This is the excavated lead weight and wire pin portion of a McEvoy fuse igniter device. Invented by C.A. McEvoy of Richmond, and patented January 7, 1863. Designed for rifled projectiles, which increased the reliability of Confederate shells, which often failed to detonate. Instead of relying on the discharge of the artillery piece to ignite the paper time fuses, McEvoy adapted the principle of the friction primer.

The complete “igniter” consisted of a wood cylinder with a central hole drilled through its length and a lead weight suspended within. This would be seated upon the metal fuse adaptor prior to loading the round into the gun.

The lead weight also had a small hole running its length and was filled with a fulminate compound. A serrated wire ran through the lead and was suspended by a cross pin through the wood cylinder. Upon firing, the set-back force caused the lead piece to be pulled free, igniting the fulminate and in turn the paper time fuse underneath.

This is a “run over” and flattened dug example of the lead slug and looped serrated wire. Lead slug measures approximately 0.75” long.  [jet] [ph:L]

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