| Wiki: | A tamper is a device used to compact or flatten an aggregate or other powdered or granular material, typically to make it resistant to further compression or simply to increase density. Some examples are small, handheld tampers to compress ground coffee into a puck in the preparation of espresso, manual or powered tampers to compact gravel in the preparation of laying a concrete or brick patio or walkway so that the underlying gravel layer does not settle over time, and self-propelled, mechanised ballast tampers, which compact the ballast underneath rail tracks. Preparation of some firearms and artillery pieces for firing may involve tamping the charge (explosive material, projectile, and so on) into the barrel. |
