Part of British artillery?

[Cycluran]

I found a few of these the other day and discarded each one because I was more interested in the large grape-shot scattered about. It was a fun day. When I found the fourth and fifth, though, I took interest. They must have something to do with the artillery rounds that were hitting the ground, but I haven't been able to make a match. Maybe they were packed into a shell? Perhaps they were at the top of a stand of grape for lifting?
I dunno.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Not a piece of any Artillery projectile... including Grapeshot.

Just out of curiosity, what battlefield and time-period?

 

[Cycluran]

Along the Potomac, 1814.

 

[SCDigginWithAK]

Since its along the Potomac, it looks like it would go on a boat and the rope would go through the hole or something like that.

 

[FeS2]

Not saying this is what it is or if it was used in that place and time, but there was such a thing as chain-shot, two cannonballs chained together and fired.

When you fire chain shot from a cannon, the two balls go screaming along like hypertrophic bolas, tearing in half anybody in the way. Talk about shooting keyholes! Vicious weapon though if I were on the receiving end I'd prefer it to grape.

May also have been used in early naval warfare, since if your object is to dismast the enemy ship, you have better odds with chain-shot.

The chain-shot cannonballs would have something like that welded on, and it would tend to break off when it hit a solid target. You should find cannonballs nearby however. Maybe they were already found.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Due to my deep study of pre-1900 artillery ammunition, I have to speak up with a correction. A Chain-Shot's attachment-loop for the chain was NOT welded onto the cast-iron ball. What we now call "welding" was very difficult to do in the Colonial era. So, to manufacture Chain-Shot, the pre-made iron attachment-loop for the chain was simply placed in the cannonball casting mold, and as the mold filled with molten iron, the cannonball's body gets cast around the loop's end. That is far-far simpler than having to laboriously weld the loop onto the ball.

Also, note that the bottom of the iron loops found by Cycluran are straight/flat... which means they would not fit properly onto a curved surface like a cannonball.

Those loops are also not from Grapeshot. The "carrying-handle" for a Stand-of-Grapeshot was a short rope which passed through two holes in the upper plate. For Quilted Grapeshot, the carrying-handle was a rope or a simple iron ring through a hole at the top of the Quilted Grapeshot's central rod.

 

[Cycluran]

I have pulled three 6 pounders from the area, but no marks on them to suggest anything was ever attached.

 

[FeS2]

Since its along the Potomac, it looks like it would go on a boat and the rope would go through the hole or something like that.

Yes. but the opening is the size of a quarter, and much naval rope was much thicker. Cordage, yes, but how was the base of these items secured to the wood of a boat? This is why one thinks of a small chain.

 

[FeS2]

Due to my deep study of pre-1900 artillery ammunition, I have to speak up with a correction. A Chain-Shot's attachent-loop for the chain was NOT welded onto the cast-iron ball. What we now call "welding" was very difficult to do in the Colonial era. So, to manufacture Chain-Shot, the pre-made iron attachment-loop for the chain was simply placed in the cannonball casting mold, and as the mold filled with molten iron, the cannonball's body gets cast around the loop's end. That is far-far simpler than having to laboriously weld the loop onto the ba

Also, note that the bottom of the iron loops found by Cycluran are straight/flat... which means they would not fit properly onto a curved surface like a cannonball.

Those loops are also not from Grapeshot. The "carrying-handle" for a Stand-of-Grapeshot was a short rope which passed through two holes in the upper plate. For Quilted Grapeshot, the carrying-handle was a rope or a simple iron ring through a hole at the top of the Quilted Grapeshot's central rod.

Seems there was more than one method of affixing chain to the cannonballs. Take a look at http://p2.la-img.com/1121/29161/11262952_1_l.jpg Was a loop or end of the chain wedged or soldered into the cannonball? Could these have been such loops? The fact that the base of these eyelets look flat does not mean they were not attached to a round object.

Also, some chain shot consisted of cast half cannonballs with recesses on the flat sides that contained the chain and points of attachment. This allowed the halves to be loaded as a regular cannonball with the chain inside. If eyelets were welded or soldered on, the base of the eyelet would be flat.

What difference does it make what these eyelets were for? Much more interesting and romantic if they were artillery-associated and not attachments for wagon sheets or rigging for a small boat. Besides, there is the problem of how the eyelets were attached to anything.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

As I tried to explain in my prior post, the loop was placed into the cannonball-casting mold, so that the ball "formed" around the base of the loop. It was not welded or soldered onto the ball after the ball was cast.

The balls in the linked photo are absolutely not cannonballs. They are counterweight balls. The rectangular hole in them allows them to be mounted on an iron/steel bar (similar to adding weights onto a barbell).

 

[FeS2]

That photo was part of an auction listing for chainshot. Could the chain ends be placed in the rectangular cavities and then lead poured in?

But I yield to your expertise, CannonballGuy. How about this: http://www.uppercanadahistory.ca/1812/18126pshot.jpg The load of grapeshot on the right is stacked on what may be a metal plate and held in place by what looks like rope or fabric. The upper loop used to carry the load is shown to be fabric. But how was the rope or fabric secured to the flat plate? Was there an eyelet or eyebolt on that plate? If these metal eyes are not the top loop as Cycluran says, can they be the bottom ones that are not visible on the drawing?

 

[BosnMate]

As I tried to explain in my prior post, the loop was placed into the cannonball-casting mold, so that the ball "formed" around the base of the loop. It was not welded or soldered onto the ball after the ball was cast.

The balls in the linked photo are absolutely not cannonballs. They are counterweight balls. The rectangular hole in them allows them to be mounted on an iron/steel bar (similar to adding weights onto a barbell).

The swivel in the chain makes me think that is a bit of trace chain laying between them, although between the swivel and the bottom ring is usually 9 links, someone could have cut it off shorter. The mold marks on the ball rules them out for cannon shot also. The eyelets wouldn't necessarily be used for tying the boat up, or even attached to a sail. They could have been for the head stay or the back stay, or the shroud (side stay) to hold the mast on a small boat. If they were used in conjunction with raising the sail, the line wouldn't pass through the hole, the block and tackle would attach to that eye. Also the sail boom has a small block and tackle used to adjust the sail back and forth, and that's for a boat with just one sail. Gets more complicated if you want to go on. Anyhow, on a boat, the line wouldn't pass through the eye, something would attach to it.

 

[BosnMate]

I found a picture of the counter weights being used like CBG was talking about. One use was on sheet metal bending machines. On modern machines they seem to be elongated, but when I was a kid all of them I saw were round. One needs to be careful when buying anything at auction. In this case the auction was either outright lying, or didn't know and were just guessing.
As noted by CBG, these are counter weights that were used on something like this sheet metal bender.