A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS." A communication from abroad
by Marc Eugène Saplaville and Rodolpho Laligant, both of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1881.
E
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUNDS." A communication from abroad by Marc Eugène Sanlaville and
Rodolphe Laligant, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to the production of a new class of explosive compounds
of such a nature that while they possess much greater power than ordinary gun-
powder or mining powder, and are equal in power to dynamite, they can be
manufactured and handled with perfect safety.
Explosive compounds as heretofore employed for mining and military purposes
may be divided into two classes. First, those consisting of a mixture of simple or
compound bodies that always have a tendency to combine chemically with each
other in being converted more or less completely into a gaseous condition under
development of heat and flame, such as the various descriptions of gunpowder and
mining powders; second, those consisting of a chemical combination, the elements
of which have a constant tendency to become dissociated under development of
gas, such as nitroglycerine. This tendency to combine in the compounds of the
first class and to become dissociated in those of the second class renders both classes
of explosives very dangerous in their manufacture and use.
The new or third class of explosives forming the subject of the present Invention,
which for facility of reference has been termed "asphaline," is characterised by the
fact that the component bodies, whether simple or compound, have when mixed
no tendency such as abovo referred to either to chemically combine with or become
37

page_text: dissociated from each other, it being necessary in order to bring about the one or
the other result to act upon the compound by means of a reagent, that under the
influence of heat shall transform one or more of the component bodies into a
condition in which it is or they are free to operate in the manner of either the first
or the second class of explosives. The reagent in question I will for the sake of
distinction term "calorigene." By means of this neutral property of the "asphaline,"
and by the method of producing the same, the dangers attendant on the manu-
facture of explosives of the first class are avoided, the various manipulations and
mechanical incorporation of the ingredients of that class, which are a constant
source of accidents, being avoided.
The dangers attendant on the production and use of the second class are also
avoided by the fact that the explosive compound is not constituted as such until
the moment when the above mentioned reaction is brought about under the
influence of heat.
Thus, for instance, if there be introduced into a blast hole glycerine together
with certain other bodies containing in their composition nitric acid, it will be
evident that if after tamping the nitric acid be rendered free to combine chemically
with the glycerine in the presence of a high degree of heat, nitroglycerine will be
instantaneously produced and explosion will follow.
The theoretical formulae for such instantaneous formation of nitro-glycerine
A
Берите or potasu or вода
Nitrate of potash or soda
Glycerine
-
together with a second mixture forming the calorigene.
B
3000 parts by weight.
28.60
9-20
Chlorate of potash or soda, or other chlorate 50
Carbonaceous matter
or
{Carbonaceous matter
50
55
45
do.
do.
parts by weight.
do.
do.
do.
It is not necessary that the carbon should be pure. The presence of hydro
carbons, oxygen, and even of nitrogenous matter in small quantity will no
sensibly interfere with the reaction.

