An air vortex cannon is a toy that releases doughnut-shaped air vortices — similar to smoke rings but larger, stronger and invisible. The vortices are able to ruffle hair, disturb papers or blow out candles after travelling several metres. The design consists of a short and broad

barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, ...

with a slight taper, closed by a flexible

diaphragm Diaphragm may refer to: Anatomy * Thoracic diaphragm, a thin sheet of muscle between the thorax and the abdomen * Pelvic diaphragm or pelvic floor, a pelvic structure * Urogenital diaphragm or triangular ligament, a pelvic structure Other * Diap ...

at the larger end. The diaphragm is internally attached to the barrel by

elastic Elastic is a word often used to describe or identify certain types of elastomer, elastic used in garments or stretchable fabrics. Elastic may also refer to: Alternative name * Rubber band, ring-shaped band of rubber used to hold objects togethe ...

strips. The cannon is "armed" by pulling the diaphragm out, distending the elastic bands, and is "fired" by releasing the diaphragm. The diaphragm quickly pushes a quantity of air out of the open end, creating a vortex ring. An air vortex cannon can be made easily at home,How to Make Vortex Cannons- Instructables
/ref> from just a cardboard box.The Vortex Cannon - Student Science
at YouTube. Accessed February 2013. A toy commercial version, with a barrel wide and useful range of is sold under the name Air bazooka or Airzooka. Air cannons are used in some

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

s such as

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

to spook or surprise visitors. PictureOfVortexTakenViaLaserSheet

The

Wham-O Wham-O Inc. is an American toy company based in Carson, California, United States. It is known for creating and marketing many popular toys for nearly 70 years, including the Hula hoop, Frisbee, Slip 'N Slide, Super Ball, Trac-Ball, Silly S ...

Air Blaster toy introduced in 1965 could blow out a candle at . The commercial Airzooka was developed by

Brian S. Jordan Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word ...

who claims to have conceived it when still a boy. A feature of the Airzooka is a loose non-elastic polythene membrane, tensioned by a

bungee cord Bungee cords equipped with metal hooks A bungee cord (sometimes spelled bungle; also known as a shock cord) is an elastic cord composed of one or more elastic strands forming a core, usually covered in a woven cotton or polypropylene sheath. The ...

, rather than elastic membranes. This allows a much greater volume of air to be displaced. A large air vortex cannon, with a wide barrel and a displacement volume of was built in March 2008 at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

, and was able to blow out candles at . In 2012 a large air vortex cannon was built for

Czech television Czech Television ( cs, Česká televize, italics=no ; abbreviation: ČT) is a public television broadcaster in the Czech Republic, broadcasting seven channels. Established after the Velvet Revolution in 1992, it is the successor to Czechoslov ...

show ''Zázraky přírody'' (English: ''Wonders of Nature''). It was capable of bringing down a wall of cardboard boxes from in what was claimed to be a world record.Zázraky Přírody - Air Vortex Cannon
at Youtube. Accessed 7 Sep 2013

References

External links

Home made vortex cannon
using a cardboard box and a smoke machine from The

URN An urn is a vase, often with a cover, with a typically narrowed neck above a rounded body and a footed pedestal. Describing a vessel as an "urn", as opposed to a vase or other terms, generally reflects its use rather than any particular shape or ...

Science Show. {{Commons category, Air vortex ring toy Toy weapons Vortices

See also

References

External links