IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Vincent Gardner, of Berners Street, Oxford
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN.”
Sealed the 26th January 1877, and dated the 29th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Vincent Gardner at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1876. ·
EDWARD VINCENT GARDNER, of Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS,
AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
-
This Invention relates to certain improved methods of treating various fibrous
and other suitable substances for the conversion hereof into explosive compounds.
Instead of treating fibres and pulp or pulpy matters (when such are employed)
with water in order to clean the same, or with water charged with alkaline
substances, and afterwards submitting them to the action of beating engines and
drying them, I dispense altogether with this preparatory process of washing,
poaching, and drying, and I tear them to pieces of an uniform size by means of any
suitable machine, and at once submit them to steeping in acids.
In dealing with wood, hard pulpy materials, or fibres, I submit them to a
preparatory process of heating by high-pressure or superheated steam, or I employ
a dry common heat similar to an oven heat, or both, until the soft sap and tissues
are decomposed before I tear the materials to pieces. Some pulps do not require
this heating or baking as a preparatory step to their disintegration. In steeping
the materials to convert them into explosive compounds the strongest nitric acid
and sulphuric acid have been employed. I use the common nitric acid of commerce,
mixed with sulphuric acid of the specific gravity of about 1-84, and I fortify the
acid mixture after it has been several times used by the addition of a mixture of
the strongest nitric and sulphuric acids. By this treatment a great saving is
accomplished and much inconvenience prevented.
In "dipping" I apply an outer vessel of cast iron, slate, sandstone, or some such

page_text: suitable material capable of resisting the acids. I employ cast iron by preference
as more easily to be obtained, and as being passive so long as the acids remain of a
certain strength. This vessel is large enough to dip several pounds weight of fibre
or pulps at one dipping, say 10, 20, 30, or 50 pounds weight, as may be most
convenient.
The vessel which contains the mixed acids has in its interior a movable lining
vessel or strainer which contains the material to be converted. It is with the
material it contains immersed in the acid bath contained in the before-mentioned
vessel. A piece of wood is provided which keeps down the fibre and yet floats
nearly to the level of the acid mixture. This float can be made of any suitable
material and form. The lining vessel or strainer is suspended by chains, and by
which chains it can be raised or lowered by means of a crane which is provided for
that purpose.
The lining vessel or strainer, with its contents, is kept in motion in the outer
vessel, and thus the material can be constantly exposed to fresh portions of the
acid bath in which it is immersed.
After steeping in acids the excess of the acid mixture is drained or pressed out,
and the materials thus converted are well washed and finished by drying in the
usual way.
When I desire to obtain a more powerful explosive compound I proceed, as
already indicated, so far as the removal from the steeping in acids, draining, and
pressing is concerned. I then immerse the material in a bath of water to remove
the excess of acid, press it, and afterwards immerse it in a solution of ammonia, or
I expose it to the action of gaseous ammonia. Any excess of liquid is expressed.
It is not washed after this treatment, but is dryed.
The explosive material may be still further strengthened by immersion in a cold
saturated solution of chlorate of potash or of soda, or of ammonia after it has been
treated by the ammonia liquid or gas. The superabundant liquid is expressed and
the substance is dried.
Greater force can be communicated to the material by the following treatment:-
After the material has been converted the excess of acid is expressed, and it is
submitted to one or both of the above processes, that is to say, the treatment
with ammonia and chlorate of potash or of soda without any of the remainder of
the acid being washed out by immersion in water. For some purposes this plan
furnishes an useful compound.
In forming cartridges I first press out any excess of supernatant fluids, I then
shape the pulp by means of a machine into a cylindrical or any other suitable form.
With this pulp I fill a former or shape so contrived that a cartridge case is contained
at one end and a sufficiency of pulp to form the cartridge when it is compressed at
the other. This is placed in a press, by means of which the cartridge case is filled
with such compressed material.
