IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
Year: 1885

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 the invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUNDS to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to render nitro-glycerine comparatively inexplosive
and safe while it is stored.
It has been proposed to effect this object by dissolving it in methylic alcohol but
the protection thus afforded has not been sufficient owing chiefly to the volatile
nature of methylic alcohol.
The present improvement consists in diluting nitro-glycerine with solvents which
are not volatile or only slightly volatile whereby a mixture is produced which for
all practical purposes is almost absolutely inexplosive, and in restoring by a simple
process the explosive properties of the nitro-glycerine when required.
Of such solvents it is preferred to use on account of its cheapness and chemical
stability common tar oil by preference that part of it which distils at above
200° Centigrade. To each 100 parts by weight of nitro-glycerine are added say
50 parts by weight of such tar oil. When the explosive properties of the nitro-
glycerine are to be restored for use about 100 parts by weight of oleic acid are
added to the above mixture and well shaken therewith.
Instead of the oleic acid petroleum, bisulphide of carbon or other liquid in which
tar oil is soluble and nitroglycerine insoluble may be used. The nitro glycerine.
is precipitated together with a small percentage of tar oil which it retains and
which for some purposes is useful inasmuch as it lessens the sensitiveness of the
explosive liquid to concussion.
TROK

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 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 this invention is to render nitro-glycerine comparatively inexplosive
and safe while it is stored.
It has been proposed to effect this object by dissolving it in methylic alcohol,
but the protection thus afforded has not been sufficient, owing chiefly to the volatile
nature of methylic alcohol.
The present improvement consists in diluting nitroglycerine with solvents which
are not volatile, or only slightly volatile, whereby a mixture is produced which,
for all practical purposes, is almost absolutely inexplosive, and in restoring, by a
simple process, the explosive properties of the nitro-glycerine when required.
Of such solvents, it is preferred to use, on account of its cheapness and chemical
stability, common tar oil, by preference that part of it which distils at above
200° centigrade.
To each 100 parts by weight of nitroglycerine are added say 50 parts by weight
of such tar oil. When the explosive properties of the nitro-glycerine are to be
restored for use, about 100 parts by weight of oleic acid are added to the above
mixture, and well shaken therewith.
Instead of the oleic acid, petroleum, bi sulphide of carbon, or other liquid in
which tar oil is soluble, and nitro glycerine insoluble, may be used. The nitro-
glycerine is precipitated, together with a small percentage of tar oil which it
retains, and which, for some purposes, is useful, inasmuch as it lessens the
sensitivenes of the explosive liquid to concussion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I déclare that what
I claim is:-
Diluting nitro-glycerine with tar oil for the purpose of reducing its explosiveness,
and restoring such explosiveness when required, by adding oleic acid, or other
liquid in which the tar oil is soluble and the nitroglycerine insoluble, in or about
the proportions specified.