Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosive Compounds.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 16th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan.. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosive Compounds.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of
Kent, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of explosive compounds, and comprises
improvements whereby I am enabled to so modify the explosive properties of such
compounds that the said compounds will burn slowly and will act very efficiently in
rifles or other fire-arms, that is to say, will impart a very high muzzle velocity to the
projectile without at any time subjecting the gun-barrel to excessive pressure.
In the manufacture of explosive compounds according to my present invention, I
mix dissolved gun-cotton or pyroxyline with nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or similar
material and with oil, preferably Castor-oil.
I have discovered that the addition of oil to compounds of dissolved gun-cotton
and nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or the like, increases the toughness of the product
and modifies the explosion thereof, whilst greatly diminishing its liability to deteriora-
tion by exposure to the atmosphere.
Various kinds of oil are useful for the purpose of my invention; I prefer, however,
to employ Castor-oil because it is soluble by means of the solvents which are employed
for dissolving the gun-cotton and nitro-glycerine or nitro-gelatino; it combines with
either of these substances, forming a compound which is unlike either of the said
substances alone; and, as it contains oxygen, it requires a smaller supply of oxygen
from other sources to consume it and also has less tendency to produce smoke than
other oils, while like them it modifies the explosion. Castor-oil, inoreover, makes the
explosive compound very tough, and of such nature that it may be easily cut and
easily pressed, and prevents it from deteriorating under atmospheric influences.
I find that an explosive compound which is advantageous for various purposes is
produced by mixing gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine and Castor-oil in, or about in the
following proportions, viz. :-from two to five per cent. of Castor-oil, from ten to
sixteen per cent. of nitro-glycerine, and the remainder of gun-cotton. I can thus
make an explosive compound which, when ent into small pieces, answers very well
as a smokeless powder for rifles, the oil effectually preventing detonation and
regulating or modifying as may be required the rapidity with which the said compound
will burn.
My improved explosive compound is advantageously manufactured by first
dissolving the gun-cotton in acetone or a similar solvent either in a liquid state or
in the form of vapour, then adding the nitro-glycerine and after that the Castor-oil,
and thoroughly incorporating these substances. Or the Castor-oil may be dissolved
in a portion of the acetone or other solvent before the said solvent is added to the
gun-cotton.
According to another method of manufacture, I take thoroughly dried gun-cotton,
and place it in a rotary cylinder wherein it is tumbled with the nitro-glycerine and
the oil, the oil and nitro-glycerine being first mixed with acetone or other solvent in
such quantity that it will not dissolve the gun-cotton; the said cylinder is rotated
until the fibres of the gun-cotton are uniformly wetted with the said mixture; in this
condition the gun-cotton is not explosive. The gun-cotton thus mixed with the nitro-
glycerine and oil is then placed in a closed cylinder or press, the air is exhausted
from the said cylinder or press, and its place supplied by the vapour of acetone,
ethylic acetate or other solvent. The product is then subjected to pressure in the
said cylinder or press and thus forced out through small holes in the form of
threads or thin strips, which may be cut into smali pieces.

page_text: Instead of proceeding as above described, I sometimes dissolve the gun-cotton.or
tri-nitro-cellulose in acetone or ethylic acetate until it is brought to a sufficiently
thin consistency, and then add the nitro-glycerine and oil.
I wish it understood, however, that I do not confine myself to any special method
or process for the production of my improved compound of gun-cotton, nitro-
glycerine or similar material and oil, as I may manufacturo the said compound in
various ways.
Dated thin 14th day of March 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosive Compounds.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of
Kent, Mechanical Engineer 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 :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of explosive compounds, and comprises
improvements whereby 1 am enabled to so modify the explosive properties of such
compounds that the said compounds will burn slowly and will act very efficiently in
rifles and other fire-arms, that is to say, they will impart a very high muzzle velocity
to the projectile without at any time subjecting the gun-barrel to excessive
pressure.
In the manufacture of explosive compounds according to my present invention, I
mix dissolved gun-cotton or pyroxyline with nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or similar
material and with oil, preferably castor-oil.
I have discovered that the addition of castor-oil or other suitable oil to compounds
of dissolved gun-cotton and nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or the like, increases the
toughness of the product and modifies the explosive properties thereof, whilst greatly
diminishing its liability to deterioration by exposure to the atmosphere.
