the top of it a nut, to keep the case from
falling off; when this is done, the case will turn very fast, without
the rocket: but this method does not answer so well as either of the
former.
_To make a Rocket form an Arch in rising._--Having some rockets made,
headed according to fancy, and tied on their sticks, get some sheet
tin, and cut it into round pieces about three or four inches diameter;
then on the stick of each rocket, under the mouth of the case, fix one
of these pieces of tin 16 inches from the rocket's neck, and support
it by a wooden bracket, as strong as possible: the use of this is,
that when the rocket is ascending, the fire may play with greater
force on the tin, which will divide the tail in such a manner that it
will form an arch as it mounts, and will have a very good effect when
well managed; if there is a short piece of port fire, of a strong
charge, tied to the end of the stick, it will make a great addition;
but this must be lighted before the rocket is fired.
_To make several Rockets rise together._--Take six, or any number of
sky-rockets, of any size; then cut some strong packthread into pieces
of three or four yards long, and tie each end of these pieces to a
rocket in this manner:
Having tied one end of the packthread round the body of one rocket,
and the other end to another, take a second piece of packthread, and
make one end of it fast to one of the rockets already tied, and the
other end to a third rocket, so that all the rockets, except the two
on the outside, will be fastened to the two pieces of packthread: the
length of thread from one rocket to the other may be what the maker
pleases; but the rockets must be all of a size, and their heads filled
with the same weight of stars, rains, &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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