AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES"
Year: 1883

page_text: This. Specification was, upon the 13th day of November 1888, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
The Amandmandamus 7.
3
31°
LETTERS PATENT to Robert Punshon and Robert Robinson Vizer, both of
Craven Street, Charing Cross in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Punshon and Robert
Robinson Vizer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May
1883.
ROBERT PUNSHON and ROBERT ROBINSON VIZER, both of Craven Street, Charing
Cross in the County of Middlesex, "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES
"".
Our invention relates to the utilization of a compound of picric acid and nitric
acid for blasting or similar purposes.
It is well known to chemists that nitric acid and picric acid when combined in
certain proportions, form an explosive compound as powerful as nitro-glycerine, but
the use of this compound has not hitherto been practicable by reason of the
fact that it must be used immediately the two ingredients have been combined.
The object of our invention is to enable these two acids to be utilized for
blasting or similar purposes; this we accomplish by introducing a glass vessel
containing nitric acid and hermetically sealed by means of material which is not
attacked by the acid, into a case or receptacle in which the glass vessel is
surrounded with picric acid. We usually make the apparatus in the form of a
blasting cartridge. Before using this cartridge the two acids are caused to
combine by breaking the said glass vessel, which may be effected by thrusting a
pricker longitudinally into the cartridge, or by other suitable means.
The ingredients should be employed in about the following proportions, viz:-
From one and a half (14) to two (2) parts by weight of pieric acid to one (1) part
by weight of nitric acid, the latter being, by preference, of specific gravity 1-5.
In some cases, we employ, in combination with the picric acid, nitrate of
potash, nitrate of soda, nitrate of baryta, or other suitable substance in order to
vary or reduce the explosive power of the above described compound.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Punshon and Robert Robinson Vizer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th November 1883.
ROBERT PUNSHON and ROBERT ROBINSON VIZER both of Craven Street Charing
Cross in the County of Middlesex "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS
FOR, UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES
"
Our Invention relates to apparatus for the utilization of a compound of picric
acid and nitric acid (the latter of the specific gravity of 1·5) for blasting or
similar purposes.
It is known to chemists that nitric acid and picric acid, when combined in
certain proportions, form an explosive compound as powerful as nitro-glycerine, but
the use of this compound has not hitherto been found practicable.
The object of our Invention is to enable these two acids to be utilized for
blasting or similar purposes. This we accomplish by taking a vessel of glass or
other acid-proof and friable substance containing nitric acid and hermetically sealed
by means of glass or other acid-proof material, and introducing the said vessel
into a case or receptacle in which the said vessel is surrounded or covered with
picric acid. We usually make the apparatus in the form of a blasting cartridge.
At, or in, the place where the cartridge is to be exploded the two acids are caused
to combine by breaking the said vessel containing the nitric acid, which may he
effected by thrusting a pricker or pointed rod longitudinally, vertically, or
otherwise, into the cartridge, or by other suitable means. or the vessels and eases
containing nitric acid and pieric acid respectively may be put separately and
successively into the blasting hole and be then broken and the contents thus be
enused to combine.
The ingredients should be employed in about the following proportions viz :-
From one and a half to two parts by weight of picric acid to one part by weight of
nitric acid. In some cases we employ, in combination with the picric acid, nitrate
of potash, nitrate of soda, nitrate of baryta, carbon or other similar or suitable
substance in order to vary or in some cases reduce the explosive power of the
above described compound. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves
to the form of the cartridges, vessels, or containers, nor to the relative positions
which the picric acid and the nitric acid occupy provided they be in the necessary
juxta-position or capable of being placed in the necessary juxta-position, sub-
stantially as described.
Having thus fully described our said invention and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we claim :-
First. The utilization of pierio neid (pure or combined as above described) and
nitric acid, by enclosing them separately in cartridges, vessels, or containers in
such a manner that the said acids are kept apart for transit or storage, and can
be liberated and combined at, or in, the place where the explosive force of the
compound is to be utilized, substantially as hereinbefore-described.
Second. An apparatus for blasting or like purposes, consisting of cartridges,
vessels or containers in which picrie ucid (pure or combined as above described)
and nitric acid are separately contained as described.

page_text: The improved apparatus for utilising an explosive compound for blasting or other
purposes consisting of a cartridge in which the two ingredients that is to say the picric
acid either pure or combined as above described and the nitric acid (which two ingredients
together form the explosive) are separated or separately contained substantially as
described.
In witness whereof we the said Robert Punshon and Robert Robinson Vizer
have hereunto set our hands and seals this Twelfth day of November in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
Vitness
HENRY H-LAKE
45-Southampton-Buildings
ROBERT PUNSHON (L.s.)
ROBT. R: VIZER
(L.8.)