I prefer to employ castor-oil because it is soluble by means of the solvents which
are employed for dissolving the gun-cotton and nitro-glycerine or nitro-gelatine; it
combines with either of these substances, forming a compound which is unlike either
of the said substances alone; and, as it contains oxygen, it requires a smaller supply
of oxygen frou other sources to consume it, and also has less tendency to produce
smoke than other oils, while like them it modifies the explosion. Castor-oil, moreover,
makes the explosive compound very tough, and of such nature that it can be
easily, cut and easily pressed, and effectually prevents its deterioration under atmo-
spheric influences.
I produce an explosive compound which is advantageous for various purposes, by
mixing the gun-cotton, the nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or similar substance and
the castor-oil in, or about in the following proportions, viz. from two or five
per cent. of the castor-oil, from ten to sixteen per cent. of the nitro-glycerine or the
like, and the remainder of gun-cotton. I can thus make an explosive compound
which, when cut into small pieces, answers very well as a smokeless powder for
rifles, the oil effectually preventing detonation and regulating or modifying as may
be required the rapidity with which the said compound will burn.
My improved explosion compound is advantageously inanufactured as follows, that
is to say I first dissolve gun-cotton or tri-nitro-cellulose in acetone, ethylic acetate
or a similar solvent, either in a liquid state or in the form of vapour, until the
said gun-cotton is brought to a sufficiently thin consistency; aud I then add to the
dissolved gun-cotton, the nitro-glycerine or nitro-gelatine, and after that the castor-
oil, and thoroughly incorporate these substances. Or the castor-oil may be dissolved
in a portion of the acetone or other solvent before the said solvent is added to the
gun-cotton.

page_text: According to another method of manufacture, I take thoroughly dried gun-cotton,
and place it in a rotary cylinder wherein it is tumbled with the nitro-glycerine or
nitro-gelatine and the oil, the said nitro-glycerine or nitro-gelatine and oil being
first mixed with a quantity of acetone or other solvent insufficient to dissolve the
gun-cotton; the said cylinder is rotated until the fibres of the gun-cotton are
uniformly wetted with the said mixture; in this condition, the gun-cotton is not
explosive. The gun-cotton thus mixed with the nitro-glycerine or nitro-gelatine and
oil is then placed in a closed cylinder or press, the air is exhausted from the said
cylinder or press, and its place supplied by the vapour of acetone, ethylic acetate or
other solvent. When the mixture is sufficiently dissolved, it is subjected to pressure
in the said cylinder or press and thus forced out through small holes in the form of
threads or thin strips, which may be cut into small pieces as described in the
specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 8th November
A.D. 1888, No. 16,213, or in any other convenient manner.
I wish it understood, however, that I do not confine myself to any special method
or process for the production of my improved compound of gun-cotton, nitro-
glycerine or similar material and oil, as I may manufacture the said compound in
various ways.
I sometimes treat the explosive compound in the manner described in the specifica-
tion of Letters Patent granted to me and dated 20th December A.D. 1888,
No. 18,663 for the recovery of the solvents used in the manufacture of the said
compound.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invon-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood that
I claim:-
First. An explosive compound consisting essentially of gun-cotton or pyroxyline
mixed with nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or similar material and with castor-oil or
other suitable oil, for the purpose above specified.
Second. The manufacture of an explosive compound by first dissolving gun-
cotton by means of acetone or other solvent and then incorporating with the dissolved
gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or similar material and castor-oil or other
suitable oil, substantially as herein before described.
Third. The manufacture of an explosive compound by dissolving first castor-oil or
other suitable oil and then gun-cotton by means of acetone or other solvent, and
incorporating therewith nitro-glycerine, nitro-gelatine or similar material substantially
as herein before described.
Fourth. The manufacture of an explosive compound by first mixing nitro-glycerine,
nitro-gelatine or similar material and castor-oil or other suitable oil with a smalĺ
quantity of acetone or similar solvent, treating dried gun-cotton with this mixture
in a rotary cylinder or chamber, and then subjecting the product, in a cylinder or
chamber from which air is exhausted, to the action of vaporized acetone or other
solvent and then to pressure, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 16th dor of December 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.