Improvements in Explosives.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
Improvements in Explosives.
. I, HUDSON MAXIM, of No. 145 East Eighty-second Street, in the City, County
and State of New York, United States of America, Chemist, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for Fulminating Compounds, aut in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in aud by
the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide a fulminating compound for detonating
large masses of high explosives, especially for use in aerial torpedoes or projectiles
where it is necessary in order to obtain the highest destructive results of high
explosives to employ a large quantity of fulminating compound. It is well known
in the art that one of the chief difficulties in the employment of high explosives in
projectiles and aerial torpedoes is in throwing with safety a sufficient quantity of
fulminate of mercury or fulminating compound to secure complete detonation of the
high explosive thrown. If a sufficiently small quantity of fulminate be used, to
insure safety, a secondary or incomplete detonation of the high explosive results;
and on the other hand, if a sufficient quantity of fulminate or fulminating compound
such as beretofore made be employed to secure complete detonation, there is
imminent danger of premature detonation from the sensitiveness of the large
quantity of fulminate necessary to be used.
In carrying out my invention I thicken nitro-glycerine with pyroxylin, preferably
to a rubbery consistency or to the consistency of raw rubber. This I do by
employing usually about 75 to 85 per cent. nitro-glycerine to from 15 to 25 per cent.
pyroxylin, according to the stiffness or elasticity of the compound that may be
desired. To facilitate the admixture of the nitro-glycerine with the pyroxylin I'
usually employ a sufficient quantity of a solvent of the pyroxylin in conjunction
with the nitro-glycerine to cause the mixture to be sufficiently yielding or pasty
as to admit of the admixture and thorough incorporation therewith of a desired
quantity of fulminate of mercury. I then mix in the proper amount of fulminate
such as fulminate of mercury or its equivalent, usually about the proportion of
75 to 85 per cent. of the entire compound. The solvent employed preferably
volatile such as acetone, is afterward evaporated' from the compound, leaving the
same of a desired consistency as regards elasticity and of a character as regards
sensitiveness to percussion or detonation in proportion as the various ingredients
are varied in quantity.
.
1 1
OD
1 may prepare the above compound of a porous or spongy character, that is,
containing a large number of air spaces or pores. This may be done by agitating,
the compound in the presence of air when the compound is of a proper consistency
prior to the evaporation of the volatile solvent therefrom.
*1 ***
By this means I make a yielding or elastic fulminating compound, even when so
coufined as to have no opportunity to expand or yield laterally, the pores or air
spaces permitting of the material to be compressible, whereas, were it non-porous
it would be practicably incompressible, and more subject or sensitive to detonation"
from percussion.
I may also, and I preferably, secure the desired porosity of the compound by
using a high grade pyroxylin or tri-nitro-cellulose, added in a fine state of division,
in the same manner as the fulminate is added, and it may be added in conjunction
with the fulminate. When proceeding in this manner it is necessary that the
pyroxylin employed in forming the rubbery compound with nitro-glycerine be of a
lower grade of nitration, and that a volatile solvent of the same be employed
which will not dissolve the higher grade of pyroxylin when the samne is added in

page_text: a
the fibrous condition: I usually employ wood alcohol for this purpose which is
very good solvent of the lower grades of pyroxy liuwhile it does not dissolve that
of the highest grade of nitration.
It is obvious that although I prefer to employ nitro-glycerine for the reasons
specified herein, yet I may obtain very good results without its employment, as in
the last instances where a porous compound is made: Were the material not made
porous and were not nitro-glycerine employed, and were the fulminate simply
mixed into collodion or dissolved pyroxylin, of the solvents the latter being
afterwards evaporated, the resulting compound would be very dense, hard and
hornlike and would not possess the obvious qualities which desire in my
ulminating compound.
"
The fulminate compound made in either of the forms suggested or in any other
equivalent manner may be shaped by rolling into sbeets, pressed, molded or.cut into
suitable forms according as the nature of the use of the fulminate compound may
require; so many obvious forms may be used it is needless to specify them.
A compound of nitro-glycerine and pyroxylin such as I have described is of itself
very insensitive to percussion or shock and cannot be detonated by any ordinary.
means in fact, a compound of nitro-glycerine and pyroxylin containing 25 per cent.
of pyroxylin may be said to be incapable of detonation when, not mixed with a
more, sensitive explosive or detonating substance. But when such a substance is
combined as described with fulminate of mercury or its equivalent,, it may be
detonated with an ease in proportion to the quantity of fulminate employed. I have 1
secured very good results with equal parts of fulminate and the, nitro-glycerine-
pyroxylin compound, but. I prefer to employ a larger percentage of fulminate, as,
before described.
It may be desirable in some compositions to add a deterring medium, such as
nitro-benzole or nitro-naphthalene, or some suitable gum or other, adulterant, in
which case such deterring medium may be added to the compound at any stage of.
the process of manufacture.
Such a compound as I have described of fulminate, nitro-glycerine, pyroxylin,
&c., while it may be detonated by percussion, is still much less sensitive to
percussion than fulminate uncombined or with many of the fulminate mixtures...
beretofore employed. The improved fulminate, compound is especially, advan...
tageous, on account of the enormous quantity, of beat developed by the nitro-
glycerine in its combustion, while, the rubbery nature, or elastic character of the
compound renders, it. aufficiently insensitive to percussion to permit of its being.
thrown from ordnance with safety. One of the chief advantages of fulminate, of
mercury as an exploder, or detonator is in the density and weight of its products of..
decomposition;, but, as the gases are so heavy, on slight expansion, the temperature,
is greatly lowered and the efficiency of the fulminate very, materially reduced or
rendered impotent. In combining, howover, nitro-glycerine with fulminato..of..
mercury, the coormous heat developed by the nitro-glycerine acts to maintain
the temperature of the products of combustion of the fulminate, of mercury a and.
renders its detonative character much more efficient than otherwise.
I do not desire to confine myself or limit my invention to exact quantities or
proportions of the constituents employed..
While I have described pyroxylin as the thickening medium of nitro-glycerine,
it is obvious other equivalent media may be used, such as nitro-starch, or some
Buitable gum.
2:3
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The berein described explosive, consisting of a fulminate with, its particles
agglutinated by an organic nitro-compound.
2. The herein described explosive consisting of an admixture of a fulminate with
a dissolved nitrated carbohydrate, subsequently dried.,,
14
"

page_text: 3. The herein described explosive consisting of an admixture of a fulminate with
a dissolved nitrated carbohydrate and nitro-glycerine.
4. The herein described explosive consisting of a fulminate agglutinated by
means of an organic nitro-compound in conjunction with nitro-glycerine and a
deterring agent.