IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS AND BLASTING CARTRIDGES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lucius Trant O'Shea, of Aughton, near Ormskirk, in the
County of Lancaster, and Charles Taylor Brooks, of Liverpool, also in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS AND BLASTING CARTRIDGES."
Sealed the 20th April 1880, and dated the 29th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lucius Trant O'Shea and
Charles Taylor Brooks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
20th October 1879.
LUCIUS TRANT O'SHEA, of Aughton, near Ormskirk, in the County of Lancaster,
and CHARLES TAYLOR BROOKS, of Liverpool, also in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COM-
POUNDS AND BLASTING CARTRIDGES,”
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of explosive
compounds in which gun cotton or nitro-cellulose is used as the base of the explosive
compound.
Heretofore gun cotton or nitro-cellulose has been used as a base incorporated
with a nitrate, the nitrate used being made from carbonate of baryta.
According to the Specification of Letters Patent No. 3612, A.D. 1874, there is
claimed the combination of nitrate of baryta with gun cotton, substantially as
therein described; and in accordance with the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 2742, A.D. 1876, there is claimed the incorporation of nitro-cellulose with
nitrate of baryta, but prior to the before mentioned Letters Patent gun cotton and
nitro-cellulose were known articles of commerce.
The object of our Invention is,-
First. To provide a substitute for nitrate of baryta.
Second. To provide a carrier being the addition of a non explosive to explosive
compounds, as herein described.
Third. The construction of the cartridge so as to be hermetically sealed and easily
attachable to the detonator and fuse.
Our Invention consists,―
Firstly. In the use of nitrate of lead and the substitution of nitrate of lead for
nitrate of baryta, the explosive compound being manufactured thus :-Fifty per

page_text: cent. of gun cotton or nitro-cellulose and fifty per cent. of nitrate of lead, incorporated
together either in a dry or wet state.
Second. As a carrier of an explosive compound manufactured as above we use
silicate cotton, the combination being thus:-Forty seven and a half per cent. of
gun cotton or nitro-cellulose, forty seven and a half per cent. of nitrate of lead, and
five per cent. silicate cotton, incorporated together in a dry or wet state.
Third. In manufacturing blasting cartridges as heretofore practised we press the
compound into suitable forms of cylindrical or other shape, the cartridge case being
formed of paper, the cartridge having a suitable indentation or perforation for the
insertion of the detonator and fuse. In lieu of using wire as an attachment for the
detonator and fuse we provide the provide the cartridge with a metal cover pro-
vided with a nipple which comes over the perforation or indentation provided for
the detonator. The cartridge is dipped into and covered with a waterproof compound
or material and is thus hermetically sealed, the metal cap or capsule excluding
moisture, dirt, and sparks, and adding to the safety of the cartridge during carriage.
In operation the upper portion of the nipple of the metal cap or capsule is cut
away and the detonator and fuse inserted, and the metal is squeezed round the
fuse so as to hold it in position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lucius Trant O'Shea and Charles Taylor Brooks in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th April 1880.
LUCIUS TRANT O'SHEA, of Aughton, near Ormskirk, in the County of Lancaster,
and CHARLES TAYLOR BROOKS, of Liverpool, also in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COM-
POUNDS AND BLASTING CARTRIDGES."
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of explosive
compounds in which gun cotton or nitro cellulose is used as the base of the explosive
compound.
Heretofore gun cotton or nitro cellulose has been used as a base incorporated
with a nitrate, the nitrate used being made from carbonate of baryta.
According to the Specification of Letters Patent No. 3612, A.D. 1874, there is
claimed the combination of nitrate of baryta with gun cotton substantially as
therein described; and in accordance with the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 2742, A.D. 1876, there is claimed the incorporation of nitro cellulose with
nitrate of baryta, but prior to the before mentioned Letters Patent gun cotton or
nitro cellulose were known articles of commerce.
The object of our Invention is,-
First. To provide a substitute for nitrate of baryta.
Second. The construction of the cartridge so as to be hermetically sealed and
easily attachable to the detonator and fuse.
Our Invention consists,-
Firstly. In the use of nitrate of lead and the substitution of nitrate of lead for
nitrate of baryta, the explosive compound being manufactured thus:-Fifty per
cent. of gun cotton or nitro cellulose and fifty per cent. of nitrate of lead, incorporated
together either in a dry or wet state. We do not bind ourselves to these pro-
portions but prefer them.
Secondly. In manufacturing blasting cartridges as heretofore practised we press
the compound into suitable forms of cylindrical or other shape. The cartridge may
or may not be covered with paper, cloth, or other suitable material, the cartridge
having a suitable indentation or perforation for the insertion of the detonator and
fuge. In lieu of using wire as an attachment for the detonator and fuse we provide
the cartridge with a metal or alloy cover provided with a nipple which comes over
the perforation or indentation provided for the detonator. The cartridge is dipped
into and covered with a waterproof compound or material and is thus hermetically
sealed, the cap or capsule excluding moisture, dirt, and sparks, and adding to the
safety of the cartridge during carriage.
In operation the upper portion of the nipple of the metal or alloy cap or capsule
is cut away and the detonator and fuse inserted, and the metal or alloy is squeezed
round the fuze so as to hold it in position.
In the Drawings hereto attached,-
-
Figure 1 is an outside elevation of a blasting cartridge constructed according to
this Invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation.
Figure 3, a plan of the cartridge.
A is the cartridge, which is pressed into a cylindrical form, as shown; B is a
cover of paper, cloth, or other suitable material; C, the hole or indentation in the
cartridge A for the insertion of the detonator and fuze; D is a metal or alloy cap
which is provided with a nipple E. The cap or cover is placed over the cartridge A,
as shown, with the nipple E over the hole C. To insert the detonator and fuze the
upper portion of the nipple E is cut away and the detonator is inserted into the

page_text: hole C, after which the metal of the nipple E is squeezed round the faze to hold it
in position.
What we claim as our Invention is,―
First. The use and application in the manufacture of explosive compounds and
blasting cartridges of nitrate of lead, and the substitution in such manufacture of
nitrate of lead for nitrate of baryta, substantially as described.
Second. Constructing blasting cartridges such as are herein described and
illustrated with a metal cap such as D, having a nipple such as E, as described and
illustrated, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Lucius Trant O'Shea and Charles Taylor
Brooks, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty third day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty."