Improvements in High-power Explosives.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES STURTEVANT RANDALL, of New
Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in High-power Explosives.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine. Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 improvements in high-power explosives, and it consists
essentially in mixing together a suitable hydrocarbon derivative, an oxidizing agent
and a suitable material for rendering the mixture sufficiently sensitive to be detonated
or exploded.
The hydrocarbon or its derivative should be of such a nature as to form a coat or
varnish to the oxidizing agent by which the hygroscopic properties of the latter may
be greatly reduced if not altogether remedied.
For this purpose I have found rosin and nitro-naphthaline suitable hydrocarbon
derivatives, both being well adapted for the purpose specified.
In preparing the explosive, the hydrocarbon derivative is melted, the oxidizing
agent is mixed into the melted material, and then the sensitizing agent is added.
For the latter purpose small proportions of the phenol-derivatives or charcoal
alone, have been found well suited; or the phenol-derivatives may be used together
with charcoal and sulphur, or the charcoal alone.
For the oxidizing agents any of the nitrates or chlorates may be employed, but I
prefer nitrate of soda on account of its greater cheapness; its hygroscopic properties
being largely remedied by the hydrocarbon which acts as a coating or varnish to
keep out the moisture of the atmosphere.
The phenol-derivatives and the nitro-naphthalines used are preferably the crude
nitro-derivatives consisting of mixtures of substances having various degrees of
nitration.
I have found the explosive manufactured in accordance with the following formulæ,
to give good results :-

page_text: These proportions may be varied to suit the various requirements of the
explosive; thus the relative proportions of nitro-naphthaline, or other hydro-
carbon derivative, and of the sodium nitrate, or other oxidizing agent, may be
varied from 1 to 8 to 1 to 4, respectively, dependent upon the degree of nitration
of the hydrocarbons and of the component parts of the mixture, and also upon the
nature and purity of the hydrocarbons and their derivatives or of the oxidizing
agent.
I do not wish to limit myself to the exact proportions of the herein described
substances, or their equivalents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
-
1. A high-power explosive consisting of an oxidizing agent, a mixture of phenol
derivatives, and other hydrocarbon derivatives, charcoal, and sulphur, substantially
as described.
2. A high-power explosive consisting of a mixture of nitro-naphthalines, an
oxidizing agent, and a mixture of nitro-phenols.
3. A high-power explosive consisting of a mixture of nitro-naphthalines, nitrate
of soda, and a mixture of nitro-phenols, substantially as described.
4. A high-power explosive consisting of a mixture of nitro-naphthalines, an
oxidizing agent, a mixture of nitro-phenols, and charcoal. substantially as
described.
5. A high-power explosive consisting of a mixture of nitro-naphthalines, an
oxidizing agent, a mixture of nitro-phenols, sulphur and charcoal, substantially as
described.
Datadl this 27th dov of November 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.