Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture or Treatment of Explosives.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1889.
L
שיידי,
Complete Specification Left, '21st Nov., 1889-Accepted, "10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture or Treatment
of Explosives.
I, HERBERT MANNING CHAPMAN of Sydney Villa Sydney Road, Waltham Cross,
in the county of Essex, 'Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
.
This invention relates to the treatment of explosives and may be applied to
existing well known forms of explosives such for instance as nitro explosives.,
I prefer to treat the explosive material say gun-cotton for example with a suitable
solvent such as ether, ether and alcohol, acetic ether or the like according to the
nature of the explosive; the solvent is then evaporated and the explosive left in a
hard, agglomerate and generally brittle form while adapted for use in the block or
sheet or for cutting up into grains. ''If "preferred and while still soft it can be
pressed or moulded into any desired form. Where it is desired to reduce the
rapidity of the explosion "moderators or combustibles" such as gums resins 'sulphur
charcoal or the like may be incorporated with the explosive but preferably of such
a nature as to dissolve with the explosive used.
..
"The action of the solvent may be assisted by heat, agitation, mixing or the like
in a closed vessel.
Or the mixed substances may be pressed in a hydraulic or other press (while wetted
with water) cut up into shoots granulated dried and then treated with a solution of
the same or similar ingredients by which means they would be rendered agglomerated
and waterproof. Instead of the solvent above mentioned high pressure steam may
in some cases be used especially in those cases where the explosive would gelatinize.
It will be understood that many different kinds of explosives may be treated in the
manner I have indicated such for example as the nitro celluloses nitro glycerine
such as gun-cotton soluble cotton and the like the nitro starches nitro mannite the
nitro saccharoses and allied bodies picric acid or the picrate of ammonia; theso
may be either mixed with the previously mentioned moderators or not: Amongst
the " moderators may be mentioned the nitro benzines nitro anthracines nitro
naphthalines the gums and resins such as shellac colophony or rosin sulphur charcoal
black or brown, or other combustibles suitable for the purpose.
n
11
22
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture or Treatment
7
יי
of Explosives.
"
I, HERBERT MANNING CHAPMAN of Sydney Villa, Sydney Road, Walthain Cross,
Analytical Chemist, 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 relatos to the treatment of explosivos and may be applied to existing
well-known forms of explosives such for instance as nitro-explosives certain of which
after special treatment are particularly well-adapted as smokeless, or comparatively
smokeless propelling agents in fire-arms, small arms and ordnance..
I prefer to treat the explosive material with a solvent suited to the nature of the
explosive.
In continuance of the process the solvent is evaporated, and the explosive left in a
hard agglomerate and generally brittle form adapted for use in block or sheet or for

page_text: cutting up into grains. If preferred while still soft the explosive can be moulded or
otherwise made into any desired form. Where it is desired to reduce the rapidity of
the explosion "moderators or combustibles" such as gums, resins, sulphur, charcoal
or the like may be incorporated with the explosive but preferably of such a nature as
to dissolve with the explosive.usod.
The action of the dissolving, or gelatinizing agents may be assisted by heat,
agitation, mixing or the like in a closed vessel.
In the accompanying drawings I have represented as an example certain apparatus
which may be used in the carrying out of my invention. In these drawings Fig. 1 is
a vertical section and Fig. 2.a view, one half in plan and the other half in horizontal
section of the machine in which the mixing with the explosive of a solvent is effected,
and which machine is hereinafter referred to as the "mixing machine;". Fig. 3 is a
transverse vertical section and Fig. 4 a plan with a portion of the cover removed of a
retort in which the explosive is treated for the removal of the solvent; Fig. 5 is
a-longitudinal vertical section and Fig. 6 a view partly in plan, and partly in
horizontal section of a "volatilizer" for the removal of the camphor when such is
_ used as the gelatinizing agent; Fig. 7 is a plan and Fig. 8 a longitudinal vertical
section of portion of the machine in which the explosive is reduced to granules the
said machine. being consequently herein referred to as the granulating machine ;
Figs. 9 to 12 are views indicating the operations of the granulating machine.
a
Referring to figs. 1. and 2 A is a cylindrical casing closed at its lower end by
plate or disc Awhich may be-permanently secured-to-it- by bolts A² or in other
suitable manner and at its, upper end by a removable cover A which may be-
temporarily secured to it by the pivoted bolts. A and winged nuts A³ the former of
which, project up through radial recesses in the casing's upper flange and cover A³
and may after the slackening of the nuts be turned over into the position in which
one of them is shown in dotted lines in figure 1-so as to admit of the cover A³ being
removed. . B is a shaft passing vertically through the casing A and supported at its
lower end outside of said casing on the footstep bearing A.and which bearing may
be secured to, the plate A¹ in the manner shown in figure 1. To prevent dangerous
friction in the vicinity of the explosive to be treated in the mixing machine I.bush
the plate A and perhaps the cover A with vulcanite or some other such material as
shown at A B are arms or blades secured to or formed in part with the shaft B
and which in their rotation are adapted to incorporate the ingredients placed in the
mixer one with the other or others. B2 is a pulley secured on the upper end of
the shaft B which upper end is squared or otherwise, formed to prevent the pulley
being rotated independently of the shaft. Bisa nut for securing the pulley on the
said squared end; but instead of this other means may be employed for the same
purpose while providing for the ready removal of the pulley when it is desired to
remove the cover A³. A³ is a ring of asbestos, or equivalent material for making a
tight joint between the cover A³ and casing A....
A is a screwed plug fitted in the cover A³, by the removal of this plug access to
the interior of the "mixing machine" is had for the insertion of the benzole or other
solvent with which the explosive is to be therein treated."
If desired this last described apparatus may be surrounded by a casing through
which hot water may be caused to circulate for heating purposes or other 'means
may be employed for this purpose.
Referring to 'figs. and 4, C is a casing provided with internally and externally
"projecting flanges C and CTo the externally projecting flange are pivoted
bolts Ain like manner to those, similarly marked in figs.. 1 and 2 these and the
winged nuts A thereon being provided for an analogous purpose viz. ;-for. permitting
the cover A to be readily removed substantially in the manner before described.
On the inner flange C is supported the flange D which surrounds the upper for open
"ends of the pockets D' which dip down into the casing O but not so far as to reach
the botton thereof and the pockets D' are otherwise of such proportions. that between
their walls and the surrounding casing is left a clear space for the circulation of hot
water which flows through the pipes CC. A suitably tight joint is made between the

page_text: flanges C and D by asbestos or equivalent packing A between the cover A³ and
casing C. E is a still head secured to or formed in part with the cover A³ which is
perforated at A10 to place the said still head in communication with the interior of
the still so as to carry off the vapors resulting from the ovaporation of the solvent
from the explosive under treatment therein.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6 which represent the volatilizer F is a casing hori
zontally through which extend the rectangular passages F₁ which are connected to
the said casing F in any such convenient manner as will constitute a water-tight
chamber through which hot water or other equivalent heating medium may be circu-
lated by means of pipes C³ C the said medium being exteriorly in contact with four
sides of each of the passages or heating chambers F1. A is a cover or door secured
to the front of the casing F by means of binged bolts A and winged nuts A³ in a
manner similar to that herein before described so as to enable it to be readily
removed for gaining access to the heating chambers F1 for placing in them the.
explosive from which the camphor is to be removed. A is a pipe secured to the
cover for the purpose of introducing hot air. G is a chamber the walls G' of which
are double and have cold water circulated through them by means of the pipes G² G³.
This cooling chamber is provided with an outlet G and an opening G fitted with a
suitable lid or door G by means of this door access may be had to the interior of the
chamber G for detaching the camphor.
In the granulating machine shown in figs. 7 and 8 H is a cylinder carried on a
shaft H' supported in bearings H2 which are mounted on the general framing H³
and His a pulley secured on the shaft H' for transmitting rotary motion to the
cylinder. H H are radial blades or cutters preferably secured in any convenient
manner to the cylinder II so as to be rotated as part of it. The cutters H³ and H
alternate with each other; each of the former of these has a straight un-notched edge
while each of the other cutters He has either a rectangularly notched edge as shown
in figs. 7 and 9 or a more or less angularly recessed edge such as is shown in fig. 11;
or instead of these cutters H H there may be used others for forming granules of
any desired shape for instance by the employment of cutters with corrugated edges
alternately arranged as to their corrugations circular granules can be produced. His
the bed or table on which is supported the explosive material to be reduced to grains.
HB are the stationary cutters with which intercalate the projecting portions of the
cutters H so as to remove certain pieces from and leave the end of the sheet of
explosive material notched in the manner shown in figs. 9 or 11. The said material
being next subjected to the action of one of the straight edged cutters H³ has the
projecting portions removed and the edge thus again made straight as shown in
figs. 1 and 12. H is a plate which holds the explosive to be granulated down upon
he bed H7.
Before proceeding with the description of the process by which the explosives are
treated I may mention that in the agglomeration of certain nitro-explosives may be
particularized the following four methods viz. :-
First. That in which the agglomerating agent whether solid such as camphor or
liquid such as aldehyde or formic ether, is evaporated or distilled or allowed to
evaporate off completely.
