IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wood Gray, of 114, Fenchurch Street, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS."-A communication from abroad by
...
Sealed the 10th October 1862, and dated the 15th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wood Gray at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th April 1862.
I, THOMAS WOOD GRAY, of 114, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
explosive compounds. For these purposes ordinary cotton is to be used, by
preference cotton, being a lignin substance of a compound of carbon (C),
hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O); the chymical formula of which expressed in
equivalents is C₁₂ H10 O10 and by subjecting cotton or most of the lignin
substances of the above formula to the action of nitric acid in a peculiar
manner hereafter to be described, a new element, nitrogen, enters into the
composition, forming an explosive compound of the following chymical formula,
H₁₂
C, H, N, O., which may also be expressed by C₁₂ {1/3 NO.} O. One
[NO]}OL.
hundred parts of the said explosive compound, contain of the above elements,
C=24.241
H= 2.37 expressed by weight corresponding to
corresponding to the above given
N=1414 chymical formula.
0-50.25

page_text: It is only by preference that I use cotton, most other vegetable matters of
the above chymical formula C₁₂ H₁, O₁, may be substituted, as linen, paper,
starch, or wood to the same end in a similar manner.
To produce the explosive compound :-
1. Ordinary cotton is spun by aid of suitable machines, and submitted to
further operations, in the shape of a lightly twisted yarn. It is next
2. To be washed by immersing it in pure running fresh water, or better
still by submitting it to the action of a moderate waterfall during about forty-
eight hours, and upwards. The bulk of water being squeezed out by the aid
of suitable machines. It is next
3. Thoroughly to be dried or exsiccated in suitable well ventilated rooms
heated by steam or hot water to not exceeding 120° Fahrenheit. The desi-
cation will be attained in about 6 to 12 hours, according to circumstances.
The above perfectly exsiccated cotton yarn is next
4. To be subjected to the action of a mixture of the purest and most con-
centrated acids of monohydrated nitric acid HO, NO,, of a specific gravity not
under 1.52 and monohydrated sulphuric acid, specific gravity not under 1.84,
and to obtain the required mixture it is to be proceeded as follows:-
5. The above named acids (No. 4), each of them separately and at the
same time, are to be poured in a small jet into a suitable vessel, in which by
means of a simple machine two or more blades are in an oscillating motion to
to and fro, the blades are perforated with small holes, thereby to ensure a
most thorough mixture of both acids, which by no means can be attained in
the usual way of simply mixing both acids by pouring them together. This
operation requires about one hour continuous working to produce about 20
gallons of the acid mixture in a vessel of about that capacity. The acids
thus mixed are allowed to cool, and are not used in less than about 24 hours.
6. Prepared cotton yarn, thoroughly dried (see No. 3), in form of lightly
twisted yarn bundles is next to be immersed in the above acid mixture (see
No. 5). The cotton yarn is now to be exposed to the action of the acids
during about forty-eight hours, being repeatedly stirred up it is left to the action
of the acid mixture in pots under cover.
7. The great bulk of the acid mixture being poured off, the saturated yarn
is next submitted to the action of a centrifugal or other suitable machine
to throw off most of the acid mixture retained in the cotton yarn.
8. And then it is to be washed in a similar way as given in No. 2, during about
forty-eight hours and upwards in running fresh water, or by preference under
a moderate waterfall during that time to ensure its entire freedom from acids,
which in this manner will thoroughly be attained. Though the saturated cotton

