A NEW CARTRIDGE FOR BLASTING AND MINING PURPOSES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ljubomir Kleritj, of Belgrad, Principality of
Serbien, Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW CARTRIDGE FOR
BLASTING AND MINING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th December 1871, and dated the 4th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ljubomir Kleritj at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th September 1871.
I, LJUBOMIR KLERITS, of Belgrad, Principality of Serbien, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW CARTRIDGE
FOR BLASTING AND MINING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
I have noticed that the explosive effect of blasting powder on the
surrounding outside walls is not in the least degree proportionate to the
quantity of powder used, but on the contrary that the more powder
used the less will be the proportionate result, in fact the use of large
quantities has not the required effect of blasting a greater quantity of
rock, but only rends or throws the parts further asunder.

page_text: My experiments for the purpose of fixing the law in such cases
resulted as follows:-It is clearly evident that the explosive force of a
single grain of blasting powder works equally in all directions, therefore
a grain of powder placed between fixed walls will give this theoretical
result, but by a conglomeration of a greater number of grains the
working of the same is considerably altered. The mass of powder
changes instantly, so as to resemble a gas body possessing strong
explosive properties, which is surrounded from the outside by the walls
.which are to be sprung.
On the other hand one can well understand that the explosive :
strength working equally as well on the outer walls as towards the
interior, the outer part of the gases, so to say the outer gas cylinder or
"mantle," presses the inner portion of the gases close together, and so
forms a strong inner or central gas cylinder whose explosive powers can
first take effect after the walls of the blast hole are already sprung, so
that therefore the entire quantity of powder which goes to form the
imaginary central gas cylinder respecting its blasting powers is almost
entirely useless, as it does not of itself blast but merely throws further
asunder the portions already blasted by means of the powder forming
the outer gas cylinder.
It therefore remains to replace this expensive central gas cylinder,
whose explosive powers are entirely without any useful effect, by another
solid body composed of much cheaper materials.
My cartridge is constructed expressly for this purpose, and will with
one-fourth of the powder generally used perform the same work.
The body of the cartridge is constructed of a wrought-iron cylinder,
which is strengthened at both ends, or rather the cylinder is its entire
length (except about 2 centimeters from each end) turned 2 millimeters
deep, so that the before-mentioned strengthenings project or stand out
from the main body of the cylinder the distance as above stated. This
cylinder has a longitudinal boring which in conjunction with the trans-
verse boring forms the igniting channel. At the upper end of the
cylinder is a brass head, which is screwed to the igniting channel. Four
pins serve to hold the rings and prevent them shifting nearer to the
centre. At the lower end of the cartridge is a piston, which runs in the
boring and is prevented from falling out by two projections.

page_text: The cartridge is prepared ready for use in the following manner :— _ The
body of the cartridge is to be surrounded by a paper case firmly tied, and
in such a manner that the lower fastening comes between one ring and
a cheek, the upper between another cheek and another ring. Between
the case (formed as above described) and the cylinder is the appointed
powder chamber, which is filled with the requisite "blasting powder."
When the cartridge, prepared as above described, is placed in the blast
hole the space between the piston and the body of the cartridge and the
space between the ring and cheek is filled with potter's clay.
When the cylinder is sufficiently strong it will not be injured in the
least degree, and can thus be used many times, which renders the use of
my cartridge not in the least expensive.
The firing channel is bored entirely through, and the head piece,
instead of being separately formed of brass, is now made in the same
5 piece with the main cylinder. A socket is screwed on the head piece to
prevent the cartridge from breaking in being lowered in the blast hole.
A spiral spring working on projections tends to hold the piston (which
is made considerably stronger than before) deep in the boring, so that
it may be prevented from breaking off or being injured in being let down
the blast hole.
In using this cartridge clay tamping is only necessary at the piston,
yet it will possibly prove in some cases more advantageous than the
cartridge as above described. As it can be loaded much more quickly the
double tamping is avoided, and it is considerably less complicated and
5 therefore more durable.
The rod is principally formed of gas pipe, having a worm at the lower
end, and can thus be screwed to the head piece in order to withdraw the
cartridge from the blast hole.
Another modification of the Invention relates to cartridges used for
) springing military mines. In this modification the brass head remains
the same as first described above. The two projections are no longer
used to strengthen the inner cylinder but are composed of opposite
laying plates. The solid central cylinder is also no longer used, as the
throwing or projectile force of the powder is now required to be brought
3 into action. Instead therefore of the solid cylinder a thin hollow
cylinder unites the two plates and forms a central tube, which is used as

