70. If it be thought desirable to have ready a variety of frames which
can be fitted up at a moderately short notice, some of the following
will be found useful, and capable of being mounted with fireworks in
many effective ways:—
In the first place there is the large vertical wheel, the frame of which
is described at fig. 115. This should be not less than four feet in
diameter, and should turn on an iron spindle made of three-eighths of an
inch rod. The following is a good useful sort of spindle for large
wheels (fig. 116), being very steady and easily fixed to your post. _AA_
represents the post, which should be ten feet out of the ground. _BB_
represents the spindle, which has an iron collar at _C_ and a large
thumbscrew at _DD_. The collar is fixed to the spindle, and is placed
against the face of the post. The thumbscrew is screwed up tightly at
the back of the post, and keeps the spindle firmly in position. The
other end of the spindle may be “tapped” for a short distance, and have
a small “nut” to fit it, in order to keep the wheel from working off;
this, however, is not of much importance, as a piece of cork tied on
will do as well.
[Illustration:
Fig. 116.
]
The wheel should have a nave of hard wood, through which a hole is bored
to admit the spindle. And in the case of all vertical wheels, it should
be borne in mind that they will revolve much more lightly and easily if
the spindle does not touch the wood of the nave at all, but works
through two iron or brass plates, fastened one on the back and the other
on the front of the nave, and having holes drilled in them of a size
proper to admit the spindle without too much “play.” The working of a
large wheel will be very much more satisfactory if this plan be adopted,
and the wood of the nave be not allowed to touch the spindle at all.
For a wheel of four feet in diameter there should be six spokes, to the
ends of which is fastened a strong ash or beechwood hoop. There should
also be another wooden hoop six inches nearer to the centre of the
wheel, as is shown at fig. 115. The pieces with which I have there
represented the wheel as fitted up are as follow:—
_a a a a_ are twelve brilliant reported “fixed cases,” which, as will be
remembered, are cases having an interior bore of seven-sixteenths of an
inch, and reported with a gun-charge of powder at their end, and filled
with brilliant fire. Each of these is fastened to the two outer wooden
hoops at a slight angle, and all their mouths are connected with
quick-match, the end of which is to be brought to the bottom of the
wheel and tied to the post which carries the wheel. This tying will have
the effect of steadying the wheel until the time arrives for firing the
fixed cases.
_B B B B_ are six triangle wheels, the turning cases of which are filled
with brilliant fire, and carrying each a colour. The cases need not be
larger in diameter than the “fixed cases” mentioned above. In my sketch
I have described them as _double_ triangle wheels, but the artist must
decide for himself whether they shall be double or single—_i.e._,
whether they shall have six or three cases apiece.
In front of the nave of the wheel is placed a much smaller vertical
wheel (_C_) on the same spindle. This may be made to carry six turning
cases of brilliant fire, and as many colours as you think proper. The
cases may be made to burn singly or doubly (_i.e._, two cases at a time
upon opposite sides of the wheel).
Supposing the wheel represented at fig. 115 to be mounted with one
smaller central vertical wheel, with six cases and colours, six small
brilliant single triangle wheels with colours and twelve brilliant
reported fixed cases, the way in which it should be fired is
this:—Connect together by quick-match all the single triangle wheels,
and let the end of this match be secured where it can be found with
readiness, and where also it is out of the reach of sparks. I will now
suppose the cases on the central wheel to burn singly, in which case
fire—
1stly. The central wheel, and when three of its cases are all but burnt
out, put your portfire to—
2ndly. The match which is to start the six single triangle wheels. When
these are half burned out (_i.e._, when about a case and a-half is
consumed on each) fire—
3rdly. The quick-match which connects all the reported fixed cases on
the circumference of the wheel, and you will then have a revolving piece
of fire nearly twelve feet in diameter, of which the sketch at fig. 119
is intended to give you an idea.
The framework of this piece is, as you will at once see, capable of
being fitted up in many other ways. For instance, instead of triangle
wheels, you might use Saxons; instead of a central illuminated vertical
wheel, you might have a six-pointed star in white lance-work. In fact,
there is hardly any limit to the variety which might be produced if the
artist will only acquaint himself with the value and adaptability of the
single pieces which are treated of in the former numbers of this series
of papers.
We now come to the last page of illustrations, where is described a
set-piece known by the name of the lattice-work piece (fig. 121). This
may be made either with 24 brilliant reported fixed cases and 6 coloured
fires, or with 36 fixed cases and 9 coloured fires. The sketch is made
to represent the arrangement as it should be for 36 cases and 9 colours.
