Brilliant Minds Neded: a Multi Barrel Illustration of 1511

[Jim McDougall]

I did see one of those episodes Rick....the one with the wagon type thing with slashing knife blades on the wheels etc. It was kind of a forerunner of the thrashing machines used by farmers (P.D. =pre John Deere).
It was completely fascinating, but like this, the thought of being around that thing in real life gave me the creeps.

Good note Fearn on the 'cannons of enlightenment' !

Good observations by Stu and Fernando on the possibilities here, and frankly, very 'enlightening' to me as the whole concept of this thing as an actual working device was frightening, if not perplexing. I am no inventor, nor engineer, and trust me, trying to keep up with the complexities of this huge rolling bookmobile I am in is well enought of a challenge!

The idea of 'preloaded' barrels does seem sound, and much in the same manner that charges were encapsulated, eventually becoming cartridges, this concept does seem somewhat well placed. Just to spin the unit around for ignition and reloading.

All best regards,
Jim

[Matchlock]

Excellent contributions, guys!

Thank you so far!

Fearn, I especially like the 'cannons of enlightenment'!

Now here are more illustrations from the same book, some curious and others either way ahead of their age or somewhat bewildering.

Have fun,
Michael

[Matchlock]

More 'riddles'.

[Matchlock]

That's it.

[Pukka Bundook]

Hello Michael.

Brilliant minds needed,...and you include My name? This prooves I have you fooled!!

It is interesting this contrivance is viewed from above, or in other words, the only safe position anywhere close to it.
It could make a one-off land-mine so to speak, but is a bit complex for that!

To me, it appears to be the sort of thing a school-boy would doodle in the border of his excersise book, when his teacher was proving to be unusually boring..............I had many such fantastic devices in my books!...Stemming not from any brilliance of mind, but more from the mind being closed down, and the hand still 'running'!
That is about all I can say.

With very best wishes,

Richard.

[Pukka Bundook]

Michael,

Your other posts came up whilst I was answering the earlier one. I was not ignoring these later posts, and will be back later!...must go..

R.

[fernando]

Fantabulous pictures, Michael.
I love this one; very real .
Fernando

.

[Jeff D]

Wasn't there a major European outbreak of ergotism in the early 16th century?

Jeff

[Emanuel]

Aha! Now we know where Salvador Dali got his inspiration from. He ripped off 16th century woodcuts

It does seem like all of these illustrations make some sort of commentary on the times. The jester with the pointed nose is a lier, has a sharp tongue and pointed/sharp wit. He is set up like a siege engine on wheels, so perhaps it refers to tactics of winning sieges through wit, lies, and good oratory skills.

The other siege engines look like experimentations with rams, lances, guns and maybe even a draw-bridge.

The tower and the metronome-like contraption seem to demonstrate some sort of awe or apprehension with machinery and mechanical contraptions. The tower with the connected wheels doesn't seem to do anything, unless it is a signal tower of sorts. The soldier pulling on the rope appears to have a meaningless job...perhaps a comentary on the obsolescence of human labour in the face of mechanization? By that time water and wind mills were already used to drive many industrial/craft processes - milling, blacksmithing, carpentry...

Further down there is a tower with three sets of wheels in a triangular arrangement, connected by gear to a wind turbine...wind-power locomotion anyone?

Just some thoughts...thanks Michael for posting these facinating illustrations.

Emanuel

[Emanuel]

Wow! Michael, the last couple of pictures in the series show what looks like water tanks for breathing underwater. Looks like extended containers with straps to tie around one's body/shoulders, with a hose to breath through. The things are shown underwater, so perhaps we're looking at the first designs for scuba-diving equipment. There are two pictures that actually show men underwater - one is holding a breathing apparatus that even has rope straps to tie around the head...he looks like he's wearing a full suit - we can see the colar around his neck. His groin doesn't look big for erotic purposes, but because this is what it would look like under a tight-fitting suit. The underwater soldier with a mace has a helmet, also looks like a full breathing apparatus...looks like he's fighting sea monsters and fish-men.

Keeping with the water theme, there are two picture of water pumps for irrigation purposes...no obvious mechanics involved, everything is hidden, pretty much like in a motor housing...interesting stuff! No schoolboy doodles here I don't think, these are brilliant for their time.


Regards,
Emanuel

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Manolo

Aha! Now we know where Salvador Dali got his inspiration from. He ripped off 16th century woodcuts

It does seem like all of these illustrations make some sort of commentary on the times. The jester with the pointed nose is a lier, has a sharp tongue and pointed/sharp wit. He is set up like a siege engine on wheels, so perhaps it refers to tactics of winning sieges through wit, lies, and good oratory skills.

The other siege engines look like experimentations with rams, lances, guns and maybe even a draw-bridge.

The tower and the metronome-like contraption seem to demonstrate some sort of awe or apprehension with machinery and mechanical contraptions. The tower with the connected wheels doesn't seem to do anything, unless it is a signal tower of sorts. The soldier pulling on the rope appears to have a meaningless job...perhaps a comentary on the obsolescence of human labour in the face of mechanization? By that time water and wind mills were already used to drive many industrial/craft processes - milling, blacksmithing, carpentry...

Further down there is a tower with three sets of wheels in a triangular arrangement, connected by gear to a wind turbine...wind-power locomotion anyone?

Just some thoughts...thanks Michael for posting these facinating illustrations.

Emanuel

Hi Emanuel,

In my eyes, your observations and conclusions are stunningly well on the topic. Your technical gift and discerning wit are a bit beyond my limited horizon, I have to admit!

Many thanks for those great comments on that indeed fascinating subject!

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Hello Michael.

Brilliant minds needed,...and you include My name? This prooves I have you fooled!!

It is interesting this contrivance is viewed from above, or in other words, the only safe position anywhere close to it.
It could make a one-off land-mine so to speak, but is a bit complex for that!

To me, it appears to be the sort of thing a school-boy would doodle in the border of his excersise book, when his teacher was proving to be unusually boring..............I had many such fantastic devices in my books!...Stemming not from any brilliance of mind, but more from the mind being closed down, and the hand still 'running'!
That is about all I can say.

With very best wishes,

Richard.

Hello Richard,

Though mostly on your side with all your profound thoughts and notes, in this case (a school-boy doodling around in ... his exercise book) I feel that Emanuel's explanation is more intriguing: the outcome is just far too brilliant in its basic understanding of technical features as well as in the wide range of its devices to possibly stem from a doodling simple mind.

Best,
Michael