C14 OP ROCKETS. 



must he fastened to some thinj; fixed, and tlin other to a stick con- 

 veyed between the legs, and placed in such a manner, as to be 

 behind the person who choaks the cartridge. The cord is then to 

 be stretched by retiring backwards, and the cartridge must be 

 pinched until there remains only an aperture capable of admitting 

 the piercer. The cord employed for pinching it is then removed, 

 and hs place is supplied by a piece of pack-thread, which must be 

 drawn very tight, passing it several times round the cartridge, 

 after which it is secured by means of running knots made one above 

 the other. 



Besides the roller, a rod is used, which being employed to load the 

 cartridge, must be somewhat smaller than the roller, in order that 

 it may be easily introduced into the cartridge. The rod is pierced 

 lengthwise, to a sufficient depth to receire the piercer, which must 

 enter into the mould, and unite with it exactly at its lower part. 

 The piercer, which decreases in size, is introduced into the car. 

 tridge through the part where it has been choaked, and serves to 

 preserve a cavity within it. Its length, besides the nipple or but- 

 ton, must be equal to about two. thirds that of the mould. Lastly, 

 if the thickness of the base be a fourth part of the calibre of the 

 mould, the point must be made equal to a sixth of the calibre. 



It is evident that there must be at least three rods, pierced in 

 proportion to the diminution of the piercer, in order that the 

 powder which is rammed in by means of a mallet, may be uniformly 

 packed throughout the whole length of the rocket. It may be 

 easily perceived also, that these rods ought to be made of some very 

 hard wood, to resist the strokes of the mallet. 



In loading rockets, it is more convenient not to employ a piercer. 

 When loaded on a nipple, without a piercer, by means of one massy 

 rod, they are pierced with a bit and a piercer fitted into the end 

 of a bit-brace. Care however must be taken to make this hole 

 suited to the proportion assigned for the diminution of the piercer. 

 That is to say, the extremity of the hole at the choaked part of the 

 cartridge, ought to be about a fourth of the calibre of the mould; 

 and the extremity of the hole which is in the inside for about two. 

 thirds of the length of the rocket ought to be a sixth of the calibre. 

 This hole must pass directly through the middle of the rocket. In 

 short, experience and ingenuity will suggest what is most conve, 

 nient, and in what manner the method of loading rockets, which we 

 shall here explain, may be varied. 



