Improvements in Blasting and Shot-firing in Mines and in Appliances relating thereto.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Blasting and Shot-firing in Mines and in
Appliances relating thereto.
We, JOHN HEATH and WILLIAM FROST both of Sneyd Colliery, Burslem in the
county of Stafford, Manager and Underlooker respectively 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:-
According to the various methods at present in use whereby blasting operations
are performed and the disintegration of coal, shale, ironstone, rock or other strata
effected, great danger is incurred and frequently most deplorable accidents result
owing to the ignition of inflammable gases in underground workings on the
explosion of blasting cartridges or charges. And our invention relates to an
improved method of performing blasting operations, obviating all danger and
rendering the getting of coals, &c., a comparatively safe proceeding.
Our improvements consist in the construction of a cartridge case of strong paper,
cloth, or a combination of both, mackintosh, oiled paper or any other suitable
material said cartridge case is of a sufficient diameter to contain the explosive
which may consist of gelatine, dynamite, cotton powder or any other suitable
strong explosive and is placed in the centre of the cartridge with a detonator and
safety fuse attached.-The explosive is completely surrounded by and in contact
with a specially prepared compound of gelatinous consistency hereinafter described
and thereby is held in position in the centre. of cartridge and the explosive aforesaid
is prevented from coming in contact with the sides of cartridge. When the explosive
is of a nature that would suffer deterioration from contact with our gelatinous
compound we enclose it in a waterproof wrapper of paper, oil skin or other suitable
material. We now partly fill this cartridge with the gelatinous compound which is
prepared in the following manner-The object of this preparation is to render'water
or other extinguishing fluid more readily serviceable in combination with cartridges
so as to overcome the objection of water leaking from cartridges or the objection
of the cartridges being imperfectly filled with water and to make the cartridge
more certain and secure in practice.
The compound which we prefer to use we manufacture of ninety-four parts of
water or other suitable extinguishing fluid, four parts of soap, one part of starch
and one part of glue. The instant the flame and heat generated by the firing of
the explosive come in contact with our compound the compound is liquified and

page_text: the flame extinguished. We claim, to be the first to make use of a gelatinous
compound containing a large percentage of extinguishing liquid in the manner
and for the purpose herein described. All flames, sparks or fumes consequent on
the explosion of the cartridge are thus extinguished consequently ensuring perfect.
immunity from explosion of gas in the most dangerous of mines,-even from
blown out shots, the latter being the most prevalent cause of the fearful explosions
of gas and coal dust in mines and the attendant sacrifice of life and property.
In carring out our invention we prepare as beforementioned a cylindrical shaped
cartridge consisting of strong paper, cloth or a combination of both, mackintosh,
oiled paper or any other suitable material.-A detonator with fuse attached is then
placed in the explosive and the explosive is then inserted in the cartridge and
placed in a central position therein by means of a small pair of wooden tongs
made especially for the purpose and having their mouth pieces of a half circular
shape so that they may grip the explosive and the said mouth piece of tongs
being of a size little less than the diameter of the cartridge they are thus enabled
to place the explosive in. the centre of 'said cartridge leaving an equal space round
the sides of the explosive.
The cartridge is then filled up with the gelatinous compound and its mouth.
securely tied round with a piece of twine.
The cartridge being completed is placed in the mouth of the bore hole and
is pushed to the far end of same by the stemmer. The hole is then stemmed-in
the ordinary way with clay, marl, or other material and, the outside end of safety
fuse is then inserted in the tube of our safety fuse lamp for which we have applied
for Her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, and there ignited.
.
This communicates with the explosive and explodes the cartridge-If preferred,
the firing may be effected by electricity, but that is more liable to misfires as
the coating on the conductor wires is so readily damaged in the action of stemming
the bore hole.
'
For the purpose of conveying our cartridges from place to place we have adopted
an improved receptacle of cartridge case to contain the cartridges, which said
receptacle or case we cause to be divided into a number of compartments, each
compartment to hold one cartridge. These cases may be made of different lengths
for different seams of coal and the compartments may be arranged according to the
size and number of the charges required. The receptable or cases may be made of
any suitable material but preferably of wood as the form of make claimed by us
being strong and less liable to accident without being weighty or cumbersome.
This article we have long felt to be necessary as we consider any kind of metal
unsuitable and unsafe for the purpose of conveying explosives into fiery mines by
workmen who are proverbially reckless.
We have caused a careful search to be made and are in a position to claim the
use of water or other extinguishing fluid held in the form of a jelly as an
essential feature of this our invention and by the adoption of which as a surround-
ing for the explosive in our improved cartridge, we obtain a protection for the
dynamite or other strong explosive against rapid change of temperature in transit
from the surface to the mine, or in different parts of the mine and we also
obtain safe and positive results, as the instant the explosion takes place the said
compound is liquified and quenches the flame.
By our invention the complete cartridge can be made on the surface by a person
appointed for that purpose from him the cartridge passes under the scrutiny of the
Underlooker and Fireman, when should any defect exist it must be detected.
The cartridges are made up in a compact form and being placed in the specially
constructed receptacle or case beforementioned are then ready for conveyance into
the mine in the form and in the quantities prescribed by the Mines Regulations Act.
Our cartridges are more convenient in use than others and they are perfectly
safe from accidents during conveyance, it being impossible to explode them by any
other means than by igniting the fuse. They are secure from ignition by the
friction of the stemmer against stones or pyrites when in the act of placing the

