Part 10

Horizontal wheels are often fired two at a time, and made to keep time, like vertical wheels, only they are made without any slow or dead fire; ten or twelve inches will be enough for the diameter of wheels, with six spokes. Fig. 40. represents a wheel on fire, with the first case burning.

Of Spirali Wheels.

Spirali wheels are nothing more than double horizontal wheels, and are thus made: The nave must be about six inches long, and somewhat thicker than the single sort; instead of the pintle at top, there must be a hole for the case to be fixed in; there must also be two sets of spokes, one set near the top of the nave, and the other near the bottom. At the end of each spoke cut a groove, wherein you tie the cases, there being no fell; the spokes should not be more than three inches and a half in length each from the nave, so that the wheel may not be more than eight or nine inches diameter; the cases are placed in such a manner, that those at top play down, and those at bottom to play up, but let the third or fourth case play horizontally. The case in the middle may begin with any of the others, you please; six spokes will be enough for each set, so that the wheel may consist of twelve cases, besides that on the top: the cases for these sort of wheels need not be more than six inches in length each.

Of Plural Wheels.

Plural wheels are made to turn horizontally, and to consist of three sets of spokes, placed in the following manner, six at top, six at bottom, and four in the middle, which must be a little shorter than the rest; let the diameter of the wheel be ten inches; the cases must be tied on the ends of the spokes, in grooves cut on purpose, or in pieces of wood, nailed on the ends of the spokes, with grooves cut in them as usual; in cloathing these wheels, make the upper set of cases play obliquely downwards, and them at bottom obliquely upwards, and them in the middle horizontally. In placing the leaders, you must order it so that the cases may burn thus: viz. first up, then down, then horizontal, and so on with the rest, but another change may be made, by driving in the end of the eighth case, two, or three ladles full of slow fire, to burn till the wheel has stopped its course; then let the other cases be fixed the contrary way, which will make the wheel run back again: for the case at top, you may put a small gerbe; and let the cases on the spokes be short, and filled with a strong brilliant charge.

Of the Illuminated Spiral Wheel.

First have a circular horizontal wheel made two feet diameter, with a hole quite through the nave; then take three thin pieces of deal, three feet in length each, and three quarters of an inch in breadth each; one end of each of these pieces, nail to the fell of the wheel, at an equal distance from one another, and the other ends nail to a block with a hole in its bottom, which must be perpendicular, with that in the block of the wheel, but not so large. The wheel being thus made, have a hoop planed down very thin and flat, then nail one end of it to the fell of the wheel, and wind it round the three sticks in a spiral line, from the wheel to the block at top; on the top of this block fix a case of Chinese fire; on the wheel you may place any number of cases, which must incline downwards and burn two at a time. If the wheel should consist of ten cases, you may let the illuminations and Chinese fire begin with the second cases; the spindle for this wheel must be a little longer than the cone, and made very smooth at top, on which the upper block is to turn, and the whole weight of the wheel to rest, see fig. 41.

Of the Double Spiral Wheel.

For this wheel, the block, or nave, must be as long as the height of the worms, or spiral lines, but must be made very thin, and as light as possible. In this block must be fixed several spokes, which must diminish in length, from the wheel to the top, so as not to exceed the surface of a cone of the same height. To the ends of these spokes nail the worms, which must cross each other several times; these worms cloath with illuminations, the same as those on the single wheels, but the horizontal wheel, you may cloath as you like. At top of the worm, place a case of spur-fire, or an amber light, see fig. 42. This figure is shewn without leaders, to prevent a confusion of lines.

Of Ballóón Wheels.

Ballóón wheels are made to turn horizontally, they must be made two feet diameter, without any spokes, and very strong, with any number of sides. On the top of a wheel range and fix tin pots, three inches diameter and seven inches in height each, as many of these as there are cases on the wheel; near the bottom of each pot, make a small vent, into each of these vents carry a leader from the tail of each case; some of the pots load with stars, and some with serpents, crackers, &c. As the wheels turn, the pots will successively be fired, and throw into the air a great variety of fires.

Of Fruiloni Wheels.

First have a nave made nine inches in length, and three in diameter, near the bottom of this nave fix eight spokes, with a hole in the end of each large enough to receive a two, or four ounce case. Each of these spokes may be fourteen inches in length from the block; near the top of this block, fix eight more, of the same sort of spokes, exactly over the others, but not so long by two inches; as this wheel is to run horizontally, all the cases in the spokes, at top, must play obliquely upwards, and all them in the spokes at bottom obliquely downwards. This being done, have a small horizontal wheel made with eight spokes, each five inches in length from the block; on the top of this wheel, place a case of brilliant fire; all the cases on this wheel must play in an oblique direction downwards, and burn two at a time, and those on the large wheel, four at a time, that is, two of those in the top set of spokes, and two of them in the bottom set of spokes.