page_text: the firing line. This central tube is provided with a large number of
small perforations, and is connected by means of another tube with the
chamber in the head piece in which the fuzce is placed. The central
tube is to be threaded with gun cotton, which as is well known will
immediately take fire its entire length, and thus by aid of the per- 5
forations in the tube, as already mentioned, communicate the fire at the
same instant to the entire body of the powder.
In this manner is brought into practice the central firing line so long
acknowledged (theoretically) as the most perfect mode of firing.
The two plates are further connected by a number of wrought-iron 1
rods, the thickness of which must necessarily depend on the quantity of
powder used in the cartridge, as they must be able to withstand the
explosive force of the same. These rods can be fixed to the plates by
screws or bolts, or in any other manner considered most appropriate. In
the boring between the head picce and the central tube is placed a 1
moveable solid cylinder, which at the same instant the powder explodes
is caused to rise in the cavity, and so entirely prevent the escape of the
gases upward towards the head piece.
The entire cartridge is placed in a box and filled with powder in the
manner most convenient.
2
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ljubomir Klcritj in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LJUBOMIR
KLERITJ, of Belgrad, Principality of Serbien, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Ljubomir Kleritj, Her special licence that I,
the said Ljubomir Kleritj, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Ljubomir Kleritj, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
=

page_text: time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW CARTRIDGE FOR BLASTING AND
3 MINING PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Ljubomir Kleritj, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describo and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ljubomir Kleritj, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
5 following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification:-
I have noticed that the explosive effect of blasting powder on the
surrounding outside walls is not in the least degree proportionate to the
quantity of powder used, but on the contrary that the more powder
O used the less will be the proportionate result, in fact the use of large
quantities has not the required effect of blasting a greater quantity of
rock, but only rends or throws the parts further asunder.
My experiments for the purpose of fixing the law in such cases
resulted as follows:-It is clearly evident that the explosive force of a
5 single grain of blasting powder works equally in all directions, therefore
a grain of powder placed between fixed walls will give this theoretical .
result, but by a conglomeration of a greater number of grains the
working of the same is considerably altered. The mass of powder
changes instantly so as to resemble a gas body possessing strong
O explosive properties, which is surrounded from the outside by the walls
which are to be sprung.
On the other hand one can well understand that the explosive
strength working equally as well on the outer walls as towards the
interior the outer part of the gases or the outer gas cylinder or mantle
presses the inner portion of the gases close together and so forms a
strong inner or central gas cylinder whose explosive powers can first
take effect after the walls of the blast hole have been sprung, so that

page_text: therefore the entire quantity of powder which goes to form the
imaginary central gas cylinder respecting its blasting powers is almost
entirely useless, as it does not of itself blast but merely throws further
asunder the portions already blasted by means of the powder forming
the outer gas cylinder.
It therefore remains to replace this expensive central gas cylinder,
whose explosive powers are entirely without any useful effect, by
another solid body composed of much cheaper materials.
My cartridge is constructed expressly for this purpose, and will with
one-fourth of the powder generally used perform the same work.
The body of the cartridge is constructed of a wrought-iron cylinder a,
which is strengthened at both ends 6 and 6', or rather the cylinder a is
its entire length (excepting about 2 centimetres from each end) turned
2 millimeters deep, so that the before-mentioned strengthenings 6 and 6ª
project or stand out from the main body of the cylinder the distance as
above stated. This cylinder has a longitudinal boring c, which in
conjunction with the transverse boring d forms the igniting channel.
At the upper end of the cylinder is a brass head e, which is screwed to
the igniting channel f. The four pins ",,,, serve to hold the
rings 9 and g¹ and prevent them from shifting nearer to the centre.
At the lower end of the cartridge is a piston h, which runs in the
boring & and is prevented from falling out by the two projections I and m.
The cartridge is prepared ready for use in the following manner :-
The body of the cartridge from 6 to 6' is to be surrounded by a
paper case firmly tied, and in such a manner that the lower fasten-
ing comes between the ring 9 and the cheek b, while the upper
fastening comes between the cheek 6' and the ring g¹. Between the
case p (formed as above described) and the cylinder a is the powder
chamber, which is filled with the requisite blasting powder. Fill the
primers c and d from above with powder, also the brass head e, and then
place in the upper boring of the well-known "Bickford's safety fusee."
It is easy to be seen that the spark sent through the primers c and d
will reach the powder and cause the same to explode.
When the cartridge prepared as above described is to be placed in the
blast hole the space between the piston h and the body of the cartridge
(that is the space q) is to be filled with potters' clay. The space
between the ring g' and the cheek b' is also to be treated in the same