page_text: yarn by the above washing process in less than one hour is so far free from
acids that not the slightest trace of it can be discovered, yet the body of the
yarn is by no means free from acids, which will be fully attained by subjecting
the saturated yarn to the action of great masses of fresh water during a con-
siderable time.
9. The thorough washing of the saturated cotton yarn being duly con-
pleted it is to be dried or exsiccated in a similar way, as given in No. 3.
10. The cotton yarn is next to be boiled in a weak solution of water glass,
(soluble glass silicate of potassa, KO, SiO,) during about one and a half
hour, then the bulk of the solution of water glass being squeezed out by
suitable machines. The cotton yarn is next
11. To be placed in tanks, perforated with holes, through which fresh water
is running during about 6 days or 144 hours. The cotton yarn is finally
12. To be dried, and thoroughly to be exsiccated in a similar way as given
in No. 3, and after that process being completed, pure gun cotton is obtained
as the above explosive compound of constant qualities of a most explosive
nature; this compound is entirely free from self-explosion; it is far less
affected by moisture than gunpowder, it may be submerged under water, and
being again dried will retain its previous full power and qualities; its explo-
sion is not attended by smoke, its power can be regulated at pleasure,
and by equal weights its force may be increased to six times that of the
strongest gunpowder.
In preparing for use the explosive compound made as above described, in
order that regular and uniform results may be obtained from the explosion,
it is made up into cartridges of regular texture, which is done by regularly
winding the yarn, or by spinning it into ropes, or weaving it into cloth, accord-
ing to the rapidity of explosion required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Wood Gray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WOOD GRAY, of 114, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Wood Gray, Her special licence, that I, the said Thomas
Wood Gray, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Thomas Wood Gray, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS," a communication to
me from abroad by Julian John Revy, a person resident at Vienna, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Wood Gray, 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 Thomas Wood Gray, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
explosive compounds. For this purpose ordinary cotton is used by preference,
cotton being a lignin substance, a compound of carbon (C), hydrogen (H),
and oxygen (O), the chymical formula of which expressed in equivalents is
C12 10 10 By subjecting cotton and most of the lignin substances of the
above formula to the action of nitric acid in a peculiar manner hereafter to be
described, a new element, nitrogen, enters into the composition, forming an
explosive compound of the chymical formula C₁₂ H, N, O22, which may also
be expressed C12-
One hundred parts of the said explosive compound contains,
C=24-21
H= 2.37 as expressed by weight and corresponding to the chymical
formula above given.
N=14.14
0=59.25
It is only by preference that I use cotton; most other vegetable matter of
the above chymical formula C₁, H₁, O₁, may be substituted, as linen, paper,
starch, or wood.
To produce the explosive compound,
1st. Ordinary cotton is spun by aid of suitable machines into a lightly
twisted yarn.

page_text: 2nd. It is washed by immersing it in pure and fresh running water, or
better still, by submitting it to the action of a moderate fall of water during
forty-eight hours, or upwards, the bulk of water being then squeezed out by
the aid of suitable machines.
3rd. It is then thoroughly to be dried in suitable well ventilated rooms heated
by steam or hot water to a temperature not exceeding 50° Centigrade. The
process will be completed in from 6 to 12 hours, according to circumstances.
4th. The perfectly dried yarn is subjected to the action of a mixture of the
purest and most concentrated acids, monohydrated nitric acid, HO, NO,,
of a specific gravity not under 1.52, and monohydrated sulphuric acid of a
specific gravity not under 1.84 being employed. These acids are mixed as
follows:-
5th. The above-named acids (No. 4) are each separately but at the same
time to be poured in a small jet into a suitable vessel, in which, by means of
a simple machine, two or more blades are caused to oscillate to and fro; the
blades are perforated with small holes to insure a most thorough mixture of
the acids, which cannot by any means be attained by the usual method of
simply mixing the acids by pouring them together. This operation requires
about one hour continuous working to produce about 20 gallons of the acid
mixture in a vessel of about that capacity. The acids thus mixed are allowed
to cool, and are not used in less than about 24 hours after mixing.
6th. The preparad cotton yarn thoroughly dried (see No. 3) in the form of
bundles of lightly twisted yarn is next immersed in the acid mixture (see No. 5)
and exposed to the action thereof during about forty-eight hours, being
repeatedly stirred up during this time, it is left to the action of the acid
mixture in pots under cover.
7th. The great bulk of the acid mixture being poured off the saturated
yarn is next submitted to the action of a centrifugal or other suitable machine
to throw off most of the acid mixture retained in the cotton yarn.
8th. It is then washed in a similar way to that described in No. 2, during
about forty-eight hours and upwards, in fresh running water, or by preference
under a moderate fall of water, to ensure its entire freedom from acids, which
in this manner will be thoroughly attained. Although the saturated cotton
yarn by the above washing process in less than one hour is so far freed from
acids that not the slightest trace of it can be discovered by ordinary tests, yet
the body of the yarn is by no means sufficiently cleansed from acid, which,
however, will be attained by subjecting as above described the saturated yarn
to the action of great masses of fresh water during a considerable time.

