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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
604
Pistons.--These
are
appliances
for
working
pieces
of
mechanical
apparatus--as,
for
example,
the
Watch
Target,
the
Card
Star,
the
Demon’s
Head,
etc.,
etc.
A
piston
(see
Figs.
277,
278)
consists
of
a
brass
tube
a,
about
five
inches
in
length
by
five-eighths
of
an
inch
in
diameter,
with
a
collar
at
one
end
pierced
with
screw-holes
for
affixing
it
to
the
under
surface
of
the
table.
Within
this
tube
works
a
wire
rod,
b,
three-sixteenths
of
an
inch
thick,
and
terminating
in
a
small
round
disc
of
brass
c,
just
large
enough
to
work
freely
up
and
down
the
tube.
A
spiral
spring,
also
of
brass,
keeps
the
rod
down,
unless
when
forced
upwards
by
pulling
a
piece
of
whipcord,
which
is
attached
to
the
disc
c,
and
thence
passes
up
the
tube,
and
over
a
small
pulley
d,
which
is
soldered
to
the
collar
already
mentioned.
When
this
cord
is
pulled,
b
is
forced
to
rise,
which
it
does
to
the
extent
of
about
two
inches
above
the
surface
of
the
table
(see
Fig.
278),
again
sinking
under
the
pressure
of
the
spring,
as
soon
as
the
pull
is
relaxed.
Each
piston
is
screwed
to
the
under
surface
of
the
top
of
the
table,
in
which
a
small
hole
is
bored,
in
order
to
allow
of
the
upward
passage
of
the
piston
rod.
Where
complicated
mechanical
pieces
have
to
be
worked,
three,
four,
or
more
of
these
pistons
are
placed
side
by
side.
The
cords
are
carried
behind
the
scenes,
either
directly
from
the
back
of
the
table,
or
down
grooves
in
the
legs,
and
through
holes
in
the
stage
to
the
hiding-place
of
the
assistant.
Where
a
single
piston
only
is
required,
it
may
be
made
to
work
in
the
central
pillar
of
a
light
guéridon,
or
fancy
table,
such
as
shown
in
Fig.
279,
the
lightness
and
simplicity
of
the
table,
and
the
thinness
of
its
top,
apparently
precluding
all
possibility
of
the
presence
of
concealed
mechanism.
The
cord
may
be
made
to
pass
down
the
centre
pillar,
so
as
to
be
quite
invisible
to
the
audience.
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