The four first cases on the large wheel, and the two first on the small wheel, must be fired at the same time, and the brilliant fire at top, at the beginning of the last cases. The cases of the wheels may be filled with a grey charge; when these wheels are compleated, you must have a strong iron spindle, made four feet six in length, and fixed perpendicular on the top of a stand; on this put the large wheel, whose nave must have a hole quite through from the bottom to the top. This hole must be large enough to turn easy round the bottom of the spindle, at which place there must be a shoulder, to keep the wheel from touching the stand; at the top of the spindle, put the small wheel, and join it to a large one with a leader, in order to fire them both together.

Of Port fires for Illuminations.

These sort of port fires, have their cases made very thin of paper, and rolled on formers, from two to five eighths of an inch diameter, and are made from two, to six inches in length; they are pinched close at one end, and left open at the other; when you fill them, put in but a little composition at a time, and ram it in lightly, so as not to break the case. Three or four rounds of paper, with the last round pasted, will be strong enough for these sort of cases.

Of Common port fires.

Common port fires are intended purposely to fire the works, their fire being very slow, and the heat of the flame so intense, that, if applyed to rockets, leaders, &c., it will fire them immediately. Port fires may be made of any length, but are seldom made more than twenty one inches in length; the interior diameter of port fire moulds, should be ten sixteenths of an inch, and the diameter of the former, half an inch. The cases must be rolled wet with paste, and one end of them pinched, or folded down. The moulds should be made of brass, and to take in two pieces lengthwise; then when the case is in the two sides, they are held together by brass rings, or hoops, which are made to fit over the outside. The bore of the mould must not be made quite through, so that there will be no occasion for a foot. Those port fires when used, are held in copper sockets, fixed on the end of a long stick; these sockets are made like port crayons, only with a screw, instead of a ring.

Of Cascades of Fire.

Cascades are made of any size, but one made according to the dimensions of that shewn in plate 4. fig. 43. will be large enough for eight ounce cases. Let the distance from A to B, be three feet; from B to C, two feet six inches; and from C D, two feet; and let the cross piece, at A, be four feet in length; then from each end of this piece, draw a line to D; then make the other cross pieces of such a length as to come within those lines. The top piece D, may be of any length so as to hold the cases, at a little distance from one another, all the cross pieces are fixed horizontally, and supported by brackets; the bottom cross piece should be about one foot six inches broad in the middle, the second one foot, the third nine inches, and the top piece four inches; the cases may be made of any length, but must be filled with a brilliant charge; on the edges of the cross pieces must be nailed bits of wood, with a groove cut in each piece, large enough, for a case to lie in, These bits of wood are fixed so as to incline downwards, and that the fire from one teer of cases may play over the other; all the cases being tied fast on, carry leaders from one to the other, and let there be a pipe, hang from the mouth of one of the cases, covered at the end with a single paper, which you burn to fire the cascade.

Of the Fire-Tree.

To make a fire-tree, as shewn by fig. 44. you must first have a piece of wood six feet in length, and three inches square, then at E, nine inches from the top, make a hole in the front, and in each side, or instead of holes you may fix short pegs, to fit the inside of the cases. At F, nine inches from E, fix three more pegs; at G, one foot nine inches from F, fix three pegs; at H, nine inches from G, at I, nine inches from H, fix three pegs, inclining downwards, but all the other pegs, must incline upwards, in order that the cases may have the same inclination as you see in the figure; then at top place a four inch mortar, loaded with stars, rains, or crackers. In the middle of this mortar, place a case filled with any sort of charge, but let it be fired with the other cases: a brilliant charge will do for all the cases, but the mortar may be made of any diameter, and the tree of any size, and on it any number of cases, provided they are placed in the manner described.

Of Chinese Fountains.

