Improvements in Smokeless Explosives.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
COMI LEIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Smokeless Explosives.
I, GEORG HÜBNER of Cellulosefabrik Chaussée, Germsbach, Baden, in the
German Empire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manuer the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a smokeless explosive which may be used either in
guns or as a blasting powder, and consists in producing and gelatinising nitro-
cellulose in the manner described hereinafter, the product being then formed into
grains or cubes without the use of rollers or similar apparatus.
The cellulose is subjected to the action of a solution of hyposulphite of soda with
or without the addition of sulphurous and fuming sulphuric acids, and is then
nitrated. The nitro-cellulose thus obtained is then mixed or treated with nitro-
naphthol or is submerged in a solution of alcohol ether and nitronaphthol. The
rate of combustion of the explosive may be regulated by the quantity of
nitronaphthol or by the addition of potassium oxalate, barium nitrate and similar
salts which are soluble in the mixed ether and alcohol.
The following is a convenient method of carrying this invention into effect.
Cleaned cellulose is placed in a ten per cent. solution of hyposulphite of soda to
which is added one per cent. of a mixture of equal quantities of sulphurous acid and
fuming sulphuric acid. The cellulose is left in the bath for ten or twelve hours at
a temperature of about 30 degrees C. It is then amorphous, and is taken out,
washed, and formed into thin plates or tablets. These tablets having been dried,
are placed in vessels of lead or fireclay, where they are treated for from one to
three hours, with a mixture of one part of saltpetre to either four five or six parts
of strong sulphuric acid. The mixture of saltpetre and sulphuric acid is prepared
in separate vessels and is used after it has completely cooled. The nitrated tablets
are then washed so as to remove every trace of acid, and are thoroughly dried.
In order to transform the tablets, into a horny substance from which the grains
may be formed without rollers, they are placed for from one to two minutes in a
mixture composed of one hundred parts of alcohol, one hundred parts of ether
and five parts of nitronaphthol, and are afterwards dried. Care must be taken
not to allow the nitrated tablets to remain too long in the mixture or they will
dissolve or liquefy.
A greater or less quantity of nitronaphthol in the mixture has the effect of
increasing or decreasing the rate of combustion of the resulting explosive.
The nitronaphthol employed in carrying this invention into effect possesses great
advantages over nitroglycerine which is usually employed in making smokeless
powders, both in the absence of danger attendant upon its use, and in the qualities
it possesses of converting large quantities of nitro-cellulose into a horny or gelatinous
condition.
The gelatinised cellulose tablets after being thoroughly dried, are arranged in
layers, pressed, and cut into any desired sized grains cubes or other forms convenient
for use.
The production of gas upon explosion and the combustion of the explosive, may
in addition be further regulated by the addition of oxalic acid, protoxide of
potassium, nitrate of barium or other soluble oxygen yielding bodies, to the mixture
of alcohol ether and nitronaphthol.
Of course, if desired, the cellulose may be nitrated in other well known ways and
be formed into grains by rollers and knives. The nitrocellulose may also be mixed

page_text: or crushed with nitro-naphthol and be converted into the hornlike substance by
pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A smokeless explosive manufactured substantially as and by the process
hereinbefore described.
2. In the hereinbefore described process for the manufacture or production of
smokeless explosives, treating cellulose with a solution of hyposulphite of soda with
or without the addition of sulphurous acid and fuming sulphuric acid, substantially
as set forth.
3. In the hereinbefore described process for the manufacture or production of
smokeless explosives, treating nitrocellulose by admixture with nitronaphthol or
by immersion in a solution of nitronaphthol in ether-alcohol, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 10th day of October A.D. 1894.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.