Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives and in Cartridges Containing such Improved Explosives.
Year: 1885

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 9th day of April 1888, amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives and in
Cartridges Containing such Improved Explosives.
[ ARTHUR FAVIER, of Paris in the Republic of France Chemist 15 rue de
Richelieu do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVES AND IN CARTRIDGES CONTAINING SUCH
IMPROVED EXPLOSIVES "and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement. :-
This invention relates to a new or improved explosive compound the object being
to substitute for organic nitric explosives a more stable composition, more easy of
preparation and of lesser price and not susceptible to freezing and this is attained
as follows.
1 To obtain explosive mixtures of force and at least equal to that of dynamite
containing 75% of nitroglycerine there is to be employed nitrate of ammonia
added to a hydrocarbon body, to burn under the form of carbonic acid and water
vapour, the excess of oxygen which it contains; but to obtain this result. it is
necessary to augment the density of the nitrate and to reduce or remove its
hygroscopic properties. With this object. I choose the combustible body destined
to be mixed with the nitrate amongst the bodies of the fatty series the natural or
slightly nitrated hydrocarbons, the resins having waterproof properties all of which
are fusible at low temperature.
: The hydrocarbon chosen, parafin for example, is mixed in a mixer with the
nitrate previously pulverized and dried the mixture is then introduced into moulds
and under the action of required pressure it may be made to assume any of the
forms required to be given to it. But for facilitating the agglomeration of the
mixture and to obtain it of sufficient density it is preferable to heat it at the same
time that the pressure is applied.
.
With this object in view the moulds in which the compression is effected are
heated by means of a circulation of hot water or steam at the melting point of the
hydro-carbons or better the material is brought to this temperature in the mixer;
under the double influence of the pressure and heat the material agglomerates
itself, the hydro-carbon covering the molecules of the uitrate with a protective
coating which may exude slightly and so form externally of the mass a sort
of protective varnish which may be further augmented by plunging the material on
its coming from the mould in a melted waterproof mixture.

page_text: The pressure employed varies, naturally with the density desired to be attained
which may be 3000 atmospheres to obtain the density of 17 for cartridges of nitrate
of ammonia. For moulding these cartridges there is employed either an hydraulic
press of required power, or apparatus used in the manufacture of gun cotton or of
compressed gunpowder.
For the manufacture of inore feeble explosives, there is employed nitrate of soda,
either alone or mixed with nitrate of ammonia or with any other compound
capable of readily giving off the hydrogen oxygen which it contains. Before the com-
pression of these two compounded substances sulphur may be added to them which
will lower the temperature of their transformation into gas.
2. The mixture of nitrate of ammonia and of the hydrocarbon with or without
sulphur worked at the minimum density of 16 possesses a very great stability and
does not explode, as do the nitrous bodies under the influence of an ordinary
fulminating capsule and consequently recourse is had to an intermediate nitrous
body the points of contact whereof with this improved compound is multiplied as
much as possible.
For the said purpose a cylindric opening is formed in the moulded cartouche
formed from the compound of nitrate of ammonia and hydrocarbon and in said
opening is placed the nitrous explosive body destined to communicate the initial
detonation to the surrounding compound so increasing the initial detonation
produced by the discharge of the fulminating capsule placed in contact with the
nitrous body.
The body of the compound (in cylindric form or otherwise) is easily moulded
with the central opening by means of a press such as is used for guncotton or
compressed gunpowder. If it is intended to prepare from the compound, spheres or
solids of this or that forin with a central opening with the object of utilising the
same for charging shells they may be moulded in two parts which will ultimately
be joined.
There is preferably employed for determining the explosion of these compounds
a very rending explosive such as gun-cotton, picric acid, the chlorates of ammonia
or potassium which last bodies are to be previously embodied in or covered by
a hydrocarbon easily melted. These detonating compounds are moulded in form
corresponding to the hole in the improved compound mass and may be placed
in position either when made or only when the explosive is to be used.
By employing a quantity of gun-cotton or chlorate not exceeding one tenth of
the weight of the moulded compound to be detonated the explosion will be
positively ensured. Thus there is obtained explosives extremely forcible of
moderate price, easily and safely transportable and easily preserved and which
is not liable to freezing thus giving a marked superiority over explosives of
nitroglycerine base.
The last named bodies may however be used as detonators and as they are also
enveloped in the hydro-carbon element the risk of exudation of the nitroglycerine
is removed.
3. There is a class of very powerful explosives which cannot be adapted in
industry in consequence of their corrosive properties and of which the use is
rendered possible by employing the cylinders which have been described and
which cylinders may serve as packing therefor. These are the explosive acids of
Dr Sprengel formed by solutions in nitric acid (azotic acid) or in nitric peroxide
(peroxide of azote) of hydrocarbons, of phenols, of natural alcohols, or nitrates,
sulphates, or carbonates, and so forth. Several of these mixtures in which the
azotic elements and hydrocarbons are simply in juxtaposition will give explosives
which according to theory are equally powerful with nitroglycerine for they can be
made in required proportions for obtaining a complete combustion of their elements
and moreover they have not to give over during the detonation the heat absorbed
by the fixing of the azotic elements on the glycerine.
These explosives are brought to a state of paste by absorption in infusorial earth
ore placed in the central opening of the cylinder or block of the primary compound