To make a Chinese fountain, you must have a perpendicular piece of wood, seven feet in length, and two inches and a half square. Sixteen inches from the top; fix on the front, a cross piece, one inch thick, and two and a half broad, with the broad side upwards; below this, fix three more pieces, of the same width and thickness, at sixteen inches distance from each other; let the bottom rail be five feet in length, and the others of such a length, as to allow the fire pumps to stand in the middle of the intervals of each other. The pyramid being thus made, fix in the holes made in the bottom rail, five fire pumps, at equal distances; on the second rail place four pumps; on the third, three; on the fourth, two; and on the top of the post, one; but place them all to incline a little forwards, that when they throw out the stars, they may not strike against the cross rails; having fixed your fire pumps, cloath them with leaders, so that they may all be fired together, see fig. 45.

Of Illuminated Globes with Horizontal Wheels.

The hoops for these sort of globes, may be made of wood, tin, or iron wire, about two feet diameter; for a single globe take two hoops, and fasten them together, one within the other at right angles; then have a horizontal wheel made, whose diameter must be a little wider than the globe, and its nave six inches long, on the top of which the globe is fixed, so as to stand three or four inches from the wheel; on this wheel you may put any number of cases, fill’d with what charge you like, but let two of them burn at a time; they may be placed horizontally or to incline downwards just as you chuse. Now when the wheel is cloathed, fix on the hoops as many illuminations as will stand within two inches and a half of one another; these you fasten on the hoops, with small iron binding wire, and when they are all on, put on your pipes of communication, which must be so managed, as to light them all with the second or third case on the wheel; the spindle on which the globe is to run must go through the block of the wheel, up to the inside of the top of the globe, where must be fix’d a bit of brass or iron, with a hole in it to receive the point of the spindle, on which the whole weight of the wheel is to bear, as is shewn by fig. 46. which represents a globe on its spindle. By this method may be made a crown, which is done by having the hoops bent in the form of a crown. Sometimes globes and crowns, are ordered so as to stand still, and the wheel only to turn round; but when you would have the globe or crown to stand still, and the wheel to run by itself, the block of the wheel must not be so long, nor the spindle any longer than to just raise the globe a little above the wheel; and the wheel cases, and the illumination must begin together.

Of the Dodecaedron.

This piece is called a dodecaedron, because it nearly represents a twelve sided figure, and is made thus. First have a ball turned out of some hard wood, fourteen inches diameter, when done, divide its surface into fourteen equal parts, from which bore holes, one inch and a half diameter, perpendicular to the center, so that they may all meet exactly in the middle; then let there be turned in the inside of each hole a female screw, and to all the holes but one, must be made a round spoke, five feet in length, with four inches of the screw at one end, to fit the holes; then in the screw end of all the spokes, bore a hole, five inches up, which must be bored slanting, so as to come out at one side, a little above the screw; from which cut a small groove along the spoke, within six inches of the other end, where you make another hole through to the other side of the spoke; in this end fix a spindle, on which put a small wheel, of three, or four sides, each side six or seven inches in length; these sides must have grooves cut in them large enough to receive a two or four ounce case; when these wheels are cloathed, put them on the spindles, and at the end of each spindle, put a nut to keep the wheel from falling off; the wheels being thus fixed, carry a pipe from the mouth of the first case on each wheel, through the hole in the side of the spoke, and from thence along the groove and through the other hole, so as to hang out at the screw end, about an inch. The spokes being all prepared in this manner, you must have a post, on which you intend to fire the work, with an iron screw in the top of it, to fit one of the holes, in the ball; on this screw fix the ball, then in the top hole of the ball, put a little meal powder, and some loose quick match; then screw in all the spokes, and in one side of the ball bore a hole, in which put a leader, and secure it at the end, and your work will be ready to be fired. By this leader the powder and match in the center is fired, which will light the match at the ends of the spokes, all at once, whereby all the wheels will be lighted at one and the same time; there may be an addition to this piece, by fixing a small globe, on each wheel, or one on the top wheel only. A grey charge will be proper for the wheel cases.

Of the Yew Tree of Brilliant Fire.

A yew tree of fire is represented by fig. 47. as it appears when burning; first, let A be an upright piece of wood, four feet in length, two inches broad and one thick; at top of this piece, on the flat side, fix a hoop, fourteen inches diameter, and round its edge and front place illuminations, and in the center a five pointed star; then at E, which is one foot and a half from the edge of the hoop, place two cases of brilliant fire, one on each side; these cases should be one foot in length each; below these, fix two more cases of the same size, and at such a distance that their mouths may almost meet them at top; then, close to the ends of these cases, fix two more of the same sort of cases; these must stand parallel to them at E. The cases being thus fixed, cloath them with leaders; so that they, with the illuminations and star at top, may all take fire together.

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.