A Manual of Pyrotechny or, A Familiar System of Recreative Fire-works by G. W. Mortimer

Author:G. W. Mortimer [Mortimer, G. W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Project Gutenberg
Published: 2019-01-24T17:29:02.105058+00:00

By the above Table we find that a Rocket of six pounds will require a rod 14 feet 2 inches long, which being properly planed to the other dimensions, is to be hollowed out on the side next the Rocket; and on the side opposite, two notches must be made, one about an inch from the end, (the rod going up to the under side of the head,) and the other opposite the choak of the Rocket, in order to admit the string with which it is tied, and that it may be more firmly attached to the rod. Although the foregoing Table has been carefully computed, and that from experiment, yet it will not be well to depend entirely upon it, but rather to produce an equilibrium between the rod and Rocket, (by means of a lighter or heavier rod,) when suspended as before. It is of consequence that this is attended to; for without a proper equilibrium, the Rocket will ascend in an oblique direction, and fall to the ground long before its composition is consumed.

In firing these Rockets, two fixed rings must be screwed fast into an upright post, and exactly opposite to each other, the upper one near the top of the post, and the other about two-thirds the length of the rod downwards; the rod must be passed down them, and the mouth resting lightly on the upper one, the Rocket must be quite free from the post. When thus fixed and a lighted port-fire is applied to its mouth, it will (if properly made,) immediately ascend with a prodigious velocity, and having attained its greatest height will there burst and discharge its luminous beauties in the atmosphere. A Rocket with its head and rod complete is represented at fig. 22.

THE COMPOSITION FOR ROCKETS.

As we wish to complete the article Rockets in this section, we shall here give the composition proper for filling them, which must vary in the proportion of its ingredients according to the size of the Rocket; this variation in the strength of the composition, is positively necessary; for that which is proper for small Rockets, would be much too strong for large ones, therefore its strength should increase nearly as the dimensions of the Rockets decrease.

1. For one and two ounce Rockets, the ingredients for a proper composition should be—

One pound of gunpowder, two ounces of soft charcoal, and one ounce and a-half of salt-petre.

2. Two to three ounce Rockets:—

To four ounces of gunpowder, add one ounce of charcoal, or to nine ounces of powder, add two ounces of salt-petre.

3. Four ounce Rockets:—

To one pound of gunpowder, add four ounces of salt-petre, and one ounce of charcoal. The composition will be much stronger if in this proportion:—To ten ounces of powder, add three ounces and a-half of salt-petre, and three ounces of charcoal.

4. Five or six ounce Rockets:—

Gunpowder two pound five ounces, salt-petre half-a-pound, sulphur two ounces, charcoal six ounces, and iron-filings two ounces.

5. Seven or eight ounce Rockets:—

Gunpowder seventeen ounces, salt-petre four ounces, sulphur three ounces.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.