page_text: 9th. The thorough washing of the saturated cotton yarn being duly com-
pleted, it is dried in a similar way to that described in No. 3.
10th. The cotton yarn is next boiled in a weak solution of soluble or water
glass (silicate of potassa KO S O₂) for about one and a half hours, and then
the bulk of the solution of the water glass is squeezed out by suitable
machines.
11th. The cotton yarn is next placed in tanks perforated with holes through
which fresh water is kept running during about 6 days or 144 hours.
12th. The cotton yarn is finally dried in a similar way to that described in
No. 3, and that process being completed pure gun cotton is obtained, this
being an explosive compound of constant qualities and of a most explosive
nature, but entirely free from self-explosion. It is far less affected by
moisture than gunpowder, and if wetted and again dried will regain its
previous power and qualities; its explosion is not attended by smoke; its
power can be regulated at pleasure, and employing equal weights its force is
six times that of the strongest gunpowder.
In preparing for use the explosive compound made as above described, in
order that regular and uniform results may be obtained from the explosion, it
is made up into cartridges of regular texture. This is done by regularly
winding the yarn into the form of cartridge required, or by spinning it into
ropes and then making it up into cartridges, or by first weaving it into cloth.
The arrangement of the fibre in the cartridge being in all cases regular but
varied according to the rapidity of explosion required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wood Gray, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
THOMAS W. GRAY. (L.S.)

page_text: In the Matter of a Patent granted to THOMAS WOOD GRAY, of 114,
Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS" (being a communication
from abroad by Julian John Révy, residing at Vienna,) bearing
date at Westminster the 15th day of April 1862 (No. 1090), and
which said.Letters Patent and all interest therein have been duly
assigned to and are now vested in John Howard, of 124, Fenchurch
Street aforesaid, Merchant.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
entered by the said John Howard as such Assignee, as aforesaid, pur-
suant to the Statutes in that case made and provided.
WHEREAS the Invention described in the Specification to the said
Letters Patent consists in trèating lightly twisted cotton yarn. (by the peculiar
process therein set forth) in order to convert it into an explosive compound
before such cotton yarn is woven into a fabric or spun into ropes, or made into
cartridges, but objections having been made to the validity of the said Patent

page_text: by reason of the said Specification mentioning as substitutes for the said
cotton in the state of lightly twisted yarn, linen, paper, and other vegetable
matters, I for this reason wish to disclaim, and I do hereby disclaim the
paragraph in the said Specification which is in the words following, viz. :-
"It is only by preference that I use cotton, most other vegetable matter of
"the above chymical formula C₁, H10 010 may be substituted, as linen, paper,
starch, or wood." And in order to make the description of the said Inven-
tion consistent with the aforesaid Disclaimer, I alter the Specification by
striking out from the introductory paragraph thereof the words "by preference;"
also the words "in a peculiar manner hereafter to be described ;" and I
introduce in the same introductory paragraph the words as is well known
after the word " forming" and before the words "an explosive compound."
And in order that the Specification and the Invention therein described may
be understood to be confined to the treatment only of ordinary cotton fibre
when in the state of slightly twisted yarn before weaving and before spinning
the same into ropes or making cartridges thereof I further alter the said
Specification by introducing after the words "To produce the explosive com-
"pound" the following words, viz., according to this Invention, which it
should be understood is confined to the treatment of cotton yarn in the manner
hereafter described before weaving or before making the same into ropes or
cartridges. And in order that the effect of this Disclaimer and Memorandum
of Alteration may be better understood I annex a copy of the Specification as
it will appear when such Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration have
been made as aforesaid.
66
66
66
"This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
explosive compounds. For this purpose ordinary cotton is used, cotton
being a lignin substance, a compound of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and
oxygen (O), the chymical formula of which expressed in equivalents is C₁₂
H0 01 By subjecting-cotton- and most of the lignin substances of the
"above formula to the action of nitric acid a new element, nitrogen, enters
"into the composition, forming, as is well known, an explosive compound of
"the chymical formula C₁₂ H, N, O, which may also be expressed
<
C₁₂
10
3 N
"One hundred parts of the said explosive compound contains,"-
C3 NO10"
"One hundred parts of the said explosive compound contains,"

