A NEW OR IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Gottheil, of the International Patent
1
Office, 126, Linden Str., Berlin, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "A NEW OR IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING PURPOSES."-
A communication by the Rhenish Dynamite Manufacturing Com-
pany, of Opladen, Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Gottheil at
:
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th May 1874.
I, ROBERT GOTTHEIL, of the International Patent Office, 126, Linden
Str., Berlin, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FOR BLASTING
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-

page_text: The present Invention consists in employing in place of pure nitro-
glycerine a compound consisting of a solution of a hydrocarbon and an
acid hydrocarbon in nitro-glycerine. A hydrocarbon suitable for this
purpose is napthaline, which is soluble in sufficient quantity in nitro-
glycerine.
The advantages of this new compound are that the nitric acid
contained in the nitro-glycerine is completely utilized, as a chemical
combination of the hydrocarbon with the nitro-glycerine is thereby
effected instead of a mere mechanical mixture of the nitro-glycerine
with an organic substance, as in compounds heretofore employed; and
further that the deleterious gases evolved by the explosion of such com-
pounds are almost entirely obviated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Gottheil in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
GOTTHEIL, of the International Patent Office, 126, Linden Str., Berlin,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Gottheil, Her special license
that. I, the said Robert Gottheil, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Gottheil, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUND FOR BLASTING PURPOSES," a communication to me by the
Rhenish Dynamite Manufacturing Company, of Opladen, Germany,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Gottheil,

page_text: my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Gottheil, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
1
=
This Invention relates to explosive compounds in which nitro-
glycerinė is employed.
The present Invention consists in employing in place of pure nitro-
glycerine a compound consisting of a solution of a hydrocarbon and an
acid hydrocarbon in nitro-glycerine. A hydrocarbon suitable for this
purpose is napthaline which is soluble in sufficient quantity in nitro-
glycerine.
The advantages of this new compound are that the nitric acid
contained in the nitro-glycerine is completely utilized, as a chemical
combination of the hydrocarbon with the nitro-glycerine is thereby
effected instead of a mere mechanical mixture of the nitro-glycerine
with an organic substance, as in compounds heretofore employed; and
further that the deleterious gases evolved by the explosion of such com-
pounds are almost entirely obviated.
The said solution of hydrocarbon in nitro-glycerine may be prepared
by dissolving from two to three per cent. of napthaline in nitro-glycerine
under the action of heat in a water bath, or by mixing a small quantity
of infusorial earth saturated with melted napthaline with the nitro-
glycerine and other substances forming the explosive compound,
whereby the finiely divided napthaline will become dissolved in the nitro-
glycerine.
The explosive compound may be composed of 23 per cent. of washed
infusorial earth, 2 per cent. of chalk, and 15 per cent. of the said
solution of napthaline in nitro-glycerine; or it may be composed of
20 per cent. of washed infusorial earth, 3 per cent. of chalk, 7 per cent.
of heavy spar, and 70 per cent of the said solution of napthaline in
nitro-glycerine.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of this Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim the use of a hydrocarbon
in combination with nitro-glycerine in the manufacture of explosive
compounds, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Gottheil, have hereunto 5
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.