IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in. the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS."-A communication from abroad
Alfund Nobel of Paris France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th April 1873.
"
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the office for Patents, 66, Chancery
5 Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical. Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS," to be as follows:-
THE
Mixtures of powdered nitrates, whether nitrate of potash, soda,
ammonia, lead, or baryta, with powdered coal or any substance con-
taining carbon or hydrocarbon, and nitro-glycerine, have been patented
in this country. But although the mixtures which I am about to describe

page_text: contain the ingredients thus claimed as a whole, they present, as
shewn hereafter, the peculiar traits of a distinct Invention.
"
When a powdered hygroscopic nitrate, such as nitrate of soda or
nitrate of ammonia, is mixed with powdered coal, rosin, starch, sugar,
or other substance containing carbon or hydrocarbon, and nitro-
glycerine, exposure to a moist atmosphere causes the said nitrates to
take up water from the air to dissolve in the same and exude as a
solution of nitrate, making the nitro-glycerine contained in the mixture
exude as well. But if the whole or part of the coal, rosin, starch, sugar,
or analogous substances shown above as contained in the explosive
mixture is replaced by paraffin, azokerite, stearine, napthaline, or any
similar solid fatty substance, and the latter is well ground and intimately
mixed with the nitrate, the coating of each grain is assured, which
coating very effectually prevents the absorption of water through
hygroscopic influence. Nor is that all the benefit derived from such
a mixture, for the paraffin or analogous substance prevents the nitro-
glycerine contained in the explosive mixture from exuding even under
the direct influence of water. That property renders an addition of
paraffin or analogous fatty substance useful even where the explosive
mixture contains a nitrate which is not hygroscopic, such as nitrate of
potash or baryta.
From the objects thus aimed at by the use of paraffin or analogous
substances it is evident that the relative quantity thereof in the ex-
plosive mixture may greatly vary; their sole requirements are to be
solid at the ordinary temperature, insoluble in water, and greasy or
sticky. I can therefore only exemplify some of the most efficacious and
suitable mixtures obtained in that way, viz., 69 parts by weight of
nitrate of soda, 7 parts of paraffin, 7 parts of charcoal as coal dust, -well
ground and intimately mixed together with 20 parts of nitro-glycerine,
or 75 parts by weight of nitrate of ammonia, 3 parts of coal dust,
4 parts of paraffin, well ground and intimately mixed together with
18 parts of nitro-glycerine,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant. unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
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 THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by Alfred Nobel, of Paris, France, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
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 Alfred Vincent 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 (that is to say) :-
Mixtures of powdered nitrates, whether nitrate of potash, soda,
ammonia, lead, or baryta, with powdered coal or any substance con-
taining carbon or hydrocarbon and nitro-glycerine have been patented
in this country. But although the mixtures which I am about to,

page_text: describe contain the ingredients thus claimed, they present, as a whole,
as will be shown hereafter, the peculiar traits of a distinct Invention.
When a powdered hygroscopic nitrate, such as nitrate of soda or
nitrate of ammonia, is mixed with powdered coal, rosin, starch, sugar,
or other substance containing carbon or hydrocarbon and nitro-
glycerine, exposure to a moist atmosphere causes the said nitrates to
take up water from the air to dissolve in the same and exude as a'
solution of nitrate, making the nitro-glycerine contained in the mixture
exude as well. But if the whole or a part of the coal, rosin, starch,
sugar, or analogous substance contained in the explosive mixture.be
replaced by paraffin, ozokerite, stearine; napthaline, or any similar solid
fatty substance, and well ground and intimately mixed with the nitrate,
the coating of each grain will be ensured; which coating will effectually
prevent, the absorption of water through hygroscopic influence. Nor is
that all the benefit derived from such a mixture, for the paraffin or
analogous substance will prevent the nitro-glycerine contained in the
explosive mixture from exuding even under the direct influence of water.
That property renders an addition of paraffin or analogous fatty substance
useful even where the explosive mixture contains a nitrate which is not.
hydroscopic, such as nitrate of potash or baryta...
From the objects thus aimed at by the use of paraffin or analogous
substances it is evident that the relative quantity thereof applied to
the explosive mixture may greatly vary, the sole requirement of the
paraffin or its equivalent being solidity at the ordinary temperature,
insolubility in water, and unctiousness. I can therefore only exemplify
some of the most efficacious and suitable mixtures obtained in that way,
viz., sixty-nine parts (by weight) of nitrate of soda, seven parts of paraffin,
seven parts of charcoal or coal dust, woll ground and intimately mixed
together with twenty parts of nitro-glycerine, or seventy-five parts by
weight of nitrate of ammonia, three parts of coal, dust, four parts of
paraffin well ground and intimately mixed together with eighteen parts
of nitro-glycerine.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in the Manufacture of Explosive Compounds," as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in

page_text: part recited Letters Patent I claim, the use of paraffin, ozokerite,
stearine, naphthaline, or other like unctuous matters insoluble in water
as an ingredient in explosive compounds containing nitrates (whether
hygroscopic or not) and nitro-glycerine, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes set forth.
part recited Letters Patent I claim, the use of paraffin, ozokerite,
stearine, naphthaline, or other like unctuous matters insoluble in water
as an ingredient in explosive compounds containing nitrates (whether
hygroscopic or not) and nitro-glycerine, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes set forth.
-
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of October, in the
hygroscopic or not) and nitro-glycerine, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, Ị, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.