A New or Improved Manufacture of Gunpowder.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Manufacture of Gunpowder.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E., M. Inst. M.E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, London W.C. in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, as communicated
to me by Georges Schnebelin of 7 Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, in the Republic of
France, to be as follows:-
The invention which is the object of the present application for Letters Patent
relates to the composition and manufacture of a new powder which can be employed
either for war or sporting purposes.
This powder is a threefold composition of chlorate of potash, cellulose and
starch.
It is made in the following manner. In a vessel of any convenient kind
600 grammes of chlorate of potash are dissolved in about a litre of boiling water.
When completely dissolved, about 18 grammes of ground elder pith are added
(the pith of the elder tree gives in the raw state almost pure cellulose) and the
whole is then agitated till the admixture is perfect. About 150 grammes of starch
mixed with a little water are next added. The object of the starch is to form a
firm and consistent paste. The whole of this mass is stirred and agitated, being
always left upon the fire until there no longer remains the least white trace of
starch and until the paste is perfectly homogenous.
The paste thus formed is then withdrawn from the vessel and spread upon a
table, covered by a sheet of stout paper sprinkled over with chlorate of potash, or
the sifted residue of the preceding operation. This paste is flattened by means of
a wooden ruler so as to form a kind of cake of any convenient thickness. it is
then left exposed to the air to dry until it has acquired a solid consistancy.
When the dessication is complete, this solid mass is broken up by means of a
wooden mallet and pulverized to a more or less fine powder. This powder is next
sifted so as to obtain samples of different degrees of fineness of division, according
to the uses for which the material is to be employed.
The gunpowder of which I have described the manufacture is employed as are
the ordinary gunpowders, for loading cartridges for different types of fire arms
either for sporting or war purposes. This powder can also be employed as an
explosive in mines, for public works and other purposes.
The active agent of this gunpowder is the chlorate of potash: the cellulose and
the starch being used to allow of manipulation without danger.
The chlorate of potash of which I make use is the ordinary commercial kind, but
as pure as such can be obtained.
In the case of the cellulose, I give the preference to the pith of elder or of the
stalks of Jerusalem artichokes, but I am able to substitute the sawdust of white
wood or the bark of oak washed in chlorine, or any other analogous body. When.
ordinary wood sawdust or the dust of oak bark are used, it is necessary to take
about a litre to a litre of water.
The starch of which I make use is that of commerce; it should be used in as
small a proportion as possible, for it is this which produces the smoke, and the less
there is of it, the less there is of smoke.
The combined employment of cellulose and starch can be replaced by farinaceous
vegetable matter such as that of rice, potatoes, haricot beans, and the like. When
I make use of rice, potatoes or haricot beans I begin by cooking them and reducing
them to a wet mass, then. I add them to the warın solution of chlorate of potash, as

page_text: I have indicated above, agitating the whole so as to form a homogenous paste which
I flatten, dry, and break up as I have already mentioned.
The starch itself is not absolutely necessary and I can do entirely without it.
In this case after having dissolved the chlorate of potash in the boiling water, I
add to the solution either elder pith, or wood sawdust (about a litre for 600 grammes
of chlorate of potash). I agitate the whole of this mass so as to form a paste
sufficiently consistent to stand flattening as I have before indicated. When it is
completely dry, I break it up and sift it as before mentioned.
The gunpowder composed solely of chlorate of potash and wood sawdust, elder
pith or other analogous body, presents great advantages in being smokeless and not
being easily ignited in free air.
In the preceding explanations, I have indicated the proportions employed
supposing by way of example that only 600 grammes of chlorate of potash were
treated, but it is evident that the manufacture of this gunpowder can be carried
out in large quantities by heating at a time 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 kilogrammes
and even more of chlorate of potash. In these various cases, the manner of
operation will be absolutely identical with that which I have described in detail.
The powder of which I have indicated the composition and method of manu-
facture is a white powder with a slow action.
It gives a much greater force of penetration than the powders at present known.
It neither fouls nor heats the firearm. It leaves the cartridge case intact. It
gives but a feeble report and produces scarcely any smoke. The recoil is very
gradual.
171 1
1000
J. G. LORRAIN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Manufacture of Gunpowder.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E., M. Inst. M.E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C. in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, as communicated to
me by Georges Schnebelin, of 7 Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, in the Republic of
France, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention which is the object of the present application for Letters Patent
relates to the composition and manufacture of a new powder which can be employed
either for war or sporting purposes.
This powder is a threefold composition of chlorate of potash cellulose and
starch.
From the composition of this gunpowder all matters have been eliminated which
affect its stability, such as carbon, sulphur, phosphates, saltpetre, sulphide of
antimony, resins, metallic oxides, acids or substances likely to become acid, and
the like.
It is thus that a chlorated powder has been arrived at which presents no danger,
either during its manufacture, storage, transport, or use, whereas on the other hand
the chlorated powders hitherto employed have presented the drawbacks of being
very susceptible to shocks, especially when exposed to variations of temperature
and of moisture.
It is made in the following manner :
In a vessel of any convenient kind 600 grammes of chlorate of potash are
dissolved in about a litre of boiling water. When completely dissolved, about
18 grammes of ground elder pith are added (the pith of the elder tree gives in
the raw state almost pure cellulose) and the whole is then agitated till the
admixture is perfect. About 150 grammes of starch, mixed with a little water, is
next added. The object of the starch is to form a firm and consistent paste. The

