Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Explosives.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Explosives.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM ANDERSON of Raydon Lodge, Erith in the County of
Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The invention relates to machines such as are described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to Messrs. Abel, Dewar and Anderson No. 11667 in the year 1889.
In the manufacture of cordite as therein described the material when in a plastic
state is forced through a die by means of a piston which receives motion by means
of a screw and nut. A piston in a cylinder containing water or liquid serves as
the abutment and yields if the pressure becomes excessive. According to my
invention I provide also mechanism which when the pressure rises stops the machine
by throwing off the driving belt. This mechanism consists of a small ram connected
with a weighted lever, and exposed also to the pressure of the water or liquid.
When the pressure becomes sufficient to overcome the weight the lever moves and
by suitable connections the belt fork is moved. I also provide a gauge which
indicates the pressure.
A further improvement consists in an arrangement of the press cylinder whereby
it is slid into place when filled and by making a portion of a revolution with the
handle is locked in a position truly axial with the plunger.
The cordite having been formed by the aid of the die into threads is wound upon
a drum; drums for this purpose I construct in the following manner :-
The reels consist of stamped brass sides, with flanged rim and arms, carrying a
cylinder of perforated zinc sheeting. The two ends are threaded upon a piece of
solid drawn brass tube and held in position by nuts screwed on the ends of the tube.
The spindles are loose and are threaded through the centre tube and drive the
reel by means of a form of claw clutch which engages into cuts at either end of
the tube.
For blending purposes and for preparing for the cartridge filling machine a
number of strands are coiled from a number of reels on to one larger reel by means
of a re-reeling machine. This consists of a stand in which the large reel is placed
with an arrangement for rotating it by hand. On the axle is a toothed wheel
gearing into another toothed wheel bearing a slightly different number of teeth.
This second wheel rotates a barrel, placed parallel with the reel axis, having a
double thread cut in it of large pitch both right and left hand.
A fixed bar placed above and parallel to this carries a small running carriage
with a peculiar shaped piece projecting underneath and engaging with the screw
thread, so that on rotating it the carriage is caused to run up and down its bar by
the action of the thread. A guide is fixed to the top of the carriage in which the
strands of the cordite are placed and by turning the handle the material is fed
along the drum and coiled at the same time. The difference in the teeth of the
two gear wheels prevents the successive layers being superimposed.
In the machines which have been employed for filling the cartridges the
explosive, which is in the form of a bundle, is led into the machine through a
conical mouth.
Beyond the mouth are two clamps which alternately open and close, one clamping
the bundle whilst the other releases it. One of the clamps is stationary, the other
receives a to and fro longitudinal motion and so the bundle is drawn intermittently.
forward and is thrust into cartridge cases placed to receive it. As each case is
filled the bundle is cut off by a knife.
It has been found in working these machines that there is a possibility of a short

page_text: stroke, and so an incomplete charge being made; moreover on account of the
pliability of the strands of material a complete charge cannot be filled at one stroke
but two are requisite.
The present improvements are designed to overcome these difficulties and consist
firstly in providing an automatic intermediate guide which takes up a mid position
to support the material between the sliding clutch and the fixed front guide and so
prevent its buckling, and secondly in providing a sliding bar with tappets and
notches moved by the sliding clutch and so arranged as to prevent the cutting
knife being operated unless the stroke both forward and backward has been
completely made.
Dated this 20th of T1 1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Explosives.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM ANDERSON of Raydon Lodge, Erith in the County of
Kent, Engineer, 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 :—
The invention relates to machines such as are described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to Messrs. Abel. Dewar and Anderson No. 11667 in the year 1889.
In the manufacture of cordite as therein described the material when in a plastic
state is forced through a die by means of a piston which receives motion by means
of a screw and nut. A piston in a cylinder containing water or liquid serves as the
abutment and yields if the pressure becomes excessive. According to my invention
I provide also mechanism which when the pressure rises stops the machine by
throwing off the driving belt. This mechanism consists of a small ram connected
with a weighted lever, and exposed also to the pressure of the water or liquid.
When the pressure becomes sufficient to overcome the weight the lever moves
and by suitable connections the belt fork is moved. I also provide a gauge which
indicates the pressure.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawing shews in elevation a general arrangement
suitable for this machine.
a is a frame supporting the cylinder containing the cordite in a dough like
condition. A plunger enters the cylinder at the top and forces the cordite out in
a small stream or thread through a die in the bottom of the cylinder. The plunger
is carried by a screw c. d is a wheel working as a nut upon the screw, it has worm
teeth at its periphery. e is an axis on which is a worm e' engaged with the teeth of
the wheel. When the wheel d turns the screw and plunger is forced down and the
cordite exudes. On the axis e are belt pulleys receiving driving belts for
turning the axis one way or the other as one or other belt is in use. is a sliding
bar on which are belt forks for shifting the belts.
