Improvements in Water or Flame Extinguishing Cartridges for Mining and other like Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 24th Aug.,
1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water or Flame Extinguishing Cartridges for
Mining and other like Purposes.
JAMES JONES No. 12 Dean Street Little Bolton in the County of Lancaster
Collier BENJAMIN JONES Weston in the county of Chester Manufacturing
Chemist JouN THOMASON 4 Union Street Runcorn in the county of Chester
Builder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention relates to improvements in the mode of blasting or rending coal,
rock, or any substances, and for any other useful purposes in which it is desirable to
extinguish the flame arising from the combustion, of the explosive charge in use in
coal and other mines or quarries.
This invention has especial reference to an improved form and construction of
water cartridge cases and supports for the charge by which the advantage attendant
upon the use of such Water cartridge cases and supports, are more fully obtained
than in the use of cartridge cases and supports as hitherto constructed.
Our invention consists in constructing such water cartridge cases and supports in
such a manner as that an open support containing the blasting charge or substance,
or explosive charge is completely immersed in water or any other extinguishing fluid
or compound, which immediately extinguishes the flame arising from the combustion,
of the explosive charge. Thus avoiding all danger in the most fiery mines.
In our improved water cartridge cases and supports, the blasting charge is placed
in an open support open at all sides, which said support, is so constructed to hold a
lesser or larger charge, and is provided with a guide so as to keep the said support
centrally in the outer case; Thus the explosive charge is compictely surrounded by
water or any other extinguishing fluid, or compound, the said explosive charge being
more effectually extinguished in the open support, than in a watertight support as
hitherto constructed.
Directions for use. When the support containing the blasting charge is placed in
the outer tube or case which is closed at one end, fill the said outer tube or case, with

page_text: water or any other extinguishing compound, leave out the end of the wire (which is
to be attached to the electric battery) or the waterproof fuse as the case may be on
the bottom side of the said outer tube or case. In the open end of the said outer
tube or case is placed a cork stopper or otherwise, so as to prevent the escape of the
water, or any other extinguishing compound that may be used. Turn down the ears
or lugs which are provided on the open end of the said outer tube or case over the
end of the cork stopper. The water cartridge thus or otherwise equivalently fitted
is then ready for use, and in its use, it is inserted to the inner end of an ordinary
bored hole, in the coal, rock, or other substance, and its wire is led out at the open
end of the hole. The hole is then properly tamped with slemming clay, or dirt in the
The improved water cartridge case may then be fired or exploded by
electricity or otherwise in the usual way. Upon the explosion occurring the flame
cannot pass beyond the inner open support as the charge is completely immersed in
water or any other extinguishing compound thereby avoiding all danger of com-
municating fire to the surrounding coal or gases.
usual manner.
Dated this Thirtieth day of August 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water or Flame Extinguishing Cartridges for
Mining and other like Purposes.
We, JAMES JONES, 12 Dean Street Little Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Collier, BENJAMIN JONES, of Weston in the County of Chester, Manufacturing
Chemist and JOHN THOMASON, 4 Union Street, Runcorn, in the County of Chester,
Builder, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the mode of blasting or rending coal,
rock, or any substances, and for any other useful purposes, in which it is desirable to
extinguish the flame arising from the combustion of the explosive charge, in use in
coal and other mines or quarries.
This invention has especial reference to an improved form and construction of
water cartridge cases and supports for the charge, by which the advantages attendant
upon the use of such water cartridge cases and supports, are more fully obtained than
in the use of cartridge cases and supports as hitherto constructed.
Our invention consists in constructing such water cartridge cases and supports in
such a manner as that an open support containing the blasting charge or substance, or
explosive charge, is completely immersed in water or any other extinguishing fluid or
compound, which immediately extinguishes the flame arising from the combustion of
the explosive charge, thus avoiding all danger in the most fiery mines.
Our invention may be described by reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a charged cartridge when in the bore
hole, preparatory to firing.
Figure 2 is a view of the supporting device for holding the charge in position.
Figure 3 is an end view of same.
Figure 4 shows the outer end of the cartridge case when closed and ready for
insertion into the bore hole.
The charge A is placed upon a support B, which is open at all sides, and is so
constructed as to hold a greater or a lesser charge as shown in dotted lines at A' A²
in Figure 1. The support B is preferably a flat thin plate which is attached to a
central wire or wires b, the ends of which abut against the ends of the rigid cartridge
case C, when the case is closed, or the plate itself may extend from end to end of the
case. The supporting plate B or the wire b is provided with two or more guides D,
which serve to keep the support centrally in the case C. The guides may be formed
in a variety of ways. A cheap and ready way is to form them and the wire b out of
one piece of wire, which is bent and twisted as shown, so as to form two or more
circular loops at right angles to and concentric with, the wire b, and united thereto
by a radial arm d. Or single loops of wire may be attached to the central wire or

page_text: plate by one or more radial arms, as seen in dotted lines in Figure 3.
Or the guides
may be simple discs, each provided with a central hole into which the central wire
fits. The ends of the wire bare preferably bent as shown in Figure 2, so as to,
form a better abutment against the ends of the case C. The case may be of any
suitable material, which is sufficiently rigid to prevent it being crushed and distorted
during the operation of tamping. E is a plug for closing the open end of the case.
F is a detonator inserted into the charge and connected by a wire with the electric
battery for firing the charge. The plug E is provided with a groove or indentation e,
for the passage of the wire f. and it is secured in position by the cars G formed upon
the case and then turned down upon the plug. His the usual stemming for holding
the cartridge in position in the bore-hole.
The case is filled with water or any other extinguishing fluid or compound, so
that the explosive charge is completely surrounded thereby, the said charge being
more effectually extinguished when attached to the open support B than when held by
a watertight support as hitherto constructed.
The method of proceeding is as follows:-
The support containing the blasting charge provided with a detonator and
conducting wire, is placed in the outer tube or case C, which is closed at one end.
The tube or case is filled with water or any other extinguishing compound, the end
of the wire being led out at the top or open end of the said outer tube or case, so
that it may be attached to the electric battery, or a waterproof fuse may be substituted
for the wire f. The plug E, preferably of cork, is placed in the open end of the
case C, so as to prevent the escape of the water, or any other extinguishing compound
that may be used. The ears or lugs G, which are provided on the open end of the
said outer tube or case, are turned over the end of the cork stopper. The water
cartridge, thus or otherwise equivalently fitted, is then ready for use, and when
employed it is placed at the inner end of an ordinary bore-hole in the coal, rock, or
other substance, and its wire is led out at the open end of the hole. The hole is
then properly tamped with stemning clay, or dirt, in the usual manner.
improved water cartridge may then be fired or exploded by electricity or otherwise in
the usual way.
Upon the explosion occurring the flame cannot pass beyond the
inner, open support B as the charge is completely immersed in water, or any other
extinguishing compound, thereby avoiding all danger of communicating fire to the
surrounding coal or gases.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare thai. what
we claim is :-
1. In a water cartridge, the combination of a rigid outer case C for holding the
water or equivalent substance an open support B within the case to which the charge
is attached, and guiding devices such as 6, D connected to said plate for retaining the
same in a central position in the case, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. The water cartridge having an explosive cartridge supported in and entirely
surrounded by a water cartridge proper, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.