Two passavolanti, a two-tube machine and a double pump
Mount joining two fragments of Leonardo's mechanical and gunnery sketches
This mount joins two paper fragments crowded with pen sketches in Leonardo's hand. Captions identify a comparison of two matched passavolanti (long light cannon), a two-tube machine whose front face is to be reinforced with ebony from the Po so that its bore stays sealed, and a double pump serving a well. Around these are further mechanical sketches, including a radial star-hub, folding triangular frameworks and small mechanisms, together with passages of mirror script the source did not transcribe.
On this page
Two matched passavolanti compared
A caption proposes a test to show the advantage of two matched passavolanti, a type of long light cannon. Above it are pen sketches of paired gun-like devices set on stands.
Two-tube machine reinforced with ebony (a, b)
The note describes a two-tube machine whose front face is to be doubled with ebony from the Po, a wood that neither burns nor rots, so that the bore is the better plugged. Tube b is to sit much lower than tube a so that it empties. The tubes are labelled a and b.
Double pump serving a well
A double pump is noted with the figure 3000 and the word well (pozzo), indicating a pumping arrangement that draws from or feeds a well.
Further mechanical sketches and mirror-script notes
The two mounted fragments carry additional pen sketches the transcription does not cover, including a radial star-hub wheel, folding triangular frameworks and small mechanisms, along with lines of Leonardo's mirror script that remain untranscribed.