Artificial fire-works

by Robert Jones

Of Stars with Points for Regulated Pieces, &c.

These sort of stars are made of different sizes, according to the work for which they are intended; they are made with cases, from one ounce to one pound, but in general are made with four ounce cases, four or five inches in length; the cases must be rolled with paste, and twice as thick of paper as a rocket of the same bore. Having rolled a case, pinch one end of it quite close, then drive in half a diameter of clay, and when the case is dry, fill it with composition, two or three inches, according to the length of the cases, with which it is to burn; at top of the charge drive some clay; for, as the ends of these cases are seldom punched, they would be liable to take fire. Having filled a case, divide the circumference of it at the pinched end close to the clay into five equal parts; then bore five holes with a gimblet about the size of the neck of a common four ounce case into the composition; from one hole to the other, carry a quick match, and secure it with paper; this paper must be put on in the manner of that on the ends of wheel cases, so that the hollow part, which projects from the end of the case, may serve to receive a leader from any other work, in order to give fire to the points of the star. These sort of stars may be made with any number of points.

Of the Fixed Sun with a Transparent Face.

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.

A plan of this is shewn by [fig. 49.] Let D be a deal table three feet six inches diameter; this table must be fixed horizontally on the top of a post; on the top of this post must be a perpendicular iron spindle, which must come through the center of the table; then let A, B, C, be three spokes joined to a triangular flat piece of wood, in the middle of which make a hole to fit easily over the spindle; let E, F, G, be pieces of wood, four or five inches in length each, and two inches square, fixed on the under sides of the spokes; in these pieces make holes lengthwise to receive the thin part of the blocks of the wheels, which when in, are prevented from coming out by a small iron pin being run through the end of each; K, L, M, are three vertical octagon wheels, eighteen inches diameter each; the blocks of these wheels must be long enough for three or four inches to rest on the table, round which part drive a number of sharp points of wire, which must not project out of the blocks more than one sixteenth of an inch; the use of these points is, that when the blocks run round, they will stick in the table, and help the wheels forward; if the naves be made of strong wood, one inch will be enough for the diameter of the thin part, which should be made to turn easy in the holes in the pieces E, F, G. On the front of the wheels, make four or five circles of strong wire, or flat hoops, and tie on them as many illuminations as they will hold at two inches from one another; instead of circles, you may make spiral lines cloathed with illuminations at the same distance from one another, as those on the hoops: when illuminations are fixed on a spiral line in the front of a wheel, they must be placed a little on the slant, the contrary way that the wheel runs: the cases for these wheels may be filled with any coloured charge, but must burn only one at a time.

The wheels being thus prepared, you must have a globe, crown, or spiral wheel, to put on the spindle in the middle of the table; this spindle should be just long enough to raise the wheel of the globe, crown, or spiral wheel, so high that its fire may play over the three vertical wheels; by this means, their fires will not be confused, nor will the wheels receive any damage from the fire of each other; in cloathing this work, let the leaders be so managed, that all the wheels may light together, and the illuminations after two cases of each wheel are burnt.

Of the Illuminated Chandelier.

Illuminated works are much admired by the Italians, and indeed are a great addition to a collection of works; for in a grand exhibition an illuminated piece should be fired after every two, or three wheels, or fixed pieces of common and brilliant fires, and likewise illuminated works may be made cheap, quick, and easy.