YARGHU: A multi-spindle cannon cleaner

Fatullah Shiraji Engineer and Inventor of Emporer Akbar's Court devised this portable cannon cleaner for cleaning sixteen barrels at a time employing a single Bullock.

It is a huge eight-legged installation probably made of iron approximately 8ft. high. The octagonal frame, nearly 20ft. corner to corner is mounted on top of the frame. The central vertical shaft or axle is fitted on two large fixed bearings at the top and the bottom and carry a huge toothed wheel just below the top bearing. On the periphery of the top bearing there are light sockets which face eight others fixed in the corners of the octagonal frame and the brushes are placed between them.

The detachable brush rods are composite structures consisting of a central pinion and two brush rods of equal length. Barrels for cleaning could be slid over the brush rods from both sides and the assembly thus made, could be lifted on the octagonal frame in position so that the pinions rest in mesh with the central large gear wheel. A bullock rotating the central shaft and in turn the eight pinions on top, could clean 16 barrels at a time.

Currently this is displayed at National Science Centre, New Delhi




Information Courtesy: Object Label at National Science Centre, New Delhi

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