Improvements in the Manufacture of High Explosives.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM ADAMS, the Younger, of Broken Hill,
in the Colony of New South Wales, Mining Manager and Contractor.]
Improvements in the Manufacture of High Explosives.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 has for its object the manufacture of a new high explosive, which
shall have in a large degree the advantages of safety in transportation freedom
from danger of ignition by tamping or other concussion, and not producing
poisonous fumes, whilst it may be fired when in confinement by a fuse without
detonators.
The compound hereinafter described, when made in the proportions and in the
manner set forth, is that which, after careful trials and experiments, I have
discovered to most answer these requirements, besides possessing other highly
valuable qualities, and at the same time being capable of being readily manufactured
at a low cost. It possesses in a large degree the best qualities of blasting powder
and of dynamite combined, whilst at the same time there is an absence of many of
the bad qualities, especially the poisonous fumes which dynamite gives off upon
explosion.
The component parts of my new high explosive are, by weight, as follows:-
Sulphide of antimony
Mercuric oxide
Tungstic acid
Pierio acid
1
1 per cent.
وو
and reduce them in 27 ounces of water. I then allow this solution to stand at a
temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit for ten minutes; then raise the temperature
to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. The solution, which was previously very dense, will
then clarify.
I then take finely-ground nitrate of potassa and tungstic acid, in the proportions
stated, and mix them in the solution. The mixture will now become very thick,
I then
with a greenish-white colour, which changes shortly after to a dark brown.
apply heat again, and raise the temperature of the mixture to a high temperature,
approximately 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
I then add the infusorial earth, or a like absorbent, in the proportion stated.
This will stop the boiling, and the temperature should now be lowered to
160 degrees Fahrenheit, when the flowers of sulphur, in the proportion stated, is
added

page_text: The compound now requires drying until all moisture has left it, till it becomes
as dry as blasting powder.
In place of the tungstic acid an equal quantity of camphor may be used, and in
this manner a smokeless explosive is produced; but for ordinary use tungstic acid
answers the purpose, and is readily obtained.
My explosive may be used in this form, or, if preferred or required, it may be
formed into cartridges when dried, and then ground up into powder and made into
cartridges by any of the machines or appliances used for such purpose.
The explosive may be granulated, when such is required, by any of the known
machines used for that purpose.
This explosive can be rendered waterproof by dipping the cartridges, when made,
into copal varnish, and finishing in the usual way.
It will be found that this explosive is harmless when lighted in an open space,
burning slowly without explosion. It explodes only when hermetically sealed or
closely confined and lighted by the fuse.
It does not require any detonating cap, as do all other known high explosives.
It contains no dangerous element like nitro-glycerine compounds, which render
explosives containing them unsafe in transportation.
This explosive does not freeze, and is therefore not subject to the exceedingly
great danger which is caused to other explosives by thawing on change of
temperature.
It is adapted for use in every kind of blasting ground.
It emits no poisonous gases.
In comparison with blasting powder, my explosive is from 2 to four times as
strong and effective.
Besides being especially valuable, both on account of its qualities and cheapness
for mining purposes, this explosive is adapted for use in shells and torpedoes, and for
other warlike purposes, on account of its power in combination with its safety from
the risk of explosion by ignition and concussion.
It possesses the advantage of being very readily utilized in mines, and in time of
war, when the difficulty of supplementing the supply of gun-cotton would be greatly
felt, and perhaps be insuperable. My explosive could be manufactured and supplied
with great advantage.
The stability of my explosive has been proved by the following tests :-
(a) On heating gradually to 100 degrees centigrade, it did not undergo any
appreciable change, except a slight loss of water.
(b) On heating slowly to 240 degrees centigrade, it simply burnt away.
(c) On heating over a gas-stove, on a plate made red-hot, it took fire and burnt
away.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The manufacture of a new explosive by mixing sulphide of antimony, mercuric
oxide, tungstic acid, picric acid, sulphur, nitrate of potassa, and infusorial earth or
a like absorbent, substantially as set forth.
2. The manufacture of a new explosive by mixing and preparing sulphide
of antimony, mercuric oxide, picric acid, with water in the manner herein described,
and adding thereto tungstic acid or camphor, sulphur, nitrate of potassa, and
infusorial earth or other like absorbent, substantially as set forth.
3. The manufacture of a new high explosive, which will fire without a detonator,
but will not ignite by ordinary concussion, by mixing the component parts named
in the proportions stated.
4. The production, by the mixture of the component parts stated, of a new high
explosive having the quality that it will, if hermetically sealed or closely confined,
explode with a lighted fuse without a detonator cap.

page_text: 5. The process of producing a new high explosive, as fully set forth and described
in the foregoing Specification.
Dated this 4th day of September 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.