BLASTING IN COAL AND OTHER MINES
Year: 1885

page_text: WILLIAM BEATSON Chemist Rotherham in county of York I do, hereby declare
the nature of my invention for BLASTING IN COAL AND OTHER MINES to be as
follows:-
..
The object of my invention is to render the use of gunpowder, dynamite or other
explosives possible, without the danger which now exists, of causing the ignition of
the inflammable gas in such mines. My invention in its simplest form consists of
a tube, rather small in diameter, and in length according to the effect desired, and
made of lead or tinned iron or any light material impervious to water, and is filled
with dynamite or other explosive, which I prefer to explode by igniting a fine.
metallic wire by means of a galvanic battery or other similar means of passing an
electric current through the wire. The tube containing the explosive is placed in
the prepared shot-hole, which must decline downwards so as to hold water, which
is poured into the shot-hole until it is about three fourths full, the other fourth
part being filled with bind or r.tamping and well rammed in the usual way. The
two wires which convey the electric current must be well covered and varnished
and also enclosed in a small pipe which must project slightly beyond the outside
of the shot-hole and be suitably joined to the tube containing the explosive and
the wires can be thence connected to the battery and explode the charge which
communicates the shock to the water which exerts a disruptive effect upon the
coal or rock throughout the whole extent of the shot-hole and in a similar manner
to the effect produced in Bramah's hydrostatic press, whilst the resulting products
of explosion are discharged with such a spray of liquid as at once to extinguish the
flame and also prevent the ignition of any coal or other dust which is so liable to
occur in the. ordinary method. Instead of using water only for filling the shot-hole
I sometimes employ any saline solution, either alone or saturated with carbonic
acid gas. If it is desired to produce a greater disruptive force with a still sinaller
quantity of the explosive material I enclose the tube or case containing the latter
in another.exterior tube or case which is filled with sulphuric or other acid, and use
for the liquid to be poured into the shot-hole a saturated solution of carbonate or
bi-carbonate of soda or any similar alkaline solution, so that when the explosive is
ignited by the electric current it bursts also the case containing the said acid which
is instantly mixed with the surrounding alkaline solution and causes it to discharge
a large quantity of carbonic acid gas. Any other solutions and other substances
such as chalk may be used in a similar way.
i ..

page_text: WILLIAM BEATHON No 2 Ash Mount, Rotherham, in the County of York,
Chemist, I do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF BLASTING IN COAL AND OTHER MINES and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
The object of my invention is to render the use of gunpowder, dynamite or other
explosives possible, without the danger which now exists of causing the ignition of
the inflammable gas in coal mines. My invention or safety cartridge in its simplest
form consists of a tube, rather small in diameter, and in length, according to the
effect to be produced. This tube when charged is put direct into the shot-hole,
which is of the ordinary size of two to three inches in diameter and a suitable
depth. If preferred the tube containing the explosive may be supported in the
centre of the shot-hole by being passed through two or more rings or circular pieces
of tinplate to which it is soldered which pieces must be slightly less in diameter
than the shot-hole, so as to be readily introduced therein; or any support of wires
or brushes may be used to keep the explosive charge nearly in the centre of the
shot-hole. The tube may be of thin lead or tinned iron or other light material
impervious to water, and is filled with gunpowder, dynamite, or any other explosive
material, and which I prefer to explode by igniting a fine metallic wire by an
electric current from a galvanic battery, or other source of an electric current. The
two wires which convey the electric current must be well insulated by a covering
of cotton which should be then well varnished and I prefer to pass them through a
small iron or other tube which is joined to the tube containing the explosive. This
small tube and its contained wires should project a few inches outside the shot-hole.
In using this cartridge it is placed in the prepared shot-hole which should decline
downwards so as to hold water or other fluid, which must then be poured into the
bore-hole until the charge is covered which for a shot-hole three feet deep will be
about two feet long, thus leaving a space of one foot which must be filled with
tamping and well rammed in the usual way, and exploded as described. Instead of
using water only for filling the shot-hole I sometimes employ any saline solution,
either alone, or saturated with carbonic acid gas, or water charged with same gas,
which is also applicable when an outer case is employed. Or I enclose the explosive
in a tube which is put into an outer case containing sulphuric or other acid, whilst
I surround this case after it is placed in the shot-hole with a saturated solution of
carbonate of soda or other alkaline solution so that when the explosive is ignited
the solutions are mixed and large quantities of carbonic acid gas evolved. Of
course any other solutions, or substances which re-act upon each other may be
employed in a similar manner.
I am aware that it has been proposed to explode charges in a cartridge or tube
previously introduced into an outer case to be filled with water, and my improved
method of proceeding is to dispense with this outer case altogether and to cause the
shot-hole itself to hold the water, and I aver that it is more advantageous to do it
in this manner because that the air is excluded from the borehole by my plan and
the mechanical or disruptive effect of the explosion on the adjacent coal or rock is
much greater by reason thereof,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
1st The method of blasting as herein described by placing a tube containing the
explosive direct into the shot-hole, which shot-hole is afterwards filled or nearly
filled with water and the cartridge exploded as described.
Claim 2ndly The use of saline solutions, either alone, or saturated with carbonic
acid gas, instead of water for surrounding explosive charges used in the manner
described, or in any similar manner.
Claim 3rd The method of exploding a charge so as to mix acid and alkaline
solutions together, or other substances which act strongly on each other at the
moment and as the result of a charge being exploded amongst them.
11
00
,
1000
WILLIAM BEATSON.