IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE Com- POUNDS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE Com-
POUNDS.”—A communication from abroad by Alfred Nobel, of Paris,
in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd December 1875.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
5 Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to convert at the ordinary temperature
liquid explosive substances, such as nitro-glycerine or the nitrates of
0 methyle, ethyle, amyle, and nitro-benzine into a viscid or pasty state.

page_text: In carrying out the Invention these substances are incorporated with
another substance which is capable of gelatinising or thickening them,
and for this purpose a substance is chosen by preference which will
detract little or nothing from their explosive force. It is found however
that liquid explosive substances generally, and especially nitro-glycerine,
will not combine freely with the gelatinizing or thickening substance,
and therefore recourse must be had to an intermediate process. Take,
for instance, as the gelatinizing or thickening substance gun cotton
collodion:―This substance combines with difficulty with nitro-glycerine,
but when it is mixed with ether in alcohol, or with acetone or acetic
ether, or with any other suitable solvent, it is found to combine with
great facility. On evaporating the solvent the collodion will remain in
the nitro-glycerine, and form with it (according to the quantity incor-
porated) a compound more or less viscid, gummy, or pasty.
The quantity of the solvent used will vary according to the degree of
solubility of the gelatinizing or thickening substance to be employed,
but it may be taken as not exceeding 4% by weight of the nitro-
glycerine to be treated. Other explosive or semi-explosive bodies, such
as ordinary gunpowder, chlorate of potash, the picrates, saltpetres, the
nitrates of soda and ammonia, with or without charcoal or other car-
buretted bodies, may be readily mixed with the nitro-glycerine when
thus converted. Non-explosive bodies or those which explode with
difficulty, may be mixed with the nitro-glycerine, if desired, in pre-
ference to the explosive substances above referred to, thus affording a
simple means of moderating the sensibility of nitro-glycerine to shock or
fire.
By the above described means an explosive compound of great force is
obtained, for while dynamite, the best product at present obtained from
nitro-glycerine, contains 25% of inert matter, the new product will
contain from 1% to 4% only of substance which will detract little or
nothing from its explosive force.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS," being a communication
to me from abroad by Alfred Nobel, of Paris, in the Republic of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry
Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention of "Improvements in Explosive Com-
pounds" is to convert nitro-glycerine and analogous explosive liquids (of
which nitrate of methyle ranks next in power) from their liquid state to a
5 solid or semi-solid consistency. The liquid state is found to be dangerous

page_text: in regard to storage, transport, and in some cases use, whereas the solid
state is found to be highly conducive to safety, and offers great facility
for use, storage, and transport.
In carrying out the Invention these liquid explosive substances are
incorporated with another substance which is capable of gelatinizing or
thickening them, and for this purpose a substance is chosen which will
detract little or nothing from their explosive power. Nitro-glycerine,
which is the most powerful of explosive liquids, may be gelatinized by
dissolving in it nitrated cellulose, such as the nitrated cotton, which is
known as collodion gun cotton. The explosive compound becomes more 1
and more gelatinous in proportion to the quantity of nitrated cellulose
which is dissolved therein, and it forms (when seven to eight per cent.
of the nitrated cellulose have been incorporated) a solid jelly, which is
very safe and highly suitable for every purpose to which very powerful
explosives can be applied. I do not hower confine myself to that
exact proportion, since it must be suited to the degree of hardness or
consistency required for each special object in view.
In some explosive liquids (such as nitrate of methyle) collodion cotton
readily dissolves at the ordinary temperature, and forms a thick explosive
gum or jelly. In the case of nitro-glycerine however the incorporation
of the above named gelatinizing substance is facilitated by means of a
special treatment, which consists in adding a small quantity of a
substance which promotes the solubility upon which the gelatinization
depends. Such substances are the acetic ethers of glycerine, ethyle,
methyle, acetic acid, a mixture of alcohol and ether, acetone, nitro-benzol,
dinitro-benzol, the nitrates of methyle, ethyle, and other analogous
substances. The quantity of the solvent which has to be added depends
upon the nature of the substance chosen, but as a rule about ten per
cent. of the weight of the nitro-glycerine which has to be gelatinized will
be found in practice to be amply sufficient. I have found moreover 3
that by gently heating nitro-glycerine (in a water bath or otherwise) it
acquires the property of dissolving nitrated collodion cellulose without
the addition of a promoting solvent, as above described. That property
admits of dispensing entirely with the addition of the promoting solvent,
or when it is found advantageous to use the promoting solvent the
application of heat will enable the quantity used to be reduced to two
per cent. or even less of the weight of the nitro-glycerine. Since
nitrated cellulose is rarely, if at all, of a homogeneous composition, and

