Manufacture of a Base for Igniting Compounds more particularly for Use in the Manufacture of Matches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1899--Accepted, 20th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Manufacture of a Base for Igniting Compounds more particularly for
Use in the Manufacture of Matches.
I, EUGENE FRANÇOIS TRACHISEL, of 315, Kussstrasse, Reval, Russia, Chemist,
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 present invention relates to the manufacture of a composition which
renders igniting compounds very sensitive. The chief result of this invention
consists in enabling matches to be produced which are free from phosphorus
and will readily ignite when struck or rubbed on non-prepared friction surfaces
of any kind, for instance even on cloth, other fabrics and the like.
For this purpose chiefly lead hyposulphite and an alkali bi-chromate are suitably
combined.
The product forms the base for the manufacture of sensitive igniting compounds.
The invention is illustrated by the following example.
30 parts of lead hyposulphite are stirred together with 9 parts of potassium
bi-chromate and 15-30 parts of water to form a very fine paste, and are allowed
to react upon one another for a considerable time.
The initially yellow colour changes gradually to red. At the same time a
chemical decomposition takes place, and the reaction may be considered as com-
pleted when a sample taken therefrom no longer coagulates glue.
In certain cases it is not necessary to use lead hyposulphite, as for this may
be substituted partly or wholly other lead salts, for instance lead acetate.
The greate sensitiveness of the product is no doubt due to the lead bichromate
which is probably formed. The product prepared in this manner serves as the
starting material or base for sensitive igniting compositions. For example if
it be mixed with potassium chlorate with an addition of sulphur, antimony sul-
phide and a binding agent, such as glue gelatine or gum arabic, and, it may
be, with a further addition of manganese peroxide, an igniting composition is
produced which is extremely suitable for the manufacture of matches which
although they are free from all kinds of phosphorus, or phosphorus compounds,
will ignite on non-prepared friction surfaces of any kind.
By this nicans a result is obtained which has long been sought after.
It is to be understood that it is not compulsory to first combine the lead
hyposulphite and the alkali bichromate together, and then to add the further
ingredients; thus in mixing the said substances, the sulphur may be mixed with
them at once, either alone or in admixture with the antimony sulphide, or in
admixture with both the antimony sulphide and the manganese peroxide.
The purpose of the manganese peroxide is to render the combustion slower,
and for it may be substituted partly or wholly other substances that produce a
similar effect, for instance iron oxide, umber, powdered glass, and the like.
It may also be stated that, in combining the lead hyposulphite with the alkali
bichromate. the binding agent, particularly when glue is employed, must only

page_text: be added after the ingredients will no longer produce any coagulation of the
latter, for coagulated glue has not the requisite binding action.
For the manufacture of matches, experiments have shewn that the following
proportions are suitable;-
-
20-30 parts of lead hyposulphite,
6-9 parts of potassium bi-chromate.
60 parts of potassium chlorate,
6-8 parts of sulphur,
6-8 parts of antimony sulphide,
5-8 parts of manganese peroxide and 6-10 parts of glue.
In some cases for a portion of the potassium chlorate may be substituted other
chlorates or saltpetre or other oxygen-yielding agents. The matches made in
this way can bear transport very well, even when they are not very tightly packed.
They are almost equal in this respect to the so called Swedish safety matches,
and they can also bear a tolerably high temperature without igniting."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Manufacture of a base for igniting compounds consisting mainly of lead
hyposulphite mixed with an alkali bichromate substantially as described.
2. Manufacture of a base for igniting compounds such as is referred to in
the first claim, wherein the lead hyposulphite is partially. or entirely replaced
by other lead salts, substantially as described.
3. Process for the production of a base for igniting compounds such as referred
to in the first and second claims, consisting in mixing together suitable quan-
tities of lead hyposulphite, potassium bichromate, and water, with or without
the addition of sulphur, antimony sulphide, manganese peroxide, and the like,
the said mixture being allowed to stand until it will no longer coagulate glue
after which suitable quantities of potassium chlorate and a binding material
such as glue, gelatine, or gum arabic, are added, substantially as described.
4. The use of the base for igniting compounds such as is referred to in the
preceding claims in the manufacture of matches.
Dated this 4th day of April 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.