page_text: the ends whereof are covered by a plug of the same material or by an inert body
such as parafin. These are exploded under the action of a strong fnlminating
capsule of this or that kind.
The cylinders thus charged are not susceptible to freezing and may be easily
employed by miners.
In the drawings A Fig 1 is a cartouche composed as herein described B is the
free space left therein, Fig 2 is a plan of the same. Fig 3 represents a tube C
containing the inflamatory compound. Fig 4 shows the cartouche A containing the
tube Cand ready for use.
Fig 5 is cartouche A containing a direct charge D either of dynamite or any
other explosive body as before stated the pieces being plugs of inert matter such
as parafin.
Fig 6 shows another arrangement of spherical cartouche made in two parts M
and N, Bis-the-double-compound R is the central explosive body: S is the canal
for the detonating capsule. The two pieces M and N are fixed, warm, by means of
parafin or other analogous body and then the cartouche takes the form represented
in Fig 7 the canal S being closed by a plug of parafin.
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
Firstly. The agglomeration under the influence of pressure with or without heat
of the mixtures of nitrate of ammonia with a waterproof hydrocarbon capable of
fusion at a low temperature for formning blocks cylinders or spheres with a central
opening at a density of 16 at least, the nitrate of ammonia may be replaced as
required in part or entirely by nitrate of soda or any other nitrate with an addition
of sulphur.
Secondly. The ensuring of the detonation of these mixtures by explosive bodies
placed in the centre of the cartouche and capable of producing detonation by the
discharge of a fulminating capsule particularly of gun-cotton, pieric acid chlorates of
ammonia and of potash if they employ explosives insensible to freezing and of
compounds of a base of nitro-glycerine in the contrary case.
Thirdly. The employment-as- herein-set forth of the-neil-explosives-formed
by-solution-in-nitrie-neid (azeti neid)-and-m-nitrie--peroxide-(peroxide-of-azote)-of
hydrocarbons-of-phenols-of-natural alcohols-or-nitrates-which-are-enveloped on all
sides by the-material-which-has-to-be-detonated-as-herein-set-forth.
Fourthly. Thirdly. The cartouche in two parts allowing of their being separated
during transport and in magazine, that is the pierced cylinders from the nitrous
bodies by which their explosion is effected, as herein specified.
Fifthly Fourthly. The combination of the two compounds for forming a new and
characteristic explosive (a) by-its-insensibility characterized (a) by the insensibility of
the principal explosive to the action of humidity and cold (b) by the security presented
in manufacture in two parts and separation until required for use.
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Agent for Arthur Favier,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard, E.C.