Page:Pyrotechnics the history and art of firework making (1922).djvu/220

 this is the modern horizontal wheel. This wheel is similar in arrangement to the vertical above-mentioned, except that its cases are arranged so that the first plays horizontally in the plane of the wheel, the next at an angle downwards, and the third upwards. This succession is repeated with the remaining three cases. In addition, the horizontal wheel has either a mine which is lit from the last case, or Roman candles and mine, and the centre playing upwards. The second form is arranged so that the Romans are fired simultaneously with the fourth case and the mine from the last.

The wheel given by Ruggieri has a gerb in the centre. He explains that Caprice is a generic name applied to all horizontal wheels which vary the direction of the fire when revolving. However, at the present time the name Caprice is only applied to a wheel with three tiers of three cases, each similar in appearance to three single triangle wheels superimposed at distances about equal to their diameter, the grooves in the end of the spokes being so arranged as to vary the direction of the fire. The cases are led up in the following order—one case horizontal, one up, one down, one horizontal, two cases one up and one down, four cases in each direction and one vertical. For a compact piece this is one of the most effective made.

A similar piece is the Furiloni Wheel, which has, however, two tiers of three cases each.

Jones describes a furiloni wheel which is more elaborate, having twenty-five cases. His method of leading would, however, not be so effective as the modern wheels of this type. The cases used for these wheels are charged with a steel mixing formerly known as brilliant fire.

He mentions two other devices—Caprices petans and Caprices des pâtés. The first of these was a modification of the piece formerly used in this country as the balloon wheel. It