page_text: charge in the borehole (a source of many serious and fatal accidents) as the minera
on such occasions are always in close proximity to the blast.
In order that our invention may be more readily understood and explained in
detail we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings on which letters of reference
are marked on all the parts.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a seam of coal of which a is the borehole; b the cartridge;
c the explosive placed in the centre thereof and d the specially prepared compound
of a gelatinous consistency surrounding said explosive; e is the twine by which the
mouth of cartridge is tied round and secured; frepresents the fuse with detonator g
attached, said detonator being placed within the explosive; h is our improved safety
fuse lamp from which the fuse is ignited.
Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of our improved cartridge showing the cartridge b,
the explosive c, the gelatinous substance d and the twine e. f is the fuse and g the
detonator.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of our especially constructed tongs by which the explosive
is placed in the centre of cartridge.
Fig. 3 being a plan of the mouth of said tongs showing the half circular shape
of each side of same.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of our specially constructed cartridge receptacle or case, the
dotted lines i indicating the divisions of the different compartments and Fig. 4ª is
a plan view of same, better illustrating the divisions or compartments.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1st The employment and use of a gelatinous compound completely surrounding
the explosive and liquified by the explosion of cartridges whereby all flame or fire
is instantly extinguished substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
set forth and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
2nd The construction of tongs having half circular mouth pieces, substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described, set forth and illustrated in the drawings
annexed.
3rd The construction of a cartridge receptacle or case provided with separate
compartments for each cartridge substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described, set forth and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
"
4th The construction and general arrangement of our Improvements in Blasting
and Shot-firing in Mines and in Appliances relating thereto and herein before
substantially described, set forth, and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this fountaonth day of Annil 1886

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 14th day of October 1886, amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
appпancos гointing thereto Cartridges.
We, JOHN HEATH and WILLIAM FROST both of Sneyd Colliery, Burslem in the
county of Stafford, Manager and Underlooker respectively 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:―
According to the various methods at present in use whereby blasting operations
are performed and the disintegration of coal, shale, ironstone, rock or other strata
effected, great danger is incurred and frequently most deplorable accidents result
owing to the ignition of inflammable gases in underground workings on the
explosion of blasting cartridges or charges. And Our invention. relates to an
improved-method-of-performing improvement in blasting operations, cartridges
obviating all danger and rendering the getting of coals, &c., a comparatively safe
proceeding.
Our-improvements consist in the We construction-of a cartridge case of strong
paper, cloth, or a combination of both, mackintosh, oiled paper or any other suit-
able material-said-cartridge-ease-is-of-a-sufficient-diameter-to-contain the explosive
which may consist of gelatine, dynamite, cotton powder or any other suitable
strong explosive and is placed in the centre of the cartridge with a detonator and
safety fuse attached.-The-explosive and is completely surrounded by and in
contact with a specially prepared compound of gelatinous consistency consistence
hereinafter described and thereby is held in position in the centre of the cartridge
and the explosive-aforesaid is prevented from coming in contact with the its sides
of-cartridge. When the explosive is of a nature that would suffer deterioration
from contact with our the gelatinous compound we enlclose it in a waterproof
wrapper of paper, oil skin or other suitable inaterial. We-now partly fill this
cartridge-with The gelatinous compound which is--prepared in the following
manner The has for its object of this preparation is to render water or other
extinguishing-fluid more readily serviceable in combination with cartridges so as
to overcome the objection of water leaking from cartridges or the objection of the
cartridges being imperfectly filled with water and to make the cartridge more
certain and-seeure in practice.
The compound which we prefer to use we-manufacture consists of ninety four parts
of water or other-suitable-extinguishing-fluid; four parts of soap, one part of starch
and one part of glue melted together at a moderate-temperature. The instant the