If used with only 24 cases, and 6 colours or five-pointed stars, it will
be _a large piece_, and quite effective enough for a display of ordinary
pretensions. It is made by fastening brilliant reported fixed cases to
squares of wood, and fixing these squares at equal distances from one
another, so that the fire from the cases represents lattice-work.
Provide for this purpose as many squares as you require, half-an-inch
thick and seven inches square. To each of these fasten the reported ends
of four brilliant fixed cases by boring holes on each side of the cases
through the wood, and fastening them by means of wire or string in their
places. In the centre of each square fasten either a coloured case or a
five-pointed star. Each square, when mounted, will be like the adjoining
sketch.
[Illustration:
Fig. 120.
]
The distance from one another at which these wooden squares should be
fixed must depend upon individual taste; you must remember that the
farther apart you fix your upright posts in the ground the longer the
posts must be, as you cannot spread the piece sideways without
increasing its height, A good distance apart for the posts will be three
feet six inches. If this distance be observed, and nine squares are
used, you will require posts at least fifteen feet out of the ground;
but if six squares are used, which I think you will find effective
enough, posts twelve feet out of the ground will be sufficiently high.
At fig. 121 you will see that, for additional effect, I have placed at
the top of the two side-posts large gerbes. I should make these
_certainly not smaller than the quarter-pound size_, and as long as the
fixed cases employed. Fill them with—
Meal-powder 3 parts.
Iron borings 1 part.
These gerbes must be connected by quick-match with the squares which are
on the same posts with them. At the top of the central post I should
place either a “simple horizontal” or a “capricious” wheel, the
manufacture of which I described in my paper on wheels. The capricious
wheel will be the most effective.
In order to prepare the piece for firing, bring all the pieces of match
which are to convey the fire to the brilliant squares and gerbes to a
point in the centre of the piece, leaving them long enough to be tied
together in a bundle round _the case_ of the match. Beyond the point
where the match-cases are all tied together leave at least six inches of
each quick-match bare, and tie these bare pieces together in one or two
places. Unless this precaution is taken, some of your squares will have
a good chance of not being fired at all. But by this means they can
hardly misfire. The object is to give all the bare-ends of match time to
take fire _before the fire reaches the covered part of any_ of the
matches.
Fig. 121 will give you some idea as to what the lattice-work piece
should look like before it is fired. To fire it, light first the piece
of quick-match which hangs from the capricious wheel. When _four_ cases
on this wheel are burnt out, light the collected ends of quick-match in
the centre of the lattice-work. _These ends must on no account be
exposed until they are to be fired_; therefore some paper must be
wrapped round them, which can easily be removed. At once your brilliant
cases, stars, and gerbes will be ignited, and will burn while the
remainder (which is the best part) of the capricious wheel is going
through its revolutions. You will then, if all goes right, have such a
piece as is represented at fig. 122.
My next illustration shows a simple but beautiful piece, having for its
centre a wheel such as I have described in my papers on coloured lights,
lances, &c., and consisting of four double triangles executed in white
lances, and a large four-pointed star in brilliant fire. Fig. 123
represents the framework mounted, as it appears before firing. This
framework is simply four arms, made of deal, and fastened into a solid
centre; the arms may be five feet long. At the extremities of these arms
are fastened four double triangles made of deal lath or any light
material. Upon these little frames fasten white lances, by driving in
short pieces of iron-wire into the woodwork, and after boring the closed
end of the lances with a very small awl, sticking a lance upon every
wire-pin with the mixture of glue and red lead recommended in former
papers. Then clothe the double triangles with quick-match in the usual
way, and connect them all. In the next place fasten on each of the arms,
at a suitable distance from the centre of the piece, two reported
brilliant fixed cases, in the manner indicated in the sketch; clothe
these with match, and connect them.
For the centre of the piece take the wheel with dangling colours,
explained under the head of coloured lights, and fit it up carefully.
The piece will thus be ready to be fixed to its post. To do this you
will require an iron spindle something like the one I have recommended
for the four-feet vertical wheel, with this difference—that the
framework of our present piece must not revolve, but remain stationary;
the centre wheel alone is to revolve, which it will do well enough on
such a spindle. But remember that all vertical wheels used as centres to
large pieces _must be brought well forward before the rest of the
piece_, otherwise the sparks from them will fire the other parts before
their time.
I will now suppose that you have the piece represented at fig. 123. You
must first start the central wheel, which should be connected by match
with the triangles at the extremities of the arms. These will then burn
together until a case and a-half of the central wheel is consumed, at
which time strike in the eight brilliant fixed cases, and this done your
piece will take the form represented at fig. 124.
We now come to the last of my designs, by which is represented at fig.
117 a large set-piece worthy of proving a finale to any exhibition, and
at the same time by no means difficult of preparation.
