IMPROVEMENTS IN SAPETY
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Victor, of Wadebridge, in the County of
Cornwall, Hydraulic Engineer, and James Polglase, of Bodmin, in the
said County, Mine Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAPETY
Sealed the 28th June 1861, and dated the 22nd March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Victor and James
Polglase at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 22nd March 1861.
We, JOSEPH VICTOR, of Wadebridge, in the County of Cornwall, Hydraulic
Engineer, and JAMES POLGLASE, of Bodmin, in the said County, Mine Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SAFETY FUSES FOR MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
In the construction of the safety füses constituting the subject of this Invention,
the combustible material employed, which may consist of gunpowder, or of any
other explosive substance or compound adapted for such purposes, is enclosed
within metallic tubes, which tubes are manufactured by means of any suitable
machinery, and are formed of any metal or metallic alloy which will admit of
their possessing the property of flexibility after being charged. The tubes may
be made of any desired length, or calibre, or bore, and are charged by simply
filling them with the combustible material employed. Tubes of considerable
length may be manufactured and charged in accordance with this Invention,

page_text: from which fuses of the length required for any particular operation may be
obtained by simply cutting the tube, the act of dividing the tube at the same
time closing or sealing the end thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Victor and James Polglase in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
VICTOR, of Wadebridge, in the County of Cornwall, Hydraulic Engineer, and
JAMES POLGLASE, of Bodmin, in the said County, Mine Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Joseph Victor and James Polglase, Her special licence that we, the said
Joseph Victor and James Polglase, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said. Joseph Victor and James Polglase, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY FUSES
FOR MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Joseph Victor and James Polglase, our executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed,, 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 we, the said Joseph Victor and James Polglase,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
Our Invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of fuses
for mining and other blasting operations, the object of such improvements

page_text: being to obtain a fuse possessing a greater efficiency, and subject to fewer
objections than those previously in use.
The method of manufacture which we adopt is as follows:-A metallic
tube, composed of lead or of any metal or metallic alloy possessing sufficient
ductility (although we prefer the use of lead), and of any desired bore or
calibre, is filled or charged with gunpowder or other explosive substance or
compound adapted for such purposes. The tube thus filled or charged, and
having the ends closed by compression, is passed between a series of rollers
with graduated grooves, whereby the diameter and bore of the tube are reduced
to any required minimum. By this process of rolling, the gunpowder or other
explosive substance or compound is so tightly compressed as to give slow or
steady combustion instead of sudden explosion. The amount of rolling
ordinarily required is so much as is sufficient to increase the tube about four.
times its original length, but this may be varied as circumstances require or.
render desirable.
By the method above detailed, a perfect and complete continuity of the.
gunpowder or other explosive substance or compound is obtained throughout
the entire length of the tube, which may be thus manufactured of any desired
length.
:
The process of manufacturing tubes is well understood by mechanists, and
therefore need not be here more particularly described, inasmuch as it forms
no part of this Invention, which consists of the tube and gunpowder or other
explosive substance or compound rolled together until the tube is reduced or
elongated to the required size. The fuses can be, as has been stated, con-
structed of any length, and possess great flexibility, while from the material of
which the tubing is composed they are impervious to moisture, and may be
packed and stored with perfect safety, the ends of the tubing being sealed or
closed by simple concussion, or even by being cut with a blunt instrument.
The latter peculiarity is of importance in cases of accidental injury, such as
sometimes occurs in the operation of tamping, the tube upon being struck
collapsing, and thereby cutting off the communication from one part of the
fuse to the other.
Another important feature connected with our fuse, and which is of great
value, as tending to prevent accident, is, that it has no combustible clothing
or covering to cause it to "hang fire," and then explode suddenly and
unexpectedly.
It should be remarked that by the method of manufacture adopted absolute
continuity of the charge throughout the entire length of the tubing is ensured,
and also that, however the fuse may be exposed to damp or moisture at the

page_text: time of use, or even if carried under water, the charge is so effectually
protected that its operation will be equally certain and efficacious. The
amount of gas and smoke evolved upon ignition is also much less than with
the ordinary fuses, their use in "close ends" and other confined localities being
consequently especially desirable and beneficial. These advantages render
our safety fuses of great value, not only for mining but other blasting
operations.
Having thus fully described our said Invention, we would observe, in con-
clusion, that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details or methods of
construction and manufacture herein-before set forth, as variations may be made
therefrom without departing from the main features and principles of our
Invention; neither do we claim the exclusive use of the several parts and
materials constituting our said improved safety fuses considered separately and
apart from each other, nor the exclusive use of the method of reducing the
metallic tubes, herein-before mentioned, considered as separate and apart from
the remainder of our Invention; but what we consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as our Invention is, the construction and manu-
facture of safety fuses for mining and other purposes, in manner herein-before
substantially described and set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Victor and James Polglase,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-one.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
15, Southampton Buildings,
Agent for the Patentees.
JOSEPH VICTOR.
(L.B.)
JAMES POLGLASE. (L.S.)