FIREWORKS GLOSSARY

We use many different types of fireworks in our outdoor displays. In order to give newcomers an idea as to what is meant by some of these terms, we have included the following glossary.

The scientific name for fireworks is pyrotechnics, from the Greek words (Pyro= "fire" and Techni= "art, craft or skill) meaning "fire arts." Fireworks names are surprisingly similar to names of common trees and flowers:

Shell Name/Term		Description of Item		Photo of Item
1.3G (0335)		The UN classification of fireworks packaged for transport that pose a fiery projectile or thermal radiation hazard.
1.4G (0336)		The UN classification of fireworks packaged for transport that pose a limited hazard.
Aerial firework		In general a firework which functions above the immediate area of the ground - i.e. rockets, shells, roman candles and mines.
Aerial shell		A shell designed to function at high altitude. cf. water shell.
Atomic pattern		In a shell burst, usually taken to be three contiguous circles representing the orbits off electrons around a central nucleus (rather than the atomic "hazard" symbol.)
Bag mine		A mine without a rigid case that is fired from a mortar. The advantage of bag mines is their very low debris pattern, although their performance is rarely as good as mines similar mines with a rigid case.
Banger		Usually a complete firework, designed to produce a loud bang, rather than a component of a larger firework (e.g. a mine) - which are better referred to as crackers.
Bare match		Black match without a sleeve, preferred term:- Black match.
Barrage		A combination of several fireworks, most usually Roman candles and/or mines, designed to be fired with a single ignition.
Battery		In fireworks a combination of, say Roman candles, fused together for increased effect and/or duration.
Battle in the clouds		A shell producing a series of salutes after bursting.
Black match		Usually a cotton thread coated with blackpowder, in its raw state. Black match contains within a paper tube is usually referred to as piped match.
Blackpowder		A composition, comprising Potassium Nitrate, Sulphur and Charcoal in the ration 75:15:10 widely used in fireworks manufacture as a propellant and as the basis for compositions containing metal powders. It is considered by most people that blackpowder does not detonate on ignition, but merely burs extremely fast!
Blind shell		A shell that fails to bust, having been successfully launched from its mortar. Potentially very dangerous.
Blinker		An effect of periodic burning giving the effect of a flashing composition or strobe.
Bombette		In essence a mini shell, usually found as a component of a Roman candle, and less often as a component of a mine or even as a sub component of a shell.
Bottom fused		The normal method of fusing of a shell, where the shell delay is ignited by the lifting charge of the shell. Also, for cakes where fusing is at the base of each tube.
Bottom shot		Typically a maroon as the last shot of a multibreak shell.
Bounce		A charge of blackpowder at the base of a gerb - used to give an audible "crack" at the end of the burning of the gerb, and to enhance the effect.
Boxed finale		A rapid firing array, usually of shells, with a single point of ignition. Physically they comprise a number of pre-loaded mortars, very often with titanium salute shells.
Break		A normal shells is referred to as "single break". In a multibreak shell there are many sequential bursts, each a separate entity (cf shell of shells for instance).
Brocade		Long burning star similar to but brighter and shorter burning than a kamuro star.
Burning		Typically an exothermic oxidation/reduction reaction. For fireworks the oxidant is usually a solid oxygen-rich ionic salt such as Potassium Nitrate.
Bursting charge		The internal charge in a shell designed to break the shell at the predetermined time, spreading and igniting the contents of the shell. Bursting charges are typically made of blackpowder (for effects shells) or flash powder (for colour shells).
Butterfly burst		A bust of a cylindrical tube from a central point, thus producing an effect akin to the wings of a butterfly. The term is also used for the more complicated burst pattern of a "butterfly" shell, although in many ways the theory of action is similar.
Cake		Colloquial term for a multishot battery, arising from the outward appearance of many of the smaller items (e.g. 90 shot cakes).
Caliber		In firework terms usually the inside diameter of the firing tube, although strictly the diameter of the projectile.
Candle		Abbreviated term for Roman candle.