page_text: whole of this mass is stirred and agitate, being always left upon the fire until
there no longer remains the least white trace of starch, and until the paste is
perfectly homogeneous.
The paste thus formed is then withdrawn from the vessel and spread upon a
table covered by a sheet of stout paper sprinkled over with chlorate of potash or
the sifted residue of a preceding operation. This paste is flattened by means of a
wooden ruler so as to form a kind of cake of any convenient thickness. It is then
left exposed to the air to dry, until it has acquired a solid consistency.
When the desiccation is complete, this solid mass is broken up by means of a
wooden mallet and pulverized to a more or less fine powder. This powder is next
sifted so as to obtain samples of different degrees of fineness of division, according
to the uses for which the material is to be employed.
The gunpowder of which I have described the manufacture is employed as are
the ordinary gunpowders for loading cartridges for different types of fire-arms,
either for sporting or war purposes. This powder can also be employed as an
explosive in mines, for public works and other purposes.
The powder for mining purposes is much more energetic than the ordinary black
granulated or compressed powders. Its employment is more convenient, and no
intermediate detonator is required as in the case of dynamite or of other explosives
of recent invention. A simple fuse or match serves to produce the desired
detonation.
In the case of the powder more especially intended for use with fire-arms, instead
of employing cellulose-matter simply purified by washing with an alkaline solution,
I treat the cellulose with dilute nitric acid.
After such treatment more or less prolonged a nitro-cellulose is formed which is
subsequently de-nitrated by alkaline washing. The matter may still remain
impregnated with a minute quantity of alkali, which will serve to neutralize any
trace of acid remaining in the cellulose, and which might ulteriorly manifest
itself.
Powder so formed for use with fire-arms has the advantage that a much smaller
charge may be employed than is the case with the ordinary black powders, and that
it gives less smoke, a more gradual recoil, and deeper penetration. It does not dirty
the fire-arms nor corrode the barrels.
The active agent of this gunpowder is the chlorate of potash, the cellulose and
the starch being used to allow of manipulation without danger.
The chlorate of potash of which I make use is the ordinary commercial kind, but
as pure as such can be obtained.
In the case of the cellulose, I give the preference to the pith of elder or of the
stalks of Jerusalem artichokes; but I am able to substitute the sawdust of white
wood or the bark of oak washed in chlorine, or any other analogous body. When
ordinary wood sawdust or the dust of oak bark are used, it is necessary to take
about a litre to a litre of water.
The starch of which I make use is that of commerce; it should be used in as
small a proportion as possible, for it is this which produces the smoke, and the less
there is of it, the less there is of smoke.
The combined employment of cellulose and starch can be replaced by farinaceous
vegetable matter such as that of rice, potatoes, haricot beans, and the like. When
I make use of rice, potatoes or haricot beans I begin by cooking them and reducing
them to a wet mass, then I add them to the warm solution of chlorate of potash,
as I have indicated above, agitating the whole so as to form a homogenous paste
which I flatten, dry and break up as I have already mentioned.
The starch itself is not absolutely necessary and I can do entirely without it.
In this case after having dissolved the chlorate of potash in the boiling water, I
add to the solution either elder pith, or wood sawdust (about a litre for 600 grammes
of chlorate of potash). I agitate the whole of this mass so as to form a paste.
sufficiently consistent to stand flattening as I have before indicated. When it is
completely dry, I break it up and sift it as before mentioned.

page_text: The gunpowder composed solely of chlorate of potash and wood sawdust, elder
pith or other analogous body, presents great advantages in being smokeless and not
being easily ignited in free air.
In the preceding explanations, I have indicated the proportions employed
supposing by way of example that only 600 grammes of chlorate of potash were
treated, but it is evident that the manufacture of this gunpowder can be carried on
in large quantities by treating at a time 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 kilogrammes and
even more of chlorate of potash. In these various cases the manner of operation
will be absolutely identical with that which I have described in detail.
The powder of which I have indicated the composition and method of manu-
facture is a white powder with a slow action. It gives a much greater force of
penetration than the powders at present known. It neither fouls nor heats the fire-
arm. It leaves the cartridge case intact. It gives but a feeble report and produces
scarcely any smoke. The recoil is very gradual.
A much smaller quantity of the powder herein specified may be employed as a
charge than is the case with the ordinary black powders.
From the point of view of manipulation this powder is extremely safe so long as
a direct flame does not impinge upon it. It is only inflamed by the action of a
flame or spark. It is not deleteriously affected by humidity, and even if cartridges
be charged with it in a damp state, it is still quite effective.
As another advantage over the known powders, its cost of manufacture is
very low.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The new or improved gunpowder for mining, sporting or war purposes, com-
posed substantially as described.
2. The method of manufacturing gunpowder for mining, sporting or war purposes,
substantially as described.
J. G. LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E., M. Inst. M.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.