Improvements in Explosives.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1996
.
Improvements in Explosives.
1, WILLIAM DALRYMPLE BORLAND of Beacon Lodge, Green Street Green,
Dartford, Kent, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-:
The essence of my invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of
explosives by the admixture of chromates with nitro compounds.
I am aware that chromates have been employed in the preparation of explosives,
but such use has been hitherto restricted to soluble chromates such as ammonium
and potassium bichromate.
Some disadvantages attend the use of these compounds, and to avoid these
1 employ insoluble or very sparingly soluble chromates, as, for example, zinc or
aluminium chromate. I mix the chromate with the nitro compounds either by
precipitating the chromate into the mass of the nitro compound, or by intimately
mixing the substances by mechanical means.
For blank charges I also employ potassium bichromate, dipping a nitrated
cellular substance into a solution of the same.
Dated this ofth day of Mouch 1905
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicant.
I, WILLIAM DALRYMPLE BORLAND, of Beacon Lodge, Green Street Green,
Dartford Kent, Analytical Chemist, 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 :-
My invention consists of improvements in explosives by the admixture of insoluble.
or sparingly soluble chromates with nitro-compounds.
I am aware that soluble chromates have been employed in the preparation of
explosives, as, for instance, ammonium and potassium bichromates. Certain
disadvantages however attend the use of these compounds, and, to avoid these,
I employ insoluble or very sparingly. soluble chromates.
One method which I adopt is to take some suitable cellular fabric, preferably
sponge cloth, and nitrate and purify the resulting nitro-compound in the usual
way. It is then immersed in a solution of a chromate, then dried completely or
partially, and again immersed in a solution of a barium salt. A double decom-
position takes place, and insoluble barium chromate is precipitated in and upon the
cellular fabric. The explosive substance thus produced is either used without
further treatment, or treated in the usual manner with solvents for the purpose of
bringing it into the gelatinous, horny, or granular condition, or it is compressed
into sheets or blocks. In the above method of preparation I so proportion the
barium salt to the chromate that no soluble chromate is left after the double
decomposition has taken place.

page_text: If, however, I desire to prepare an explosive for blank charges I adjust the
proportions of the barium salt to the soluble chromate so that the soluble chromate
is not all decomposed, but a certain proportion, (which may be varied for different
purposes) of soluble chromate remains in admixture with the insoluble chromate in
and upon the nitro compound.
If the nitrated cellular material is in the form of pulp or grains, the precipitation
of the insoluble chromate can be effected in any suitable vessel, a poacher, for
example.
Other insoluble or sparingly soluble chromates may be employed, such as zinc, or
aluminium chromate.
As an alternative method, when the nitrated material is in a finely divided
condition, I can bring about an intimate union of the nitrated material and the
insoluble or sparingly soluble chromate by any of the mechanical methods now
employed to effect similar results in the manufacture of explosives.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what way the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Explosive substances formed by the mixture of nitrated material with insoluble
or sparingly soluble chromates.
2. In the manufacture of explosive substances, the employment of insoluble or
sparingly soluble chromates in combination with nitrated material.
3. In the manufacture of explosive substances by the mixture of nitrated
material with an insoluble or sparingly soluble chromate or chromates, the method
of mixing the said constituents by precipitating the insoluble or sparingly soluble
chromate from a solution of a soluble chromate substantially as described.
4. The manufacture of explosive substances suitable for blank charges by
mixing nitrated materials with soluble and insoluble chromates substantially as
described.
Dated this 26th day of December 1895.
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicant.