Improvements in Explosives and in the Method of Manufacturing the same..
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosives and in the Method of Manufacturing the
same..
I, Count PAUL DE MONTRAVEL, of 13 Moorgate Strect, in the County of London
(partly communicated to me from abroad by Octave Mavant of Herenthals (Belgium)
Engineer and partly my own invention) do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Explosives can be divided into two classes of which ordinary gunpowder and
dynamite are types viz. explosives which explode by simply setting them alight, and
those which require the use of a detonator.
In many cases ordinary black powder does not possess the necessary power to
produce the effect required. To obtain these effects recourse is had to dynamite in
spite of its high price and its danger.
One desideratum of industry is to obtain an explosive the force of which approaches
that of dynamite and which at the same time retains the advantages attaching to
ordinary powder: i.e. is cheap, easily managed, and relatively little dangerous. To
arrive at this result I add to the three elements constituting ordinary black powder
another active element. For this purpose I employ one of the numerous class of the
nitrated derivatives of the hydrocarbons and such as binitrobenzine, binitronaphtalin,
of nitrotoluol and the like. This forms the first part of my invention. The properties
these nitrated derivatives are well known and indeed several explosives are based upon
their employment; but the explosives which have been formed from them have always
heretofore belonged to the class of explosives which require the use of a detonator
and for most of these explosives the detonator requires to be much more powerful than
the detonator used for dynamite; there are notably some which require a charge
3 grammes of fulminate whilst gramme suffices for dynamite.
The explosive which forms the subject of my present invention differs from every
other explosive in which the nitrated hydrocarbons form part in that its employment
like that of ordinary black powder does not in any way necessitate the use of a
detonator.
It also differs in the elements which enter into its composition as well as the.method
of manufacture. This forms the second part of my invention.
Theoretically I can manufacture my explosive in the same way as ordinary powder
by making a mixture of four substances viz. an alkaline nitrate, sulphur, charcoal or
sawdust and one of the nitrated hydrocarbons mentioned above. For example one of
the mixtures which I preferably employ is-
Nitrate of potassium or sodium
Sulphur
Charcoal
Binitrobenzine
65%
13%
12%
10%
It is however more advantageous to operate in the following manner.
Having reduced the four above mentioned substances in an impalpable powder I
first form a mixture of the sulphur, charcoal, and binitrobenzine; this mixture may
be made by forming two partial mixtures of two substances. The mixture of the four
elements is then made in a similar manner to that employed in the mixture of the
three substances forming gunpowder. The presence of the binitrobenzine perceptibly
diminishes however the danger of explosion. The mixture takes fire with more
difficulty the greater the proportion of binitrobenzine.

page_text: i
The explosive mixture thus obtained is not practically utilisable because it must be
obtained in a granular form or in the form of a compressed cartridge.
.
For this purpose the mixture is heated in pans preferably by means of steam with
or without the addition of water. The binitrobenzine in molting (its fusion point
is 90°) adds to the density of the mixture gives it a pasty consistency which permits
its being iun into moulds to obtain cartridges or onto slabs to form cakes which
harden by cooling when the pasto is set and may ultimately be crushed to fine grains
or compressed in the form of cartridges.
The temperature to which it is advisable to heat the mixture may be as high as
about 110° (the fusing point of sulphur) if great care in conducting the operation be
exercised so as to prevent the separation of the sulphur.
Another method which possesses great advantages over that which I have just
explained is as follows.
Starting from the mixture of four, substances prepared as above described,
cartridges may be directly obtained by compressing the powder in a mould which
may then be placed in an oven or in an oil bath in order to heat the cartridges
to a temperature of about 140° so as to completely melt both the binitrobenzine
and the sulphur-disintegration is caused at this temperature: A mass which is
perfectly agglomerated, hard and impermeable as if it were crystalised is thus
obtained. By this means, the union of the elements forming the powder becomes
more intimate by deflagration and produces greater effect. On the other hand the
mass being less porous and so to speak impermeable offers a remarkable resistance
to the action of the air and humidity which tends to cause decomposition of the
powder. The employment of nitrate of sodium is advantageous because of its low
price and because owing to its molecular weight it is one sixth more powerful
than saltpetre, for though it is unhappily impossible to use it in ordinary cases on
account of its hygroscopic properties in the present case this becomes practically
possible. The cartridges also thus obtained are very suitable for receiving a coat of
water resisting substance such as collodion, which also augments its chances of
preservation.
