Blasting Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar, 1887
Complete Left, 14th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th June, 1888
Blasting Purposes.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agont do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
All explosives at present employed for blasting purposes give a longer or shorter
flame when exploded; with some the flame is very short, as for instance with the
explosive known as "Securit," with others it is of considerable length, as in the case
of gun cotton, blasting gelatine &c. It is a great desideratum for mining operations
to produce an explosive compound giving no flame, and according to the present
invention this is accomplished by combining with an ordinary explosive such as
Securit," blasting gelatine, dynamite &c., a certain quantity of either oxalic acid or
salts thereof, such as oxalate of postassium, hydro-oxalates of potassium or sodium,
oxalate or hydro-oxalate of ammonium, as also the double salts of oxalic acid such as
potassium- or sodium-ammonium-oxalate. Cartridges containing these bodies in com-
bination with the ordinary blasting compounds explode without any flame. The
oxalic acid or its salts do not act simply as extinguishers of flame but actually
constitute themselves explosive compounds when combined with or in the presence
of a carrier of oxygen, oxalic acid becoming decomposed according to the following
Formula
When using the salts, there are of course formed, in the case of the ammonium
compounds, the carbonates of the salt employed. Other vegetable acids or their salts
may also be used in lieu of oxalic acid, either with or without admixture of carriers
of oxygen, but oxalic acid and its salts are used by preference because they yield
decomposable compounds, and are comparatively cheap.

page_text: In applying these substances in combination with the blasting materials referred
to, cartridges are by preference constructed consisting of a central body of such
blasting material enclosed in a casing of a diameter of about 15 to 20 millimetres,
and this is surrounded by a second casing leaving an annular space of from 3
to 4 millimetres between the two, which is then filled in with oxalic acid or the other
compounds mentioned. Or the annular cartridge may be first filled with one of
these bodies and the central space be then charged with the blasting compound. Or
the two bodies may be otherwise combined in the cartridge.
The two compounds are employed by preference in about equal proportions by
weight.
The firing is effected by a suitable detonator acting on the blasting compound.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Explosive Compounds and Safety Cartridges for
Blasting Purposes.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent, 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 :-
:-
All explosives at present employed for blasting purposes give a longer or shorter
flame when exploded, with some the flame is very short as for instance with the
explosive known as "Securit," with others it is of considerable length as in the case
of gun cotton, blasting gelatine &c.
It is a great desideratum for mining operations to produce an explosive compound
giving no flame, and according to the present invention this is accomplished by
combining with blasting gelatine, dynamite or other explosives containing nitro-
glycerine, nitro cellulose, nitro benzole, nitro toluol or nitro naphthaline, a certain
quantity of either oxalic acid or salts thereof such as oxalate of potassium, hydro
oxalates of potassium or sodium oxalate or hydro oxalate of ammonium, as also the .
double salts of oxalic acid such as potassium sodium ammonium oxalate.
Cartridges containing these bodies in combination with the blasting compounds
above referred to explode without any flame. The oxalic acid or its salts do not act
simply as extinguishers of flame but actually constitute themselves explosive
compounds when combined with, or in the presence of a carrier of oxygen, oxalic
acid becoming decomposed according to the following formula :
when using the sants there are of course formed, in the caso or the ammonium
compound, the carbonates of the salt employed.
In combining oxalic acid or oxalates with blasting gelatine according to this
invention, the advantage is also gained that the former material counteracts the
tendency of the blasting gelatine to become decomposed.
In order to apply oxalic acid or salts thereof advantageously to this explosive, it is
advisable to use them in an amorphous condition free from water. The compound
may be prepared as follows:-
Nitrate of ammonia is melted with an addition of 5 per cent. of water and 40 per
cent. of hydro oxalate of potass or of ammonium oxalate and the mixture is
thoroughly dried at a temperature of from 60° to 80° Centrigade until no further
decrease of weight is shewn. These amorphous salt mixtures are added to the
explosive in the case of the liquid nitro hydro-carbons up to ten per cent. by weight,
in the case of the solid nitro hydro carbons up to 20 per cent., and in the case of
mixtures of nitroglycerine. up to 25 per cent.

page_text: Of the nitrated hydro carbons of the aromatic series mixtures of the solid and
liquid are to be preferred; for example, for the preparation of plastic cartridges there
may be taken 80 parts of nitro benzole or nitrotoluol, 20 parts of dinitrobenzole or
di or tri-nitro naphthaline 30 parts of nitro cellulose and these gelatines are mixed
with about 20 parts of the oxalate mixture above described.
To this mixture may be added suitable quantities of a carrier of oxygen.
For preparing a granular explosive there may be taken 80 parts of dinitro benzole,
or di or trinitro naphthaline, 20 parts of nitro benzole or nitrotoluol 30 parts of
nitrocellulose and to these are added about 20 per cent. of the oxalate compound
above described and a suitable quantity of a carrier of oxygen.
Of the oxalates and hydro oxalates the most important are potassium hydro-oxalate,
ammonium oxalate and hydro oxalate as also the potassium and sodium ammonium
oxalates.
The above described effects will also be produced if instead of mixing the oxalic
acid or oxalates with the explosive compound cartridges are formed containing two
separate concentric charges the central charge being formed of the ordinary explosive
compound and the outer annular charge of the oxalic acid, oxalate, or hydro oxalate.
For this outer charge may be used potassium hydro oxalate which becomes
decomposed on firing the cartridge according to the following equation:
The central charge may be enclosed in a casing of from 15 to 20 millimeters
diameter, this being surrounded by a second casing leaving an annular space of from
3 to 4 millimeters which is filled with the oxalic acid &c.
I do not however limit myself to these proportions as they may be considerably
modified.
The firing is effected by a suitable detonator acting on the blasting compound.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved manufacture of explosive compounds consisting of the com-
bination of oxalic acid or salts thereof with blasting gelatine, dynamite or other
known explosive containing nitroglycerine, nitro benzole, nitrotoluol, di or tri-nitro
naphthaline, substantially as herein described.
2. An improved manufacture of blasting cartridges consisting of a central charge
of an explosive nitro compound, such as is referred to in the preceding claim,
surrounded by an outer charge of oxalic acid or of salis thereof, substantially as
hercin described.
Dated this 14th day at Donamban 1887
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.