On the recoiling of guns
Date
1661
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p146
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 365mm
width (page): 232mm
width (page): 232mm
Subject
Content object
Description
A figure of a musket barrel attached to a frame, with the edge of a knife placed at 1¼ inches from the mouth as a sight. This was used by William Brouncker to investigate whether a recoil began before the bullet was shot, and whether the recoil affected the trajectory of the shot. The experiment was first tried in Gresham College, and then in Whitehall in the Tiltyard Gallery in front of the King and his brother.
Brouncker’s paper was read to the Royal Society on 29 January 1661, and printed in Thomas Sprat, The History of the Royal Society of London (London: T. R. for J. Martyn and J. Allestry, 1667), pp. 233-35.
This image is copied from RBO/1/142. Another copy can be found in MS/776/132.
Brouncker’s paper was read to the Royal Society on 29 January 1661, and printed in Thomas Sprat, The History of the Royal Society of London (London: T. R. for J. Martyn and J. Allestry, 1667), pp. 233-35.
This image is copied from RBO/1/142. Another copy can be found in MS/776/132.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 29 January 1661, ‘His lordship also delivered in his account of the recoiling of guns; which was ordered to be registered, and was afterwards printed by Dr. Sprat' (Birch 1:74).
The paper is printed in Thomas Sprat, The history of the Royal Society of London for the improving of natural knowledge (London: T. R. for J. Martyn and J. Allestry, 1667), pp. 233-35, and the engraving in a plate before p. 233.
The paper is printed in Thomas Sprat, The history of the Royal Society of London for the improving of natural knowledge (London: T. R. for J. Martyn and J. Allestry, 1667), pp. 233-35, and the engraving in a plate before p. 233.
Related fellows
William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker of Lyons (1620 - 1684, British) , Mathematician
Associated place