The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-08
LIKE BLANK SIX-SIDED NUTS.
witnessing the Pressing Of Cannon Powder 10
Make Il Ready for Use

A large number of persons who visited the
scene OF the recent disastrous powder eXplo-
sion ut the Du Pont Powder-mills carried
away with them, as mementoes of the explo-
sion, little sx-sided pieces of black ma
terial which they generally supposed to be
iron or some soft metal. These mementoes
were six-sided, about IA inches long, one
inch in diameter, and were pierced by a
small round hole. They appeared to be
blank six-sided nuts ready to be tapped or
threaded, to make them available on the
bolts Of the mill machinery. They appeared
to be innocent little things, easy TO pilfer
and convenient to carry, AMI served nicely
as mementoes of the great explosion.
In reality these innocent-l looking memen-
toes, says the Washington News, are Jumps
of concentrated explosive energy. They
are prisms or Jumps of prismatlc powder.
The name is doubtless owing to the peculiar
shape given to each piece or block, which is
that of a short heXagonal prism. This form
Is the result of intense pressure TO which
the powder is exposed in its passage through
a powerful hydraulic press. 1t was chOs eu
for the same reason that the honey lee
chooses to make the cells in Its comb bexa-
gon-economy of space; in building cart
ridges for big guns out of this powder the
pieces fit snugly together. The COMPRESSION
has put every possible ounce OF force into
the prism, the small size of the prisms en-
able the gunners accurately to measure the
force of each charge, and the hexaeoDs
pack together without loss of space in the
load chamber of the gun. IN the manu-
facture Of this powder science has learned
to ram the charge OF powder before putting
it into the gun barrel.
The concentration OF power by means OF
the hydraulic press Is SO great that solid
prisms of this powder loaded into gun
would probably burst 1t, and it not would
be wasted by eJectment. from the gun be-
fore it was all burned. The round hole in
the prisms of powder, which makes them
complete duplicate of blank slx-sided iron
nut, is to secure expansion equally in all dl-
rections and to insure thu combustion OF all
explosive.
The machines by which these prisms of
concentrated power are manufactured are
models of compact strong. and accurate
working machinery. One of them now in
course of construction stands about IS feet
high. and will weigh about $4,000 pounds.
1t occupies floor space feet inches by 3
feet inches, Is capable Of exertins a pres
sure OF $4,000 pounds on surface oil about
"a square inches in area, and will make "a
prisms of powder at every stroke OF its plS-
tons.
The most apparent feature Of this press is
its weight and strength, and its surprising
characteristic is ease Of movement aud con-
troll. 1t is composed of two water cylinders
ami two rams. connected by four polished
iron rods about Az inches in diameter,
standing on rectangular foundation. The
cylinders and rams are at opposite ends OF
these rods. The rams work toward each
other centrally with tue rods. Between the
rams are four cast-iron plates 6 inches
thick, 3 feet inches by feet 6 in area,
three of which move with the ram and one
is stationary. This stationary plate Is per-
forated with fifty-four round holes, about
two inches in diameter. that have been par
TALLY filled with brass bushings. Through
these bushngs are the six-sided holes IN
which the powder Is compressed. Working
directly over this plate is a similar one at
taehed to the ram Of the upper cylinder, and
guided by the four polished iron rods which
fit into half-round recess at each OF its
corners. 1t is armed with six sided brass
plungrrs, which in its descent pass into the
siX-sded holes in the stationary plate. Be-
low the stationary plate is another pluDger
plate similar to the upper one, and below
this is the needle plate. The needle plate is
armed on its upper surface with 6fty-four
long steel needles, which extend up through
the lower plunger plate and into the hexagon
holes in the stationary plate. These needles
make the round holes in the prisms OF
powder.
The power Of these presses is generated in
the cylinders simply by pumping water into
them and behind the rams. The cylinders
are IL, II and 10 inches in diameter. The
upper one has two compartments; the ram
filling the lover one and above it is cylin-
der with lifting piston by which the ram
is raised after its downward stroke In COM
pressing the powder. The lower one is
raised by pumping water under it, and is
lowered by letting the water out, which will
be accomplished automatically.
In operation the parts of this press are so
adjusted that the plungers of the upper and
lower plunger plates and the needles APP
proach each other through the movement of
the rams. The holes in the stationary
plate are stopped on the lower side by the
ends of the plungers, and the needles enter
ing through the plungers extend up through
the stationary plate. The h-xagon holes are
then filed with wet powder and the rams
brought together, eXerting pressure of $500
pounds on the powder in each of the holes.
COMPRISING into solid hexagonal prism u
inches long, inch In diameter, with hole
OF about * of an inch in diameter through
II longitudinally.