Process for the Manufacture of Explosives Containing Saltpetre.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug;, 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Process for the Manufacture of Explosives Containing Saltpetre.
1, MAX BIELEFELDT, of 16 Luther Strasse Wittenberg, Saxony, Doctor of
Philosophy, 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 :-
Various explosives which contain sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate are
characterized by the fact that they can be exploded by the mere flame of a fuse.
This circunstance renders explosives of that kind, of which "blasting nitre or
blasting saltpetre," blasting powder, and "lithotrite" are the most important
representatives, especially suitable for many mining operations, whilst they have
also the advantage of being very cheap.
Those explosives have however the disadvantage of readily becoming moist, and
of not being sufficiently powerful for many purposes.
Both of these drawbacks are obviated the new explosive the manufacture of
which forms the subject of the present invention.
The constituents of this explosive are sodic saltpetre, potassic saltpetre, sulphur,
coal tar, and bichromate of potash.
The quantitative proportions of these constituents may vary according to the
requirements in each case, the sole condition being that sodium nitrate should form
the chief component of the constituents of the explosive which give off oxygen.
Instead of coal tar, or together with it, there may also be employed resins, and
also fatty drying oils, lacs and varnishes.
For the potassium bichromate may also be substituted other bichromates, and
also chromates, permanganates, and manganates.
For the production of a particularly effective explosive, the following proportions
of ingredients have been found suitable :-
Sodic saltpetre
Potassic saltpetre
Sulphur
Coal tar -
Potassium bichromate
-
69 per cent.
5 per cent.
10 per cent.
15 per cent.
1 per cent.
100
The process is carried out as follows:
The ground or otherwise comminuted constituents after being mixed together
are more or less compressed between heated plates or rolls. When the pressure is
sufficiently great, the simultaneous heating may be omitted, especially when the
mixture has been previously moistened, or when adhesive agents have been
employed. By this means there is obtained a coherent mass which can be further
treated in any desired manner.
The advantages of the explosive produced as above described over blasting nitre,
blasting saltpetre, blasting powder and "lithotrite," consist in its great resistance
to moisture, and also in its considerably higher blasting or bursting action which
can be increased up to one and a half times that of the older explosives, with

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the. nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The manufacture of an explosive, by mixing together sodic saltpetre, potassic
saltpetre, sulphur, coal tar or resins, fatty drying oils, lacs and varnishes,
bichromate of potash, or analogous bichromates or chromates, permanganates and
manganates, and by compressing with or without heating.
Dated this 4th day of August 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.