Bull Run Artillery Fuse-like relic What is it??

[MonkeyBoy]

Hello All,

I dug this today in an area where plenty of CW relics have been dug... it was dug about 15 yards from where a Parrot shell fuse was found about the same time. I am very new to Civil War Artillery and have no idea what this is?? I compared it to the fuse dug today and it has the same threading except this one has a taper to it versus the Parrot being even.

Maybe it is a shipping plug?? I found a couple online that "sort of"look like it..

Any ideas

Thanks,
MB

 

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[MonkeyBoy]

Its a 20-30 pound parrot fuse, thought maybe a schile nose but I think they were more solid not all parrot fuses were even ill try to find a pic of the shell

It does match the threads on a Parrot. I checked it against a fuse dug on site the same day and in the nose frags that I have. It actually fit better in the threads of a large fused ball I have.. I have a threaded section that it seemed to match the circumference better. That's when I started thinking maybe it was a chipping plug But I really have not idea.. just hoping that is what it is.

MB

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

If it helps the inside square is 3/8" square.. maybe it is a faucet seat but it is huge if it is...

MB

It is probably not a large faucet seat and I have not produced a match but I want to ask was it near a home? I see now the overall is almost 2 inches. Somehow I was thinking 1-1/4".. I am changing my mind. I guess it is just too big.

ADDED: I havent changed any for about four years and I dont remember if its 1/4 square drive or 3/8 drive or both.

 

[relic lover]

The whatzit has a tapered thread as seen from profile I don't see any plumbing pics that show this detail. Tapered threads are made for quick assembly with a minimum of turns and are self aligning. These are attributes I would want in my artillery fuses. Also the known fuse also has a tapered thread and so with no knowledge of artillery my thoughts are it is a fuse.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

The whatzit has a tapered thread as seen from profile I don't see any plumbing pics that show this detail. Tapered threads are made for quick assembly with a minimum of turns and are self aligning. These are attributes I would want in my artillery fuses.

Unfortunately that clue doesnt help us much because modern pipe threads are tapered also. (but the seats that I have used are not). http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...cId=515&title=Pipe+Thread+Standards+Explained

National Pipe Thread Tapered (NPT) is a U.S. standard for tapered threads used to join pipes and fittings.

 

[taz42o]

In the pics it appears this thing has far to much taper for either a parrot fuse or pipe thread, maybe you could check amount of taper per inch of threads. Also would'nt a valve seat have a machined surface raised above square wrench hole ? Those burs from wrench would destroy any thing seated against them.

 

[rmptr]

I can't quite make out the lettering in the photo, MB.... what does it say?

sorry, I missed this post? There are not any letters on it..just a bit of corrosion.

MB

ok... I just thought there were4, maybe 5 letters at the 4 1/4 mark in the pic of the flattest side.

Oh well! it would have helped a bit!

BTW, I posted it over at another info source.
Will post if I get a traceable positive ID from someone.

Best
rmptr

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

In the pics it appears this thing has far to much taper for either a parrot fuse or pipe thread, maybe you could check amount of taper per inch of threads. Also would'nt a valve seat have a machined surface raised above square wrench hole ? Those burs from wrench would destroy any thing seated against them.

It does appear to have excess taper. I thought the square hole was recessed. Hard to tell by pics. If the square drive hole is not recessed, at least a tiny bit, then we can eliminate valve seat as a possibility. It looks like something has burred it a little.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

In the pics it appears this thing has far to much taper for either a parrot fuse or pipe thread, maybe you could check amount of taper per inch of threads. Also would'nt a valve seat have a machined surface raised above square wrench hole ? Those burs from wrench would destroy any thing seated against them.

It does appear to have excess taper. I thought the square hole was recessed. Hard to tell by pics. If the square drive hole is not recessed, at least a tiny bit, then we can eliminate valve seat as a possibility. It looks like something has burred it a little. Its definitely a 3/8 square drive.

It is not recessed, in fact that are is raised.

MB

 

[jpitt1970]

My neighbor found 2 live C.S. Mullane shells in his yard in Manasshole..they had a paper time fuse in the nose still intact, all the pieces even unscrewed from the nose..your piece looks like it may be from a Mullane shell

 

[La Beep]

The thing that bothers me is that the hole goes all the way though, I have not seen any fuses that were not solid.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Could it be part of a brass sprinkler head?

 

[ballbuster]

Wish I could help with the Id. But I sure learned a lot about plumbing!!


Jim

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I dont know much about artillery, esp. CW. What does an artillery fuse do? ...make it blow up on impact?

 

[MonkeyBoy]

I dont know much about artillery, esp. CW. What does an artillery fuse do? ...make it blow up on impact?

Well, I don't know much about them either.. just started hunting spots with artillery last year. The fuse is either a timed device or an impact device.. both used to set off the charge inside an exploding shell. That is how you would get a shell to air burst over the troops, setting a timed fused so it cooks off in the air versus one that would explode upon impact, say for shelling a fort or some other fortified position.

MB

 

[rmptr]

I don't have military experience.
That being said, I read some of the fine points about artillery, here and there...

The largest part of the horrific carnage in 'modern' warfare is created by artillery fire.
Ground troops are used in assaults to protect the artillery, and to conduct mop-up operations.
Tanks, mortars, and smaller field guns are basically artillery, on a smaller scale.
Same with bombers and gunships.

Messy business.