Tools & Sights

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Bill,
Yes, just two questions.  Did the hammer strike a removable percussion cap?  How was the assembly attached to the gun?
John

[CarlS]

Here are some images of a couple different forms of hammer strikes than the one shown above.  These two were recovered from the USS Cairo and are on display with the boat in Vicksburg.  Note that one is a side mount.  Unfortunately I haven't seen a picture of how it gets mounted on the gun.  Perhaps Bill (Selma Hunter) or one of our other members know how these are are attached to the tube.  The boat had primarily 8-inch smooth bore and rifled 42-pounders (7-inch) cannon so presumably these hammers were for one of them.

[CarlS]

I also thought I'd post these images I took at the museum for the USS Cairo as it pertains to this discussion.  The first image is a small grouping of cannon tools.  Of note in this is the two long brass tubes mounted on a wooden block just above the number 9.  This is a sighting tube and sat on top of the cannon for the artilleryman to look down for general sighting.  I don't believe they were used for precision when firing long range trajectories. 

Below those and just above the number 13 are two vent picks.  The top one is the typical long wire with a ring handle at the top; basic and quite functional.  The one just below that is a fancier version.  The wire is nearly as long but at the top is a brass cap and mounted on that was a leather 'pillow' (missing in this example).  I guess this made it less bruising for the gunner to drive it down into the powder bag. 

The other image is from this same display but was something I had not noted before.  The two items to the left and right of the number 17 appear to be fuse wrenches but are of a different form with the ring top.  This seems like a good design in that it's easy to hold onto and they can be kept on a tether near the cannon so they'll always be in easy reach.  I don't see any like this in Chuck Jones book.  Has anyone else seen this style?   Perhaps they aren't fuse wrench at all.  They look very much like a key.

[CarlS]

I ran across these images of some high end devices for the cannon I took at took at the Marietta Show some years back and thought I'd share them too.  Note the first one is a caliper and is marked "SHACKLOCK & CO.  COLUMBUS.MISS.".  The second one is a cannon level and is marked "Selma Arsenal 1863".  These are some incredibly rare and nice items.

[Selma Hunter]

Bart, Carl & All-

The gun locks struck the quill primers that were inserted into the vents - that is why I posted the photos for you to see the different variations.  The tops of the quills were filled with a compound of mealed musket powder, mercury fulminate and ground glass - the glass providing the friction when compressed by the hammer.  Gun lock hammers were frequently brass, but the "nose" was made of case hardened steel or iron for obvious reasons.  The problem that they had with the earlier locks was to get them clear of the vent - the heat & pressure of the gas jet was like a cutting torch.  I think that Dahlgrens' improvement of Hiddens' patent called for the slotted hammer which allowed it to slide clear at the time of firing.  Depending upon the type of gun, these gun locks were bolted or pinned to a bolster or "lump" cast into the top of the gun tube (Dahlgren) or screwed into holes drilled and tapped for that purpose (Brooke).

There are some photos here that will help you understand better what I have stated.  In addition, I have included photos of the reinforce sight from S-65 - a piece recovered from Mobile Bay.  The reinforce sight was mounted on a "mass" that was situated about even with the trunnions at the top of the tube.  The photo of the banded 32'lb'er bow gun on the CSS Teaser really shows a lot about the working end of a large gun.  Note the reinforce sight, elevating sight, improvised gun lock cover (dishpan?) and lock lanyard & toggle looped and ready for use.

Questions?

[Selma Hunter]

Further to the above and primarily due to image size restrictions here are a few more photos.  The reinforce sight masses vary somewhat on the Brooke guns with several very interesting examples among the 15 surviving gun tubes. 

The gas jet venting from the breach of the heavy 32'lb'er being fired at Ft. Gaines offers much to explain the need to remove the lock from harms way, not to mention encouraging the use of proper safety equipment when servicing these beasties.  And this was a reduced load!

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Bill and Carl,
    Thanks so much for expanding on this subject, which is not normally presented in our current books.
You refer to the term 'quill' certainly not a feather quill? I assume the blast pressure coming out the vent hole would eject the quill or friction primer.
John

[Selma Hunter]

John -

The term "quill" specifically refers to feathers.  There are very special guidelines set out for choosing certain feathers and describing the methods and procedures for making "quill primers".  You should ask your library to get a copy of Dahlgrens Treatise an inter-library loan.  I would hope that your equipment would allow an "audio-scan" - neat stuff to investigate.

Bill

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Bill,
    I found this article on the internet.  Although a commerical site it clearly shows how the goose quill and straw quills are made.  It also shows the construction of a mountain howitser.
John
http://www.buckstix.com/HowitzerFuse.htm

[alwion]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/dalgren-navel-lock-artillery-cannon-civil-war-10lb-parrott-12lb-napoleon-3-ordi-/150735804381?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23188dd7dd

What do you think of this?   seemed like it pertained to this conversation

[Dave the plumber]

   I've been talking back and forth with the fella with the cannon lock mentioned above.  I believe he is a re-enactor or NSSA shooter, as every thing else he has for sale is marked reproduction also. He states he is not sure of it's age - which typically is a 'signal flag' that it is modern made. Plus, he used to have a cannon and he used it on his cannon when he fired it. Personally, I would not use an original rare piece when there are other ways to fire his Parrott rifle. I talked with the Paulson Brothers up in Wisconson and they used to make firing mechanisms too for Parrotts. A typical case of 'buyer beware ' and roll of the dice.

[alwion]

I wouldn't know if I had it in hand, would have to send it to one of you guys:)  Is there anythingthat hasn't been reproduced .dare you to name one thing lol

[alwion]

More tools, this is supposed to be for a 10" rodman?  $110 asking    If thats correct, whats the M88 mean?  model 1888?

[scottfromgeorgia]

I wouldn't know if I had it in hand, would have to send it to one of you guys:)  Is there anythingthat hasn't been reproduced .dare you to name one thing lol

The 13 inch mortar ball.

[Dave the plumber]

Scott,             well, I got you on that one [  replica \ reproduction 13 inch mortar balls ]. While talking to Bruce Paulson yesterday about his video of live firing a 13 inch mortar, he gave me some facts.
    They cast their own 13 inch mortar shells. They used a wood time fuze adaptor with a paper time fuze. Twelve pounds of powder inside the shell. twenty pounds for the propellant charge. Flight time of the ball was 18 and 1\2 seconds downrange one mile.
       They have shot about 40 rounds out of it through the years. Interestingly, they were having about a 50 % success rate getting the paper fuze lit and the shell exploding. They devised their own ' McEvoy' style fuze igniter, and now they have 100% success rate on their shells.
    Bruce also said that the lesser the caliber of mortar, the higher percentage of having the paper fuze light. He said the 24 lb Coehorn's always lit, 100 % of the time. But the 8 and 10 inch respectively had a poorer fuze ignition rate. Interesting....
    Do you all think that the distance the fuze is from the edge of the windage with barrel where the flame would be more concentrated is the problem that the flame can't reach it ??
     Do you think the shear blast of 20 lb's of powder would just blast that ball out of the short  barrel before the flame reaches it ??
    Any other ideas ??
         Make sure to go to youtube and type in Paulson Brothers 13 inch mortar to view this video. And you can check their other video's to see a whole assortment of life cannon firings. Maybe someone can link it on here.