Description
Excerpt from Early Bells of Paul Revere
As to the component parts of bell metal, the proper proportion of Copper to tin (about 13 to 4) necessary to ensure the maximum resonance consistent with safe brittleness was well known to founders of the seventeenth century, although the law of atomic weights or chemical equivalents had not then been discovered. A knowledge of these fundamental laws, however, was not alone adequate to secure the production of a superior instrument; and if many of Revere's early bells must be allowed to be of inferior quality, this would be the natural result of his want of practical experience and early training; for without such qualifications he could hardly have evolved the various empirical rules and delicate processes by which the English founders had learned to mould that homogeneous, tenacions and elastic amalgam essential to the production of perfect vibration. For instance, it would appear that in fusing his metals he did not at first appreciate the importance of maintaining a comparatively low temperature in order to throw off, in the form of scoria or dross, certain impurities which are reduced by greater heat and thus retained within the amalgam, to the detriment of its soundproducing qualities. N or could he have appreciated what has since been demonstrated, viz. The marked difference which exists in the brittleness and sonorous properties of both copper and tin from individual mines. Moreover, none of his bells show traces of any attempt to correct errors of tone by grinding, now accomplished by machinery.
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This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
As to the component parts of bell metal, the proper proportion of Copper to tin (about 13 to 4) necessary to ensure the maximum resonance consistent with safe brittleness was well known to founders of the seventeenth century, although the law of atomic weights or chemical equivalents had not then been discovered. A knowledge of these fundamental laws, however, was not alone adequate to secure the production of a superior instrument; and if many of Revere's early bells must be allowed to be of inferior quality, this would be the natural result of his want of practical experience and early training; for without such qualifications he could hardly have evolved the various empirical rules and delicate processes by which the English founders had learned to mould that homogeneous, tenacions and elastic amalgam essential to the production of perfect vibration. For instance, it would appear that in fusing his metals he did not at first appreciate the importance of maintaining a comparatively low temperature in order to throw off, in the form of scoria or dross, certain impurities which are reduced by greater heat and thus retained within the amalgam, to the detriment of its soundproducing qualities. N or could he have appreciated what has since been demonstrated, viz. The marked difference which exists in the brittleness and sonorous properties of both copper and tin from individual mines. Moreover, none of his bells show traces of any attempt to correct errors of tone by grinding, now accomplished by machinery.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Details
Publisher - Forgotten Books
Author(s) - Arthur Howard Nichols
Hardback
Published Date -
ISBN - 9780267956708
Dimensions - 22.9 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm
Page Count - 23
Paperback
Published Date -
ISBN - 9781334230349
Dimensions - 22.9 x 15.2 x 0.2 cm
Page Count - 25
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