IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNPOWDER AND ANALOGOUS EXPLOSIVES
Year: 1885

page_text: analogous Explosives.
I FREDERICK BERTIE WORSLEY ROBERTS of the Union Club Trafalgar Square
in the County of Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNPOWDER AND
ANALOGOUS EXPLOSIVES," which Invention has been communicated to me from
abroad by F. Becker of Hamburg in the Empire of Germany, to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to provide a powder which will give increase of
velocity and decrease of pressure in the gun and corresponding advantages when
used for other purposes than as a charge for guns. This object is attained by
means of the ordinary ingredients but the woody matter employed now as charcoal
is according to this Invention not completely charred but only heated to a yellow
or chocolate colour and to employ this woody matter so treated in conjunction
with the other ordinary ingredients vizt-Sulphur and Saltpetre but they are
used preferably in proportions different from those hitherto used there being
according to this Invention in every 100 lbs of powder about 80 lbs of Saltpetre
and 3 lbs of Sulphur but I do not limit myself to these proportions the essential
feature of this Invention being the under coking of the woody matter employed
which is preferably dogwood. I thus obtain a powder giving a more even gradual
and complete combustion than is the case with powder as ordinarily made.
.

page_text: analogous Explosives.
I, FREDERICK BERTIE WORSLEY ROBERTS of the Union Club Trafalgar Square
in the County of Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this
invention which has been communicated to me from abroad by Friedrich Becker
of Innker Wehningen Dömitz Amtmenhaus in the Empire of Germany and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This Invention has for its object to provide a powder which will give increase of
velocity and decrease of pressure in the gun and corresponding advantages when
used for other purpose than as a charge for a gun. This object is attained by
means of the ordinary ingredients of gunpowder except that the woody matter
employed now as charcoal is according to this Invention not completely charred
but is only partially charred to a yellow or chocolate colour. The said woody
matter so treated is by preference dogwood I employ the dogwood or other woody
matter so treated in conjunction with the other ordinary ingredients viz Sulphur
and Saltpetre but they are used preferably in proportions different from those
hitherto used there being according to this Invention in every 100 lbs of powder
about 80 lbs of Saltpetre and 3 lbs of sulphur the remaining 17 lbs being the under
charred dogwood or other woody matter. I do not necessarily limit myself to
these proportions nor to any particular woody matter provided that it be only
partially or under charred but I prefer dogwood as I find that it gives very good
results. By the use of dogwood or other woody matter prepared as described
I obtain a powder or analogous explosive giving a more even, gradual, and
complete combustion than is the case with gunpowder or analogous explosives
as ordinarily made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st In the manufacture of gunpowder or similar explosives the use of under, or
but partially charred dogwood or other woody matter substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
2nd The manufacture of Gunpowder or similar explosives by the combination of
Saltpetre, Sulphur, and under or but partially charred dogwood or other woody
matter in the proportions herein before mentioned or thereabouts.