An Improved Safety Fuse or Quick-match.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
HACIONAL DECIFICATION.
An Improved Safety Fuse or Quick-match.
I CARL LAMM of 8 Limefield Blackburn in the County of Lancaster, Director
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a safety fuse or quick-match' which is adopted to all
cases when fire has to be transmitted from one point to another and has the
following advantages: The speed of burning can be varied within all desirable
limits from one meter in six minutes up to an almost instantaneous one and still
so that for each separate purpose it very constantly maintains the speed required.
The safety-fuse or quick-match is absolutely safe and accurate. It gives but little
smoke in burning. If an insulating of jute yarn or otherwise is not specially
required and if there is no need for a certain thickness or also if cheapness is not
the chief object the following method has been found the best :
The combination consists of nitrocellulose or cellulose and nitrocellulose mixed
together formed into a loose twist of desired thickness. The dinitrocelluloses alone
are to be employed by their property of being soluble in certain soluents and also
for the purpose of obtaining a progressive burning and no explosion. To these
celluloses and nitrocelluloses, not possessing enough of oxygen to transform the
carbon and hydrogen in gaseous compounds, oxidizing substances have to be added.
I have adopted the nitrate of potassium and the chlorate of potassium for this
purpose and to the same solution of water and these salts, in which the above said
twist has to be impregnated, I also add a propelling salt as yellow prussiate of
potash or picrate of potassium or a retarding salt as carbonate of potassium.
In order to obtain a greater speed the proportions of nitrocellulose, chlorate of
potassium and the propelling salts must be increased and in order to obtain a
slower speed the proportion of the latter must be diminished. After having been
impregnated with some one of these solutions and well dried the twist is put into a
hath consisting of one or several agents solving the nitrocellulose as nitrobenzene,
ether and alcohol. The twist may lie so long a time that the nitrocellulose has a
gelatineous appearance without loosing its form, after which it is taken out and
dried at a temperature of 60° to 70° F. In cases, when the cost is of less importance,
a still better product is obtained if the soluble agent is a chlornitro derivate of
henzole, toluole or naphtalene. The twist may now be employed directly as a
fuse or can be insulated.
When wishing a minimum of cost of the fuse as for instance in the case of
safety fuse for blasting purposes, a very good result is obtained by the following
method:
A loose core of cellulose is boiled in a solution of water and 56 per cent. of
nitrate of potassium, 30 per cent. of chlorate of potassium and 14 per cent. of
yellow prussiate of potash. The quantity of cellulose which has to be impregnated
corresponds about 30 per cent. of the weight of the salts: nitrate of potassium and
chlorate of potassium together. This core, when dried and tightly surrounded by
jute-yarn, burns with the speed of about one meter in two minutes. By diminishing
the proportions of chlorate of potassium and yellow prussiate of potash the safety
fuse will show a slower speed of burning. On the other hand by increasing the
proportions of these salus the speed of burning becomes greater. The core thus

page_text: prepared and well dried is tightly surrounded by jute yarn or other suitable yarns
and coated with a solution of asphalte and asphalt tar or still better with a solution
of vulcanized candle tar and the light volatile oils from coal tar.
An Improved Safety Fuse or Quick-match.
1, CARL LAMM of 24 Azalea Road (late of 8 Limefield) Blackburn, County of
Lancaster a communication to me from abroad by August Zernander of Rotebro
near Stockholm, Engineer in the Kingdom of Sweden do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a safety-fuse or quick-match which is adapted to all
cases when fire has to be transmitted from one point to another and has the
following advantages:
The speed of burning can be varied within all desirable limits from one yard in
six minutes up to an almost instantaneous one and still so that for each separate
purpose it very constantly maintains the speed required. The safety fuse or
quick match is absolutely safe and accurate. It gives but little smoke in burning.
If an insulating of jute yarn or otherwise is not specially required and if there
is no need for a certain thickness or also if cheapness is not the chief object the
following method has been found the best:
The combination consists of nitrocellulose or cellulose and nitrocellulose mixed
together formed into a loose twist of desired thickness. The dinitrocelluloses alone
are to be employed by their property of being soluble in certain solvents and also
for the purpose of obtaining a progressive burning and no explosion. To these
celluloses and nitrocelluloses, not possessing enough of oxygen to transform the
carbon and hydrogen in gaseous compounds, oxidizing substances have to be added.