page_text: "To produce the explosive compound according to this Invention, which it
"should be understood is confined to the treatment of cotton yarn in the
"manner hereafter described, before weaving or before making the same into
"ropes or cartridges."
"1st, ordinary cotton is spun by aid of suitable machines into a lightly
" twisted yarn."
2nd, it is washed by immersing it in pure and fresh running water, or
"better still by submitting it to the action of a moderate fall of water during
forty-eight hours or upwards, the bulk of water being then squeezed out by
"the aid of suitable machines."
"
"
"3rd, it is then thoroughly to be dried in suitable well ventilated rooms
heated by steam or hot water to a temperaturo not exceeding 50° cen-
tigrade. The process will be completed in from 6 to 12 hours according
"to circumstances."
"
4th, the perfectly dried yarn is subjected to the action of a mixture of
"the purest and most concentrated acids, monohydrated nitric acid (HO,
"N. O,) of a specific gravity not under 1.52, and monohydrated sulphuric
"acid of a specific gravity not under 1.84 being employed. These acids
are mixed as follows.".
66
"5th, the above-named acids (No. 4) are each separately, but at the same
time, to be poured in a small jet into a suitable vessel, in which by means
"of a simple machine two or more blades are caused to oscillate to and fro;
"the blades are perforated with small holes to insure a most thorough
"mixture of the acids, which cannot by any means be attained by the usual
"method of simply mixing the acids by pouring them together. This
"operation requires about one hour continuous working to produce about
"20 gallons of the acid mixture in a vessel of about that capacity. The
"acids thus mixed are allowed to cool, and are not used in less than about
24 hours after mixing."
"6th, the prepared cotton yarn thoroughly dried (see No. 3) in the form
"of bundles of lightly twisted yarn is next immersed in the acid mixture
66
(see No. 5) and exposed to the action thereof during about forty-eight
"hours, being repeatedly stirred up during this time; it is left to the action
"of the acid mixture in pots under cover."
66
"7th, the great bulk of the acid mixture being poured off the saturated
yarn is next submitted to the action of a centrifugal or other suitable
machine to throw off most of the acid mixture retained in the cotton
yarn."
8th, it is then washed in a similar way to that described in No. 2, during

page_text: about forty-eight hours and upwards in fresh running water, or by pre-
ference under a moderate fall of water, to ensure its entire freedom from acids,
which in this manner will be thoroughly attained. Although the saturated
cotton yarn by the above washing process in less than one hour is so far
"freed from acids that not the slightest trace of it can be discovered by
ordinary tests, yet the body of the yarn is by no means sufficiently cleansed
from acid, which, however, will be attained by subjecting as above
"described the saturated yarn to the action of great masses of fresh water'
during a considerable time."
36
"9th, the thorough washing of the saturated cotton yarn being duly
"completed it is dried in a similar way to that described in No. 3."
"10th, the cotton yarn is next boiled in a weak solution of soluble or
water glass (silicate of potassa, KOS, O,,) for about one and a half hours,
and then the bulk of the solution of the water glass is squeezed out by
suitable machines.".
"11th, the cotton yarn is next placed in tanks perforated with holes,
through which fresh water is kept running during about 6 days or 144
lours."
"12th, the cotton yarn is finally dried in a similar way to that described
"in No. 3, and that process being completed, pure gun cotton is obtained,
"this being an explosive compound of constant qualities and of a most"
"explosive nature, but entirely free from self-explosion. It is far less affected
by moisture than gunpowder, and if wetted and again dried will regain its
"previous power and qualities; its explosion is not attended by smoke, its
power can be regulated at pleasure, and employing equal weights its force
is six times that of the strongest gunpowder."
"In preparing for use the explosive compound made as above described, in
"order that regular and uniform results may be obtained from the explosion
"it is made up into cartridges of regular texture. This is done by regularly
winding the yarn into the form of cartridge required, or by spinning it into
ropes and then making it up into cartridges, or by first weaving it into
cloth. The arrangement of the fibre in the cartridge being in all cases
regular, but varied according to the rapidity of explosion required."
16
36
In witness whereof, I, the said John Howard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JOIN HOWARD. (L.S.)

page_text: To the Commissioners of Patents for Inventions.
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-named John Howard
(Assignee of the said Letters Patent) to file in the Great Seal Patent Office,
with the Specification to which the same relates, the above written Disclaimer
and Memorandum of Alteration.