I also make cartridges or charges direct from wood, as follows :-I select a wood
suitable to the purpose and form it by proper machinery and appliances into rods
of a cylindrical or of some other convenient section, and of a varying diameter or
size according to the calibre of the guns in which the same are to be used. These
rods of wood are prepared and treated according to my process in any of the
methods described, and are converted into an explosive material of varied power
according to the method of treatment adopted, so as to be used for sporting or
blasting purposes. To convert these into cartridges or charges a number of the
rods are loosely bound together, and are cut to a proper length, or are placed in a
case to constitute the cartridge or charge.
To retard any or the whole of the compounds prepared according to these
methods, and render them suitable for sporting purposes, I steep them in paraffin
oil or in a solution of paraffin wax in some solvent, pressing out the excess of the
liquid, or I dress them with these materials. This will also render the cartridges
or charges capable of resisting the moisture of the air and waterproof them.
Sometimes I employ other oils, such as linseed oil, boiled oil, and turpentine and

page_text: resin, or a mixture of them, according to the particular character of the explosive
compound, but I especially rely on paraffin oil, paraffin wax, and other solutions.
The various improved methods I have described of treating fibres to improve
their quality and to facilitate the manufacture of such into explosive compounds
are, it is evident, equally applicable to operations conducted with strong nitric acid
of specific gravity 1.5, and mixtures of that acid with sulphuric acid, and to several.
well-known processes of manufacturing such substances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Vincent Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
January 1877.
EDWARD VINCENT GARDNER, of Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS,
AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN.”
My said Invention relates to certain improved methods of treating various
fibrous and other suitable substances, for the conversion thereof into explosive
compounds.
Instead of treating the fibres and pulp or pulpy matters (when such are employed)
with water, in order to clean the same, or with water charged with alkaline
substances, and afterwards submitting them to the action of beating engines and
drying them, I dispense altogether with .this preparatory process of washing,
poaching, and drying, and I tear them to pieces of an uniform size by means of any
suitable machine, and at once submit them to steeping in acids.
In dealing with wood, hard pulpy materials, or fibres, I submit them to a
preparatory process of heating by high-pressure or superheated steam, or I have a
dry common heat similar to an oven heat, or both, until the soft sap and tissues are
decomposed, before I tear the materials to pieces. Some pulps do not require this
heating or baking as a preparatory step to their disintegration. In steeping the
materials to convert them into explosive compounds the strongest nitric acid and
sulphuric acid have been employed. I use the common nitric acid of commerce
mixed with sulphuric acid of the specific gravity of about 1-84, and I fortify the
acid mixture, after it has been several times used, by the addition of a mixture of
the strongest nitric and sulphuric acids. By this treatment a great saving is
accomplished and much inconvenience prevented.
In "dipping" I employ an outer vessel of cast iron, slate, sandstone, or some
suitable material capable of resisting the acids. I employ cast iron by preferenco
as more easily to be obtained, and as being passive, so long as the acids remain of a
certain strength. This vessel is large enough to dip several pounds weight of fibre
or pulps at one dipping, say 10, 20, 30, or 50 pounds weight, as may be most
convenient.
The vessel which contains the mixed acids has in its interior a movable lining
vessel or strainer, which contains the material to be converted. It is with the
material it contains immersed in the acid bath contained in the before-mentioned
vessel. A piece of wood is provided which keeps down the fibre and yet floats
nearly to the level of the acid mixture; this float can be made of any suitable
material and form. The lining vessel or strainer is suspended by chains, and by
which chains it can be raised or lowered by means of a crane which is provided for
the purpose.
The lining vessel or strainer with its contents is kept in motion in the outer
vessel, and thus the material can be constantly exposed to fresh portions of the acid
bath in which it is immersed.
After steeping in acids the excess of the acid mixture is drained or pressed out, and
the materials thus converted are well washed and finished by drying in the usual way..

