Improvements in Pyrotechnic Devices.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pyrotechnic Devices.
I, HENRY JOHN PAIN, of No. 1202 Broadway, in the City and State of New
York, United States of America, Pyrotechnist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
I make use of a balloon inflated with gas or hot air such as in a fire balloon, and
I suspend from the same a pyrotechnic device, and I apply a fuse so that when the
balloon has ascended, the firework is ignited and displays designs, characters,
letters, portraits or similar emblematic devices.
In carrying out my invention, I attach to the balloon a suitable bar or frame to
which is connected the firework, together with a suitable time or other fuse, which
is ignited in any suitable manner immediately before the balloon is allowed to
ascend.
I find it advantageous to employ a backing or foundation of woven wire as thin
and light as consistent with the proper strength, and to this the fireworks are
affixed, which fireworks may be blue lights or different coloured lights arranged in
the proper positions for giving the figure or emblem, and connected together so as
to be ignited simultaneously or nearly so, and other characters of fireworks such as
Roman candles or wheels may be added; this backing is advantageously rolled up
to occupy a less space than when it is distended, and such backing is to be held in
its contracted condition by a fuse or other device that burns away to allow the
parts to unroll or hang down.
In the production of an emblem such as a flag, it is advantageous to make use
of wires or cords, to which are attached the fireworks, and the same can be rolled
up, and introduced into small cases suspended from a crossbar or supported, so that
when the fuse or igniting tape or connection is burned or exploded, the wires or
cords are disconnected and allowed to unroll and hang down so as to display the
flag or other device below the balloon, and the balloon may be made to rotate more
or less rapidly under the action of the currents of air so as to display the firework
to good advantage, and I do not limit myself to any particular character of emblem
thus produced and exhibited as suspended from an aerial balloon.
Dated this 17th day of August 1893.
BREWER & SON,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pyrotechnic Devices.
1, HENRY JOHN PAIN, of No. 1202 Broadway, in the City and State of New
York, United States of America, Pyrotechnist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to display against the dark background of the sky
a pyrotechnic device suspended from a balloon, such pyrotechnic device being
emblematic, as distinguished from the pyrotechnic devices which have heretofore
been exploded from balloons, and also as distinguished from illuminated balloons or
lanterns or transparencies from balloons.
The balloon may be a fire balloon which becomes buoyant in consequence of
the air being heated within the same, but any suitable balloon may be made use
of, and suspended from this balloon is a framework or foundation of woven wire or

page_text: other suitable material that is non-combustible, and upon the surface of the same
fireworks and pyrotechnic devices are arranged so as to form an emblem when the
fireworks are ignited, such for instance as a star, a cross, a portrait or words or
letters, all formed by the firework itself, so that when the balloon has risen to a
proper height, the firework is ignited and the emblem produced by the fire, and the
same shining against the dark background of the sky produces a beautiful effect
which is radically different from the illumination of a transparency by lights either
in front of or behind the transparency or article illuminated.
In carrying out my invention I find it advantageous to employ a suitable cross
bar suspended from the balloon and carrying one end of a wire frame or curtain to
the surface of which are attached the firework lights of similar or different colors,
which lights are arranged upon such curtain or framework in the proper manner to
produce the desired emblem, and suspended from or connected to such curtain or
frame is a time fuse, so that after the lapse of time necessary for the ascent of the
balloon the fuse will ignite the explosive material that connects the various lights
and fireworks upon the surface of or connected with the netting or framework, so
as to set off the firework design and produce a substantially instantaneous
illumination of the same, and where more convenient, this curtain may be rolled up
and secured with some of the fuse connections, so that when such fuse connections
burn or explode, the moving edge of the curtain or frame will be liberated so as to
allow the same to unroll or hang down and display the firework design as the same
is ignited, and the balloon may be constructed in such a manner that the action of
the air upon the same as the balloon is borne along by the atmospheric currents,
will cause the balloon to rotate more or less upon its vertical axis so as to
display to the best advantage the firework design as the same hangs from below
the balloon.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 illustrates the lower end of a balloon and the supporting device and the
curtain or frame in its compact form with a time fuse suspended from the same.
Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the curtain or foundation frame suspended
from the balloon and having a design upon the same in fireworks.
Fig. 3 represents a similar balloon with the cords or wires suspended from the
cross bar.
Fig. 4 shows the holder for the fireworks and the cords or strings when coiled up,
the holder being in section.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of the holder, and
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the frame.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 A represents a portion of the lower end of a balloon,
B the suspending devices for the rod or frame C to which is connected the curtain D
of wire-work of any suitable character or other backing to which the fireworks are
connected, and at E I have represented a time fuse suspended from the frame or
curtain D and adapted to burn for the proper length of time before producing the
explosion of the suspending or securing cord F which connects with the respective
fireworks and ignites the same, and these fireworks are shown at G arranged to
form a design, the design shown being a crescent and star, the design however is to
vary and may contain letters or other characters as required for the special occasion,
or a portrait or picture may be produced by the fireworks.
The design of the firework may be made up of numerous small blue lights,
Roman candles or other similar devices that will burn with one or more different
colors, and by the grouping of these together the special design to be displayed is
provided.
The device represented in Figs. 3 and 4 consists of a cross bar 6 suspended by
the wires a from the balloon a and containing the holders c into which the cords or
wires e are coiled and containing the fireworks or lights, as represented at 4 and 5,
and these are ignited by a fuse extending from one to the other, as represented
at 8, Fig. 4, and this fuse passes from one of the receptacles to another throughout
the entire firework, and when the ignition or explosion of this fuse takes place the

page_text: cords or strings drop out from the holders and hang below the bar b so as to form
an illuminated flag or other emblematic design, and this is more or less influenced
by the action of the currents of air so as to produce a pleasing effect by the
swinging or waving thereof when ignited.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. The combination with a balloon, of a frame or backing suspended from
such balloon, fireworks connected to and arranged upon such frame or backing to
produce a design, and a fuse by which such fireworks are ignited after the halloon
has ascended the desired distance, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with a balloon, of a frame or flexible backing
adapted to be secured in a comparatively small compass, and fireworks connected
with such frame or backing and arranged to produce letters, characters or designs,
an igniting fuse for the respective fireworks and means for holding the backing in
its contracted condition, which means are burned away by the fuse to allow the
frame or backing to become distended as the fireworks are ignited, substantially as
set forth.
Third. The combination with a balloon, of a frame or backing suspended from
such balloon, fireworks connected to such frame or backing and arranged to produce
letters, numbers or emblematic devices, and a time fuse suspended from such
backing and adapted to igniting the fireworks nearly simultaneously after the time
fuse has burned, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with a balloon, of holders, means for suspending the
holders from the balloon and cords or wires to which the fireworks or lights are
connected, and means for igniting the same, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th der of October 1902
BREWER & SON,
Agents.