"
"
Second. That in which the agglomerating agents with boiling points too high to be
safely volatilized off are left in the explosive, and partly or wholly fulfil the function
of a moderator or substance that reduces the rapidity of the explosion, such as
the acetate of amyl, the mono- di- and tri-acetins, oxalic ether and the high-boiling-
point ketones and acetates.
Third. That in which-mixtures of-the-first and second such for example as a solid
say camphor and a liquid say amyl acetate are used together.
Fourth. The employment of hydraulic or other pressure with or without the
simultaneous application of heat in combination with any of the beforementioned
three methods whereby the explosive under treatment can be gelatinized and rendered
homogeneous with very much less of the agglomerating or gelatinizing agent than
would otherwise be required.

page_text: It will be understood that when using the gelatinizing agent it is necessary or at
least advantageous to mix with it a sufficient quantity of volatile liquid such as
benzol, benzoline or other suitable liquid so that by increasing the bulk of the gelatin-
izing liquid or solid it is brought into thorough contact with every part of the mass,
the volatile portion being afterwards removed.
In order that the process may be thoroughly understood I will now give examples
of the methods of preparing the nitro-explosives and it is to be understood that,
wherever used in this specification by the word "parts" I invariably mean parts by
weight; and by " gun cotton
I mean the commercial kind usually containing
from 8 to 12% of soluble nitro-cotton.
To prepare the nitro-explosive according to the first method I take 92 parts of
dry pulped gun-cotton and 8 parts of rosin and having mixed them well together
by sieving or drumming I place the mixture in the mixing machine figs. 1 and 2,
the cover A3 having been previously removed for that purpose. The gun-cotton
and rosin is then pushed down moderately tight and the cover replaced. The
screwed plug AB is then removed and a mixture of from 40 to 60 parts of camphor
dissolved in 120 to 195 parts of benzole is poured in through the plug-hole.
After a short time has been allowed for the dissolved camphor to permeate the
mass the mixing blades B' are rotated and kept rotating until a sample shows
that the ingredients have become thoroughly incorporated. Instead of effecting
the mixing by mechanical means it can be done by hand as in making or kneading
dough.
The..mixing machine as hereinbefore described may be surrounded by a water
jacket but if this be used the water circulated through it should not exceed the
temperature at which benzol boils. The cover A is then removed and the mass
taken out of the mixing machine and in any convenient manner is formed into tubes,
pellets, spheres, cylinders, or other desired shapes or into sheets or strips or other
forin convenient for being broken or cut up into grains.
If formed into a continuous sheet the said sheet is cut into suitable lengths and
placed in the pockets D₁ of the retort shown in figs. 3 and 4 and the cover A³ which
had previously been removed for the purpose of enabling the said explosive to be
placed in the pockets is then replaced and screwed firmly in position. Here, by the
circulation of hot water around the pockets D' the explosive is raised to such a
temperature that the benzole will be evaporated and afterwards conveyed through the
still-head E to a suitable condenser.
Now supposing the camphor had been mixed with the explosive as the agglomerating
or gelatinizing agent (and it is only under such a circumstance that the volatilizer
figs. 5 and 6 is used) the explosive would next be placed in the chambers F¹ see
figs. 5 and 6 wherein by the circulation of hot water around it and passage of hot air
through the chambers and consequently directly in contact with the explosive the
camphor is removed.
The explosive is then taken out of the volatilizer and with the dissolving and
agglomerating agents removed as described will now be found hard and brittle and
in a fit and ready condition for being cut or broken up into grains.
For the purpose of so reducing the sheets of explosive to grains I prefer to use the
machine shown in figs. 7 and 8. Here the explosive which is marked X is in any
convenient manner moved forward to the cutters H H which in turn operate on the
said explosive so as first to notch its end in the manner shown in figs. 9 or 11 and
then trim off the edge to a straight line such as is shown in Figs. 10 and 12, the grains
so removed being collected in any suitable receptacle. The grains are then put into a
sieve wherein the dust is removed, this dust together with that formed in the
granulating machine being afterwards worked up in another batch of the explosive
material. By the sifting process also the grains may be assorted as to size which will
of course vary according to the purpose for which they are required.
To prepare the explosive according to the second method and employ a volatile 5
liquid as the gelatinizing agent I thoroughly mix as before 92 parts of dry pulped
gun-cotton with 8 parts of rosin and place in the mixing machine (figs. 1 and 2)

page_text: with every 100 parts of this compound 250 parts of concentrated aldehyde to which
had previously been added 68 parts of benzole. This compound from the beginning
to the end of the process is then treated in a manner similar to that before described
in all except the subjecting it to the volatilizer Sgs. 5 and 6 which is rendered
unnecessary by reason of camphor forming no constituent part of the mixture..
