IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS AND IN THE MEANS OF IGNITING THE SAME
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents;
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS AND IN THE
MEANS OF IGNITING THE SAME."-A communication from abroad by Alfred
Nobel, of Rue St. Sebastien, Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 15th October 1867, and dated the 7th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1867.
1, William Edward NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS AND IN THE
MEANS OF IGNITING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention, relates to a method of modifying the nature of nitro-glycerine
in a manner which renders it much safer for use than heretofore. Nitro,
glycerine if mixed with porous inexplosive substances, such, for instance, as
charcoal or silica, becomes very much altered in its properties; thus, for instance,
nitrc-glycerine alone is not inflammable by a spark, but may be got to explode
by submitting it to a very rapid shower of sparks. Nitro-glycerine absorbed
in porous substances, on the other hand, easily catches fire from a spark, but
burns away slowly and without explosion, except under very close and resisting

page_text: confinement, when a violent explosion ensues; against shocks or blows the
above mixture is also far less sensitive than nitro-glycerine alone. Owing to
the aforesaid properties of the mixture described its use for blasting metal or
very sound rock requires no other firing than an ordinary safety. fuse. In
shattered rock or coal, on the other hand, it will cause no real explosion at
all, the gas will leak out through the crevices and prevent a great accumu-
lation of pressure from the explosive medium, which alone can determine the
detonation of nitro-glycerine when absorbed in porous subtances, such, as for
instance, charcoal or silica; for this reason a special igniter is used to explode
the above mixture in fissured or shaky rocks, or wherever it is to be used
without-close-confinement; that special igniter consists of a kind of percus-
sion cap wherein the fulminate is caused to develop a very..high gaseous
pressure before it bursts, which. may be attained either by increasing the
charge of fulminate or diminishing the leakage of gas before the cap bursts;
this cap is adapted to, the end of a safety fuse whereby it is ignited.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the. Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM-
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Edward Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS AND IN THE MEANS OF IGNITING
THE SAME," being a communication to me from Alfred Nobel, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors or. administrators, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 inonths next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, 'the said William Edward Newton, 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):-
This Invention relates to the use of nitro-glycerine in an altered condition
which renders it far more practical and safe for use. The altered condition of
the nitro-glycerine is effected by causing it to be absorbed in porous un-
explosive substances, such as charcoal, silica, paper, or similar materials,
whereby it is converted into a powder, which I call dynamite or Nobel's safety
powder. By this absorption of the nitro-glycerine in some porous substance it
acquires the property of being in a high degree insensible to shocks, and it can
also be burned over fire without exploding.
The aforesaid safety powder or dynamite is exploded, first, when under
very close and resisting confinement by means of a spark or any mode of
ignition used for firing ordinary gunpowder; second, without or during con-
finement by means of a special fulminating cap containing a strong charge of
fulminate, which is adapted to the end of a fuse, and is strongly squeezed to
the latter for the purpose of more effectually confining the charge, so as
thereby to heighten the effect of the detonation; third, by means of an addi-
tional charge of ordinary gunpowder the explosion of the latter will cause
the dynamite to go off even when it is only partially confined.
From the aforesaid it will be understood that a strong fulminating cap, if
adapted to the fuse by being squeezed thereon, will cause dynamite to explode
under all conditions of confinement or non-confinement, and that an addi-
tional charge of gunpowder or analogous substance will cause dynamite to
explode only when confined or partially confined; and that any ordinary
mode of ignition as used for gunpowder, for instance, a fuse will determine
the explosion of dynamite only under very close and resisting confinement.
It is evident that the above-described fulminating cap may be greatly varied
in form, but the principle for its action lies in the sudden developement of a
very intense pressure or shock. In order to ensure a perfect stability in the
nitro-glycerine contained in the dynamite the porous substance before it is
saturated with nitro-glycerine is to be rendered alkaline by washing it with a
solution of carbonate of soda or lime water or analogous substance in order to

page_text: neutralize the acid and prevent any decomposition of nitro-glycerine from taking
place. I would here remark that the above-described safety powder or dyna-
mite (being nitro-glycerine- absorbed in porous non-explosive substances)
possesses-very-distinct-properties-from-and-very-great-practical advantages"
over liquid nitro-glycerine, and its explosion except under very close and
resisting confinement requires a special ignition, as described above.
Having now described the Invention of Improvements in Explosive
Compounds and in the Means of Igniting the same," and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent,; I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid, the_mode_herein set forth_of_manufacturing_the-safety
powder or dynamite herein described, and also the modes of firing the same
by special ignition, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)