A powder of the composition indicated above can be made at a price which
approaches that of ordinary black powder, although giving greatly superior results.
To obtain the powder in a granular condition the mixture of the four substances
must be first compressed into the forin of sheets in a hydraulic or other press. In
order to obtain the best results the mixture should be heated whilst it is being pressed:
this is effected by placing steain chests between the several sheets instead of ordinary
slabs of copper or caoutchouc.
It is possible to thus obtain by the simultaneous action of pressure and heat, sheets
of powder having exactly the same qualities as I have just described for the cartridges.
These sheets are then passed between the crushing rolls to obtain grains which have
then only to be submitted to the operation of glazing.
It is well to remark that the grains obtained by the above described crushing may
with or without admixture of powder be compressed into the form of cartridges-in-the
same way as ordinary powder is compressed.
To obtain a powder causing little dirt as is advantageous in war, nitrate of ammonia
may be wholly or partially used.
To obtain a very powerful powder which rivals dynamite a small quantity of nitro-
glycerine, potassium or ammonium picrates or picric acid may be introduced according
to the purpose for which the powder is intended. Owing to the easy manner in
which these substances can be introduced their addition is attended with no particular
danger.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1889.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Explosives and in the Method of Manufacturing
the same.
I, Count PAUL DE MONTRAVEL of 13 Moorgate Street in the County of London
(partly communicated to me from abroad by Octave Mavant of Herenthals (Belgium)
Engineer and partly my own Invention) 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:-
Explosives can be divided into two classes of which ordinary gunpowder and
dynamite are types miz. explosives which explode by simply setting them alight and
those which require the use of a detonator.
In many cases ordinary black powder does not possess the necessary power to
produce the effect required. To obtain these effects recourse is had to dynamite
in spite of its high price and its danger.
It is a desideratum to obtain an explosive the force of which approaches that of
dynamite and which at the same time retains the advantages attaching to ordinary
powder i.e. is cheap, easily managed, and relatively little dangerous. To arrive at
this result I add to the three elements constituting ordinary black powder another
active element viz. one of the numerous class of the nitrated derivatives of the hydro-
carbons and such as binitrobenzine, binitronaphtalin, nitrotoluol and the like. This
forms the first part of my Invention. The properties of these nitrated derivatives are
well known and indeed several explosives are based upon their employment, but the
explosives which have been formed from them have always heretofore belonged to
the class of explosives which require the use of a detonator and for most of these
explosives the detonator requires to be much more powerful than the detonator
used for dynamite, there are notably some which require a charge of 3 grammes of
fulminate whilst gramme suffices for dynamite.
The explosive which forms the subject of my present Invention differs from every
other explosive of which the nitrated hydrocarbons form part in that its employ-
ment like that of ordinary black powder does not in any way necessitate the use
of a detonator
+6
It also differs in the elenients which enter into its composition as well as the
method of manufacture. This forms the second part of my Invention.
Theoretically I can manufacture my explosive in the same way as ordinary powder
by making a mixture of four substances vis. an alkaline nitrate, sulphur, charcoal
or sawdust and one of the nitrated hydrocarbons mentioned above. For example
one of the mixtures which I preferably employ is :-
Nitrate of potassium or sodium
Sulphur
Charcoal
Binitrobenzine
65%
13%
12%
10%*
It is however more advantageous to operate in the following manner.
Having reduced the four above mentioned substances to an impalpable powder I
first form a mixture of the sulphur, charcoal and binitrobenzine; this mixture may
be made by forming two partial mixtures, each of two substances. The mixture of
the four elements is then made in a similar manner to that employed in the mixture
of the three substances forming gunpowder. The presence of the binitrobenzine
perceptibly diminishes however the danger of explosion. The mixture takes fire with
more difficulty the greater the proportion of binitrobenzine.
The explosive mixture thus obtained is not practically utilisable because it must be
obtained in a granular form or in the form of a compressed cartridge.

page_text: is 90°) adds to the density of the mixture gives it a pasty consistency which permits
its being run into moulds, to obtain cartridges or on to slabs to form cakes which
harden by cooling and may ultimately be crushed to fine grains or compressed in the
form of cartridges.
The temperature to which it is advisable to heat the mixture may be as high as
about 110° (the fusing point of sulphur) if great care in conducting the operation be
exercised so as to prevent the separation of the sulphur.
Another method which possesses great advantages over that which I have..just
"explained is as follows..
:
.:.
Starting from the mixture of four substances prepared as above described, cartridges
may be directly obtained by compressing the powder in a mould which may then be
placed in an oven or in an oil bath in order to heat the cartridges to a temperature of
about 140° so as to completely melt both the binitro-benzene and the sulphur; no
dissociation takes place at this temperature. A mass which is perfectly agglomerated,
hard and impermeable as. if it were crystalised is thus, obtained. Consequently the
union of the elements forming the powder becomes more intimate and their combina-
tion by the act of deflagration produces. greater effect. On the other hand the mass
being less porous and so to speak impermeable offers a remarkable resistance to the
action of the air and humidity which tends to cause decomposition of the powder.
The employment of nitrate of sodium is advantageous because of its low price and
- because owing to its molecular weight it is one sixth more powerful than saltpetre,
for though it is unhappily impossible to use it in ordinary cases on account of its
hygroscopic properties in the present case this becomes practically possible. The
cartridges also thus obtained are very suitable for receiving a coat of water resisting
substance such as collodion, which also augments its chances of preservation.
A powder of the composition indicated above can be made at a price which approaches
that of ordinary black powder, although giving greatly superior results.
ない
To obtain the powder in a granular condition the mixture of the four substances
must be first compressed into the form of sheets or cakes in a hydraulic on other press.
In order to obtain the best results the mixture should be heated whilst it is, being
pressed this is effected by placing steam chests between the several sheets instead of
ordinary slabs of copper or caoutchouc.
3
It is possible to thus obtain by the simultaneous action of pressure and heat, sheets
of powder having exactly the same qualities as I have just described for the cartridges.
These sheets are then passed between the crushing rolls to obtain grains which have
then only to be submitted to the operation of glazing..
It is well to remark that the grains, obtained by the above described crushing may
with or without admixture of powder be compressed into the form of cartridges in the
same way as ordinary powder is compressed.
To obtain a powder causing little fouling as is advantageous in war, nitrate of
ammonia may be wholly or partially used:
To obtain a very powerful powder which rivals dynamite a small quantity of nitro-
glycerine, potassium or ammonium picrates or pieric acid may be introduced according
to the purpose for which the powder is intended. Owing to the easy manner in which
these substances can be introduced their addition is attended with no particular
danger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare, that what I
claim is
1. An explosive substantially as described consisting of sodium or other nitrate,
sulphur, charcoal, and binitro-benzene or other nitrated hydrocarbon and with or without
other ingredients as herein set forth.
2. The method substantially as described of preparing the said explosive for use
consisting in exposing it to a temperature sufficient to fuse one or more of its ingre-
dients and then casting it into moulds to forin cartridges or into slabs or cakes to be
crushed or moulded by pressure.

page_text: 3. The method substantially as described of preparing the said explosive for use
consisting in consolidating the same by pressure in moulds or between plates or
surfaces and exposing it whilst so compressed to a temperature sufficient to fuse one
or more of its ingredients.
4. The manufacture of explosives substantially as herein described.