AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS WILKINS of 19 Lyndhurst Road, Peckham in the County of Surrey.
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND to be as follows:-
The compound consists of, (1) nitro-cellulose (pyroxyline), (2) nitro-benzine
(essence of mirbane) or an isomeric body, (3) antimony penta-sulphide, (4)
potassium chlorate, or some other chlorate, and, (5) potassium nitrate, or some
other nitrate. It is prepared in the following manner. A gelatinous mass of
nitro-cellulose dissolved in nitro-benzine or in an isomeric body is first prepared.
The finely powdered chlorates and nitrates are then added: for instance potassium
chlorate and potassium or ammonium nitrate. The proportion of chlorates and
nitrates can be varied, according as it is desired to produce an explosive more
or less violent and instantaneous in causing fracture, or one that will ignite more
slowly. The mass is then well mixed and kneaded together so that each particle of
salt or salts is enveloped with a portion of the aforesaid gelatinous substance. The
particles of salt thus stick together without however being in actual contact.
Finally about three per cent of antimony penta-sulphide is added, and the whole
mass is again thoroughly kneaded in order that a perfect mixture may be obtained.
I do not limit myself to the use of but one chlorate or one nitrate in the same
mass of the improved explosive compound; neither do I limit myself to the precise
method herein described of mixing the materials forming the said compound.
Cartridges of any desired size or form may be made of the compound in its
plastic state. They may also be enveloped in explosive paper or vegetable parch-
ment, or in any other suitable material, ready for use. Or the compound may be
made up for sale in any other suitable form.
The advantages derivable from this improved explosive compound are that while
it is stronger than ordinary gunpowder it is less dangerous than dynamite; and it
is therefore eminently suitable for use in mining & quarrying.

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I THOMAS WILKINS of 19 Lyndhurst Road Peckham in the County of Surrey
Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND (A communication from
Touissant Petry and Oscar Fallenstein, both of Düren, Rhine Province, Germany,)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in, and by the following statement :-
The compound consists of (1) Gun-cotton, or other form of nitro-cellulose,
(2) Any nitro-compound of the aromatic group of coal-tar derivatives, such as
nitro-benzine, di-nitro-benzine, tri-nitro-benzine, mono, bi-, or tri-nitro-toluene,
mono-, bi-, or tri-nitro-xylene, 'cumene, etc; any one of the said compounds being
used alone or mixed with any one or more of the others in any desired proportions.
By preference commercial nitrobenzine commonly called essence of mirbane is used,
(3) Sulphur in some form, such as flowers of sulphur, pentasulphide of antimony,
bisulphide of carbon, etc. Preferably antimony pentasulphide is used (4) One or
more of the chloric-acid salts, such as potassium chlorate, barium chlorate, etc.
Preferably potassium chlorate is used; to which may be added, if required to
produce slower ignition or to reduce cost of production, potassium nitrate or some
other nitrate, as for instance sodium nitrate.
The compound is prepared in the following manner :- -A gelatinous mass is first
prepared by dissolving one part of gun cotton in from ten to sixty parts of nitro-
benzine, or its equivalent in the form of a nitro-compound, or nitro-compounds of
the aromatic group of coal-tar derivatives. The commercial nitro-benzine used by
preference is not made from pure benzol, but from coal-tar napthas containing
various hydro-carbons. The finely powdered chlorate or chlorates, and nitrate or
nitrates if any, are added to the jelly. For instance, potassium chlorate and salt-
petre might be used in various proportions in so far that the nitrate or nitrates (if
more than one be used) do not exceed one fourth of the total quantity of chlorates,
and nitrates employed; the proportion of chlorate to nitrate being varied from
entire omission of nitrate to the use of it to the extent herein-before mentioned
according as it is respectively desired to produce an explosive more or less violent
and instantaneous in causing fracture, or one that will ignite more slowly. Ten
parts of the jelly aforesaid may be mixed with from twenty five to fifty-six parts of
the chlorate or chlorates and nitrates. The powdered salts and the jelly are to be
well mixed and kneaded together by hand or other-wise, so that each particle of
the salt or salts becomes enveloped in the said jelly. The kneading is to be
continued till a perfectly homogenous mass is obtained. The jelly causes the
particles of salt to stick together without, however, their being in actual contact.
Finally not more than 5% of sulphur in one or more of the forms herein referred
to is added, and the whole mass is again thoroughly kneaded in order that a perfect
mixture may be obtained. The resultant explosive is a plastic mass varying in
consistence according to the combination selected.
In 100 parts the best proportions for practical mixing are:--
16 to 21 of nitro-compounds as aforesaid.
³/ to 1 of gun-cotton or other form of nitro cellulose.

page_text: I do not limit myself to the use of but one nitro-compound of the aromatic
group of coal-tar derivatives, or to one chlorate, or one nitrate, or to one form
of sulphur or sulphur compound, in the same mass of the improved explosive
compound; neither do I limit myself to the precise method herein described
of mixing the materials forming the said compound; for the mixing and kneading
may be done in any suitable way so that the salts be thoroughly conted with gun-
cotton and nitro-benzine or its equivalent herein-before mentioned and a perfectly
homogenous mass be obtained before sulphur in any form is added. Cartridges of
any desired size or form may be made of the compound, which is of a plastic
nature; and the cartridges may be enveloped in explosive paper, vegetable
parchment, or in other suitable material ready for use. Or the compound may
be packed for sale or transport in any other suitable way.
The advantages derivable from this improved explosive compound are that while
its explosive force is five or six-times that of ordinary gunpowder it is far less
dangerous than dynamite; and being very easily mixed, and that mixing being
unattended by danger, the ingredients (all of which are not explosive, save only the
small per-centage of gun cotton) may be transported to the place where an explosive
is required and there mixed. Morcover, the compound of gun-cotton and nitro-
benzine (or its herein before mentioned equivalent) is a non-explosive gelatinous
mass; hence the gun cotton can be dissolved before transport, and all danger to the
public from the carriage of explosives for mining purposes, may be suppressed..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The process of making explosive compounds which consists in mixing the
other substances of the said compound with a solution of gun-cotton in nitro-
compound of the aromatic group of coal-tar derivatives, substantially as herein-
before described.
2. The explosive compound composed of chloric-acid salt or salts, and sulphur,
sulphide or sulphides, admixed with a solution of gun-cotton in a nitro-compound
of the aromatic group of coal-tar derivatives in the proportions substantially as
herein set forth.
3. The explosive compound composed of chloric-acid salt or salts, nitrate
or nitrates, and sulphur, sulphide or sulphides, admixed with a solution of gun
cotton in nitro-compound of the aromatic group of coal-tar derivatives in the
proportions substantially as herein mentioned.
Dated
CM100