Capping		Usually a rolled kraft paper tube or aluminum foil used to connect several fuses together in a spark-proof join.
Case		Typically the tube containing the pyrotechnic composition of the firework.
Category 1 firework		Indoor firework as defined by British standard 7114; part 2
Category 3 firework		Display firework as defined by British standard 7114; part 2
Category 4 firework		Fireworks defined in the British Standard as being not suitable for sale to the general public. Generally, but erroneously, taken to mean larger display fireworks.
Catherine wheel		The traditional name for the generic wheel. The name derives from St. Catherine ...
Celebration cracker		Usually a roll of many hundreds or thousands of individual cracker units designed to be unrolled and hung from a solid object prior to lighting. These items, traditionally part of Chinese New year celebrations are now widespread, however recent legislation has banned their sale in the UK.
Chain fused		A method of fusing several elements, particularly in a finale box or shell sequence.
Charging		Usually the process of filling a tube with composition or units (e.g a gerb or Roman candle)
Cherry bomb		A small powerful banger containing flash powder now banned in the US. The item was usually covered in red paper - hence "cherry".
Chrysanthemum shell		Bursts into a spherical pattern of stars that leave a visible trail, with an effect somewhat suggestive of the flower. Generally explode into a perfect circles. Typical Japanese shell. Cf Peony Shell.
Class B firework		The US categorization for Display fireworks (1.3G).
Class C firework		The US categorization for Consumer fireworks.
Closed circuit		A complete electric circuit, usually in the context of a circuit ready to fire.
Coconut shell		Usually a shell containing large comets (gold, silver or crackle) which produce a typical coconut palm type effect on bursting. Typically the shell will also be fitted with a complementary color rising tail.
Color enhancing agent		Usually a chlorine donor such as PVC or Cerechlor added to a color composition to enhance the intensity of the color. The chlorine forms metal-Cl species in the flame which emit strongly in the visible part of the spectrum. It is thought that potassium chlorate/perchlorate may play a similar, though diminished, role.
Comet		Usually a solid cylinder of composition, manufactured in a mould by hand or by machine. The effect is that of a large star rising (from say a Roman candle). The comet is completely self consuming and thus particularly suitable for sites where debris is a problem.
Composition		The generic and widely used term for all pyrotechnic mixtures. More specifically composition is taken to mean the list of ingredients in a particular pyrotechnic mixture. All compositions contain at least an oxidant and a fuel, together with additional ingredients for color/effect production etc.
Cone		A specialized type of fountain in the shape of a cone. The advantages of a cone are predominantly ease of filling, and the fact that the burning area increases as the fireworks proceeds, thus compensating for the increase in diameter of the choke.
Confinement		The process by which some explosives, e.g. blackpowder, can change from extremely rapid burning to something approaching detonation. For instance, blackpowder confined in a tube will produce a loud report when lit, whilst blackpowder burning loose does not.
Continuity		An electric circuit is said to be continuous when it is complete - thus a continuity check of a circuit is carried out to ensure that the circuit is not open.
Convolute wound tube		A tube wound from a piece of paper the same width as the tube is long. Convolute tubes tend to be stronger than spiral wound tubes, although they are also more expensive to produce.
Cracker		A better term, and less emotive, than banger. Also an assembly of many crackers often referred to as a "Chinese cracker". A novelty cracker, commonly used at Christmas in the UK is another use of the term.
Crackle		A relatively recent effect comprising many small sharp bangs, thrown from a relatively low intensity comet. Chemically, most crackle compositions contain either lead or Bismuth oxides.
Cross match		Typically a piece of thin raw match used to facilitate ignition of a shell's internal time fuse. Generally made by either splitting or punching the time fuse.
Crossette		The American term for a splitting comet.
Crossing stars		Typically a pyrotechnic effect formed by fitting two stars together in a tube with a central bursting charge. Also known as French Splits.
Crown		As in "Crown Chrysanthemum" shell - syn. Kamuro.
