Year: 1885

page_text: I, OLIVER IMRAY of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The Nitro cellulose usually employed for explosives or for production of celluloid
is liable to mat together or otherwise cohere, so that it is inconvenient in many
cases to deal with it. When it is to be used, for instance, as an explosive it cannot
be poured like fine grain gunpowder, and when it is to be used for producing
celluloid, it is difficult to mix it intimately with other substances without first
dissolving it.
This invention relates to the manufacture of nitro cellulose in form of fine, loose
and smooth grains which can be packed closely together without cohesion, can be
freely poured like fine dry sand, and can be readily mixed with other substances.
For this purpose, the solid fruits, nuts or shells of nuts produced by various plants
of the palm tribe, particularly the product of Phytelephas Macrocarpa, usually
known as vegetable ivory, and of several species of Mauritia, or the fragments or
waste cuttings, sawings or turnings of these preferably freed as much as possible
from bark are in the first place reduced by grinding to a fine powder. This is
boiled in alkaline lye so as to eliminate as completely as possible all ingredients
except pure cellulose. The powder is then washed clean with water and thoroughly
dried, if necessary by artificial heat up to boiling point.
The dry powder which is almost absolutely pure cellulose, is then nitrated in the
usual way by treatment with nitric and sulphuric acids. The resulting product,
carefully washed and dried, is a Nitro cellulose of great purity, consisting of fine
smooth grains, like those of fine sand, which have great chemical stability, can be
freely poured, and can be packed very closely together. This powder can be used
for the manufacture of celluloid, or it can be employed as an explosive either
alone or in combination with other substances.
•
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant

page_text: I, OLIVER IMRAY of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents 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 :--
The Nitro-cellulose usually employed for explosives or for production of celluloid
is liable to mat together or otherwise cohere, so that it is inconvenient in many
cases to deal with it. When it is to be used, for instance, as an explosive, it cannot
be poured like fine grain gunpowder, and when it is to be used for producing
celluloid it is difficult to mix it intimately with other substances without first
dissolving it..
This invention relates to the manufacture of Nitro-cellulose in form of fine,
loose, and smooth grains, which can be packed closely together without cohesion,
can be freely poured like fine dry sand, and can be readily mixed with other
substances. For this purpose, the solid fruits, nuts or shells of nuts produced
by various plants of the palm tribe, particularly the product of Phytelephas
Macrocarpa, usually known as vegetable ivory, and of several species of Mauritia,
or the fragments or waste cuttings, sawings or turnings of these, preferably freed
as much as possible from bark, are in the first place reduced by grinding to a fine
powder. When the material is obtained in the form of sawdust or of thin friable
turnings, grinding is unnecessary. This is boiled in alkaline lye so as to eliminate
as completely as possible all ingredients except pure cellulose. The powder is then
washed clean with water and thoroughly dried, if necessary by artificial heat up to
boiling point.
The dry powder, which is almost absolutely pure cellulose, is then nitrated in
the usual way by treatment with nitric and sulphuric acids. The resulting product,
carefully washed and dried is a Nitrocellulose of great purity consisting of fine
smooth grains, like those of fine sand, which have great chemical stability, can
be freely poured, and can be packed very closely together. This powder can be
used for the manufacture of celluloid, or it can be employed as an explosive either
alone or in combination with other substances. When the granular nitrocellulose
is used by itself as an explosive, it can in a loose state without being compressed
or encased, be thoroughly exploded by a detonator of comparatively little strength.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
--
The manufacture and use, substantially as herein described, of granular Nitro-
cellulose produced by pulverising, cleansing if necessary, and nitrating hard fruit
products of the kinds herein mentioned.