Artificial fire-works

by Robert Jones

The Illuminated Regulating Piece.

[Fig. 11], represents one half of this piece; A, A, A, A, are flat wooden spokes, each five feet in length, and at the end of each, place a vertical wheel, ten inches diameter, clothed with six four ounce cases of brilliant fire, these cases must burn but one at a time; on two of the spokes of each wheel, place two port-fires, which must be lighted with the first case of the wheel; on each spoke A, A, &c. behind the wheels place six cases of the same size as them on the wheels; these cases must be tied across the spokes with their mouths all one way, and be made to take fire successively one after the other, so that they may assist the whole pieces to turn round.

The diameter of the wheel B, must be two feet six inches, and its fell made of wood, which must be fixed to the large spokes, on this wheel place twenty four cases of the same sort as them on the small wheels, these cases must burn four at a time; in this wheel make three circles with iron wire, and on them place illuminating port-fires, as shewn in the figure; the star points on the large spokes may be made of thin ash hoops, the diameter of these points close to the center wheel must be eleven inches; on these points place port-fires, at three inches and a half distance, one from the other.

[Fig. 12], represents the blocks of this piece, the diameters of these blocks at A and B, must be eight inches and C and D, four inches and a half, the length of each, of these blocks must be six inches; at the small ends of these blocks fix an iron wheel five inches diameter, which wheels must have teeth, to turn the wheel E, this wheel which is fixed on a small spindle screwed into the large spindle which goes through the two blocks, and on which they run.

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Supposing [fig. 11], to be on the block A, in [fig. 12], and to turn to the right, and another piece of the same construction on the block B, with its fires placed so as to turn it to the left, you will find them move very true and fast, by the help of the three iron wheels, which serves to regulate their motions, as well as to assist them in turning; let the iron circles in the front of the great wheels be of different diameters so that when fired there may appear six circles, when this piece is fired, all the wheels and illuminations must be lighted at one time.

To Fix a Sky-Rocket with its Stick, on the top of another.

Rockets thus managed make a pretty appearance, by reason of a fresh tail being seen when the second rocket takes fire, which will mount to a great height; the method of preparing these rockets is thus, having filled a two pounder, which must be filled only half a diameter above the piercer, and in its head not more than ten or twelve stars; the stick of this rocket must be made a little thicker than common, and when made, cut it in half the flat way, and in each half make a groove, so that when the two halves are joined, the hollow made by the grooves may be large enough to hold the stick of a half pound rocket, which rocket make and head as usual, the stick of this rocket put into the hollow of the large one, so far that the mouth of the rocket may rest on the head of the two pounder; from whose head carry a leader into the mouth of the small rocket, which being done, your rockets will be ready for fireing.

A New Method of placing Leaders.

The placing leaders, on small cases or illuminations, is a much quicker, stronger, and more expeditious way than that of using pins, which method has been practised till very lately. Your port-fires being filled within about three eighths of an inch of the top, bore with an awl a hole through each side of the case close to the composition, then fill the mouths of the cases with meal powder wetted with spirit of wine, when you have thus prepared your cases, fix them on your works, then take an empty leader, and lay it on the mouths of as many cases as it will reach, then with your finger nail, mark the leader exactly in the middle of the mouth of each case, then at each mark with a pair of Scissars, cut a bit out of the pipe, so that when you put in the quick-match, it may be seen; this being done, lay the leader on the cases again with that side on which the match is seen downwards; then take some small twine, and put it through the holes in the mouths of the cases, and tie on the leader; do this to every case and then cover them with single pasted paper; by making use of the above method your works may be made very clean, there being no occasion to put dry meal powder in the mouths of the cases which always soils the works and prevents the paste from sticking.