page_text: manner. When the cartridge, being thus prepared perfectly ready for
use, is pressed into the blast hole tho piston is forced nearer to the
body of the cartridge and so squeezes the clay together that it fills out
the bore completely and thus renders the same perfectly air-tight from
beneath. Above the cartridge is to be simply but carefully plastered
with soft clay. No further tamping is required, as being air-tight both
from above and below the gases work only in the direction from the
inside to the outside against the cheeks 6 and b¹, and endeavour to tear
the main body while they work in equal proportion on the inner ring
surface of the cheeks.
In consequence of the tamping as above mentioned the gases are
prevented from accumulating beneath the body of the cartridge and so
forcing it from the blast hole, but on the contrary it is able to remain
perfectly still in its position. When the cylinder a is sufficiently strong
it will not be injured in the least degree, and can thus be used many
times, which renders the use of my cartridge not in the least expensive.
Figure 3 shows a simplified specimen of the blasting cartridge by
which the same saving of powder is produced, the difference being that
it requires a partial tamping only. The firing channel f is bored
entirely through, and the head piece e instead of being separately
formed of brass is now made in the same piece with the main
cylinder a. A socket is screwed on the head picce e to prevent
the cartridge from breaking when being lowered into the blast holo.
The rings g, g', and the pins,,,, are not required, the paper case
being simply bent round above at z and beneath at q. A spiral spring
working on the projections 2 and m tends to hold the piston h (which
is made considerably stronger than before) deep in the boring k, so that
it may be prevented from breaking off or being injured in being lowered
to the blast hole.
In using this cartridge clay tamping is only necessary at the piston h,
yet it will possibly prove in some cases more advantageous than the
cartridge as above described and shewn in Figure 1, as it can be
loaded much more quickly the double tamping is avoided, and it is
considerably less complicated and therefore more durable.
The rod shewn in Figure 4 is principally formed of gas pipe, having
a worm y at the lower end, and can thus be screwed to the head piece e,
as already shewn in Figure 3. This rod is extremely useful in case the

page_text: cartridge should miss-fire (which cannot occur in the modification as
shewn in Figure 3), as by means of the same without inconvenience the
cartridge can be drawn from the bore.
Should the lower portion of the blast hole be composed of solid rock
the powder in the lower half of the cylindrical chamber would be
entirely without any useful working, therefore the space can be filled
out with a solid body, as for instance a half-cylinder formed case of
strong cardboard, metal, or other suitable material, through which one
saves half the usual quantity of powder and without the blasting power
being in the least degree diminished.
Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawing shows a modification of the
cartridge to be used for springing military mines. The brass head e
remains the same as that described in Figure 1. The two projections b
and 6' are no longer used to strengthen the inner cylinder but are
composed of opposite laying plates. The solid central cylinder is also
no longer used, as the throwing or projectile force of the powder is now
required to be brought into action. Instead therefore of the solid
cylinder a thin hollow cylinder a unites the two plates 6 and 6¹ and
forms a central tube, which is used as the firing line. This central tube
is provided with a large number of small perforations, and is connected
by means of another tube a¹ with the chamber in the head piece e in
which the fusec is placed. The central tube a is to be threaded with
gun cotton, which as is well known will immediately take fire its entire
length, and thus by aid of the perforations in the tube, as already
mentioned, communicate the fire at the same instant to the entire body
of the powder.
In this manner is brought into practice the central firing line so long
acknowledged (theoretically) as the most perfect mode of firing. The
two plates 6 and 6' are further connected by a number of wrought-iron
rods a", the thickness of which must necessarily depend on the quantity
of powder used in the cartridge, as they must be able to withstand the
explosive force of the same. These rods can be fixed to the plates by
screws, bolts, or in any other manner considered most appropriate.
In the boring between the head piece e and the central tube a is
placed a movable solid cylinder x, which at the same instant the
powder explodes is caused to rise in the cavity as seen in the accom-
panying Drawing, and so entirely prevents the escape of the gases

page_text: Eighth. The realizing and bringing into practical use the theory of a
"central line of fire" by the introduction of the hollow cylinder a, as
shown in Figure 2.
Ninth. The two plates 6 and 6' united by the rods a".
Tenth. The small solid cylinder x to prevent the explosive gases from 5
escaping upwards through the head piece e, and in fact the entire
principle, as well as the special mode of constructing the cartridge as
described above and shown in the accompanying Drawing.