Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-03-08
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY OF HIGH
81 ~ EXPLOSIONS.
The Explosives Now In Use AID Their
Method Of Action-FreAk OF Elec-
trlcity-To Make Cotton Cloth Wn-
4 terproof-Electrlcal EtchinEs.

| In recent action IN England brought
by Nobel. the discoversr Of the cxplo-
sive known by his name. against the
manufacturer of eoSlitc. which has
been adopted for the English army,
for infringement of patent, the counsel
for the plaintiff went into an elaborate
history of the explosives now In use
and their method of action. He point
ed out that when carbon united with
oxygen it's volume was multiplied some
thing like 5000 times, and 1t would
generate heat which would multiply
pressure of gas about thirty to forty
times: so the sudden result was gas
which, at atmospheric pressure, would
occupy about 10000 times its space
This was in a moment freed to act
on the sides Of the combining chamber,
and the force exercised by such Il pres
sure was called an explosive action.
Explosion. therefore, was nothing more
than rapid combustion. Gunpowder
had been used many years, but other
explosives of different types had been
invented, and the word rapid" in con-
nection with the combustion of the in
gradients ceased to be a sufficient word.
Explosives were divided into two great
classes. One class developed the whole
of its combustion with the greatest
rapidity, setting free the gases instan-
taneously, raising the pressure on the
walls of its combining chamber to the
fullest extent. and thus making avail
able the whole of its rending power.
This applied more particularly to blast
ing for engineering purposes; but for
propulsion q different action was re-
quired. In propulsion the aim was
to avoid bursting the gun or combining
chamber. and to utilize the pressure
given by the explosion to impart vel
ocity to the shot. Here what was
wanted was as low pressure rs was
consistent to the attaining of the end.
The greatest velocity was attained from
low pressure explosives. as it took to
develop it's full effects the whole time
the ball was getting out of the barrel.
Nitro-glycerine was modern explosive.
Combustion took place through the
whole mass in one forty thOusandth
about one four-hundredth part of a
SCSOAu " LONC l11C UOlC, 81 ludl
if nitro-glycerine were used as an ex-
Dlosive in q rifle the combustion would
take place 100 times more rapidly, the
effect would be the same as if the bull
let were solid part of the barrel, and
the rifle would burst without giving
velocity to the shot. Thus. tn. re We're
two great classes Of explosives, marked
broadly by the rapidity IF ,mbus,itn n,
intensity Of pressure. and the gradual
character of combustion and modera-
ton of pressure. Gun cotton superse-
dcd itro-glycerine; but owing 20 the
dangerous nature. was almost discard
ed until Sir Frederick Abel dis o- cred
that it could be used wet without ap-
parent difference in It's decorating pow
or. and it has now taken Its place
both for war and blasting purposes as
a fairly safe explosive. Up to 1888
nitro-glycerin,e and .-itro-cellulose were
two Of the most violent explosives
known. Before then no one conceived
that they could be ad yantageously COM
bined, but at that date Nobel took out
his patent, protecting method of mix
ing the two explosives, and pre- ducing q
horny, or semi-horny substance that
could be manufactured in a granular
form. 1t was suitable for use as a
propeller or a protector. 1t is this pat
ent that is said to have been infringed
by the manufacture of cord tie.