Year: 1886

page_text: I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings, Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to he as follows:-
Blasting agents have been devised and patented which consist of a powdered nitrate
or chlorate intimately mixed with powdered charcoal or other solid combustible
substance and nitroglycerine.
For such solid combustible substance, I substitute a combustible liquid, soluble in
nitroglycerine, such as nitrobenzol or tar oil, whereby three great advantages are
obtained, viz: enhanced safety, lowered freezing point of the nitroglycerine, and
increased chemical stability of that explosive liquid.
An improved explosive for blasting purposes is thus obtained by mixing intimately
7 to 9 parts by weight of nitroglycerine, and 1 to 3 parts. by weight of nitrobenzol,
and such quantity of powdered Ammonium, Potassium, Sodium, or Barium-Nitrate,
or Potassium Chlorate, as will liberate oxygen enough to convert all the hydrogen
and carbon embodied in the aforesaid nitrobenzol into water vapour and carbonic acid
or oxide.
If carbonic acid is to be formed, each 1 part by weight of nitrobenzol requires
8 parts by weight of Aminonium Nitrate, or 3.45 parts of Sodium Nitrate, or 4 parts
of Potassium Nitrate or Chlorate, or 5·25 parts of Barium Nitrate.
But if the aforesaid composition is to be used for charging shells, in which case the
sensitiveness to concussion ought to be reduced to a minimum, then the percentage of
nitrobenzol may be largely increased over and above the proportions above indicated.
An excellent composition for such purpose consists of 1 part by weight of nitroglycerine,
1 part by weight of nitrobenzol, and 8 to 12 parts by weight of powdered nitrate of
ammonium.
The mixture of nitroglycerine and nitrobenzol herein referred to may be thickened
by the process now in use for thickening nitroglycerine alone, viz:-by dissolving in
it nitratated cotton.
The above mentioned mixtures for blasting purposes may be conveniently exploded
by means of a powerful detonator, such as are now used for firing nitroglycerine
compounds and guncotton.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: <
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 6 Breams Buildings Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer 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 :-
Blasting agents have been devised and patented which consist of a powdered
nitrate or chlorate intimately mixed with powdered charcoal or other solid combustible
substance and nitroglycerine. For such solid coinbustible substance I substitute a
combustible which dissolves in nitroglycerine, such as nitrobenzol, dinitrobenzol, tar
oil or camphor whereby three great advantages are obtained, viz:-enhanced safety,
lowered freezing point of the nitroglycerine and increased chemical stability of that
explosive liquid. An improved explosive for blasting purposes is thus obtained by
mixing intimately 7 to 9 parts by weight of nitroglycerine and 1 to 3 parts by weight
of nitrobenzol and such quantity of powdered ammonium, potassium, sodium or
barium nitrate or potassium chlorate as will liberate oxygen enough to convert all the
hydrogen and carbon embodied in the aforesaid nitrobenzol into water vapour and
carbonic acid or oxide. If carbonic acid is to he formed each I part by weight of
nitrobenzol requires 8 parts by weight of ammonium nitrate, or 3.45 parts of sodium
nitrate or 4 parts of potassium nitrate or chlorate, or 5-25 of barium nitrate.
But if the aforesaid composition is to be used for charging shells in which case the
sensitiveness to concussion ought to be reduced to a minimum then the percentage of
nitrobenzol may be largely increased over and above the proportion above indicated.
An excellent composition for such purpose consists of 1 part by weight of nitro.
glycerine, 1 part by weight of nitrobenzol and 8 to 12 parts by weight of powdered
nitrate of ammonium.
The mixture of nitroglycerine and nitrobenzol herein referred to may be thickened
by the process now in use for thickening nitroglycerine alone, viz:-by dissolving in
it nitrated cotton.
The above mentioned mixtures for blasting purposes may be conveniently exploded
by means of a powerful detonator such as is now used for firing nitroglycerine
compounds and guncotton.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
The improved manufacture of explosive compounds, consisting of powdered nitrates
or chlorates intimately mixed with a liquid composed of nitroglycerine and a com-
bustible dissolved therein, substantially as herein described.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.