The Massive-Bang Cannon is an American toy cannon first manufactured within the early Twentieth-century. Quite a few client fireworks accidents[1] satisfied a physics professor at Lehigh College (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) to patent a “Gas Gun” in 1907, and the manufacturing of Massive-Bang Cannons began in 1912, from the Gasoline Cannon Firm.
In 1916, the identify was modified to the Toy Cannon Works. In 1924, the corporate modified names once more, to The Conestoga Firm, Inc. An assistant professor from the identical physics division at Lehigh was the corporate founder and proprietor till 1955. The Conestoga Firm manufactures nineteen fashions of Massive-Bang Cannon in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County.
A bombing airplane, tank, boat and pistol have been manufactured through the Twenties, firing on the identical precept because the cannons. Nineteen Thirties designs included a Big Curler Coaster, Ro-To-Prime, Spinning Prime, Subject Glasses and G-Gun.[2]
Repurposed for toymaking, the historic 4-story wooden and brick plant is depicted in T. M. Fowler’s 1894 “aerial” drawing of West Bethlehem, with floor flooring entry each from Connestoga St. on the first stage, and from 1st Ave. on the 4th stage. All equipment on the primary three ranges have been pushed by a single electrical motor by way of belts and drive shafts the width of the constructing. Within the mid Nineteen Fifties, the plant burned, and operations have been terminated. Dormant a number of years, the corporate was purchased from physicist & founder Doc Wiley by brothers Frank H. & Robert E. Miller, who rehired Joseph Gombotz as plant supervisor and future proprietor. Taken by eminent area within the late Sixties to assemble the 4-lane spur route I-378, the plant moved to E. Goepp St, till its current homeowners moved it to Sumner Ave. in Allentown. [History in this paragraph provided by Robert E. Miller III.]
Contents
Operation[edit]
Calcium carbide was one of many first merchandise of electrical arc furnaces, made economical by Niagara Falls in 1888. After cooling, irregular chunks have been packed in air-tight containers on the market and used to generate acetylene fuel by slowly dropping water on them. Small carbide lamps have been (and nonetheless are) utilized by miners to supply a really vivid flame; bigger variations have been used on early buses & automobiles.
These toys function by introducing a bit carbide right into a chamber containing some water the place it reacts instantly to launch acetylene fuel. Just a few seconds later (lengthy sufficient for the fuel to unfold out within the chamber, however brief sufficient for it to not be misplaced out the barrel), it’s ignited. A way for introducing contemporary air for the following explosion can be offered. Acetylene in air has the widest vary of explosive restrict of any frequent chemical[3] and likewise a really low ignition power, a mix which very reliably produces a loud “bang” explosion in comparison with different vapor explosions.
The unique 1907 “Gas Gun” patent doesn’t declare novelty for the concept of utilizing carbide-produced acetylene to supply explosions in a toy; moderately it was the mix of a fuel generator, ignition means, and varied elements which have been low cost to fabricate. That mannequin used battery-operated spark-coil ignition; extensively offered mid-century fashions created a spark as fashionable lighters do utilizing ferrocerium.
One other key characteristic of those gadgets as toys, is that acetylene explosions, in comparison with gunpowder, have been a lot safer. The low density of the acetylene/air combination is such that the entire combustion power is sort of low and there’s no recoil and little stress on the chamber holding the explosion, even when the outlet barrel was partly blocked. The unique toys have been brittle forged iron; the corporate even demonstrated cannons product of glass to point out that there was no chance of harmful fracture. Intentionally including an excessive amount of carbide doesn’t improve the power of the explosion however as an alternative weakens it.
Since a way for producing a constant fuel cost was essential, a particular granulated type (about 1 mm grains) of calcium carbide was trademarked as Bangsite in 1952. It could possibly be simply metered in a dishing out mechanism, and promotional supplies emphasised that Bangsite was tough to abuse by hammering, lighting with a match and different issues younger boys would possibly attempt.
Patents and emblems[edit]
See additionally[edit]
References[edit] – “calcium carbide cannon”
Massive-Bang Cannons: A Distinctive American Toy by Raymond V. Brandes, Ray-Vin Publishing Co. ISBN 0-9636127-6-X (Laborious Cowl)Blast from the Previous: Our Historical past: An American Legend The Bangster…Quantity 1, No. 4, June 1929, printed by The Conestoga CorporationUnited States Patent and Trademark OfficeToy World Journal February 1929
Exterior hyperlinks[edit]
Navigation menu