In another way of preparing the explosive according to the second method while
allowing the gelatinizing agent to remain in the finished product I thoroughly mix with
65 parts of gun-cotton 35 parts of amyl acetate and to every 100 parts of this compound
placed in the mixing machine figs. 1 and 2, I add from 15 to 20 parts of camphor
which had previously been dissolved in from 80 to.122 parts of benzole. "The process
is then followed as before the compound being at the proper stage treated in the
volatilizer figs. 5 and 6 for the removal therefrom of the camphor.
According to the third method of procedure in which is employed a mixture of the
gelatinizing agents used in the first and second methods I thoroughly mix with every
65 parts of gun-cotton, 35 parts of amyl acetate and to every 100 parts of this com-
position placed in the mixing machine (figs. 1 and 2) I add 100 parts of aldehyde and
58 parts of ether. From this stage the explosive is treated as under the other methods
the volatilizer figures 5 and 6 not being required because no camphor is employed in
the composition.
According to the fourth method I employ hydraulic or other pressure with or
without the simultaneous application of heat to the composition under pressure. This
method is the most economical of all for effecting the gelatinization of certain nitro-
explosives because comparatively little of the gelatinizing agent will effect the same
result as a much larger quantity when used in the ordinary way—that is, without
pressure. The action may be thus explained -The solvents or gelatinizing agents
chosen do not or 'should. not exert a chemical change on the amorphous explosive but
merely a physical one viz. that of dissolving or agglutinating the particles and bringing
them closer together so that when the gelatinizing agent has done its work and with
the diluting agent is evaporated off unchanged or is left in as the case may be―the
mass is found to have a greater density than could be attained by pressure without
gelatinization.
This method which I term the "slabbing" method because of the shape of the
pressed blocks is applicable to the manufacture of all those gelatinous, horny, or
semi-horny nitro-explosives which can be prepared by gelatinizing processes, with
solvents.
When I employ the nitro-starches instead of gun-cotton, they can be gelatinized
with ordinary ether or by any of the modes mentioned above and I am thus able
to produce an agglomerate explosive from the nitro-starches without the use of
dynamite.
When oxidising agents are necessary to modify the rate of explosion, I employ the
nitrate of soda, or potash.
It will be understood that many different kinds of explosives may be treated in
the manner I have indicated such for example as the nitro-celluloses, gun-cotton
soluble gun-cotton and the like, the nitro-starches, the nitro-saccharoses and allied
bodies, picric acid and the picrate of ammonia; these may be either mixed with the
previously mentioned " moderators
دو
or not.
Amongst the " moderators may be mentioned the nitro-benzines, the nitro-
anthracenes, nitro-naphthalines, the gums and resins such as shellac colophony or
rosin sulphur charcoal black or brown, or other combustibles suitable for the
purpose.
I attach very especial importance to the hard agglomerate qualities imparted to
the nitro-explosive by the process of gelatinization because experience has taught me
that it is then in the condition best adapted for transport, for loading cartridges for
regularity in shooting qualities, for chemical stability, and for resisting alternations
of temperature and moisture in any climate, as this treatment has rendered it
waterproof.

page_text: 1
↓
I am aware that camphor has been used for hardening explosives but never to my
knowledge has it been used for gelatinizing gun cotton as is done according to this
invention..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what' 1
claim is:
1. The use as agglomerating agents for nitro-explosives of aldehyde, formic ether
or camphor mixed or not with diluents such as benzole, benzoline, or petroleum
ethers.
2: The use as agglomerating agents and "moderators" in nitro-explosives of
acetate of amyl, oxalic ether, the mono- di- and tri-acetins and the high boiling
point ketones and acetates.
3. The gelatinization of nitro-explosives by pressure substantially as described.
4. The use as "moderators in nitro-explosives of the nitro-benzines and nitro-
naphthalines.
"
5: The manufacture of agglomerate explosives from the nitro starches substantially
as herein described.
6. In apparatus for the manufacture of explosives such as described a retort sub-
stantially as illustrated in figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings consisting
essentially of pockets such as D' supported in a casing so that the heating medium
uay circulate around and under them and over which pockets is provided a detach-
able-cover-and-outlet pipe for carrying off the vapours arising from the explosive
treated therein substantially as herein described.
Dated this 21st day
1889
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
"
Agents for the Applicant.