Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
I, CHRISTIAN EMIL BICHEL, of 133, Eppendorfer Chausee, Hamburg, in the
Empire of Germany, Director, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The improved process for the production of an ammonia-saltpetre explosive
containing trinitrotoluol and flour consists broadly in intimately mixing together
in a single operation all three components, whereby the gluten of the flour in
the presence of heat and water forms a binding medium for the ammonia salt-
petre and the trinitrotoluol.
In this manner the finished explosive will not form a crude mechanical mix-
ture but each minute particle of the finely ground explosive will contain all
the three components intimately bound together in the correct mixing pro-
portions. The binding together of the components by means of the flour pro-
duces a technical effect similar to that obtained by the addition of molten
organic components to the ammonia-saltpetre in the preparation of other ex-
plosives, but in a more complete manner owing to the flour-paste solidifying to
an amorphous state and very intimately binding the components together. On
the other hand however nearly all organic bodies crystallize in solidifying, and
in lieu of the solid combination of the various components, they produce a mere
loose deposition of the materials as may be ascertained by microscopic examina-
tion.
Moreover the explosive produced by the improved process is more completely
compressed which is an important feature. Whereas the explosive obtained by
the purely mechanical mixing of the components has a cubic weight of 0.8, with
the improved process of mixing, grinding and binding the materials together in
a single operation the cubic weight is increased to I, 0. The technical effect of
this improved process is therefore totally different from that obtained in con-
nection with some of the known explosives, in which the ordinary black powder
is mixed with a small quantity of starch-paste, for the purpose of forming it
into a spongy mass by slowly drying the same and so rendering it suitable for
absorbing nitroglycerine, while with the improved process it is sought to attain
the contrary effect, viz. a greatly increased compression of the mass.
From the foregoing description of the improved process it will be apparent
that two technical effects in different directions are produced, viz. —
1. Homogenous combination of the components of the explosive even to the
most minute parts by means of the glutenous flour or other material acting in
the same manner.
2. Compression of the explosive substance from about 0.8 to 1.0 cubic weight.
The manufacture of the explosive according to the improved process is effected
by first mixing the finely ground components together by the ordinary mechanical
The mixture is subsequently placed in an apparatus, for example a
heated edge-roller-mill or a drying apparatus with cylindrical rollers, which
enables the mass during further continued grinding to be simultaneously mixed
means.
•

page_text: and heated, while water is sprayed upon the mixture for forming the paste; the
whole is then heated and continuously stirred by mechanical agitators until
completely dry.
A safe explosive which does not readily affect or explode fire-damp or coal-
dust is obtained with the before described process by using 8 parts of trinitrotolnol
and 86 parts of ammonia-saltpetre with 6 parts of flour to which is added about
7 parts of water to form a paste.
Dated this 14th day of Macomber 1800.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
I, CHRISTIAN EMIL BICHEL, of 133, Eppendorfer Chausee, Hamburg, in the
Empire of Germany, Director, 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 has for its object improvements in the manufacture of ex-
plosives and consists broadly of the production of an ammonia-saltpetre ex-
plosive containing an organic element such as trinitrotoluol and flour by
intimately mixing together in a single operation, all three components, whereby
the gluten of the flour in the presence of heat and water forms a binding medium
for the ammonia saltpetre and the trinitrotoluol.
In this manner the finished explosive will not form a crude mechanical mixture,
but each minute particle of the explosive will contain all three components
intimately bound together in the correct proportions. The binding together of the
components by means of the flour produces an effect similar to that obtained by
the addition of molten organic components to the ammonia-saltpetre in the pre-
paration of other explosives, but in a more complete manner, owing to the flour-
paste solidifying to an amorphous state, and very intimately binding the com-
ponents together. On the other hand however nearly all organic bodies crystal-
lize in solidifying, and in lieu of the solid combination of the various components,
they produce a mere loose deposition of the materials as may be ascertained by
microscopic examination.
Moreover the explosive produced by my improved process, is more completely
compressed which is an important feature. Whereas the explosive obtained
by the purely mechanical mixing of the components, has a cubic weight of 0.8,
with the improved process of mixing, grinding and binding the materials
together in a single operation, the cubic weight is increased to 1,0. The effect of
this improved process is therefore totally different from that obtained in con-
nection with other known explosives, in which the ordinary black powder is
mixed with a small quantity of starch-paste for the purpose of forming it into a
spongy mass, the mixture being then slowly dried thus rendering it suitable for
absorbing nitroglycerine. According to my improved process it is sought to
attain the contrary effect, viz. a greatly increased compression of the mass.
From the foregoing description of the improved process it will be apparent
that two technical effects in different directions are produced namely:-
Homogenous combination of the components of the explosive even to the most
minute parts by means of the glutenous flour or other material, and
Compression of the explosive substance from about 0.8 to 1.0 cubic weight.

page_text: The manufacture of my improved explosive is effected by first mixing the
finely ground components together by ordinary mechanical means.
The mix-
ture is subsequently placed in a suitable apparatus, such as for example a heated
edge-roller-mill, or a drying apparatus with cylindrical rollers, which enables
the mass during further continuous grinding to be simultaneously mixed and
heated, water being at the same time sprayed upon the mixture for the purpose
of forming the paste; the whole is then heated and continuously stirred by
mechanical agitators until completely dry.
A safe explosive which does not readily affect or explode fire-damp or coal-
dust is obtained with the before described process by using 8 parts of an
appropriate organic element such as trinitrotoluol, and 86 parts of ammonia-
saltpetre with 6 parts of flour, to which is added about 7 parts of water to form
a paste.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An improved process for the production of ammonia-saltpetre explosives,
which consists in intimately mixing together ammonia-saltpetre a suitable
organic component such as trinitrotoluol and flour or a similar starch or gluten
containing substance in the presence of heat and water, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
2. An improved process for the production of ammonia-saltpetre explosives,
which consists in intimately mixing and pasting together by grinding a mixture
of ammonia-saltpetre and an appropriate organic component such as trinitro-
toluol or the like with flour or a similar starch or gluten containing substance in
the presence of heat and water, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The improvements in the manufacture of ammonia-saltpetre explosives,
substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
4. As a new product of manufacture the hereindescribed explosive consisting
of ammonia-saltpetre, an appropriate organic element such as trinitrotoluol. and
flour, mixed in about the proportions herein set forth and whereby the gluten
of the flour serves as a binding medium for the former substances, substantially
us hereinbefore described, and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 14th day of August 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.