Improvements connected with Blasting.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Blasting.
I, HUBERT GIBBS, of 51 Rookery Road, Handsworth in the County of
Stafford, Oil Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of the method of blasting and getting coal and other
materials, and in trunnelling, and in apparatus employed for those purposes
hereinafter described.
The principal objects of my invention are to make the shots or explosive material
less likely to blow out, hence obviating the danger of igniting the explosive
atmosphere of the mine by the escape of flame in the blasting operation
further, to prevent damage to the fuse or battery wire, and so to avoid "miss
shots," and also for the avoidance of premature explosion whilst in the operation
of stemming explosives I charge the bore hole first with the blasting powder or
other explosive as usual, but instead of filling up the hole with loose material
I introduce after the explosive a solid tamping of a kind hereinafter described-
ramming and making secure this solid tamping with a rammer with its head
specially made similar to the pattern of the solid tamping.
The solid tamping is made into cylindrical shapes of such nature that it has
sufficient cohesion for transit and handling, and is made of unburned or burned
fire clay, or any other incombustible material.
I provide a rammer made of wood, or metal, or a combination of wood and
metal, for the purpose of pushing the solid tamping along the hole, and for
breaking up such tamping and filling up all interstices or spaces inside the
hole so as to make a secure, solid and substantial barrier against the explosive at
the further end of the hole.
The shaft of the rammer may be of a less diameter than the head to give
the operator free play with the fuse, and to keep the same from being rubbed
while in use.
Both the solid cylindrical-shaped tamping and the head of the rammer has an
external groove of varying diameter, depth, size and shape so that the fuse or
battery wire can conveniently lie in such groove for the purpose of preventing
the said fuse or battery wire from coming into contact with the wall of the hole,
or causing the same to become abrazed or cut.
The solid tamping is divided up into varying lengths to suit the convenience of
the operator. This method may also be employed where blasting is not employed,
as for example the getting of mineral by the use of lime and water.
Anril 28th 1893.
HUBERT GIBBS,
51, Rookery Road, Handsworth, Staffordshire.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Blasting.
I, HUBERT GIBBS of 51, Rookery Road Handsworth in the County of Stafford
Oil Merchant, 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 :-
My invention consists of the method of blasting, and getting of coal and other

page_text: materials, and in tunnelling and in apparatus employed for those purposes
hereinafter described.
I will describe my invention in connection with the blasting and the getting of
coal rock and other material.
The principal objects of my invention are to make the shots or explosive
material less likely to blow out, hence obviating the danger of igniting
the explosive atmosphere of the mine by the escape of flame in the blasting
operation.
Further, to prevent damage to the fuse or battery wire, and so to avoid miss
shots, and also for the avoidance of premature explosion whilst in the operation
of stemming explosives.
I charge the bore hole first with the blasting powder or other explosive as
usual, but instead of filling up the hole with loose material I introduce after the
explosive a solid tamping of a kind hereinafter described, ramming and making
secure this solid tamping with a rammer, with its head specially made similar to
the pattern of the solid tamping.
The solid tamping is made into cylindrical shape of such nature that it has
sufficient cohesion for transit and handling, and is made of unburned or burned
fire clay, or any other incombustible material.
I provide a rammer made of wood or metal, or a combination of wood and
metal, for the purpose of pushing the solid tamping along the hole, and for
breaking up such tamping and filling up all the interstices or spaces inside the
hole so as to make a secure, solid and substantial barrier against the explosive at
the further end of the hole.
The shaft of the rammer may be of a less diameter than the head to give
the operator free play with the fuse, and to keep the same from being rubbed
while in use.
Both the solid cylindrical shaped tamping and the head of the rammer has an
external groove of varying diameter, depth, size and shape so that the fuse or
battery wire can conveniently lie in such groove for the purpose of preventing
the said fuse or battery wire from coming into contact with the wall of the hole,
or causing the same to become abrazed or cut.
The ignition of the explosive is effected through the grooves in the tamping, in
which grooves a fuse or battery wire is placed, and by means of which the explosive
is ignited in the ordinary way.
The solid tamping is divided up into varying lengths to suit the convenience
of the operator.
This method may also be employed where blasting is not employed, as, for
example, the getting of mineral by the use of lime and water.
In Figure 1 I have represented the bore hole B in coal or other mineral A, into
which bore hole is introduced a tamping cartridge D1 having a groove H for
the fuse G.
In Figure 2 I represent a bore hole B longitudinally in coal or other
mineral A into which bore hole is introduced, first, the explosive C, second,
the tamping D which has been broken up and compressed by the rammer E F,
third, tamping cartridge D1 not broken up followed by rammer with head and
shaft E F G indicating the length of fuse or battery wire through explosive
material, tamping and rammer.
- Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The employment of a specially prepared solid tamping cartridge,-with
a groove for carrying fuse or battery wire-made of a friable material, which
tamping cartridge is broken up, and made to effectually fill the bore hole upon
being rammed.
Secondly. The emplovment of a specially desioned.
xommax

page_text: carrying and directing the fuse or battery wire for the purpose of breaking up and
ramming securely such tamping cartridges.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1894.
HUBERT GIBBS,
51, Rookery Road, Handsworth, Staffordshire.