IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUSES FOR BLASTING AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick James, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUSES FOR BLASTING AND OTHER PURPOSES,
AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick James
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd August 1871.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK JAMES, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUSES FOR BLASTING AND
OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
to be as follows:-
In manufacturing my improved fuses I make use of a machine similar
to the ordinary circular braiding machine used in making tubular braid.
To this braiding machine I apply a hollow central spindle, above which
is a self-acting feed apparatus for supplying the gunpowder to the
interior of the braid which forms the cover of the fuse.

page_text: The feed apparatus consists of a funnel with a long spout, the lower
end of which enters into the hollow central spindle, and, when necessary,
of one or more yarns passing through the funnel to carry the gunpowder
into the centre of the fuse.
In manufacturing my improved fuses it is necessary to draw the work
down the hollow central spindle instead of drawing it off upwards as in
ordinary braiding machines.
The cover of the fuse is made of cotton, hemp, jute, or other fibrous
material, and it is sometimes desirable to convey four or other suitable
number of strands or yarns into the centre of the fuse to increase its 1
strength and bulk.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Frederick James in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FREDERICK JAMES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth-
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Frederick James, Her special licence
that I, the said George Frederick James, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Frederick James, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS'
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUSES FOR BLASTING AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Frederick James, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was

page_text: to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next aud immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Frederick James, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what mauner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say):—
In manufacturing my improved fuses I make use of a machine similar
to the ordinary circular braiding machine used in making tubular braid.
To this braiding machine I apply a hollow central spindle, above which
is a self-acting feed apparatus for supplying the gunpowder or other
explosive compound to the interior of the braid which forms the cover of
the fuse.
The feed apparatus consists of a funnel or hopper with a long spout,
the lower end of which enters into the hollow central spindle, and when
necessary of one or more yarns passing through the funnel to carry the
gunpowder or other explosive compound into the centre of the fuse.
In manufacturing my improved fuses it is necessary to draw the work
down the hollow central spindle instead of drawing it off upwards, as in
ordinary braiding machines.
The cover of the fuse is made of cotton, hemp, jute, or other fibrous
materials and it is sometimes desirable to convey four or other suitable
number of strands or yarns into the centre of the fuse to increase its
strength and bulk.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings.
Figs. 1 and 2 are a front and side elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of an
ordinary circular braiding machine to which the requisite machinery or
apparatus is applied for manufacturing fuses according to my Invention.
In these views a, a, is the usual framing; b, b, the upright shafts con-
nected by the spur pinions b¹; c, c, are the spindles with the bobbins d, d,
the yarns from which are intertwined or braided together in the ordinary
manner at a point a little above the tops of the spindles c. The number
of spindles and bobbins may be varied, but I find that sixteen give a
good result.

page_text: The mechanism for driving the upright shafts b and for shunting the
spindles and bobbins c, d, does not need to be described, as it is similar
to that employed in ordinary circular braiding machines, but in order to
render such a machine suitable for the purposes of my Invention I apply
to it the stationary hollow central spindle e, through which the braid is
conveyed as fast as it is produced. Above the spindle e is the funnel or
hopper containing the gunpowder or other explosive compound required
for filling the braid or case of the fuse. The hopper f has a long spout,
the lower end of which enters into the hollow central spindle e; and in
order to facilitate the filling of the braid or case with gunpowder or
other compound I carry one or more threads of soft cotton from the
bobbins g, g, through the cover of the hopper and through the gun-
powder or other compound. As the fuse is carried down the hollow
spindle e these cotton threads are drawn off their bobbins and assist in
carrying the gunpowder or other compound with them. The bobbins d, d,
contain yarns of cotton, hemp, jute, or other fibrous material, but by
preference jute, to form the outer case or shell of the fuse; and in order
to increase the strength and bulk of the fuse one or more additional
strands or yarns of jute or other fibre may be drawn off the bobbins h, h,
and conveyed into the inside of the braid or fuse. The fuse is drawn
down the central hollow spindle e by the grooved pulley i, to which is
fixed the spur wheel j driven by the pinion k, and this pinion is driven
by the worm 62 on one of the upright shafts b; this worm gears into the
wheel ¹ on the same shaft as the pinion k. In order to produce the
required friction on the fuse it is taken one or more times over the guide
pulley and grooved pulley i, and ultimately it is wound on the
bobbin m, which is turned round by a friction band passing under the
grooved pulley i and over the pulley m² fixed to the bobbin m. By this
arrangement the fuse is wound tight on the bobbin m.
My Invention may be modified by passing a strand or coarse yarn of
gun cotton into the interior of the braid instead of or in addition to the
gunpowder or other explosive compound as described, and in manu-
facturing very strong fuses it may be desirable to make the case of wire
instead of jute or other fibrous materials, or partly of wire and partly of
fibrous materials; or the fuse when made in the manner described may
be passed through a second braiding machine to increase the strength of
the case; and in order to protect the fuse from damp it may be passed
through hot nitch on othon wataunussfine l

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a
convenient manner of carrying the same into operation, I wish it to be
understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the details given, as
they may be considerably varied or modified; but what I do claim is,-
First. Manufacturing the case or shell of a fuse by braiding together
or intertwining yarns or wires in a circular braiding machine, as
described.
Secondly. The self-acting feeding apparatus for supplying gunpowder
or other explosive compound to the interior of the braid or case of the
fuse.
And, lastly. The machinery or apparatus described for rendering the
ordinary circular braiding machine available for the manufacture of
fuses.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick James, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this First day of February One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.