Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Explosive Cartridges for Mining and other purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1893-Accepted, 4th Feb., 189
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Explosive Cartridges for
Mining and other purposes.
-
I, FREDERICK RENDER, of Albert Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Corn Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved arrangement or construction of machine
for filling explosive cartridges (for blasting or other purposes) preferably worked
by power and is designed to render the apparatus exceedingly expeditious and to
preserve the attendant from ill effects when working compounds containing
deleterious substances such as di-nitro-benzol, the machine being so arranged as to
prevent any fumes that may arise from the material or dust or-particles thereof
coming into contact with the operator whilst working.
In carrying out my invention I find by experiment that the machine works
best horizontally and I construct it with a bed plate of wood or iron carrying
a frame supporting a cylindrical kind of hopper or receptacle for the explosive
material which is in fine powder. In the interior of this hopper works a shaft with
arms which revolve and keep the material loose so that it readily falls upon a
forcing screw. This shaft and screw are geared together so that they work or
stop simultaneously. The screw is placed in a steel tube in the ordinary way and
the end of the tube upon which the cartridge paper is wrapped or upon which the
cartridge case ready made is slipped, terminates over a small funnel shaped
hopper in the bed plate through which a strong current of air is drawn by a fan
or exhauster so that any exposed explosive material or fumes or dust therefrom
are carried down into a reservoir and allowed to collect whilst the air passes away
to the fan and escapes.
This is of very great advantage to the workman and it also
avoids or prevents any loss of material. On the axial line of the screw and tube
a plunger or pressure resister hollow or recessed, is mounted, so as to bring its
head which carries a brass cup lined at the bottom with a piece of soft vulcanised
india-rubber against the end of the cartridge. This plunger is operated by a
weight or spring and presses against the cartridge whilst it is being made and the
rubber lining effectually preventing its being turned round.
The head which is preferably of steel also carries three arms, one to carry the
trigger for disengaging, another one to carry a wheel which works in a planed
slot in the bed, and a third as a contrivance for holding a spring buffer of rubber
or coiled spring which strikes the engaging rod and so sets the machines in motion
saving much time. The trigger bar which disengages the machinery when the
cartridge is of the proper length is graduated with a scale in fractions of an inch
cut from zero to various lengths according to the capacity of the machine and
upon the trigger bar is placed a moveable stop capable of being set or locked by
a screw in any position thereon according to the length of cartridge required.
When the length is attained the trigger comes in contact with the stop which
draws the bar out of its place and so stops the machine until the trigger has been
pressed which allows the plunger head to pass and be drawn back sufficiently to

page_text: take away the filled cartridge and to put on the tube another case. By a con-
trivance upon the stay through which the plunger passes the plunger remains
stationary at whatever point it happens to be pushed for the convenience of the
workman although the weight or spring is always pressing it towards the cartridge
tube. This comprises an eccentric lever, ratchet and pawl or other equivalent
device which holds it at any position until released. When the new empty case
has been put on, a wooden knob on the pawl, lever or other device is pressed which
releases the plunger and permits it to move forward until its head with spring
buffer strikes the engaging rod and so restarts the machine to refill the case.
The plunger is operated by one cord by which I get the most direct pull right
along the axis of the machine there being a slot in the underside of the hollow.
plunger to admit the narrow pulley.
To make good tightly packed cartridges it is essential the cases whether of paper
or metal or otherwise should fit very closely to the tube. I prefer about a 32nd of
an inch only of play which makes it very tedious to put the case on in position for
filling. This I overcome by a sliding piece of tube to which is fastened a number
of very thin pieces of steel spring which project over the end of the tube and
converge towards the centre and so present a point as it were to the paper case
which is then easily drawn upon the tube and is again ready for filling. The
cylindrical receptacle for the explosive is charged and re-charged by aid. of cans
or canisters provided with an internal agitator operated from outside by a key
or handle fitting upon the shaft protruding through a stuffing box in the bottom.
These cans have their lids removed and immediately closed by a moveable brass
box or valve piece which also perfectly fits the mouth of the cylindrical hopper, so
that the material can be transferred from can to hopper without the escape of
dust or fumes.
Talia 1th low of Rohuary 1808
WM P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for Filling Explosive Cartridges for
Mining and other purposes.
I, FREDERICK RENDER, of Albert Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Corn Miller, 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:
This invention relates to an improved arrangement or construction of machine
for filling explosive cartridges (for blasting or other purposes) preferably worked
by power and is designed to render the apparatus exceedingly expeditious and to
preserve the attendant from ill effects when working compounds containing
deleterious substances such as di-nitro-benzol, the machine being so arranged as to
prevent any fumes that may arise from the material or dust or particles thereof
coming into contact with the operator whilst working.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation.
Fig. 2. Side elevation partly in section drawn to larger scale than Fig. 1.
Fig. 2. Perspective view of method for fixing cartridge case in position for
filling.