Figure 2 is a full size sectional elevation of some of the parts. The lower end
of the screw c is seen, it carries a cylinder c' and in this cylinder a leather packed
piston works. c is a spring which presses the piston downwards towards the
stop ring at the lower end of the cylinder. c is a supply funnel and valve serving
automatically to admit liquid to the cylinder whenever there is room for it. is
the plunger which enters the cylinder b. 9 is an aperture to which a curved flexible
pipe of copper is adapted. It will be seen that the downward movement of the
screw c will compel the plunger to descend in the cordite cylinder 6 unless
the water or liquid with which the cylinder c¹ is filled is able to escape through the
aperture 9; this it can do if the pressure becomes excessive but not otherwise.
The copper pipe adapted to the aperture 9 leads to an apparatus shewn by
Figure 3. The figure is a full size elevation partly in section; this apparatus is
mounted immediately beneath the sliding bar f of Figure 1; which bar is again

page_text: seen in this figure. The copper pipe leading from the aperture 9 Figure 2 is
marked g' it leads into the cylinder h in which a ram works, entering through a
gland. Bearing upon the top of the ram is a heavily loaded lever i which can turn
about a fulcrum at . The lever i is connected by a link with a lever arm k on an
axis on which also is another arm k. The arm bears against a finger fl on
the sliding bar fand when the pressure in the cylinder h becomes sufficient, (that is
to say excessive in the cylinder c¹) the ram ' rises and the barf carrying the belt
forks is slidden endwise a sufficient distance to throw off the driving belt. A
pressure gauge connected in any convenient way with the pipe g' shews continually
the pressure at which the machine is working.
A further improvement consists in an arrangement of the press cylinder whereby
it is slid into place when filled and by making a portion of a revolution with the
handle is locked in a position truly axial with the plunger.
Figure 4 shews to about a quarter scale a front elevation of a portion of the
frame a together with the cordite cylinder b, these parts being in section.
Figure 5 is an underside view.
The cylinder has a liner b' a strainer and a moveable bottom blocked in its
place with a divided screw like the breech block of a gun. is the die or moulding
orifice in the bottom. are handles upon the moveable bottom and 6' are handles
upon the cylinder. There is a cylindrical cavity in the frame a just of a size to
receive the cylinder and the cavity is open on one side to allow the latter to enter.
To admit of this entrance however the top and bottom flanges of the cylinder bare
cut away as at 'b'. When the cylinder is in the cavity it can be turned partly
round into the position of Figure 5 and then the flanges passing into the recesses
propared for them the cylinder is locked truly in position in the press.
The cordite having been formed by the aid of the die into threads is wound upon
a drum; drums for this purpose I construct in the following manner :-
The reels consist of stamped brass sides, with flanged rim and arms, carrying a
cylinder of perforated zinc sheeting. The two ends are threaded upon a piece of
solid drawn brass tube and held in position by nuts screwed on the ends of the
tube. The spindles are loose and are threaded through the centre tube and drive
the reel by means of a form of claw clutch which engages into cuts at either end
of the tube.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of a reel of this construction.
Figure 7 is a section partly on the line 1, 1, and partly on the line 2, 2, in
Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a section of the spindle where it fits into the boss of the reel.
lare the stamped sides with flanged arms and rim. The flanges are shewn to
be bent out at right angles to the side plates but this may be varied and sometimes
I bend the flanges of the arms through an angle of only say 60 degrees. m is
the solid drawn tube. nn are the nuts clamping the side plates to the tube m.
o is the cylinder of perforated zinc sheeting forming the barrel of the reel; it is
soldered to the two side plates all around its edges. is the spindle; it has
claws p' p' which enter corresponding cuts or recesses m³ m' in the ends of the
tube m.
For blending purposes and for preparing for the cartridge filling machine a
number of strands are coiled from a number of reels on to one larger reel by means
of a re-reeling machine. This consists of a stand in which the large reel is
placed with an arrangement for rotating it by hand. On the axle is a toothed
wheel gearing into another toothed wheel bearing a slightly different number of
teeth. This second wheel rotates a barrel, placed parallel with the reel axis,
having a double thread cut in it of large pitch both right and left hand. A fixed
bar placed above and parallel to this carries a small running carriage with a
peculiar shaped piece projecting underneath and engaging with the screw thread, so
that on rotating it the carriage is caused to run up and down its bar by the action
of the thread. A guide is fixed to the top of the carriage in which the strands of
the cordite are placed and by turning the handle the material is fed along the

page_text: drum and coiled at the same time. The idiffèrence in the teeth of the two gear
wheels prevents the successive layers being superimposed.
Figure 9 is a rear elevation Figure 10 an end elevation and Figure 11 is a plan
of the re-reeling machine.
Figure 12 is a front elevation of a portion of the same.
q is a recl such as already described but longer than that represented in the
preceding figures; it is mounted on a suitable frame as shewn and can be turned by
means of a crank handle q. ' is a toothed wheel turning with the reel and
driving another tooth wheel with nearly but not quite the same number of teeth.
The wheel is fast with a roller which is carried in bearings on the frame and
has cut in it a cam groove r¹. s is a guide bar parallel to the roller and is a
carriage travelling to and fro along the guide bar; it carries upon a pin t' on its
underside a shuttle like driver which is lodged in the cam groove and follows along
it as the drum is rotated.
"
The carriage t also carries a fork t³.
