An Improved Gunpowder."
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
"An Improved Gunpowder."
I, JOSEPH CRAWHALL CHAPMAM, of 70 Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Carl Walter Volney Chemist, of 734
East 139th. Street, in the City, County and State of New York, in the United States
of America), and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The purpose of my invention is the production of a gun-powder consisting of
nitro-cellulose, tri-nitro-benzol and basic rosaniline. It is, for this purpose, necessary
that these substances be dissolved, and that the solutions be intimately commingled
and dissolved with each other, so that a perfectly homogeneous mass may be
ultimately obtained, from which gunpowder of uniform ballistic and other desirable
qualities may be prepared.
It is well known that the tri-nitro-compounds of Benzol, Toluol and Xylol are
remarkable for stability and lack of solubility in water, ether, alcohol, and other
solvents. I have found that solution of these bodies in alcohol, acetone and other
volatile liquids, may be effected, if the liquids are kept at a higher temperature and
pressure, and that the solution may be cooled down, without separating therefrom
the tri-nitro-compounds.
If these solutions are mixed with solutions of gun cotton, or nitro-cellulose, and
evaporated, homogeneous hard masses are obtained, which I use for the manufacture
of gun powder.
As it is desirable to have present in the compound, a substance of a basic
character, fit to neutralize any acid reaction, which should have, in common with
nitro-cellulose and tri-nitro-benzol, the quality of insolubility in water, and which,
at the same time, may regulate the burning of the powder, I add a certain amount
of basic rosaniline to the solution of the before-named substances. The homologues
of rosaniline, such as chrysaniline or leukaniline, are equivalents for basic rosaniline
for the purposes of my invention.
The thus-produced compound, consisting of tri-nitro-benzol, nitro-cellulose and
the neutralizing substance, as rosaniline, possesses in itself, almost entirely, the
elements of perfect combustion, and is distinguished by the anhydrous character of
all substances contained therein and by their stability, and that none are, in any
degree, volatile. Gun-cotton, tri-nitro-benzol and basic rosaniline are insoluble in
water, and especially the tri-nitro-benzol and basic rosaniline are not affected by any
changes of temperature to which gun-powder may be ordinarily exposed.
The three substances which I use in the composition of gunpowder, form, therefore,
a body of great stability and indifference to changes of temperature and atmosphere,
and offer, at the same time, advantages in manufacture, by the freedom from danger
and change of constitution.
To make the powder composition, I first prepare the solution of tri-nitro-benzol in
a suitable volatile solvent. As a higher temperature is necessary for the process,
it is performed in an autoclave vessel of iron or copper, provided with the necessary
openings, faucets, safety-valve, pressure-gauge, and a stirring apparatus. One part
of the tri-nitro-benzol will be dissolved therein in five or six parts of acetone to

page_text: methylic alcohol.
When the solid tri-nitro-benzol is dissolved, the vessel is cooled
down to about 35° C., and the solution transferred to a closed vessel, containing a
solution of the necessary amount of nitro-cellulose and rosaniline, and is intimately
mixed therewith, and, after removal of the excess of solvent, the remaining plastic
mass is treated in the usual way, as practised in the manufacture of gunpowder
from dissolved or plastic nitro-cellulose compound. The proportions of the
substances forming the compound may be more or less changed, so that powders may
be produced which show differences in physical as well as ballistic qualities. In
this respect it may be observed that an increase in the quantity of basic
rosaniline tends to retard the burning of the powder. It is feasible to incorporate,
into the mixture of the described solutions, oxidizing agents, or inert matter,
which are in solution or in a finely pulverulent state.
As a general example of composition for a gun-powder of the class herein
described, I give the following quantities to be dissolved and treated as above set
forth:
Forty (40) parts of tri-nitro-benzol are dissolved in acetone, as described, and then
mixed with a solution of fifty-five (55) parts of nitro-cellulose and five (5) parts of
basic rosaniline; the compound will yield one hundred (100) parts of powder.
The tri-nitro compounds of Toluol and Xylol may be similarly used as I have
described for the benzol compound; however, they dissolve in suitable, volatile
solvents only sparingly, and, owing to their chemical constitution, the powder,
prepared with them, has not the free-burning qualities of the tri-nitro benzol
powder, which. I have, therefore, preferred to use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, (as communicated to me from abroad) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is;
1. A gunpowder, consisting of nitro-cellulose, basic rosaniline and tri-nitro
benzol, as herein described.
2. A gunpowder, consisting of nitro-cellulose, basic rosaniline, or its homologues
(as chrysaniline or leukaniline), and a tri-nitro compound of the benzol series, as
herein described.
Dated the 2nd. day of November 1897