Crown chrysanthemum		syn. with Diadem chrysanthemum. Typically a chrysanthemum like shell bursts with longer burning stars that continue to fall to the ground after the normal maximum burst diameter. Very often the stars have a color change at the end of their flight.
Crown wheel		synonymous with Flying saucer.
Cut star		A star, usually in cube form, prepared from a rolled sheet of composition.
Cylinder shell		An aerial shell of typically European manufacture which is cylindrical in form. Very often a "stack" of cylinder shells is combined, with suitable modification, to produce a typical multibreak shell. Cylinder shells are usually "spiked" to produce a harder burst.
Dahlia shell		A spherical shell burst, similar to a peony, but usually with fewer, brighter, stars.
Dark fire		In Roman candle terminology the low light-emitting composition applied to the surface of Roman candle stars acting as a sort of prime. The term has also been applied to the composition applied between colors in color changing stars.
Daylight shell		A shell designed to be fired in daylight and thus incorporating one or more of the following effects:- noise units (crackers, whistles etc.), smoke, magnesium stars.
Delay		Usually a pyrotechnic composition that burns at a predetermined rate and used for timing either within a firework assembly (e.g a Roman candle) of between firework elements (e.g in a shell sequence).
Delay fuse		A pyrotechnic composition designed to give a delay before functioning the next device in the explosive train. The most common use for a delay fuse is to provide a number of seconds for the operator to retire from the device before it functions. Also the internal delay within a shell used to ignite the bursting charge.
Detonating cord		A high powered explosive material encased in a plastic or cloth sleeve that burns by propagation of a detonating shock wave (typically 5000-7000 metres/sec)
Detonation		An exothermic chemical reaction in which the propagating front travels at supersonic speeds and thus an explosion always results.
Detonator		Not to be confused with a firework igniter, or squib, a detonator is used to initiate high explosives. As such, detonators are security attractive items and their possession is controlled in many countries.
Display area		Usually the area in which the rigging of the display takes place (syn. firing area), but more generally the entire area encompassing spectator area, firing area, safety area and fallout area..
Display firework		Usually a large firework intended for use at large public/private displays. In the US it is erroneously synonymous with UN 0335 (1.3G) fireworks.
DOT		Abbreviation for the US Department of Transportation.
DOT classification		The assigning of fireworks by the US DOT into one of three classes.
Draw-out shell		A two break shell in which the first burst is usually color, the second color and report.
Driver		A specialized gerb, usually more powerful than a gerb used on a static set piece, whose primary purpose is in turning a wheel or similar item. In the past turning cases were invariably gold, usually made with neat blackpowder with the addition of charcoal, and produced very few sparks. Modern drivers often include titanium for additional visual effect.
Electric firing		The process of firing a display electrically. Many varied systems have been developed ranging from simple "nail boards" to automatic, computer controlled systems.
Electric igniter		The preferred term for the device used to ignite pyrotechnics electrically.
Electric match		same as Electric igniter, sometimes referred to as e-match.
Electrostatic Sensitivity		The tendency of a composition to ignite (usually accidentally) from the energy supplied by an electric spark.
Explosive		technically - any material that is capable of undergoing a self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reaction at a rate that is sufficient to produce substantial pressures on their surroundings thus causing physical damage. ALL fireworks are classified as explosives.
Fallout area		The area designated for debris to fall at a firework display. Obviously the position and size of the fallout area are critically dependent on the wind direction and strength at the time of the display. Careful planning at the design stage must allow for variations in the fallout area and position.

             

The content of this glossary comes from the site -- http://www.eng.iastate.edu/explorer/topics/pyrotechnics/glossary.htm

More links on Fireworks Glossary:

Pyrotechnics Glossary - More pyrotechnics glossary of frequently used terms.