page_text: Fig. 6. Transverse sectional elevation on line y-y Fig. 2.
Fig. 7. Transverse section on line - Fig. 2.
Fig. 8. Transverse section on line - Fig. 2.
The machine is constructed with a bed A of iron or wood upon which is mounted
a cylindrical hopper or receiver B for the explosive material-in a state of fine
powder which is to be filled into the cartridges. In the interior of the hopper B.
is placed a shaft C provided with a number of vanes arms or paddles D which are
caused to revolve to keep the material loose so that it may readily fall or descend
upon the forcing screw E. The shaft C and vanes D are rotated by the wheels d
driven by a band d from the pulley on the driving shaft.
The forcing screw E is placed in a horizontal steel tube F through which it
carries the material and the external surface of which serves to receive the wrapper
or case in which the cartridge is formed.
The end of the tube F terminates over a small funnel shaped hopper. G in the
bed A leading to a receiver or receptacle G¹ through which a strong current of
air is drawn by a fan or exhauster so that any of the explosive material falling or
escaping from the end of the tube F or any fumes escaping therefrom are carried.
down into the receiver G¹ and the particles of material are collected therein whilst
any fumes are carried away by the fan and escape. This is of very great advantage
to the workman and it also avoids or prevents any loss of material.
On the axial line of the screw E and tube F and in the same horizontal plane is
mounted a plunger or pressure resister H fitted with a head h finished with a h'
cup
on the end adjoining the screw. The cup may be fitted with a rubber pad or
washer h². The horizontal plunger or presser H is operated by a weight W and
presses against the end of the cartridge whilst it is being made, the rubber pad..
effectually preventing the rotation of the cartridge during the operation. The
weight W is connected by a cord w to the presser H holding it against the cart-
ridge end and as the cartridge is filled by the screw the wrapping or case is drawn
off the exterior of the steel tube F and the presser H gradually recedes the density
of the cartridge being determined by the weight of the weight W and the pressure
exerted by the presser H. A spring may be employed instead of the weight W.
To the head h of the presser H is attached a sliding piece K which moves to and
fro with the presser. At one side it carries a trigger or spring catch which
engages a stop on the stop rod L, and it also engages the setting on rod M to
set the machine in motion.
The bar or rod L disengages the machinery when the cartridge is of the proper
length and is graduated with a scale in fractions of an inch from zero to various
lengths according to the capacity of the machine and upon the bar is placed, the
moveable stop capable of being set or locked by a screw in any position thereon
according to the length of cartridge required. When the length is attained the
trigger or catch comes in contact with the stop 7 which draws the bar out of its
place and so stops the machine. By pressing the upper end of the trigger or catch k
the lower end can be raised free of the stop or the rod L to permit of the plunger
or presser H being drawn back sufficiently far to take away the filled cartridge and
place upon the cartridge tube F another wrapper or case."
The plunger is supported by two brackets N and upon one of these is placed a.
pawl or eccentric lever n which holds the plunger or presser H at whatever point
it happens to be pushed for the convenience of the workman although the weight
or spring is always pressing it towards the cartridge tube. When the empty case
has been placed on the cartridge tube F a knob n¹ on the pawl or lever n is
depressed which releases the plunger and permits it to move forward by the
operation of the weight W until the sliding piece K strikes the setting on rod M
and so restarts the machine to refill the case.
The filling screw E is attached to a spindle or short shaft E' mounted in housings
or bearings P on the bed or frame A (see enlarged plan Fig. 4). The filling screw
is attached by a screw e or otherwise so as to be easily removed and replaced by
another of different diameter or length. The cartridge tube F is also removable

page_text: and replaceable by another of different size to correspond with the size of the
filling screw employed.
The filling screw E is driven by the pinion R on the shaft E¹ which gears with
a second pinion R¹ on the driving shaft S. The second pinion R¹ is loose on the
driving shaft and capable of sliding to and fro thereon. It is provided at one
face with clutch teeth r which engage with a driving clutch s keyed to the shaft S
which is driven by the band pulleys. The clutch is thrown out of engagement
with the clutchs to stop the machine by the bell crank lever T which is drawn
over by the spring t on the spindle T when the end of the stop rod L is with-
drawn from the notch tand is moved back again into gear by the setting on
rod M. pressing against the other member of the bell crank lever T when the
presser H is brought up again against the end of the feed screw E.
To make good tightly packed cartridges it is essential the cases whether of paper
or metal or otherwise should fit very closely to the tube. I prefer about a 32nd of
an inch only of play which makes it very tedious to put the case on in position
for filling. This I overcome by a sliding piece of the tube F¹ to which is fastened
a number of very thin pieces f¹ of steel spring which project over the end of the
tube and converge towards the centre (see Fig. 2) and so present a point as it were
to the paper case which is then easily drawn upon the tube and is again ready
for filling.
The cylindrical receptacle B for the explosive is charged and re-charged by aid
of cans or canisters U provided with an internal agitator u operated from outside
by a key or handle u¹ fitting upon the shaft projecting through a stuffing box
in the bottom. These cans have their lids removed and immediately closed by a
moveable brass box or valve casing V with valve V" which, when inserted as
shown, fits the mouth of the cylindrical hopper B, so that the material can be
transferred from can to hopper without the escape of dust or fumes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. Apparatus for filling explosive cartridges comprising in its construction a
cylindrical receiver fitted with rotating vanes, a horizontal feeding screw and
tube, a sliding, piece thereon, a horizontal sliding presser to engage the end of the
cartridge as it issues from the feeding screw, a weight and pulley to apply the
desired pressure, an exhaust chamber to receive any particles of the material, a
stop roll with which the presser engages to throw the screw out of gear, a setting
on rod to place the screw in gear again and clutch gearing for operating the feed
screw, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for filling explosive cartridges the combination with the cylin-
drical receiver B, vanes D rotating therein, horizontal feed screw and tube in which
the screw is placed of the horizontal presser H to engage the end of the cartridge
and give the desired density thereto, the weight W attached to the presser and
the exhaust chamber placed below the end of the screw to collect any loose particles
or fumes, substantially as described.
3. Apparatus for filling explosive cartridges having the several parts constructed
and arranged in combination substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 15th dowy of October 1808
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.