page_text: LETTERS PATÉNT to Robert Punshon and Robert Robinson Vizer, both of
2
"
Craven Street, Charing Cross in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of
AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES"
1)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Punshon and Robert
+
Robinson Vizer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May
1883.
t
"
ROBERT PUNSHON and ROBERT ROBINSON VIZER, both of Craven Street, Charing,
Cross in the County of Middlesex, "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES :
Our invention relates to the utilization of a compound of picric acid and nitric
acid for blasting or similar purposes
t
It is well known to chemists that nitric acid and picric acid when combined in
certain proportions, form an explosive compound as powerful as nitro-glycerine, but
the use of this compound has not hitherto been practicable by reason of the
fact that it must be used immediately the two ingredients have been combined.
The object of our invention is. to enable these two acids to be utilized for
blasting or similar purposes; this we accomplish by introducing a glass vessel
containing nitric acid and hermetically sealed by means of material, which is not
attacked by the acid, into a case or receptacle in which the glass vessel is
surrounded with picric acid. We usually make the apparatus in the form of a
blasting cartridge. Before using this cartridge the two acids are caused to
combine by breaking the said glass vessel, which may be effected by thrusting a
pricker longitudinally into the cartridge, or by other suitable means.
"
The ingredients should be employed in about the following proportions, viz :—
From one and a half (14) to two (2) parts by weight of picric acid to one (1) part
by weight of nitric acid, the latter being, by preference, of specific gravity 1.5
In some cases, we employ, in combination with the picric acid, nitrate of
potash, nitrate of soda, nitrate of baryta, or other suitable substance in order to
vary or reduce the explosive power of the above described compound.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Punshon and Robert Robinson Vizer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th November 1883.
ROBERT PUNSHON and ROBERT ROBINSON VIZER, both of Craven Street Charing
Cross in the County of Middlesex "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS
FOR, UTILIZING AN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING OR OTHER PURPOSES"
Our Invention relates to the utilization of a compound of picric acid and
nitric acid (the latter of the specific gravity of 1.5) for blasting or similar purposes.
It is known to chemists that nitric acid and picric acid, when combined in
certain proportions, form an explosive compound as powerful as nitro-glycerine, but
the use of this compound has not hitherto been found practicable..
The object of our Invention is to enable these two acids to be utilized for
blasting or similar purposes. This we accomplish by taking a vessel of glass or
other acid-proof and friable substance containing nitric acid and hermetically sealed
by means of glass or other acid-proof material, and introducing the said vessel
into a case or receptacle in which the said vessel is surrounded or covered with
picric acid. We usually make the apparatus in the form of a blasting cartridge.
At, or in, the place where the cartridge is to be exploded the two acids are caused
to.combine by breaking the said vessel containing the nitric acid, which may be
effected by thrusting a pricker or pointed rod longitudinally, vertically, or
otherwise, into the cartridge, or by other suitable means; or the vessels and cases
containing nitric acid and picric acid respectively may be put separately and
successively into the blasting hole and be then broken and the contents thus be
caused to combine.
The ingredients should be employed in about the following proportions viz:
From one and a half to two parts by weight of picric acid to one part by weight of
nitric acid. In some cases we employ, in combination with the picric acid, nitrate
of potash, nitrate of soda, nitrate of baryta, carbon or other similar or suitable
substance in order to vary or reduce the explosive power of the above described
compound. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the form of
the cartridges, vessels, or containers, nor to the relative positions which the picric
acid and the nitric acid occupy provided they be in the necessary juxta-position or
capable of being placed in the necessary juxta-position, substantially as described.
Having thus fully described our said invention and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we claim :-
First. The utilization of picric acid (pure or combined as above described) and
nitric acid, by enclosing them separately in cartridges, vessels, or containers in
such a manner that the said acids are kept apart for transit or storage, and can
be liberated and combined at, or in, the place where the explosive force of the
compound is to be utilized, substantially as herein before described.
Second. An apparatus for blasting or like purposes, consisting of cartridges,
vessels or containers in which picric acid (pure or combined as above described)
and nitric acid are separately contained as described.
In witness whereof we the said Robert Punshon and Robert Robinson Vizer
have hereunto set our hands and seals this Twelfth day of November in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three
DITNICIAN.