I have adapted the nitrate of potassium and the chlorate of potassium for this
purpose and to the same solution of water and these salts in which the above said
twist has to be impregnated, I also add a propelling salt as yellow prussiate,
especially yellow prussiate of potash or picrate of potassium or a retarding salt as
carbonate of potassium. As examples of such solutions the following may be
given :
(1.) Nitrate of potassium and chlorate of potassium in concentrated solution ;
(2.) 60 parts of nitrate of potassium and 40 parts of chlorate of potassium ;
(3.) 60 parts of nitrate of potassium, 25 parts of chlorate of potassium and
15 parts of yellow prussiate;
(4.) 75 parts of nitrate of potassium and 25 parts of carbonate of potassium ;
(5.) 95 parts of nitrate of potassium and 5 parts of picrate of potassium; etc. etc.
more or less parts of above proportions, but the twist must take up so much of the
salts that the oxygen set at liberty, when burning supplies a complete combustion.
In order to obtain a greater speed the proportions of nitrocellulose, chlorate of
potassium and the propelling salts must be increased and in order to obtain a
slower speed the proportions of the latter must be diminished. After having been
impregnated with some one of these solutions and well dried the twist either of
nitrocellulose alone or of mixed nitrocellulose and cellulose-is put into a bath
consisting of one or several agents solving the nitrocellulose, as nitrobenzin ether
and alcohol. The twist may lie for so long a time that the nitrocellulose has a
gelatinous appearance without losing its form, after which it is taken out and

page_text: dried at a temperature of 60° to 70° F. In cases when the cost is of less importance
a still better product is obtained if the soluble agent is a chlor nitro derivate of
benzole toluole or naphtalene.
The twist may now be employed directly as a fuse or can be insulated.
When wishing a minimum of cost of the fuse as for instance in the case of
safety fuse for blasting purposes, a very good result is obtained by the following
method-
A loose core of cellulose is boiled in a solution of water and 56 per cent. of
nitrate of potassium, 30 per cent. of chlorate of potassium and 14 per cent. of yellow
prussiate especially yellow prussiate of potash. The quantity of cellulose which
has to be impregnated corresponds about 30 per cent. of the weight of the salts―
nitrate of potassium and chlorate of potassium-together. This core, when dried
and tightly surrounded by jute yarn, burns with the speed of about one yard in
two minutes. By diminishing the proportion of chlorate of potassium and yellow
prussiate the safety fuse will show a slower speed of burning. Thus a safety fuse
or quick match with a core of cellulose impregnated with equal parts of nitrate of
potassium and chlorate of potassium and enveloped with jute yarn as before burns
as slowly as one yard in five minutes.
On the other hand by increasing the proportions of these salts the speed of
burning becomes greater. The core thus prepared and well dried is tightly
surrounded by jute or other suitable yarn and coated with a solution of asphalt,
and asphalt tar or still better with a solution of vulcanized candle tar and light
volatile oils from coal tar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
(1.) A safety fuse or quick-match consisting of a twist or core of nitrocellulose
or mixed nitrocellulose and cellulose which is impregnated with a solution in water
of nitrate of potassium and chlorate of potassium in which solution also are solved
either yellow prussiate especially yellow prussiate of potash, picrate of potassium
or carbonate of potassium and then well dried the whole substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
(2.) The core prepared as in (1.) put down into a bath containing suitable agents
to solve the nitrocellulose as nitrobenzole, ether and alcohol or chlor nitro derivates
of benzole, toluole or naphtalene, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
(3.) The employment of the described twist or core direct without insulation or
after being insulated substantially for the purpose set forth.
(4.) A safety fuse consisting of a core of cellulose, boiled in a solution of water
and 56 per cent. of nitrate of potassium 30 per cent. of chlorate of potassium and
14 per cent. of yellow prussiate, especially yellow prussiate of potash, which core
when dried is surrounded with jute or other suitable yarns and made waterproof,
the whole substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
(5.) A safety fuse or quick match as before described with greater or less speed
obtained by increasing or diminishing the proportions of chlorate of potassium
and yellow prussiate in the core, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Twenty-third day of March 1897.
CARL LAMM..