A NEW EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND, APPLICABLE FOR ALL THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH GUNPOWDER IS OR MAY BE USED
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hall, of the City of Worcester, in the
County of Worcester, and Josiah Wells, also of the City of Wor-
cester aforesaid, for the Invention of "A NEW EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND,
APPLICABLE FOR ALL THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH GUNPOWDER IS OR MAY BE
USED."
Sealed the 23rd October 1868, and dated the 28th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hall and Josiah
Wells at the Office. of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 28th April 1868.
We, GEORGE HALL, of the City of Worcester, in the County of Wor-
cester, and JOSIAH WELLS, also of the City of Worcester aforesaid, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "A NEW EXPLOSIVE..COM-
POUND APPLICABLE FOR ALL THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH GUNPOWDER IS OR MAY
BE USED," to be as follows (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists in producing an explosive compound for genera!
purposes of the following ingredients and proportions of one hundred :-Forty-
seven parts of chlorate. of potassa, thirty-eight parts of ferrocyanide, of
potassium, together with about five parts of sulphur. We reduce these in-
gredients separately to a powder by grinding them on a suitable slab, and when
properly ground to be.thoroughly-mixed,-adding-water-to permit the whole to be
formed into a stiff paste; after which we allow the composition thus prepared to
stand, allowing the water to evaporate; and then we add ten parts of caoutchouc.

page_text: These ingredients must be thoroughly mixed one with the other, and if to be
used in the form of a powder must be pressed and then granulated, fine or
coarse, as preferred, or according to the purpose for which it may be required
to be used; or the compound may be moulded into a suitable shape forming a
solid compact body, which would be highly advantageous in preparing charges
either for blank or ball practice for military or naval purposes, and in the
same way charges may be conveniently prepared for the making up of shot
charges for sporting purposes.
And although we have given here the proportions that we have found
with our present experience to be satisfactory, nevertheless we claim the
privilege of altering or modifying the proportions that we may hereafter
find necessary, according to the purposes for which the compound may be
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hall and Josiah Wells in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
HALL, of the City of Worcester, in the County of Worcester, and JoSIAH
WELLS, also of the City of Worcester aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Hall and Josiah Wells, Her special license that we, the said
George Hall and Josiah Wells, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said George Hall and Josiah Wells, our exe
cutors, administrators, or 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 "A NEW EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND
APPLICABLE FOR ALL THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH GUNPOWDER IS OR MAY BE USED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George Hall and
Josiah Wells, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and

page_text: in what manner the same was to be performed, 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 George Hall and Josiah. Wells, 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 in producing an explosive compound for general
purposes of the following ingredients, the same being slightly modified,
according to requirements, say, 'in the proportions of 100:-We take 47 parts
of chlorate of potassa, 88 parts of ferrocyanide of potassium, together with
about 5 parts of sulphur or other chemical equivalent, such as refined sugar,
which we have found to be preferable from two causes, first, it is less deto-
nating or liable to explode from mere friction, and, secondly, more' perfectly
explosive, leaving no deposit or fouling. We reduce these ingrédients sepa-
rately to a powder by grinding in a suitable mill or otherwise, and when the
ingredients are properly ground they are to be thoroughly mixed, adding
water or nitric acid diluted with water, which increases the strength, imparting
to the compound a bluish green colour, and is readily taken up and incor-
porated with the other ingredients, to permit the whole to be formed into a stiff
paste; after which we allow the composition thus prepared to stand, allowing
the water used to evaporate, and then we add 10 parts of caoutchouc or
caoutchouc slightly incorporated with bisulphide of carbon, which has the
effect of destroying any impurity in the general compound, so that there shall
be less residue after, the explosion. These ingredients must be thoroughly
mixed one with the other, and if to be used in the form of powder, must be
pressed and then granulated, fine or coarse, as prefered, or according to the
purpose for which it may be required to be used; or the compound may be
moulded into a suitable shape forming a solid compact body, which would be
highly advantageous in preparing charges either for blank or ball practice for
military or naval purposes, and in the same way charges may be-conveniently
prepared for the making up of shot charges for sporting purposes.
And although we have her given the proportions that we have found with
our present experience to be most satisfactory, nevertheless we claim the privi-
lege of altering or modifying the proportions and quantities that we may here-
after find necessary, according to the purpose for which the compound u:ay be
required, and which compound-may-generally-be-estimated about two-thirds
stronger than common gunpowder, that is to say, one pound of our improved
explosivo compound, thus described, may be calculated as being equal in strength

page_text: to three pounds of ordinary gunpowder, and being nearly of the same specific
gravity, it follow that the quantity suitable for an ordinary charge, whether
for ordnance or small arms, will in bulk be two-thirds less than if composed of
ordinary gunpowder.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Hall and Josiah Wells, have 5
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOSIAH WELLS. (L.B.)
Witness to the signature of the said
George Hall,
WILLIAM WOODS.
Witness to the signature of the said
Josiah Wells,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.