Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-10
is PREPARED TO
ARM SOLDIERS IN EMERGENCY
Among Notable Postwar Achievements of Ordnance
Department Is Perfection of FIashIess Smokelcss.
Semnoiscless Powder for Night Firing

- iOi !NiSIit l. IL ibS.
! equal sections for ton inch and larg-
"r guns to facilitate handling. and
CD in the cmi-iixed ammunition
used in the los INN howitzcrs. whctc
the propclling agent is contained In
cartridge case which is not as.
s"mbicd to the proJcctilc. but Is Is
sued loaded and scaled with the
powder inside
Approved Standard PropeIIant.
The approved standard propcl!ant
charge for our cannon is Il smoke
less powder OF pure coliOidcd nitro
ccilulosc mixed with "A Stabilizing
element This powder is Inanufac-
tured in cylindrical form. usually
with one or seven travcrs!ng per-
forations. The size Of the grain de-
,crinines the burning speed, which
is regulated by the exposed surface.
Ky increasing the size OF the grain,
for instanrc, the exposed surface per
pound is decreased and the burning
speed regulated accordingly. To
iind suitable powder for "A new
gun, IT IL necessary. therefore. to
try out various sizes OF grain until
tn" required one is found These
test hrings, called the organization
test are usually conducted by the
ordance Department in connection
with tho proof OF the gun and car
riagc.
This n!,roccllulose powder used by
both the army and navy IL a pro-
peliant charge is made. according TO
Or. {. G. Storm, by the Bernadou
process. I'm brief as follows:
'CDttpp fr.nI fr,,,
ard other Impurities By boiling with
dilute alkaline solution, followed
by bleaching. washing. and drying.
is nitrated by immersion in a mix
ture OF nitric and sulphuric acids.
covering u into nitroccIlulose OF the
grHHe Known as pyrocclluloSc or
D@ro. This product Is then freed
from the spent acid first By con-
trliuginS. then by washing and
boiling with water. then puIncd Ia
reduce II 10 very short nbcr.. This
pulp Is further purified By final boil
inEs and washings to remoyc IN.
last trace Of acid and unstable
products. and is then separated from,
ihoSt OF the water ny contributing.
!, Is then put In 1t dchydrating press
biocEcd. and alcohol forced through
we biock. the alcohol displaccss the
"'ler ana the block is lief, with a
sufficient content OF alcohol FOR tho
next process. The blocks are then
broken up. ether is added aud mo
MIXTURE incorporated in II dough
mixer Upon Subsequent co,nprcs-
sion in Il press. this mix,ur. b.cn,pcs
colloid or translucent. gela,Ina-
IKE mass. which IS finally proer.d
through dies In the form Of Inrr
perforated strands and cut by me-
chanical cutters into grains whose
'chE'h is about two AMI onc.hair
times their diameter. These ..rains
are next subjected to "A drying pro-
cess IN IN" first stage OF which ,
large part OF tn" volatile solvent l.
recovered. During the drying rho
colloid hardcns To horn-llkc mose
ana underGocs considerable shrj,k-
age. The dried grains sim retain
n small content OF solvent var,jrr
from about to per cent. depcnd-
INK on tho rrauulation This resi-
dua' so!von, content must hc kcrt
constant by means Of airti;.h, cum
tanners In order TO ensure uniform
baillstic results
Primer Usually Too smniI.
In large guns. the primer usually
- To-" small to satisfactorily ignite
lh' i"rg" powder grains. and its
Hash - augmented hy a charr. &c
black powGcr. called the "i.n,,.r,.
at least Il portion of which i In
Gated at the rear Of the proncI)inr
chirgc just in front Of tho prirncr
vent hole in tho brccch block. I,
has boon found tina; the location az
tn" iGnitcr has much greater snc,t
anon muzzle velocity and pressure
ihan does tie quantity OF the icn!,cr
fnr instance. q number of ics,
made by tho Ordnance Department
nay" demonstrated that bu doubling
the weight Of Tn. icniter in any TYNE
of charge no change Is effected in
velocity "r pressure. ON the other
hand. however. where single section