Improvements in Explosive Compounds for Blasting Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 5th July, 1897-Accepted. 7th Aug. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosive Compounds for Blasting Purposes.
I, JAMES CULLEN HAMILTON of Arncliffe, Arnside near Carnforth in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in black gunpowder and other explosive
compounds used for blasting purposes, to render them flameless or to reduce the
amount of flame present during combustion.
It consists essentially in the combination with or addition to the explosive
compound of a quantity of oxalate of urea which I find will during combustion
generate or liberate certain gases capable of extinguishing flame.
As applied to black gunpowder I take the oxalate of urea and grind it along
with the other ingredients of which the powder is composed but it may be ground
separately and subsequently mixed with the other materials.
With other explosive compounds the oxalate of urea is ground to a powder and
mixed with the other materials at any suitable stage during the process of
manufacture.
The effect of this improved compound is that during explosion gases are
liberated which are not combustible and not capable of supporting combustion and
which prevent or at once extinguish any flame arising from the materials
Dated this 5th day of October 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
Improvements in Explosive Compounds for Blasting Purposes.
I, JAMES CULLEN HAMILTON, of Arncliffe, Arnside, near Carnforth, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates primarily to explosive compounds of the gunpowder class
used for blasting purposes but may also be applied to other explosive compounds
for the purpose of rendering them flameless or of reducing the amount of flame
present during combustion.
It consists essentially in the combination with or addition to the explosive
compound of a quantity of oxalate of urea which I find will during combustion
generate or liberate certain gases capable of extinguishing flame.

page_text: As applied to black gunpowder made either with or without sulphur I take the
oxalate of urea in. crystalline form and grind it along with the other ordinary
ingredients of which the powder is composed. The quantity of the oxalate of urea
added is about 15 per cent. of the other materials. Any greater or less amount of
the oxalate of urea may be used as found suitable or desirable.
...
If desired the oxalate of urca may be ground separately and subsequently mixed
with the other materials but I prefer to grind all together as I thereby obtain a
more intimate mixture.
The oxalate of urea may be prepared by treating urine with oxalic acid and
collecting and drying the precipitate.
In order to obtain the greatest efficiency in use the powder prepared with the
oxalate of urea must be detonated...
This oxalate may be added also to explosives of the nitro-glycerine class in
which case the oxalate of urea is ground to a powder and mixed with the other
materials at any suitable stage during the process of manufacture about 15 per cent.
(more or less) being added..
The effect of these improved explosive compounds is that during explosion gases
are liberated which are not combustible and not capable of supporting combustion
and which prevent or at once extinguish any flame arising from the materials.
!
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the, said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
An explosive compound having combined with or added thereto a quantity of
oxalate of urea substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this. 28th day of June, 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.