The Labor enquirer., 1885-03-07

Citdt Act0ts 70 Accc luOl0 " oxptUo1UA 141a
common gun powder,
Commercial glycerine is an amber or
brownish colored oil or syrup, the color do
pendent upon the small amount Of carbona-
tion fumes, or carbonized matter In II. It
has sweetish taste, somewhat similar to
glucose and a slightly burnt taste., It is
lnitrized by means of nitric acid. with an
admixture of sulphuric acid to Intensity the
action Of the nitric.
Take an iron or glass vessel and suspend 1t
in tub, vat or circulating bath, or in pack
OF Ice to reduce the temperature which rises
as the glycerine is added. Take sulphuric
acid at 66 degrees gravity, or as near that
gravity as can be procured IL there Is q
choice of samples give the preference to the
one containing the most nitre. This can be
tested as follows: Place the various samples
in test tubes, and pour slowly upon the top
of each about 1-S Of an inch of a solution OF
sulphate Of iron. The sample containing the
most nitre will almost Immediately show
black line at the junctlun of the liquids, and
shortly afterward it will begin to assume
reddish color, and il much nitre existit will
all get the color of raspberry syrup, some
times giving off nitrous fumes rea,iily dis
tinguished both by SMELL and color,
\ To the sulphuricsacid add nitric acid Of as
near 80 degrees gravity as can be- procured.
Should there be chlorine or hydro-chlorine
acid as impurities in the nitre, it Is not very
Objectionable, and no test for such mpurity
is necessary. The proportions Of the mixed
acids are somewhat different with different
manufacturers of nitro-glycerine, but the va
ration is slight, depending upon difference
in grayities of acids and methods OF manu-
facture, lie pots, stirrers, etc. But the best
practical proportion, all things considered, Is
to one part OF nitric acid, one and 77-100 sui
.phuric acid, And of this mixed acid nine
and 1,6 pounds to one pound OF glycerine
ought to produce two pounds Of nitro glyc-
crime.
The mixed acid should be put in the iron
pot or glass vessel and q stirrer Continuous
= - eana13;s nr1n1lf
as to make downward current In the center
leaving it torise again at the sides, thus maxi
ing complete circulation Of the acid, and
presenting as much surface, OF acid to the
glycefine as possible. The glycerine in q
vessel of any character which has faucit, is
slowly dripped into the acid somewhere with
in the range Of the stirrer. The introduc-
tion of the glycerine will raise the tempera-
ture of the acid and small laboratory ther-
mometer should be suspended with the bulb
in the pot. The temperature should never be
allowed to get higher than 80 degrees Fab
renheit, and II with ice or cold water circu-
lating outside the pot the temperature can be
kept below 70 or so degrees you will get an
increased yield Of nitro-glycerine and bet
ter sample.
After all the glycerine has been run into
the pot continue the stirring until by the
rapid fall in the temperature you are told
that the chemical change is coming to or has
already arrived at stand-still, whenz the
whole contents of the pot can be poured most
carefully iuto tub Of water Of about ten
times its bulk. In order to drowpor weaken
the acid it is best to stir it soms which will
prevent the acid of heavier gravity from set i.
,tling to the bottom and nof becoming weak
ened.
After the tub has settled draw off from the
bottom the nitro-glyeerine. 1t is best to give
the tub sloping bottom towards the draw
off cock. To further destroy and neutralize
the remaining acid it is the custom to give
it two or three baths in a solution Of salsoda
or some convenient alkalie The result is
nitro-gi iycerine.
There is small danger of an explosion OF
njtro-g glYcerine from ire, as it simply burns
with fierce Kissing fame, but turning
fork in vibration will set it off, or a blow Of
80 pounds and sometimes less, especially If it
is iron to iron. TIE simple rubbing Of the
edges Of two irons will often explode 1t, or
heavy, sharp jar. Itis best to handle 1t in
wooden vessels or paper buckets, and to ex-
clude all metals from where the compound Is !
as much as possible.
Nitro-glycerine powder, giant powder,
dynamite, etc, are compounds OF nitroglycer-
inc and some absorbents, sometimes only In
ert absorbents, aud in high grade powders
active absorbents, or those that under the
Immense pressure Of the explosion Of the
.nitro-glycerine become themselves expl0s-
ives and give results as great as their total
of gross weight nitro-gl glycerine, and in some
exceptional compounds greater. The absorb
ents most in use are wood-pnlp and starch,
wood pulp and kale magnesia, wood-pulp and
chl6rate of pottass and an unending variety.
You can take wood-pulp with about ten or
fifteen per cent of starch, to which is added
kinthe mixing tub or trough, from ten to thirty
percent of nitre, very dry and ground fine, or
saltpetre. Tothis is added from twenty to
eighty per cehtof nitro-glycerine, according
to the power you wish to give your explosive.
Seventy to seyentSf9e per cent is about as
higha percentage Of ofhitrog glycerine as is prac-
ticable, and fifty per cent about as low as
should begone for high explosive
AlIthe percentages mentioned of acid, etc.,,
are by weight not bulk.
DYNAMITE.
The manufacture of dynamite, which was
invented ten years ago, Is now an Important
Industry in Great Britain, where q large
amount of capital is invested In it.s The three
dynamite, valued at 81 900, 900 But there are
dynamite factories also in Germany, France,
Italyia Spaen and the largest in the world
is the German Rhenish company, with an
OF dynamite, which sells at from s709 to $500 b
ton, is exported from Europe to the United +
States; the trade (says Bradstreet's Is In liz
infancy, and in course OF time 1t may b0