The framework of this piece consists of a solid wooden centre, into
which are secured six arms made of deal, in such a manner that they are
like the spokes of a large wheel in their arrangement. The arms for this
piece, and for that represented in fig. 123, should be five feet in
length, two inches in width, and an inch full in thickness. For the sake
of economy I think you will find it well to make one centre do for both
these pieces, by having grooves cut in one side of it to hold six arms,
and in the other side for four, as you would never require _both_ these
pieces in the same exhibition. The grooves in my framework are about
half-an-inch deep on each side of a circular flat centre of oak, two
inches in thickness and twelve inches in diameter; they impart greater
steadiness to the arms than could be gained by screws alone. So much for
the framework, which you will see is, when put together, ten feet in
diameter, and can always be taken to pieces for the purpose of
economising space. If you have six arms made, you can use either four or
all of them at pleasure.
Now for the pieces with which this framework is to be mounted.
In the centre there should be a large double triangle frame, mounted
with white or coloured lances. The six laths of which this framework
should be made should be each three feet six inches long, and about
five-eighths of an inch square. The lances placed upon them should be
not less than three and a-half inches apart. These must all, of course,
be connected by quick-match. The six angles of the double triangle
should rest upon the six spokes of the framework of the piece. At a
distance of an inch or two outside each angle should be fixed a
five-pointed star, and close to it two brilliant reported fixed cases,
which must be connected by quick-match, and fastened at such an angle
with the framework that their fires may meet at a point between the six
triangle wheels, which, lastly, are to be placed at the extremities of
the long arms. The cases on these wheels are to be filled with brilliant
fire, and each wheel is to carry a colour in its centre.
To fire this piece begin with the central double triangle, and when this
is well-lighted, fire the six triangle wheels and five-pointed stars,
and when one case of the triangle wheels is consumed, fire the twelve
brilliant fixed cases, and your piece will be of the shape given at fig.
118.
With this piece I close my “Papers on Pyrotechny.” I trust that I have
left nothing unsaid which could make the directions given for these
pieces more clear, and I hope that many an amateur will soon have
arrived at such a state of proficiency as will enable him not only to
prepare such pieces as these, but any variation upon them. No piece
should be used as a finale to any exhibition unaccompanied by two
batteries of Roman candles containing coloured stars. These so-called
“batteries” consist simply of four, six, or any number of Roman candles
fastened to upright posts at such an angle that they may throw their
stars over the centre of the piece from each side of it. Any number of
serpent or cracker mines that can be brought to bear while the finale is
in _full_ force will greatly enhance the effect, if fired from behind
it.
In conclusion I believe that, in any village even, were any one to
manifest a desire to become a successful pyrotechnist, and to interest
his intelligent neighbours in his adopted art, he would find that in
most cases they would lend a hand, and show an activity in the
preparation of a public exhibition to a degree which no one who has not
tried the experiment would anticipate. Many a long evening might be
shortened by discussion with the artisans of the place as to the best
mode of making what is usually known as a “grand flare-up” for Christmas
Eve or New Year’s Eve. And if I am not very much mistaken, such a
discussion would prove at least as interesting to any inquiring mind as
the very desultory and questionable source of information commonly
called Penny Readings, at which it is the fashion to spoil so much good
writing by bad reading, and so much good music by bad singing. It cannot
but be evident that any exhibition of fireworks in a place must be to a
certain extent public; all who can will do their utmost to get their
chins above the level of the walls or fences which are intended to make
any exhibition private; and quite rightly too, in my opinion. Though no
longer a boy, I should do the same now, unless I had reason to believe
that the “grand display” was about to consist of a certain number of
dozens of squibs, crackers, and pin wheels, fired as fast as
circumstances will allow, considering the number of times that the
lantern is blown out by the incautious application of one or other of
the above-named combustibles to its flame. In the case of _experiments_,
which _must_ be made before every exhibition, I think that the more
private one can keep _them_ the better. But if there is to be an
exhibition, why not let every one who can, not only see it, but give
assistance in its preparation? You will by this means not only insure a
much more real interest in your success, but gain the satisfaction of
having proved to many an intelligent villager the important truth that
he is capable of doing something for which he had never suspected the
slightest capability.
These hints I throw out merely as suggestions. They have been acted on
with the most satisfactory results, and I feel sure that they may be
turned to account; but everything will depend, of course, upon the
manner in which the plan is worked out, and the spirit felt by those
whose aid it is proposed to engage. I need only add to these remarks
that if it can be shown that my work has done anything towards making
pyrotechnic recreation more general, reasonable, and possible than it
has hitherto been, I shall consider myself amply rewarded for the time
that has been spent (much to my own gratification) in making and
recording the results of my experiments.