page_text: therefore its solubility in nitro-glycerine, even when aided by the heat
of a water bath, will be found to vary, it must needs be left to the
judgment and experience of the manufacturer whether to add or not
a predisposing or promoting solvent, as above described, and the
necessary proportion will be readily ascertained in practice after a little
experience.
The above described process of gelatinization necessitates (1) that the
explosive liquid shall contain no impurity or foreign matter capable of
counteracting its power of dissolving nitrated cellulose or other substance
possessed of the same property as herein-before described; (2) that
only such nitrated cellulose or other analogous substance is to be used
which readily dissolves in and gelatinizes the explosive liquid; (3) that
the solution of the nitrated cellulose or other analogous substance
(especially if that substance is twisted or compressed) shall be facilitated
by mechanical stirring or kneading, so as to allow of the necessary
access to all the parts of the nitrated cotton intended to be dissolved.
The explosive jelly obtained by the above described process can be
easily pressed into cartridges or any other forms convenient for use.
For certain purposes, and especially for military use, it is of importance
to be able to dilute or modify the explosive sensitiveness of gelatinized
nitro-glycerine in a measure exactly suited to the purpose in view.
This is done by adding more or less of a non-explosive or sluggishly
explosive substance possessed of the property of dissolving both nitro-
glycerine and the substance which serves to gelatinize it. Such are the
acetic ethers of glycerine, methyle, ethyle, and acetone, acetic acid,
nitro-benzol, dinitro-benzol, the nitrates of methyle and ethyle, or other
solvents of an analogous character; an addition of the above-named
or of any analogous substance serves not only the purpose of rendering
the gelatinized nitro-glycerine less sensitive to concussion, but also
reduces its quickness of explosion, facilates, as above described, the
process of gelatinization, and lowers the temperature at which nitro-
glycerine becomes hardened or congealed. The least volatile sub-
stances, such as the acetic ethers of glycerine, nitro-benzol, dinitro-
benzol, deserve preference, inasmuch as they cannot become inactive
through evaporation.

page_text: to the nitro-glycerine in process of gelatinization will depend entirely
on the object in view.
It should be understood that the addition of any of the above-
mentioned bodies to nitro-glycerine lowers the per-centage of oxygen,
and raises the per-centage of carbon and hydrogen contained in the, t
explosive mixture. To make up for the loss of power resulting there-
from such quantity of finely pulverized nitrate of soda or nitrate of
potash, or chlorate of potash, or other suitable oxydizer may be kneaded
into the material, as is required, to complete combustion of all the
carbon and its conversion to carbonic acid, and all the hydrogen to water 1
vapour. The exact proportions are easily computed by means of well
known chemical formulas.
It is unnecessary to specify the endless number of mixtures which
might thus be produced, and I will therefore simply describe four
mixtures which may be taken as indicating the classes that will answer
the purpose,
I. Nitro-glycerine gelatinized by dissolving therein as above seven to
eight per cent. of nitrated cellulose or other substance of a like cha-
racter, or more or less according to the consistency required for the
resulting gelatine. In some case as small a proportion as four per 1
cent. would be found to answer, as for torpedo purposes.
II. The gelatine described in I., with an addition of from half per
cent. to thirty per cent. of acetic ether of glycerine, or nitro-benzol or
dinitro-benzol or analogous substance. The wide range between half
per cent. and thirty per cent. is given because a very sensitive explosive :
is required for some purposes, and a very sluggish explosive for others.
III. The composition described in II., with the addition of an
oxydizing nitrate or chlorate in such proportions as will secure complete
combustion on the principles herein-before described.
IV. The compositions described in I. and II., with the addition of
cheaper though less powerful explosives or semi-explosives, which may
be readily kneaded or combined therewith; such, for instance, as
common gunpowder, various mixtures of pulverized nitrates or chlorates,
with coal dust, sulphur, sugar, starch, sawdust, rosin, fatty matters, and
other analogous substances. Further, all nitrated organic compounds,

page_text: F. 30 parts by weight of one of the mixtures A, B, or D.
70
"
"
ordinary gunpowder or analogous substance,
intimately mixed.
G. 30 parts by weight of one of the mixtures A, B, or D.
59
"
11
"
of nitrate of soda or an equivalent quantity &
of other oxydizer, as named, sub E.
charcoal or equivalent proportion of other
combustible substance.
The mixtures A, B, and D are best suited for blasting very hard rock;
Fand G will do for milder rock. The other compositions above-named 1
are especially useful for military or other purposes which require a
reduction of the sensitiveness of gelatinized nitro-glycerine to con-
cussion, or a reduction of its tendency to rapid explosion.
Gelatinized nitro-glycerine when properly confined is capable of
exploding when fired with a common fuse, but as a rule the explosion is ]
quickened and facilitated by using detonators, which are caps of a
special character containing a strong charge of fulminate, and are now
largely used for firing dynamite. When hardened in cold weather
gelatinized nitro-glycerine explodes more readily than frozen dynamite;
still it is a good precaution always to head the charge with a primer
consisting of a small cartridge of gunpowder or gun cotton, or dynamite,
or uncongealed gelatinized nitro-glycerine, or analogous substance.
Gelatinized nitro-glycerine, to which a considerable portion of acetic
ether of glycerine, or nitro-benzol, or dinitro-benzol, or analogous sub-
stances, as above described, has been added, not only requires to be fired 2
by a strong detonation, but also requires to be confined, as in a shell, in
order to be able to make it exert its full power.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Explosive
Compounds," which has been communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, and having explained the manner of carrying the same 3
into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid,―
First. Solidifying or thickening liquid explosive substances, such as
nitro-glycerine, nitrate of methyl, and other analogous substances by
gelatinizing them in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
8

page_text: Second. The employment of non-exploding or sluggishly exploding
substances (soluble in nitro-glycerine) for the purpose of modifying (as
required) the sensitiveness to concussion or the tendency to rapid
explosion, and also for lowering the freezing point of the above-named
explosive gums, as herein set forth.
Third. Incorporating with the said explosive gums or gelatinized
compounds various other explosive mixtures, with a view to lessen the
cost or to reduce the explosive force of the compound, as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have here-