The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-09-06
FASTENING CAPS ON FUSE FOR
BLASTING.
rs. F. Mining and Scientific Press !

IL miners generally Will pay careful at
tention to fixing their caps on the fuse
when blasting with high explosives they
will get much better effects from their
blasts than is always the case. Very
few appreciate the Importance of this
point, and it is the object of this article
to explain it.
1t is common custom to secure the
cap on the fuse by pinching the cap.shell
or by biting it between the teeth-a dan
gerous practice, which has resulted in
number of accidents. Other miners
simply push tae cap ON to the end of the
fuse, thinking that as long as it does not
fall Oft the result will be the same. But
such is not the case. The more firmly
the cap is pnched on to the fuse the bet.
ter the decorating effect Of the fulminate
OF mercury in the cap, and the more com.
plete and sudden the decomposition of
the powder. This has been fully proven
by careful experiments.
Some time since a complaint was made
by Eastern purchasers Of caps made here,
that they did not get good results.
Some of the caps did dot go off, and
Others did not do the execution expected.
The local makers were puzzled at this, as
there were no complaints here, and ex.
periments were made to find out the
cause.
1t was found, in the first place, that
Eastern and European fuse was some.
what smaller than that made here. The
caps made to use on California fuse,
therefore fitted loosely on Eastern fuse,
and when the cap was fired, sometimes
even the shell was not broken. In others
the fire would burn down slowly until
heat enough was developed, when the
cap would explode, but with compare
lively small effect. In fact, though pay.
ing for tripple-force cap, they were only
getting the benefit of single.force one.
This led to lot of other experiments
about loose caps on the fuse. They re-
suited in proving that cap not properly
secured to the fuse lost something more
than half its power. They found that ;
double force cap, well secured, would DE-
almost as good work as a triple one. L
is therefore urged upon all users Of sucl
caps to secure the cap well with suitabl,
nippers, of which there are several kind
in the market. The nippers cut tn
fuse, point it so it will go into the shell
easily, and also forcibly nip the uppe
end Of the cap.shell on the fuse, SO ther
can be no escape OF gas. This makes tn
caps waterproof, also. So well is thi
understood by some mining men tina
special people are employed to prepar
caps and fuses for miners. Superintend
ent Patton has boy who does nothin
else at the mines in his charge, and it
found to pay well.
When the fuse is too small, or the ca
is fitted loosely and not squeezed on, tn
cap loses from 80 to 60 per cent. of it
force. The gases escape from the cap Q
shell alongside the fuse. The fulminat
of mercury in the shell requires ''tamI
ing," so to speak, just like nitroglycerin
and other powders, to give its best effec
Anyone can try this by unwrapping or
of the tapes from piece of fuse, whic
reduces the size; then put on the shel
The fuse "spits" and will sometime
blow the cap off without firing it. an
: when it does fire it comparatively sma
effect is given.
One of the experiments to prove tn
was made with a piece of one.sixteen'
, wrought.iron plate. Where q cap VI
, simply pushed on to the fuse loosly az
fred, very little impression was made
the plate. When the cap was pinch'
t tightly onto the fuse, so its contents we
confined, a round hole was blown Gle
through the iron by the cap. Caps al
fuse were, in each instance, of the sar
J make.
It's we'll understood that the mo
: powerful the explosion on the high.gra
r powders to discharge them, the bet'
}. are the results, and it is in the interest
: economy and good work that mini
!. should firmly and tightly secure tn
4 caps on their fuse. There will be teV
mis.ires and better execution in bla
ing,