Improvements in Treating and Using Explosives whereby the Flame Produced is Controlled and Quenched.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11st Sept., 1890-Accepted. 8th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treating and Using Explosives whereby the Flame
Produced is Controlled and Quenched.
I, ALLAN THOMAS COCKING, of 12, Clifton Mount, Rotherham, in the County of
York, Chemist and Mining Engineer, do hereby declare, the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND USING EXPLOSIVES WHEREBY THE FLAME
PRODUCED IS CONTROLLED AND QUENCHED" to be as follows :--
In coal mines and other places where inflammable gases or dust exist it is
dangerous to fire: an explosive without means of controlling the flame produced,
and it is often inconvenient and impracticable to enclose the cartridge of explosive
in an outer bag or envelope containing water or other substance for quenching flame,
on account of it necessitating a larger shot hole and increasing the time and trouble
in preparation.
My improved method of controlling the flame is to use with the explosive a stemming
or tamping in the neighbourhood of the cartridge, which shall have the effect of
preventing flame from passing it, and also give off steam and gases which will prevent
inflammable gases or dust from being ignited by the shot.
This stemming is made as follows; small blocks of a jelly or plastic substance
containing a large quantity of water and chemicals which will be resolved into flame
quenching gases, by explosion of the cartridge, are surrounded with paraffin, wax,
cement or other material for the purpose of making them more convenient to handle
and keeping in the water.
One or more of these blocks of stemming are placed at the bottom of the shot
hole, and then the cartridge of explosive pressed into them; other blocks of the
stemming are then placed on the top of the cartridge and pressed so as to fill up the
remaining spaces around the explosive and form a covering to it, the remainder of
the shot hole is then rammed with clay or other material in the usual way.
The composition of the blocks of stemming is as follows:
Five parts by weight of water, to one part of starch, soap, gelatine, glue, Irish moss
or any other suitable material which when dissolved or mixed with the water, forms a
jelly or plastic, mass..
:
Oxalic acid or ammonium chloride or any other chemical which on decomposition
evolves carbon-di-oxide, chlorine or other gases which retard the combustion of coal
gas or coal dust may be added to the jelly; or it may have added to it a fire
extinguishing liquid such as a solution of chloride of zinc or sulphate of zinc.
The blocks of jelly thus made, may be moulded into any convenient shape or size,
and the proportions of water and other substances may be varied as required; the
water or solution of the fire extinguishing cheinicals may also be brought into contact
with the cartridge of explosive, by being absorbed in wool or other suitable porous
material instead of a jelly for the purpose of quenching the flame, and if the cartridge
be wrapped in wool, or other suitable absorbent it may be saturated with the liquid
when it is required to be inserted in the shot hole.
Dated this 9th day of December 1889! -
▸
K. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treating and Using Explosives whereby the Flame
Produced is Controlled and Quenched.
I, ALLAN THOMAS COCKING of 12 Clifton Mount, Rotherham, in the County of
York, Chemist and Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for, "IMPROVEMENTS.IN TREATING AND USING EXPLOSIVES WHEREBY THE FLAME
PRODUCED IS CONTROLLED AND QUENCHED," and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
In coal mines and other places where inflammable gases or dust exist, it is dangerous
to fire an explosive without means of controlling the flame produced, and it is often
inconvenient and impracticable to enclose the cartridge of explosive in an outer bag
or envelope containing water or other substance, in bulk, for quenching flame, on
account of it necessitating a larger shot hole and increasing the time and trouble in
preparation.
My improved method of controlling the flame is to use with the explosive, a
stemming, or tamping, or envelope, around, or in the neighbourhood of, the cartridge,
which shall have the effect of preventing flame from passing it, and. also give, off
steam and gases which will prevent inflammable gases or dust from being ignited.by
the shot.
This is effected 'as follows:-
1st. Small blocks of a jelly or plastic substance containing a large quantity of
water and chemicals which will be resolved into flame-quenching gases, by explosion
of the cartridge, are surrounded with paraffin, wax, cement or other material for
the purpose of making them more convenient to handle and keeping in the water.
One or more of these blocks of stemming are placed at the bottom of the shot hole,
and then the cartridge of explosive pressed into them; other blocks of the stemming
are then placed on the top of the cartridge and pressed so as to fill up the remaining
spaces around the explosive and form a covering or envelope to it, the remainder
of the shot hole is then rammed with clay or other material in the usual way.
The composition of these blocks of stemming is as follows:-
Five or more parts by weight of water, to one part of starch, soap, gelatine, glue,
Irish moss or any other suitable material which when dissolved or mixed with the
water, forms a jelly or plastic mass.
Oxalic acid or ammonium chloride or any other chemical which on decomposition
evolves carbon-di-oxide, chlorine, steam or other gases which retard the combustion
of coal gas or coal dust may be added as required.
.
The blocks of stemming or envelopes thus made and prepared may be moulded or
formed into any convenient shape or size and the proportions of water and other
substances may be varied as required.
2ndly. The water or solution of the fire extinguishing chemicals may likewise be
brought into contact with the cartridge of explosive, by being absorbed in an envelope
of wool, flannel or other suitable porous material instead of a jelly for the purpose
of quenching the flame, and if the cartridge be wrapped in, or placed in, an envelope
of wool, flannel, or other suitable absorbent material, such envelope may be saturated
with water, or the solution, when it is required to be inserted in the shot hole.
The stemming, tamping, or envelopes prepared as herein described must be used
whilst the composition from which the flame quenching gases are evolved is in a
damp or moist condition...
As a modification of the foregoing when the stemming or tamping or envelope
is made of wool, flannel or other absorbent material it may be first saturated with
the liquid solution from which the fire extinguishing gases are evolved and then
dried, in which condition it may be kept until required for use. When so required
it may be damped or moistened with water, such damping or moistening rendering
it effective for application as herein previously described.

page_text: From the foregoing Specification, it will be seen that an explosive cartridge may
be inserted into a shot hole surrounded and closed by my improved flame quenching
stemming or tamping or envelope without necessitating a larger shot hole than is
generally required for an ordinary cartridge; it will also be seen that the most
simple application of my invention is to envelope the explosive cartridge in a bag, or
case of wool, flannel, or other suitable absorbent material, and before inserting the
same in the shot hole, moistening or saturating the outer bag or case with water or
with the solution herein previously described, then closing the shot hole with an
ordinary stemming or tamping of clay or other material in the usual way; when the
shot is fired the flame generated by the explosion is damped and extinguished by the
gases or steam evolved from the water or chemical solution contained in the porous.
case in which the cartridge was enveloped.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed- 1 declare that what I
claim is:
(1). In treating and using explosives whereby the flame produced is controlled and
quenched. The application of a stemming or tamping or envelope of absorbent
material moistened or saturated with water or other flame quenching liquid or
solution in the manner and for the purposes herein described and set forth.
(2). In treating and using explosives whereby the flame produced is controlled
and quenched. The application of a stemming or tamping or envelope constructed
in the form of a bag or case of wool, flannel or other suitable absorbent material
moistened or saturated with water or specially prepared flame quenching solution or
both in the manner and for the purposes herein described and set forth.
(3). The improvements in treating and using explosives whereby the flame
produced is controlled and quenched in the manner and for the purposes herein before
described and set forth.
Dated this 10th day of September 1890.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.