Pyrotech- 

 ny. 



226 P Y R O T 



it is most necessary that they should be turned very 

 true in the lathe, as if they are not regularly cylindri- 

 cal, it will be difficult to withdraw them from the wet 

 cases. For the same reason they should also be wrought 

 or polished to a smooth surface. At one end they are 

 provided with -a head, or enlargement, to render them 

 easier to hold in the hand. The length is a matter of in- 

 difference when they are made, as they can be cut 

 down at any time to be fitted to the rammers and 

 moulds ; and when they are thus adapted, they ought 

 to exceed the lengths of the moulds by two or three 

 inches. More than that is not necessary. 



When smaller cases, however, are to be made, such 

 as for serpents, speckies, or fires on a little scale, it is 

 much more convenient to use very long formers, so as 

 to make up a great quantity of case at one time. When 

 it is thus made, it can be cut off in lengths while upon 

 the former, and then withdrawn. For making the 

 cases of spiral wheels also, or the leaders for quick 

 match, long formers are wanted ; and these are most 

 conveniently made of copper wire. Care must be taken 

 that they are kept very straight, w.ithout which pre- 

 caution it will be found very difficult to withdraw 

 them. 



We shall now subjoin a table of the diameters. for a 

 set of formers, which will equally serve the purpose of 

 one for that of rammers. It is necessary, however, that 

 these should differ just so much that the rammer may 

 slip easily up and down in the case, and that, after it 

 is dry. On the different sizes, from the smallest up- 

 wards, these differences will vary a little ; as they may 

 be trifling in the smaller, and require to be somewhat 

 more considerable in the larger ones. A. correct turner 

 will manage this without any prescribed measurement, 

 which indeed could scarcely be given to any useful 

 purpose, as it is in parts of an inch so very minute. 

 But it may be considered as a sort of general rule, that 

 if the rammer is so much smaller than the former as to 

 require a turn of the cartridge paper to bring it to the 

 same size, it will be able to move freely in the case 

 in ramming. 



Tabie of Dimensions for Formers and Rammers. 



These dimensions are such that they will also serve 

 for the table of rockets which will hereafter be given, 

 as it js unnecessary to multiply the sizes of cases. A 

 smaller number, indeed, than even the preceding may 

 answer all useful purposes. When cases become lar^e, 

 and if they are only intended for discharging serpents 

 and stars in the manner of mortars, formers are unne- 



3. 



E C H N Y. 



cessary, as it will be cheaper to make thern of wood, Pyrotech- 

 when they may be square, or to have them constructed "X* 

 in gun metal, like mortars or patereroes. '"V" 



The lower end of all formers should be turned into a 

 hemispherical shape; and, besides that, a correspond- 

 ent piece, similarly turned at one end, and much short- 

 er, is required. The purpose of this is to introduce, 

 during the operation of choking, the cases ; as the 

 string is passed round an interval left between' the 

 former and its subsidiary piece, by which means it is 

 kept in a proper shape, and prevented from collapsing, 

 All formers, with their additional pieces, should be 

 lettered so as to correspond each with its own rammer 

 and mould similarly marked, by which chances of mis- 

 take are prevented. 



Rammer*. Although the lengths of formers may Rammers, 

 exceed that of the cases to almost any extent, those of P'-ATE 

 rammers must be limited to little more than the lengths ccci.xxu 

 of the different cases to be driven ; particularly in the 

 larger, that are to be used with a mallet. The smaller, 

 if loaded, and only to be used by the hand, may be 

 double the length of the cases to be driven : in the 

 smallest of all they may even be much more. But in 

 going upwards, the lengths must be reduced so as not 

 to exceed that of the case by more than one or two 

 diameters. It will be recollected, that as the filling of 

 the case proceeds, the rammer is always- becoming 

 longer ; or, what is the same thing, is rising beyond it, 

 so as sometimes indeed to render it necessary that it 

 should be changed for a shorter one. This is parties 

 larly the case in the larger pieces, and in rockets, as 

 we shall shortly see. 



There are two kinds of rammers, solid and hollow. 

 The first are used for most of the fixed fires, and the 

 last are required for rockets, and occasionally also for 

 wheel cases, or other moveable fires. We shall de- 

 scribe the solid ones first, as the most simple. For the 

 smaller, where the mallet is not required, it is abso- 

 lutely necessary that they should be made of gun 

 metal, and provided with a head, for the purpose of 

 adding to the weight. It is also good economy to use 

 metal rammers, even. with the mallet, as far upwards 

 at least as half an inch or more in diameter. This, in 

 the driving of fuses or portfires, is absolutely necessary, 

 on account of the great force which is required. We 

 need scarcely say that they must be made very true 

 and smooth, and the sharpness at the lowest end, round 

 the edge of the circle, must be rounded off to prevent 

 them from catching the inner side of the case and 

 forcing down the paper. 



For wooden rammers, beech and ash are the best 

 woods, and these also must be made very smooth and 

 true ; besides which, they must be kept dry in such a 

 manner as to prevent any hazard of their becoming 

 warped. At each end, above and below, they must.,he 

 bound with a stout hoop or ferrule of gun metal, to 

 prevent them from splitting at one end or burning at 

 the other ; aud these- must be fastened in with metallic 

 pins, to prevent them.from slipping off when the wood 

 may chance to shrink. 



With respect to their materials, the same rule may be 

 followed for the hollow as. for the solid rammers. The 

 lengths, the heads, and other circumstances, are also 

 the same; but, as these are always to be used with 

 mallets, the whole set, from the smallest upwards, re- 

 . qujre to be of the shorter proportions, or so made as to 

 exceed the length of the cases .by two or three diame- 

 ters only. As, however, there are only two kinds of 

 fireworks in. which boring is required, namely, wheel 



