AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: T, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND to be as follows:-
"
Nitro-glycerine has since its invention or discovery in the year 1847, been used
as an explosive material, partly alone, and latterly partly as an essential con-
stituent in explosives, and has subsequently constituted the base upon which the
latter are founded; but nitro-glycerine has many defects and the explosives
containing nitro-glycerine have proved to be rather too easily exploded by shocks
or blows, besides having a great many other defects, wherefore particular provisions
by Royal ordinances have proved necessary for the manufacture as well as for the
transport of such explosives.
These facts have induced the inventor to try to produce an explosive material
devoid of nitro-glycerine, and he has, after considerable labour, at last completely
succeeded in making such an explosive material or compound which is hereinafter
described.
This explosive material or compound, which is termed "Bellit," is composed of
two solid substances, a nitrate, as for instance nitrate of ammonia, nitrate of potash,
nitrate of baryta, or nitrate of soda, and a nitric or nitro-compound containing
carburetted hydrogen, such as dinitro-benzine, trinitro-naphthaline or nitro-toluol,
mixed in such proportions that, in the explosion, the hydrogen of the carboniferous
matter burns to water, and its coal burns to carbonic oxide or carbonic acid or a
mixture of both, at the expense of the oxygen contained in the nitrate conjointly
with the oxygen already existing in the organic nitric or nitro-compound.
In making this explosive material, the inventor has also had in view to protect
the nitrates against the action of moisture, or of the atmosphere, wherefore the
manufacture is carried on in such a manner that the nitro-benzine, the trinitro-
napthaline, or the nitro-toluol which are solids, are first pulverized conjointly with
the nitrate, or separately, after which the latter are mixed together, preferably in
a revolving cylinder, which by means of steam is heated to 100° Celsius. The
nitric or nitro-compound melts at a temperature of between 50° and 100° Celsius
and completely coats the particles of nitre or saltpetre all over, thus protecting the
D 077

page_text: same against the action of moisture, or of the atmosphere, inasmuch as the
nitrate, after cooling, turns solid or sets, the whole becoming thus a solid, hard
mass.
The explosve material obtained in this manner is pressed either into cartridges
or into any suitable shape previously to its setting or becoming hard, or it is
granulated after it has set or become hard.
As examples of the proportions which I have found to be most suitable I will
mention the following, viz :-
1 part of dinitro-benzine with at least 1.9 parts of nitrate of ammonia, or
1 part of dinitro-benzine with at least 0.96 parts of nitrate of potash, or
1 part of dinitro-benzine with at least 1-24 parts of nitrate of baryta, or
part of dinitro-benzine with at least 0.81 parts of nitrate of soda.
part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 2-57 parts of nitrate of ammonia, or
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 1-41 parts of nitrate of potash, or
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 1.66 parts of nitrate of baryta, or
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 1'09 parts of nitrate of soda.
The above proportions are combined in order to form carbonic oxide and water
in the explosion; if the yield of nitre or saltpetre be increased to nearly three times
the quantity named, there will be formed carbonic acid and water, and the inter-
mediate proportions of them form a mixture of carbonic oxide and carbonic acid
together with water. I sometimes considerably increase the above named pro-
portions of the said nitrates for producing a surplus of oxygen gas in the explosion.
The dinitro-benzine, the trinitro-naphthaline on the nitro-toluol need not be
chemically pure, but ingredients technically pure may be used.
This explosive material is possessed of the following very excellent properties,
viz:―
It developes by its explosion such a force, that it competes with explosives
containing nitro-glycerine and exceeds gunpowder in force 35 times, according to
mortar trials made.
It does not freeze or congeal at a low temperature.
It may previous to its use be pulverized without danger if desired.
It may, therefore, without the least danger be transported, handled and stored.
The novel feature of this invention is, therefore, the production, without
employing nitro-glycerine, of an equally powerful explosive material or com-
pound not containing sulphur and which by reason of its manner of preparation,
permits its constituent containing carburetted hydrogen to mechanically protect
the nitrates from the action of moisture or of the atmosphere, and which explosive
material possesses the above mentioned excellent properties. Such considerable
advantage and results have not heretofore been attained.
Dated this 10th day of November 198K
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND " and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
Nitro-glycerine has, since its invention or discovery in the year 1847, been used
as an explosive material, partly alone, and latterly partly as an essential constituent
in explosives, and has subsequently constituted the base upon which the latter are
founded; but nitro-glycerine has many defects and the explosives containing nitro-
glycerine have proved to be rather too easily exploded by shocks or blows, besides
having a great many other defects, wherefore particular provisions by Royal
ordinances have proved necessary for the manufacture as well as for the transport
of such explosives.
These facts have induced the inventor to try to produce an explosive material
devoid of nitro-glycerine, and he has, after considerable labour, at last completely
succeeded in making such an explosive material or compound which is hereinafter
described.
This explosive material or compound, which is termed "Bellit," is composed
of only two solid substances, a nitrate, as for instance nitrate of ammonia, nitrate
of potash, nitrate of baryta, or nitrate of soda, and a nitric or nitro compound
containing bi- or trinitrate of carburetted hydrogen, such as dibinitro-benzine,
trinitro-naphthaline or trinitro-toluol, mixed in such proportions that, in the
explosion, the hydrogen of the carboniferous matter burns to water, and its coal
carbon burns to carbonic oxide or carbonic acid or a mixture of both, at the
expense of the oxygen contained in the nitrate conjointly with the oxygen already
existing in the organie-nitrio-or-nitro-compound bi- or trinitro compound of
carburetted hydrogen.
In making this-explosive material, the inventor-has-also-had-in-view-to protect
the nitrates against the action of moisture, or of the atmosphere, wherefore The
manufacture is carried on in such a manner that the binitro-benzine, the trinitro-
naphthaline or the trinitro-toluol which are solids, are first pulverized conjointly
with the nitrate, or separately, after which they latter are mixed together, preferably
in a revolving cylinder, which by means of steam is heated to 100° Celsius, The
when the said nitric or nitro-compounds melts melting at a temperature of between
50° 75° and 100° Celsius and completely coats the particles of nitre or saltpetre all
over, thus protecting the same against the action of moisture, or of the atmo-
sphere, inasmuch as the nitrate, bi- or tri-nitro compound after cooling, turns solid
or sets, the whole becoming thus a solid, hard masa.
The explosive material obtained in this manner is pressed either into cartridges
or into any suitable shape previously to its setting or becoming hard, or it is
granulated after it has set or become hard.