page_text: In the annexed Drawing A, A, is the vessel to contain the mixed acids, having in
its interior a moveable lining vessel or strainer C, C, which contains the material to
be converted; D is the before-mentioned float; E, E, are the chains which suspend
the lining vessel or strainer, and by which it can be raised or lowered by means of
the crane H. The suspending chains E, E, are joined to the crane chain G by
a swivel eye or ring F, the use of which will be clearly scen. A bar of iron or
wood I is pushed into one of the loops or rings of the vessel C, C, as shown, and
by pushing the same round on the swivel the vessel C, C, with its contents, can be
kept in motion in the outer vessel A, A, (and thus the materials can be constantly
exposed to fresh portions of the acid bath in which it is immersed.
If more
convenient the outer vessel may be moved, the inner one fixed.
After the materials have been steeped in the acids the excess of the acid mixture
is drained or pressed out, and the materials thus converted are well washed and
finished in the usual way.
When I desire to obtain a more powerful explosive compound I proceed, as
already indicated, so far as the removal from the steeping in acids, draining, and
pressing is concerned. I then immerse the material in a bath of water, to remove
the excess of acid, press it, and afterwards immerse it in a solution of ammonia, or
I expose it to the action of gaseous ammonia. Any excess of liquid is expressed.
It is not washed after this treatment but is dried.
The explosive material may be still further strengthened by immersion in a cold
saturated solution of chlorate of potash, or of soda, or of ammonia, after it has been
treated by the ammonia liquid or gas. The superabundant liquid is expressed and
the substance dried.
Greater force can be communicated to the material by the following treatment :-
After the material has been converted the excess of acid is expressed, and it is
submitted to one or both of the above processes (that is to say, the treatment with
ammonia and chlorate of potash, or of soda, or of ammonia) without any of the
remaindor of the acid being washed out by immersion in water. For some purposes
this plan furnishes an useful compound.
In forming cartridges I first press out any excess of supernatant fluids, I then
shape the pulp by means of a machine into a cylindrical or any other suitable form.
With this pulp I fill a former or shape so contrived that a cartridge case is contained
at one end and a sufliciency of pulp to form the cartridge when it is compressed at
the other. This is placed in a press by means of which the cartridge case is filled
with such compressed material.
I also make cartridges or charges direct from wood, as follows:-I select a wood
suitable to the purpose, and form it by proper machinery and appliances into rods
of-cylindrical or of some other convenient section, and of a varying diameter or
size, according to the calibre of the guns in which the same are to be used. These
rods of wood are prepared and treated according to my process in any of the
methods described, and are converted into an explosive material of varied power,
according to the method of treatment adopted, so as to be used for sporting or
blasting purposes. To convert these into cartridges or charges a number of the rods
are loosely bound together and are cut to a proper length, or are placed in a case to
constitute the cartridge or charge.
To retard the action of any or the whole of the compounds prepared according to
these methods and render them suitable for sporting purposes I steep them in
paraffin oil, or in a solution of paraffin wax in some solvent pressing out the excess
of the liquid, or I dress them with these materials. This will also render the
cartridges or charges capable of resisting the moisture of the air and waterproof
them. Sometimes I employ other oils, such as linseed oil, boiled oil, and also
turpentine and resin, or a mixture of them, according to the particular character of
the explosive, but I especially rely on paraffin oil, paraffin wax, and their solutions.
The various improved methods I have described of treating fibres to improve
their quality, and to facilitate the manufacture of the same into explosive compounds
are, it is evident, equally applicable to operations conducted with strong nitric acid

page_text: of specific gravity 1.5, and mixtures of that acid with sulphuric acid, and to several
well known processes of manufacturing such substances.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the materals
secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent are,―
First. The methods and processes for the manufacture of explosive compounds,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before set forth and described.
And, Secondly. The construction of apparatus to be used for the purposes of my
said Invention, substantially as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
BTW ADD 17
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