IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLASTING CARTRIDGES AND FUSEES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Rollason, of Commercial Road East,
Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, Chemist, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLASTING CARTRIDGES AND
FUSEES."
Sealed the 11th June 1867, and dated the 15th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Rollason at.
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th December 1866.
1, ALEXANDER ROLLASON, of Commercial Road East, Limehouse, in the
County of Middlesex, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said*
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLASTING CARTRIDGES AND
FUSEES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel or improved manner of making blasting-
cartridges for coal mines and quarries or for mining and other purposes.
In carrying out my Invention a case is made of paper or other suitable
material similar to a rocket case and being closed at the bottom, is placed in
anould, after which the end of a fusee commonly used in mining operations
is placed inside the case, either on one side of it or down the centre, the end
of the fusee rests on the bottom of the case, after which the case itself is to.

page_text: be filled with gun cotton or other similar compound rammed down very tight
with a rammer or by hydraulic pressure, the fusee during the filling of the
cartridge being protected from injury by a groove which fits it in the rammer.
When the case is filled it is closed at the top either by tying or by a clasp;
by this means is produced a cartridge of great strength, and which will
withstand rough handling and possesses the additional advantage of being
fired at the further or inner end.
Another kind of cartridge can be made in all respects similar to the fore-
going, except that the fusee in this instance is not inserted, but in its place
there is a rod of wood or metal only of larger diameter, which when the
cartridge is filled is withdrawn, leaving a hole down the side or centre of the
inside of the cartridge; by this means a miner is enabled to fire the cartridge
by means of a straw fusee which is well known, as the fire from the fusee will
penetrate the whole length of the cartridge down the side aperture; either
of the above cartridges may be waterproofed before being filled or after
by being coated with any suitable waterproof material, or the cases may be
made of some substance already waterproofed.
In making fusees instead of using gunpowder, gun cotton thread or gun
cotton tubing is employed, and may be inserted down the side opening in the
cartridge as already described. This gun cotton thread or tubing may be
placed inside a tube made of metal or fibre, or the thread may be used alone.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Rollason in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
ROLLASON, of Commercial Road East, Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex,
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patént, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Rollason, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander Rollason,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alexander Rollason, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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 BLASTING CARTRIDGES AND FUSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Rollason, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one or
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to. be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Rollason, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
This. Invention. relates to a novel or improved manner of making blasting.
cartridges and fuses principally intended for coal mines and quarries or for
mining and other purposes:
My improved cartridges may also with very slight modification be used for
artillery, sporting, or other guns or rifles.
In carrying out my Invention a case or. shell is made of paper or other
suitable material similar to a rocket case; this case is to be closed at the
bottom, and is to be placed in a mould, after which if the cartridge be intended
for blasting purposes the end of a fuse, such as is commonly used in mining
operations, is placed inside the case, either on one side of it or down the
centre; the end of the fuse is made to rest on the bottom of the case, which
is then to be filled with gun cotton or other analogous compound, consisting
of pyroxyline rammed down. very tight with a rammer or by hydraulic
pressure, in which latter case I do not use a shell or case as before named,
but I simply enclose the cartridge in any
suitable wrapper, either waterproofed
or not as may be desired, the fuse during the filling of the cartridge being
protected from injury: by being received in a groove prepared for it in the
rammer,
:
When making cartridges for artillery purposes or for sporting or other guns
or rifles the gun.cotton or pyroxyline.compound may be modified or reduced
in strength or .explosive power by mixing with it unprepared: cotton, wool,
paper pulp, or other inexplosive fibre or pulverized. material. As the com-
pound in such a case would burn. or explode slowly.it would be desirable. to
:

page_text: place upon it before inserting the ball or shot some waterproof wadding or
other, suitable material, so as to prevent the escape of the gas; if, on the
contrary, it be desired to increase the explosive power of the cartridges, as
will frequently be the case for mining purposes, I saturate the gun cotton or
pyroxyline of which they are composed in a concentrated solution of chlorate
or nitrate of potash. or other analogous compound, the chlorate of potash.
being preferred, or the pyroxyline, or some part of it, may be saturated with
nitro-glycerine... The gun cotton or pyroxyline thus prepared should be well
dried before being rammed into the cartridge cases. When hydraulic pressure.
is employed to compress the pyroxyline the drying is not of very much con-
sequence. When the case is filled it is closed at the top, either by tying or
by a clasp or other suitable means, except when bydraulic pressure is used
as before mentioned, when a simple wrapper will suffice, and there will be no
occasion. to close the ends of the cartridges. A cartridge of great strength
and explosive power and which will stand rough handling and possess the
additional advantage of being fired at the further or inner end can thus be
produced with great facility and economy.
Another kind of cartridge can be made in all respects similar to the fore-
going, except that the fuse in this instance is not inserted, but in its place there
is a rod of wood or metal only of larger diameter, which when the cartridge is
filled is withdrawn, leaving a hole.down the side or centre of the inside of the
cartridge.
I would here remark that if the cartridge is compressed by hydraulic
power it will be sufficiently hard to admit of boring a hole through any part.
By this means a miner is enabled to fire the cartridge by means of a straw
fuse which is well known, as the fire from the fuse will penetrate the whole
length of the cartridge down the aperture or hole that is cut, bored, or made
in it. Either of the above cartridges may be waterproofed either before being
filled or after by being coated with any suitable waterproof material, or the
cases may be made of some substance already waterproofed.
In making fuses, instead of using gunpowder, gun cotton thread or gun
cotton tubing is employed, and may be inserted down the side or other
opening or perforation in the cartridge, as already described; this gun cotton
thread or tubing may be saturated with a solution of chlorate or nitrate of
potash, as before described, and when dry may be placed inside a tube made
of metal or fibre, the same as the ordinary blasting fuse, or the thread or
tubing may be used alone.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture
1
:

page_text: of Blasting Cartridges and Fuses," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the manufacture of cartridges and fuses of gun
cotton or pyroxyline compounds, in the manner above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Rollason, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twelvth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
ALEXANDER ROLLASON. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY STEPHENS.