Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
We, CARL OLAF LUNDHOLM, and' JOSEPH SAYERS, of the Ardeer Factory;;
Stevenston, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Chemists to Nobel's Explosives
Company, Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows,
that is to say
Our said Invention has for its object the manufacture of explosives in an improved
manner and it is applicable to classes of explosives in the manufacture of which nitro-
celluloses have hitherto been employed.
Our Invention consists. principally in employing, instead of nitro-celluloses,
suitably nitrated hydrocellulose, or any suitably nitrated oxycellulose. We prefer
to use the substances named a-oxycelluloses in Cross and Bevan's treatise on
cellulose, published in 1885; or we may use the compounds or substances formed by
suitably nitrating celluloses previously only partially converted into hydrocellulose or
oxycelluloses. Hereinafter the term "nitrated substance" is for convenience used for
any of the substances hereinbefore prescribed to be substituted for ordinary nitro-
celluloses.
In carrying out our Invention according to one modification we treat any one or
more of the nitrated substances, alone or mixed with an oxidising agent, and with
or without added carbonaceous matter, with camphor or with camphor in any
suitable solvent or mixture of solvents, for the purpose of consolidating the explosive.
We vary the treatment in different cases to obtain different densities of grain, and
consequently different rates of combustion. The camphor or camphor and solvent is
finally more or less completely removed from the explosive by known means.
According to a second modification we dissolve one or more of the nitrated sub-
stances in a suitable simple or complex solvent of the kinds used for dissolving ordinary
nitro-celluloses, and "comprising nitro-derivatives of aromatic bodies, organic amido
compounds, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and simple and compound ethers. To the
Bolution there is, in some cases, added camphor or a nitro-compound of the aromatic
group, and sometimes also an oxidising agent. The camphor may be subsequently.
removed or it may be retained in the finished explosive. The liquid solvent is
removed more or less completely by known means; the product being compressed,
converted into grains, and completely dried.
According to a third modification wo dissolve one or more of the nitrated substances
in nitro-glycerine with or without the aid of camphor or other agent which will
promote solution. In some cases we add benzene or one or more suitable hydro-
carbons of low boiling point as a diffusing agent for the solvent and to be subsequently
removed. With the compounds thus formed we in some cases combine one or more
of the following substances, namely nitrates, chlorates or perchlorates of ammonia,
potash, soda or barium, or explosive agents such as picric acid or picrates.
This hintath of Anvil 1000
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
We, CARL OLOF LUNDHOLM, and JOSEPH SAYERS, of the Ardeer Factory,
Stevenston; in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Chemists to Nobel's Explosives
Company, Limited, 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, that is to say:
Our said Invention has for its object the manufacture of explosives in an improved

page_text: manner, and it is applicable to classes of explosives in the manufacture of which nitro-
celluloses have hitherto been employed.
Our Invention consists principally in employing, instead of nitro-celluloses, suitably
nitrated hydrocellulose, or any suitably nitrated oxycellulose. We prefer to use the
substances named a (alpha) oxycelluloses in Cross and Bevan's Treatise on cellulose,
published in 1885; or we may use the compounds or substances formed by suitably
nitrating celluloses previously only partially converted into hydrocellulose or oxy-
cellulose. Hereinafter the term "nitrated substance" is for convenience used for any
of the substances hereinbefore prescribed to be substituted for ordinary, nitro-
celluloses.
In carrying out our Invention according to one modification we treat any one or
more of the said nitrated substances, alone or mixed with an oxidising agent, and with
or without added carbonaceous matter, with camphor or with camphor in any suitable
solvent or mixture of solvents, for the purpose of consolidating the explosive. We
vary the treatment in different cases to obtain different densities of grain, and conse-
quently different rates of combustion. The camphor or camphor and solvent is
finally more or less completely removed from the explosive by known means.
According to a second modification we dissolve one or more of the said nitrated
substances in a suitable simple or complex solvent of the kinds used for dissolving
ordinary.nitro-celluloses, and comprising nitro-derivatives of aromatic bodies, organic
amido compounds, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and simple and compound ethers.
To the solution there is, in some cases, added camphor, or a nitro-compound of the
aromatic group, and sometimes also an oxidising agent. The camphor may be
subsequently removed, or it may be retained in the finished explosive.
liquid solvent is removed more or less completely by known means; the product
being compressed, converted into grains, and completely dried.
The
According to a third modification we dissolve one or more of the said nitrated
substances in nitro-glycerine with or without the aid of camphor or other agent
which will promote solution. In some cases we add benzene or one or more suitable
hydrocarbons of low boiling point as a diffusing agent for the solvent, and to be
subsequently removed. With the compound thus formed we in some cases combine
one or more of the following substances, namely, nitrates, chlorates, or perchlorates
of ammonia, potash, soda, or barium, or explosive agents, such as picric acid or.
picrates.
The suitability of the said nitrated substances depends not so much on the degree
of nitration as on the physical condition of the resulting compounds, and we do not
bind ourselves to any particular nitro-derivative or mixture of nitro-derivatives of
the substances hereinbefore particularised. By way of illustration we may state that
di-nitro-oxycellulose in fine powder would destroy any ordinary firearm; but the same
body combined with the much more powerful explosive nitro-glycerine and properly
gelatinised or consolidated and suitably granulated or otherwise divided, makes a
thoroughly safe though very powerful propelling agent. Similarly, tri-nitro-oxy-
cellulose pulped and dried, could not be safely used in firearms even when compressed
and granulated, but becomes quite safe when consolidated by being dissolved in
suitable solvents which are subsequently evaporated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said. Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
In manufacturing explosives the employment of nitrated substances derived from
hydrocellulose or from oxycellulose substantially in any of the modes hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Eighth day of January 1800
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants Agent.