The reels upon which the cordite is originally wound are mounted in a frame,
which carries any 'number of these reels which may be required. A thread from
each reel is led through the fork t* to the reel 9 and the winding is commenced.
In the machines which have been employed for filling the cartridges the
explosive, which is in the form of a bundle, is led into the machine through a
conical mouth. Beyond the mouth are two clamps which alternately open and
close, one clamping the bundle whilst the other releases it. One of the clamps is
stationary, the other receives a to and fro longitudinal motion and so the bundle
is drawn intermittently forward and is thrust into cartridge cases placed to receive
it. As each case is filled the bundle is cut off by a knife.
It has been found in working these machines that there is a possibility of a
short stroke, and so an incomplete charge being made; moreover on account of the
pliability of the strands of material a complete charge can not be filled at one
stroke but two are requisite.
The present improvements are designed to overcome these difficulties and consist
firstly in providing an automatic intermediate guide which takes up a mid position
to support the material between the sliding clutch and the fixed front guide and so
prevent its buckling, and secondly in providing a sliding bar with tappets and
notches moved by the sliding clutch and so arranged as to prevent the cutting.
knife being operated unless the stroke both forward and backward has been
completely made.
Figure 13 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of the cartridge filling
machine.
Figure 14 is a transverse section on the line 14-14 in Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a portion of a plan.
Figure 16 is a section on the line 16-16 in Figure 15.
Figure 17 shews the sliding bar separately.
This machine is, except in respect to my improvements such as is shewn in the
Specification No. 116678 by Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8.
A is a clutch or clip in which the bundle of cordite threads unwound from the
reel is held; this clip is immoveable except that it opens and closes to grip and
release the bundle. B is a similar clip but moveable to and from the clip A and
also to and from the receiving cone C. D is the cartridge case to be filled. E is
a circular knife and F is a lever carrying the knife; it has its fulcrum at F'. In
the working of the apparatus the clip B opens and travels towards the clip A
which holds the bundle of threads firmly whilst the jaws of the clip B pass over it
freely. The clip A then opens and the clip B closes and cominences to travel
away from the clip A; it then pushes the bundle forward through the receiving
cone C into the cartridge case D. It is to prevent the spreading of the bundle
whilst thus thrust forward that the eye G is provided. The foot of the eye G is
inserted as shown into the lower jaw of the clip B so that it can slide freely a
distance equal to about half the travel of the clip; but beyond this distance the
3

page_text: eye and the clip must travel together for when moving to the left the shoulder B¹
on the clip come against the foot of the eye and when moving to the right the clip
itself comes against the eye and brings it back to the receiving cone.
The clip B as represented in the drawings may be supposed to be open and
travelling away from the receiving cone, and soon the shoulder B' will commence
to push the eye G and carry it also away from the receiving cone. At the end of
the course when the clip B closes and clip A. opens the part of the bundle extending
between the clip B and the receiving cone C will be encircled in the middle by
the eye G and so supported it will be stiff enough when the clip B advances to
be thrust forward through the receiving cone which might not otherwise be the
case. The knife E and its lever F are so arranged that the necessary movements
cannot be imparted to them unless the attendant (who works the machine by means
of a treadle) compels the clip B to make its full stroke. H is a sliding bar on
which are two stops H'H'. B' is a projection on the clip B which by coming
against the stops H H as the clip completes its stroke causes the bar H to move in
its guides. As the knife is shown in the drawing it stands in the way of the
advance of the bundle of cordite into the cartridge case and it cannot now be
moved because the spring finger F projecting from the lever F would come against
and be stopped by the bar H. But when the bar is shifted by the projection B³
an incline H³ on the bar comes into position to meet the finger which then can
yield and pass down when the knife E is lifted.
Similarly when the projection B' comes against the stop H' the bar is moved to
another position in which the incline H meets the spring finger F' as it rises so
that the finger may yield and the knife descend and cut off the material so that
the filled cartridge may be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The improvement in the pressing mechanism consisting in so arranging the
same substantially as described that when the pressure in the hydraulic abutment
cylinder rises unduly the machine is stopped.
2. The improvement substantially as described relating to locking the cordite
cylinder truly in position in the press and consisting in providing a cavity with an
opening at the side to receive the cylinder and with flanges on the cylinder so
formed as to permit the cylinder to enter and to lock it fast when it is turned
partly round.
3. The improvement relating to the construction of the reels and consisting in
constructing them substantially as described with stamped metal sides with flanged
rim and arms clamped between nuts on a central tube adapted to receive the
spindle.
4. The improvement relating to the re-reeling or blending mechanism and con-
sisting in the combination of mechanism substantially as described viz. :-the
winding reel and the guide carriage the latter so driven as to traverse to and fro in
a period which bears no simple relation to the period of rotation of the reel.
5. The improvement relating to the filling machine and consisting in providing
an intermediate moving support for the bundle substantially as described preventing
the buckling or spreading of the same when thrust forward.
6. The improvement relating to the filling machine and consisting in providing a
locking bar working in connection with the travelling clutch or clip and operating
substantially as described to lock the knife when insufficient movement is given to
the clutch or clip.
7. Apparatus substantially as described and illustrated by the annexed drawings.