page_text: In the practical manufacture of "asphaline" the carbonaceous matter is added
to a solution of the salt or salts employed, and when the absorption is complete the
mixture is partially dried in a stove. The glycerine is then added to the pasty
mass under stirring, and the compound thus obtained is agglomerated and com-
pressed in the form of cartridges, which are enclosed with tarred paper. These
should be coloured in order to distinguish the description of carbonaceous matter
employed. This may be the bran of barley or wheat or other cellulose matter
such as the fibrous tissues of sea weed.
The ignition of these explosives may be effected by means of a "Bickford" fuze
without requiring any fulminating priming. The "asphaline" has the peculiar
property that the nature of its explosion can be greatly varied according to the
nature of the material upon or purpose to which it is to be employed by varying
the quantity of the compound A relatively to the quantity of B employed. The
greater the quantity of A be used, the greater will be the proportion of nitro-
glycerine generated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1881.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. " A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUNDS." A communication from abroad by Marc Eugène Sanlaville and
Rodolphe Laligant, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to the production of a new class of explosive compounds
of such a nature that while they possess much greater power than ordinary gun-
powder or mining powder, and are equal in power to dynamite, they can be
manufactured and handled with perfect safety.
Explosive compounds as heretofore employed for mining and military purposes
may be divided into two classes. First, those consisting of a mixture of simple or
compound bodies that always have a tendency to combine chemically with each
other in being converted more or less completely into a gaseous condition under
development of heat and flame, such as the various descriptions of gunpowder and
mining powders; second, those consisting of a chemical combination, the elements
of which have a constant tendency to become dissociated under development of
gas, such as nitroglycerine. This tendency to combine in the compounds of the
first class and to become dissociated in those of the second class renders both classes
of explosives very dangerous in their manufacture and use.
The new or third class of explosives forming the subject of the present Invention,
which for facility of reference has been termed "asphaline," is characterised by the
fact that the component bodies, whether simple or compound, have when mixed
no tendency such as above referred to either to chemically combine with or
become dissociated from each other, it being necessary in order to bring about the
one or the other result to act upon the compound by means of a reagent that
under the influence of heat shall transform one or more of the component bodies
into a condition in which it is or they are free to operate in the manner of either
the first or the second class of explosives. The reagent in question, I will, for the
sake of distinction, term "calorigene." By means of this neutral property of the
asphaline," and by the method of producing the saine, the dangers attendant on
the manufacture of explosives of the first class are avoided, the various manipula-
tions and mechanical incorporation of the ingredients of that class, which are a
constant source of accidents, being dispensed with.
«
"
The dangers attendant on the production and use of the second class are also
avoided by the fact that the explosive compound is not constituted as such until
the moment when the above mentioned reaction is brought about under the
influence of heat.
Thus, for instance, if there be introduced into a blast hole glycerine, together
with certain other bodies containing in their composition nitric acid, it will be
evident that if after tamping the nitric acid be rendered free to combine chemically
with the glycerine in the presence of a high degree of heat, nitroglycerine will be
instantaneously produced and explosion will follow.
The theoretical formulae for such instantaneous formation of nitroglycerine
would be as follows:―
PRIMARY MIXTURE.
3 (Na ONO³ +Na O₂ (SO³) HO) +Cº H³ O°+(KO CI O³ +3 C)"=
giving as first result

page_text: In like manner may be shown the production of picrate of potash or ammonia,
gun cotton, and the like.
These primary mixtures, as shewn by the formulae, are all perfectly harmless,
giving comparatively little or no deleterious or offensive gases by their combustion,
as the elements for producing oxygen can always be present in any sufficient
quantity for rendering such combustion complete. For practically producing
"asphaline" the mixture of the bodies containing within them the elements for
forming the explosive should be effected as nearly as practicable in accordance with
the chemical equivalents of those elements.
Thus for obtaining nitroglycerine as final product at the moment of explosion
there should be mixed for forming the "asphaline"
It is not necessary that the carbon should be pure. The pressure of hydro-
carbons, oxygen, and even of uitrogeneous matter in small quantity will not
sensibly interfere with the reaction.
In the practical manufacture of "asphaline" the carbonaceous matter is added to
a solution of the salt or salts employed, and when the absorption is complete the
mixture is partially dried in a stove. The glycerine is then added to the pasty
mass under stirring, and the compound thus obtained is agglomerated and com-
pressed in the form of cartridges, which are enclosed with tarred paper. These
should be coloured in order to distinguish the description of carbonaceous matter
employed. This may be the bran of barley or wheat or other cellulose matter,
such as the fibrous tissues of sea-weed.
"
The ignition of these explosives may be effected by means of a Bickford " fuze
without requiring any fulminating priming. The "asphaline" has the peculiar
property that the nature of its explosion can be greatly varied according to the
nature of the material upon or purpose to which it is to be employed by varying
the quantity of the compound A relatively to the quantity of B employed. The
greater the quantity of A be used, the greater will be the proportion of nitro-
glycerino generated.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents,
I claim,―
First. The manufacture of explosive compounds consisting of mixtures of two
substances which are not separately explosive, but such that when the compound
is ignited, matter of one of them by reaction with matter of the other, effects
explosion, substantially as herein described.
Second. The manufacture of "asphaline," or one of the two substances referred
to in the preceding claim, by mixture of bi-sulphate and nitrate of potassa or soda
with glycerine, substantially as herein described.
Third. The manufacture of "calorigeno," the other of the two substances referred

page_text: to in the first claim, by mixture of an alkaline chlorate with carbonaceous matter,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
2
CHAR. D. ABEL.
זמת.
(2.5.)