AN IMPROVED BLASTING OR EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson
and Co., Solicitors of Patents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED BLASTING OR EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND, AND METHOD OF
MANUFACTURING THE SAME." A communication from abroad by Charles
Felhoon, of the City, County, and State of New York.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1879.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Solicitors
of Patents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED BLASTING OR EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUND, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME." A communication from
abroad by Charles Felhoen, of the City, County, and State of New York.
This Invention relates to a new and improved gun powder, the advantages of
which are that it can be made much more rapidly than ordinary gun powder, and
without the intervention of expensive machinery and dangerous manipulation, and
is stronger than ordinary gun powder.
It is well known that the only purpose of graining and glazing ordinary gun
powder is to prevent the separation of its component parts, to prevent the absorp-
tion of moisture, and to insure a more rapid combustion. The object of my Inven-
tion is to accomplish these results without resorting to those expensive and
dangerous processes.
For the purpose of this Invention I employ seventy-five parts of salt-petre,
twelve and one half parts of sulphur, and twelve and one half parts of charcoal,
which are to be separately reduced to an impalpably fine powder, and then
intimately mixed. To ninety parts of the above mixture I add and thoroughly mix
ten parts of nitro-naphthaline, prepared as hereinafter described.
No special precaution or mode of mixing is needed in effecting the several
mixtures.

page_text: Nitro-naphthaline belongs to a class of explosive substances (nitrated hydro-
carbons) such as uitrate of ethyl and nitro-mannite, some of which are fluid, and
others solid, and which have not generally come into much practical use; several of
these bodies would answer my purpose. By preference I use nitro-naphthaline, it
being the cheapest body.
The nitro-naphthaline I prepare by digesting, with or without heat, one part of
naphthaline in four parts of nitric acid of specific gravity 140 for five days. The
naphthaline is converted into a brown unctuous crystalline mass, which must be
well washed with water to free it from all traces of acid, then dried and pulverized.
By this means I obtain a nono nitro-naphthaline containing a small proportion
of di nitro-naphthaline.
I do not confine myself to the exact proportions, either of the gun powder or the
nitro-naphthaline as herein set forth, but substantially as above stated.
The compound resulting from this process has the following properties:- It does
not explode from friction or concussion; it does not require a fulminate of mercury,
gun cotton, or nitro-glycerine to explode it, and though these agents may be used
it may also be exploded by the use of the common fuse; it burns inore slowly than
common gun powder, but with much greater violence; ignited in the open air it
burns, but does not explode.
I find from numerous experiments that not less than ten per cent. of the nitro-
naphthaline should be used; the quantity may be increased ad libitum to perform
the offices required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1879.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Solicitors
of Patents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED BLASTING OR EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUND, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME." A communication from
abroad by Charles Felhoen, of the City, County, and State of New York.
This Invention relates to a new and improved gun-powder, the advantages of
which are that it can be made much more rapidly than ordinary gun-powder, and
without the intervention of expensive machinery and dangerous manipulation, and
is stronger than ordinary gun-powder.
It is well known that the only purpose of graining and glazing ordinary gun-
powder is to prevent the separation of its component parts, to prevent the absorp-
tion of moisture, and to insure a more rapid combustion. The object of my Inven-
tion is to accomplish these results without resorting to those expensive and
dangerous processes.
For the purpose of this Invention I employ seventy-five parts of salt petre,
twelve and one half parts of sulphur, and twelve and one half parts of charcoal,
which are to be separately reduced to an impalpably fine powder, and then inti-
mately mixed. To ninety parts of the above mixture I add and thoroughly mix
ten parts of nitro-naphthaline, prepared as hereinafter described; no special pre-
caution or mode of mixing is needed in effecting the several mixtures.
Nitro-naphthaline belongs to a class of explosive substances (nitrated hydro-
carbons) such as nitrate of ethyl and nitro mannite, some of which are fluid, and
others solid, and which have not generally come into much practical use; several of
these bodies would answer my purpose. By preference I use nitro-naphthaline, it
being the cheapest body.
The nitro-naphtaline I prepare by digesting, with or without heat, one part of
naphthalino in four parts of nitric acid of specific gravity 1.40 for five days. The
naphthaline is converted into a brown unctuous crystalline mass, which must be
well washed with water to free it from all traces of acid, then dried and pulverized.
By this means I obtain a mono nitro-naphthaline, containing a small proportion
of di nitro-naphthaline.
I do not confine myself to the exact proportions, either of the gun powder or the
nitro-naphthaline, as herein set forth, but substantially as above stated.
The compound resulting from this process has the following properties:-It does
not explode from friction or concussion; it does not require a fulminate of mercury,
gun cotton, or nitro-glycerine to explode it, and though these agents may be used
it may also be exploded by the use of the common fuse; it burns more slowly than
common gun powder, but with much greater violence; ignited in the open air it
burns, but does not explode.
I find from numerous experiments that not less than ten per cent. of the nitro-
naphthaline should be used; the quantity may be increased ad libitum to perform
the offices required.
Having now described this Invention in the exact words communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, the same being the best mode known to him of carrying
the said Invention into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be
new and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent
is,
The herein described composition of matter, consisting of the constituents of

page_text: unglazed blasting powder or gun powder mixed with nitro-naphthaline, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.