HIST4702 (2023-24) Digital History Project: 火攻挈要
Cannon Transportation Tools
銃車 Cannon Cart
Description:
The cannon cart (銃車) was made to transport heavy cannons between battlefields. Cannons were very powerful, but their huge size also caused them transportation challenges. They could not be moved easily, especially when facing mountain warfare. Cannon carts were thus instrumental in reducing significantly the amount of manpower required to transport cannons up and down mountains.
引重機 Traction Machine
Description:
The test 《火攻挈要》 did not have too much description about the traction machine. From the picture, we noticed that the shape of the Traction machine was a square frame. It should gear, pulley, and other transmission machinery. Through turning the transmission machinery, it could drive the cannon.
The parched cannon was transported to the shaft kiln (井窰, a part of the casting cannon stage 鑄銃台). The process is to use a cord from crane (運重機) to tie the mold head. Furthermore, the cannon can be raised by attaching the end of the cannon to a hoisting machine and a traction machine (引重機). Finally, the pressing wood handle (壓木) from crane (運重機) is used to transport the cannon to the shaft kiln.
運重機 Crane
Description:
The structure of the Crane consists of a vertical shaft (立軸) with the wooden sheathing on the outside. The wooden sheathing was arranged for pulling (拉木) and pressing wood (壓木). When the pressing wood is being pushed, it drives the cannon.
The parched cannon was transported to the shaft kiln (井窰, a part of the casting cannon stage 鑄銃台). The process is to use a cord from the crane (運重機) to tie the mold head. Furthermore, the cannon can be raised by attaching the end of the cannon to a hoisting machine and a traction machine (引重機). Finally, the pressing wood handle (壓木) from the crane (運重機) is used to transport the cannon to the shaft kiln.
起重機 Hoisting Machine
Description:
The Hoisting Machine (起重機) was made up of three long strips of wood. Then, the burlap rope was passed into the pulley. It carried the cannon material to the casting cannon stage.
The parched cannon was transported to the shaft kiln (井窰, a part of the casting cannon stage 鑄銃台). The process is to use a cord from the crane (運重機) to tie the mold head. Furthermore, the cannon can be raised by attaching the end of the cannon to a hoisting machine and a traction machine (引重機). Finally, the pressing wood handle (壓木) from the crane (運重機) is used to transport the cannon to the shaft kiln.
