Instrument for trying gunpowder
Date
9 September 1663
Creator
Unknown, Artist
After
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p298
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 350mm
width (page): 230mm
width (page): 230mm
Subject
Content object
Description
An instrument designed by Robert Hooke to determine the force of gunpowder. A drawing was submitted by Hooke at the meeting of the Royal Society on 9 September 1663 and ordered to be registered.
The original drawing by Hooke is found at Cl.P/20/22/003.
The original drawing by Hooke is found at Cl.P/20/22/003.
Transcription
This instrument for the trial of powder consists of, A, an iron barrel, of what bore and thickness is thought convenient, fastened into an iron plate of pedestal BB, which pedestal may be fastened to any floor or ceiling by the screws CC.
This barrel is exactly closed at the top of the cover DD, which is so even and truly wrought, as to touch it very closely, and in every place; one end E, of this cover is fastened by a joint into the pillar FF, the other end G, is kept down very firmly by the end or nick of the nut H: this nut is very powerfully kept in that posture by a weight I, hung upon the end of the beam KK, that is fast upon the same pin LL, to which the nut also is. In the cover is the touch-hole M, tapering outward, which has a valve so contrived, with a spring N, that as soon as the touch-powder cannot spend itself that way: a usual inconvenince not provided against in other contrivances.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
This barrel is exactly closed at the top of the cover DD, which is so even and truly wrought, as to touch it very closely, and in every place; one end E, of this cover is fastened by a joint into the pillar FF, the other end G, is kept down very firmly by the end or nick of the nut H: this nut is very powerfully kept in that posture by a weight I, hung upon the end of the beam KK, that is fast upon the same pin LL, to which the nut also is. In the cover is the touch-hole M, tapering outward, which has a valve so contrived, with a spring N, that as soon as the touch-powder cannot spend itself that way: a usual inconvenince not provided against in other contrivances.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 9 September 1663, ‘Mr. Hooke brought in a scheme of the instrument for determining the force of gunpowder by weight, together with an explication thereof; which was ordered to be registered’ (Birch 1:302). Text and figure printed in Birch 1:303.
Related fellows
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place