Artificial fire-works

by Robert Jones

Let [fig. 55], be a smooth circular board, six feet diameter; out of the middle of it cut a circular piece twelve or fourteen inches diameter, and over the vacancy put white Persian silk, on which paint a moon’s face, then let I, I, I, &c. be stars each four or five inches diameter, cut out with five points, and covered with oiled silk: on the front of the large circular board, draw a seven-pointed star, as large as the circle will allow; then on the lines which form this star, bore holes, wherein fix pointed stars. When this piece is to be fired, it must be fixed upon the front of a post, on a spindle, with a wheel of brilliant fire behind the face of the moon; so that while the wheel burns, the moon and stars will appear transparent, and when the wheel has burnt out, they will disappear, and the large star in front, which is formed of pointed stars, will begin, being lighted by a pipe of communication from the last case of the vertical wheel, behind the moon; this pipe of communication must be managed in the same manner as those in regulated pieces.

Of the Double Cone Wheel illuminated.

This piece is represented by fig 56. Let A, be a strong decagon wheel, two feet six inches diameter; then on each side of it fix a cone B and C; these cones are to consist of a number of hoops, supported by three or four pieces of wood, in the manner of the spiral wheels; let the height of each cone be three feet six inches, and on all the hoops tie port fires horizontally, with their mouths outwards, and cloath the wheel with eight ounce cases, all to play horizontally, two at a time: the cones may be fired with the first or second cases. The spindle for this piece must go through both the cones, and rise three feet above the point of the cone at top, so that its length will be ten feet four inches from the top of the post H, in which it is fixed, allowing four inches for the thickness of the block of the wheel; the whole weight of the wheel and cones must bear on a shoulder in the spindle, on which the block of the wheel must turn; near the top of the spindle, must be a hole in the front, into which screw a small spindle, after the cones are on; then on this small spindle fix a sun D, composed of sixteen nine inch four ounce cases of brilliant fire, which cases must not be placed on a fell, but only stuck into a block of six inches diameter; then in the front of this sun must be a circular vertical wheel, sixteen inches diameter; on the front of this wheel form with iron wire a spiral line, and cloath it with illuminations, after the usual method; as this wheel is not to be fired till the cones are burnt out, the method of firing it is as follows; let the hole in the block, at the top of the uppermost cone, be a little larger than the spindle which passes through it; then from the first case of the vertical wheel before the sun, carry a leader down the side of the spindle to the top of the block of the horizontal wheel, on which must be a tin barrel; then this leader, being met by another brought from the end of the last case of the horizontal wheel, will give fire to the vertical wheel, as soon as the cones are extinguished; but the sun D must not be fired, till the vertical wheel is quite burnt out.

Of Fire Pumps.

Cases for fire pumps, are made in the same manner as those for tourbillons, only they are parted instead of being rolled dry. Having rolled and dryed your cases, fill them in the following manner: first put in a little meal powder, and then a star, on which ram lightly a ladle or two of composition, then a little meal powder, and on that a star, then again composition, and so on till you have filled the case. Stars for fire pumps should not be round, but must be made either square, or flat and circular, with a hole through the middle; the quantity of powder for throwing the stars must increase as you come near the top of the case, for if much powder be put at the bottom, it will burst the case. The stars must differ in size, in this manner; let the star which you put in first, be about one fourth less than the bore of the case, but let the next star be a little larger, and the third star a little larger than the second, and so on; let them increase in diameter, till within two of the top of the case, which two must fit in tight. As the loading of fire pumps is somewhat difficult, it will be necessary to make two or three trials, before you depend on their performance: when you fill a number of pumps, take care not to put in each an equal quantity of charge between the stars, so that when they are fired they may not throw up too many stars together. Cases for fire pumps should be made very strong, and rolled on four or eight ounce formers, ten or twelve inches in length each.

Of the Vertical Scroll Wheel.

This wheel may be made of any diameter, but must be constructed as shewn by [fig. 57], to do which proceed thus; have a block made of a moderate size, into which fix four flat spokes, and on them fix a flat circular fell of wood; round the front of this fell place port-fires; then on the front of the spokes form a scrole, either with a hoop or strong iron wire; on this scrole tie cases of brilliant fire, in proportion to the wheel, head to tail, as in the figure; when you fire this wheel, light the first case near the fell; then, as the cases fire successively, you will see the circle of fire gradually diminish; but whether the illuminations on the fell begin with the scrole or not, is immaterial, that being left intirely to the maker.

N. B. This wheel may be put in the front of a regulated piece, or fired by itself, occasionally.

Of Pin Wheels.

First roll some paper pipes, about fourteen inches in length each; these pipes must not be made thick of paper, two or three rounds of elephant paper being sufficient; when your pipes are thoroughly dryed, you must have made a tin tube, twelve inches in length, to fit easy into the pipes; at one end of this tube fix a small conical cup, which being done, it is called a funnel, then bend one end of one of the pipes, and put the funnel in at the other, as far as it will reach, and fill the cup with composition; then draw out the funnel by a little at a time, shaking it up and down, and it will fill the pipe as it comes out; having filled some pipes, have made some small blocks, about an inch diameter, and half an inch in thickness; round one of these blocks wind and paste a pipe, and to the end of this pipe join another, which must be done by twisting the end of one pipe to a point, and putting it into the end of the other, with a little paste; in this manner join four or five pipes, winding them one upon the other, so as to form a spiral line; having wound on your pipes, paste two slips of paper across them, to hold them together; besides these slips of paper, the pipes must be pasted together.