AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
"
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND." A communication from abroad
by Silas Reynolds Divine, of Loch Sheldrake, New York, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December 1881.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND." A
communication from abroad by Silas Reynolds Divine, of Loch Sheldrake, New
York, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide chiefly for employment in blasting
operations a high explosive, the ingredients of which can be separately manu-
factured, handled, and transported, and can be mechanically united when required
for use by the consumer, whereby the danger usually attending the manufacture,
handling, and transportation of ordinary high explosives is avoided.
The said Invention consists of an explosive compound composed of two ingre-
dients, the one a solid, such as crushed or powdered chlorate of potash, and the
other a liquid, such as nitrate of benzole, which are combined to form a high
explosive by merely causing the mass of the solid ingredient to absorb the liquid
ingredient, a combination which can be effected by the consumer at the time when
and at the place where the explosive is to be used. These ingredients being in
themselves incapable of being exploded by percussion, can be with safety separately
manufactured, handled, and transported to the consumer, who will have no difliculty
in effecting their combination, because the operation of combining them is of so
simple a character.
Either perchlorate or permanganate of potash may be used as the solid ingredient
of my improved explosive and other liquid nitro-compounds may be substituted for
the nitro-benzole, the essential condition being observed that the liquid ingredient
substituted shall possess a degree of fluidity which shall adapt it to be readily

page_text: absorbed by the solid ingredient, so that the final act of preparing the explosive for
use may be performed by merely bringing the two ingredients into juxtaposition,
and allowing the liquid ingredient to be absorbed by the solid ingredient.
In manufacturing the nitro-benzole I use the naptha of commerce, and it will
therefore be understood that such nitro-benzole contains some nitro-toluol and
picric acid.
Four and one-sixth parts of chlorate of potash to one part of nitro-benzole are
considered to constitute the theoretical proportions in which the ingredients of my
compound combine most effectively; but in order to somewhat diminish the
sensitiveness of the compound to ignition by percussion, I prefer to use from three
to not exceeding four parts of chlorate of potash to one part of nitro-benzole. It
will be understood that the ingredients of my improved explosive may, if desired,
be mixed in measured proportions and in any convenient vessel
Owing to the viscous condition assumed by my explosive compound when the
ingredients are united, it is not liable to be accidentally exploded by tamping in
the act of charging the drill-hole, and in this respect possesses an important
advantage, greatly contributing to safety in its employment.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
The explosive compound herein described, which consists of a solid ingredient,
such as chlorate of potash, and a liquid ingredient, such as nitro-benzole
mechanically united, substantially in the proportions of from three to four and one-
sixth parts of the solid ingredient to one part of the liquid ingredient, substan-
tially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.