page_text: As examples of the proportions which I have found to be most suitable I will
mention the following, viz:-
1 part of dibinitro-benzine with at least 1.9 parts of nitrate of ammonia, or
1 part of dibinitro-benzine with at least 0.96 parts of nitrate of potash, or
1 part of dibinitro-benzine with at least 1-24 parts of nitrate of baryta, or
1 part of dibinitro-benzine with at least 0.81 parts of nitrate of soda.
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 2-57 parts of nitrate of ammonia, or
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 1-41 parts of nitrate of potash, or
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 1.66 parts of nitrate of baryta, or
1 part of trinitro-naphthaline with at least 1.09 parts of nitrate of soda.
The above proportions are combined in order to form carbonic oxide and water
in the explosion; if the yield of nitre or saltpetre be increased to nearly three
times the quantity named, there will be formed carbonic acid and water, and the
intermediate proportions of them form a mixture of carbonic oxide and carbonic
acid together with water. I sometimes considerably increase the above named
proportions of the said nitrates for producing a surplus of oxygen gas in the
explosion.
The dibinitro-benzine, the trinitro-naphthaline or the trinitro-toluol need not be
chemically pure, but ingredients technically pure may be used.
This explosive material is possessed of the following very excellent properties,
viz-
It developes, by its explosion, such a force that it competes with explosives
containing nitro-glycerine and exceeds gunpowder in force 35 times, according to
mortar trials made.
It does not freeze or congeal at a low temperature.
It may, previous to its use, be pulverized without.danger, if desired.
It may, therefore, without the least danger be transported, handled and stored.
The "Bellit" is moreover composed of only such nitrated carburetted hydrogens
as are very rich in oxygen but poor in carburetted hydrogen, and, amongst these,
such as melt at from 75° to 100° Celsius. In consequence of the intimate mixture
when heated, Bellit becomes so homogeneous, that, without the addition of any nitro-
glyceriniferous substances, picrate or gun-cotton, it may be caused to explode only
by means of a fulminating cap. This circumstance renders the said explosive
quite free from danger, both in loading, as any ordinary shock will not cause it
to explode, and in storing, as it cannot be ignited by fire. The greatest advantage
offered by the Bellit is that it may thus very advantageously serve the purposes of
ordnunce, partly as charge of powder and partly as charge in the projectiles, as
the effect of shooting does not cause the explosion of the Bellit.
The--novel-feature--of-this-invention--is therefore, the production-without
employing nitro-glycerine, of an equally powerful-explosive-material-or compound
not-containing sulphur, and which, by reason of its munner of preparation,-enables
its-constituent-containing-carburetted hydrogen to-mechanically protect-the-nitrutes
from the action of moisture or-of the-atmosphere, and which explosive material
possesses the above-mentioned excellent-properties. Such considerable-advantages
and-results-have-not heretofore-been-attained.
The-said improved-compound-ean-be-exploded-by-means-of-a-pereussion-eap-or
other-detonator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is;
An explosive material or compound termed "Bellit," prepared by mixing two
solid substances, viz; a-nitrate or a compound thereof, and a solid nitrie-or such
bi- or tri-nitro compounds containing of carburetted hydrogen, (such as dinitro-
benzine, trinitro-naphthaline, or nitro toluel, or a mixture of these-substances)

page_text: which-nitro-compound will melt when the mixture is heated and will, when the
mixture is-cooled, completely surround and protect the particles of (or mixtures
thereof) as are perfectly solid below 75° Celsius, and a nitrate (or mixtures thereof),
which substances are heated after being mixed together, so that the solid bi- or tri-
5 nitro carburetted hydrogen melts and after solidifying completely surrounds the
unmelted nitrate, substantially as above set forth.
Dated this 19th day of November 1885.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.