page_text: All
flame and heat generated by the firing of the explosive come in contact with our this
compound the-compound it is liquified and the flame is extinguished. We-elaim
to-be-the-first-to-make-use-of-a-gelatinous-compound-containing-a-large-percentage
of-extinguishing-liquid-in-the-manner and for the purpose-herein-described.
flames, sparks or fumes consequent on the explosion of the cartridge are thus 5
extinguished consequently ensuring perfect immunity from explosion of gas in
the most dangerous of mines, even from blown out shots, the latter being the
most prevalent cause of the fearful explosions of gas and coal dust in mines and
the attendant sacrifice of life and property.
In carrying out our invention we prepare as beforementioned a cylindrical
shaped cartridge consisting of strong paper, cloth or a combination of both, mackin-
tosh, oiled paper or any other suitable material which we partly charge with the
gelatinous compound.-A detonator with fuse attached is then placed in the
explosive and the explosive is then inserted in the cartridge and placed in a central
position therein by means of a small pair of wooden tongs made especially for the
purpose and having their mouth pieces of a half circular shape so that they may
grip the explosive and the said mouth piece of tongs being of a size little less than
the diameter of the cartridge they are-thus-enabled-to place the explosive in the
centre of said the cartridge leaving an equal space round the-sides-of the explosive.
The cartridge is then filled up with the gelatinous compound and its mouth
securely tied round the fuse with a piece of twine.
The cartridge being completed is placed in the mouth of the bore hole and
is pushed to the far end of-same-by-the-stemmer. The hole is then stemmed in
the ordinary way with clay, marl, or other material and the outside end of safety
the fuse is then inserted in the tube of our safety fuse-lamp for which we have
applied-for Her Majesty's Royal Letters-Patent,-and-there ignited.
This-communicates with the explosive-and-explodes-the-cartridge-If-preferred,
the-firing--may-be-effected by electricity, but that is more liable to misfires as
the-coating-on-the-conductor-wires-is-so-readily-damaged-in-the-action-of-stemming
the-bore hole.
For the purpose of conveying our cartridges from place to place we have adopted
an-improved a receptacle of cartridge-ease to contain the cartridges, which said
receptacle or-case-we-cause-to-be is divided into a number of compartments, each
compartment to hold one cartridge. These cases may be made of different lengths
for different seams of coal and the compartments may be arranged according to the
size and number of the charges required. The receptacle or-eases may be made of
any suitable material but preferably of wood as the form-of-make-elaimed-by-us
being strong and less little liable to accident without being weighty or cumbersome.
This-article-we-have-long-felt-to-be-necessary-as We consider any kind of metal
unsuitable and unsafe for the purpose of conveying explosives into fiery mines by
workmen who are proverbially reckless.
--as-an
We-have-eaused-a-careful-search-to-be-made-and-are in a position to claim the
use--of water or other extinguishing fluid held in the form-of-a-jelly--a
essential-feature-of-this-our-invention and by the-adoption-of-which-as-a-surround-
ing-for-the-explosive in our improved cartridge, we obtain-a-protection for the
dynamite-or-other-strong-explosive-against-rapid change of temperature-in-transit
from-the--surface-to-the--mine-or-in-different parts of the mine and we also
obtain-safe and positive results, as the instant the explosion-takes place-the-said
compound-is-liquified-and-quenches-the-flame.
By According to our invention the complete cartridge can be made on the
surface by a person appointed for that purpose, from him the cartridge passes under
the scrutiny of the Underlooker and Fireman, when should any defect exist it
must be detected.
The cartridge are made up in a compact form and being placed in the specially
constructed receptacle er-ease beforementioned are then ready for conveyance
into the mine in the form and in the quantities-prescribed by the Mines-Regula
tions Act

page_text: owner means than by igniting the ruse. They are secure from ignition by the
friction of the stemmer against stones or pyrites when in the act of placing the
charge in the borehole (a source of many serious and fatal accidents) as the miners
on such occasions are always in close proximity to the blast.
In order that our invention may be more readily understood and explained in
detail we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings, on-which-letters-of-reference
are-marked-on-all-the-parts.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a seam of coal of-whieh a is the borehole; b the cartridge;
c the explosive placed in the centre thereof and d the specially-prepared compound
of a gelatinous consistency consistence surrounding said explosive; e is the twine
by which the mouth of cartridge is tied round and secured; f represents the fuse
with detonator g attached, said detonator being placed within the explosive; h is
our-improved a safety fuse lamp from which the fuse is ignited.
Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of our improved cartridge showing the cartridge b,
the explosive c, the gelatinous substance d and the twine e. f is the fuse and I the
detonator.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of our especially-constructed the tongs by which the
explosive is placed in the centre of the cartridge.
Fig. 3 being a plan of the mouth of said tongs showing the half circular shape
of each side of sanie.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of our specially-constructed cartridge receptacle er-ease, the
dotted lines indicating the divisions of the different compartments and Fig. 48 is
a plan view of same, better illustrating the divisions or compartments.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is-
The employment and-use in a blasting cartridge of a gelatinous compound
completely surrounding the explosive and-liquified by the explosion of eartridges
which it is liquified whereby all flame or fire is instantly extinguished substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein before described set forth and illustrated in the
drawings annexed.
2nd-The-construction-of-tongs having half-eireular-mouth-pieces-substantially-as
and for-the-purposes-hereinbefore-described, set forth and illustrated in the drawings
annexed.
3rd The-construction of a-cartridge-receptacle or ease provided with separate
compartments-for-each-cartridge-substantially-as-and-for-the-purposes-hereinbefore
described,-set-forth-and-illustrated-in-the-drawings-annexed.
4th-The-construction-and-general-arrangement-of-our-Improvements-in-Blasting
and Shot firing in Mines and in Appliances relating thereto."-and-hereinbefore
substantially-described, set forth, and illustrated-in-the-drawings-annexed.