Improvements in Explosives.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosives.
DANIEL HICKIE of 66 Basinghall Street City of London, Mining and
Machinery Expert and GEORGE FREDERICK BEUTNER of same address, Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
Certain explosives for mining and such like purposes, especially those of the
nitrocellulose class with nitrates incorporated, with or without other admixtures
have hitherto been manufactured and used in solid blocks or cartridges rigid and
unyielding. In this form special sizes of drill-holes or receptacles had to be
prepared for the several diameters of such rigid cartridges so as to admit of their
passing freely into the drill-holes or places where they had to be used.
Owing to the rigid unyielding form, the cartridges required considerable space
around them, otherwise risks from compressed air or from jamming in their passage.
resulted, and this space led to unavoidable waste of force, tended to prevent
complete decomposition of the constituents of the explosive & led to misfires,
partial explosions, and bad fumes.
"
Now this invention consists in the manufacture of such explosives in a "granular
form, the grains being made of any required shape size and density, compatiblo
with safety, and, in this (granulated) form, the difficulties as to irregular drill-holes
appertaining to the use of the rigid unyielding form of cartridges, as already
described, are overcome because the granulated explosive, as will be understood,
adapts itself to any shape of drill-hole as readily as does ordinary blasting powder
and with less risk in loading than even the latter also, because the grains, in this
new form, are less subject to ignition by friction and besides are coated with paraffin
or other suitable substance against heat and damp and friction.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1894.
D. HICKIE.
G. F. BEUTNER.
Improvements in Explosives.
DANIEL HICKIE of 66 Basinghall Street London E.C. Mining and Machinery
Expert, and GEORGE FREDERICK BEUTNER of same address, Merchant do
bereby 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
atatement :-
The disadvantages attending the use of rigid unyielding cartridges in rock blasting
and mining have been known to interfere considerably with the use of explosives
of the nitrocellulose class mixed with nitrates and other things and manufactured
in this form such as tonite, potentite and others of a similar kind and which
admittedly possessed certain safe and good properties in their composition that
were counteracted by the drawbacks attending the general application of rigid
cartridges of these explosives.

page_text: Our invention relates to the overcoming of the disadvantages referred to for
which purpose we make such explosives in a granular form, the grains being of any
required size & somewhat after the form of cubes in shape, the specific gravity of
the grains being equal in every operation which may be regulated to any degree
compatible with safety.
In this granulated form the difficulties are overcome as to loading the drill holea
as in the case of cartridges in the rigid form and in blocks.
The processes of preparing and mixing the materials are those ordinarily employed
for the making of nitro, cotton incorporating same with nitrates and other things in a
fuely powdered state. The material so prepared we place in a moist state in moulds
to be formed into cakes or discs of the required thickness for grains. The material
so placed is subjected to very considerable pressure by hydraulic, steam, screw
press or other means. When the required density is obtained in the cakes or discs
they are then broken up or divided into grains. This process may be done by hand
and dividing blades or by machinery or other suitable means. The grains are then
dried in baskets of wire or other material and when dry the baskets and their
contents are dipped in melted paraffin resinous mixtures or other material against
moisture and friction. The grains are then ready to be sent for use either loosely
packed or in cartridge cases.
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:
The making into grains of mining explosives of the nitro-cellulose class with
nitrates and other mixtures, which have hitherto been manufactured and used in a
rigid form and in blocks or large cartridges.
London 22nd March 180
D. HICKIE.
G. F. BEUTNER.