Improvements in the Manufacture of Gunpowder, and in the Treatment or Preparation of Carbonaceous Materials therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Gunpowder, and in the
Treatment or Preparation of Carbonaceous Materials therefor.
We, BERNHARD HEINRICH REMMERS and JOHN WILLIAMSON, both of 189 Saint
Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Chemical Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
The object of our invention is to produce gunpowder of superior quality con-
taining a minimum of ashy matters.
This object we attain by employing as the carbonaceous constituent of gun-
powder either the substance known as lignite or brown coal, or vegetable charcoal,
or both in admixture in a prepared state in which it is purified or freed from
matters which result in the production of ash.
In order to prepare or purify the brown coal or the vegetable char, or the
mixture, for use in the manufacture of gunpowder we finely pulverise it, and to the.
powdered mass we add water to form thin sludge or slurry which we carry through
runs in order to effect the deposition in the runs of the silica or other heavy
impurities in the mass. We then draw off the water until a magma or thick paste
is formed and to it we add about 10 per centum, or more or less, of sulphuric acid,
nitric acid, or hydrochloric acid or a vegetable acid such as acetic acid in order to
dissolve out of the 'mass such soluble matters as form ash, and we allow the acid
to act for twelve hours or a longer or shorter time. We afterwards add water in
quantity sufficient to remove the acid and soluble salts, and if found necessary we
again pass the watery mass through runs to deposit any remaining silicious matters
or solid impurities.
We then pump the material into filter presses or centrifugal machines and
therein wash it with water to free it entirely.from any traces of acid, or we add.
water and decant until all traces of acid and soluble salts are removed. The
purified brown coal or vegetable char or the mixture of both is then dried or
partially dried and is ready for use in lieu of the charcoal or carbonaceous matter
commonly employed in the manufacture of gunpowder. In other respects the
gunpowder is manufactured from the usual ingredients and in the ordinary way.
Dated this Seventh day of November 1885.

page_text: improvements
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шапитолиго
343
Treatment or Preparation of Carbonaceous Materials therefor.
We, BERNHARD HEINRICH REMMERS and JOHN WILLIAMSON, both of 189 Saint
Vincent Street in the City of Glasgow, Chemical Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bọ
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to produce gunpowder of superior quality
containing a minimum of ashy matters.
This object we attain by employing as the carbonaceous constituent of gun-
powder either the substance known as lignite or brown coal or vegetable charcoal
or both in admixture in a prepared state in which it is purified or freed from
inatters which result in the production of ash.
In order to prepare or purify the brown coal or the vegetable char, or the
mixture for use in the manufacture of gunpowder we finely pulverise it, and to the
powdered mass we add water to form thin slude or slurry which we carry through
runs in order to effect the deposition in the runs of the silica or other heavy
impurities in the mass. We then draw off the water until a magma or thick paste
is formed and to it we add about 10 per centum, (more or less) of sulphuric acid,
nitric acid or hydrchloric acid or a vegetable acid such as acetic acid, sulphuric
acid being used by preference, in order to dissolve out of the mass such soluble
matters as form ash, and we allow the acid to act for twelve hours, more or less.
We afterwards add water in quantity sufficient to remove the acid and soluble salts
and if found necessary we again pass the watery mass through runs to deposit any
remaining silicious matters or solid impurities.
The
We then pump the material into filter presses or centrifugal machines and
therein wash it with water to free it entirely from any traces of acid, or we add
water and decant until all traces of acid and soluble salts are removed.
purified brown coal or vegetable char or the mixture of both is then dried or
partially dried and is ready for use in lieu of the charcoal or carbonaceous matter
commonly employed in the manufacture of gunpowder. The prepared material is
employed in or about the proportions hitherto practised with the ordinary carbon-
aceous matters according to the class of powder required and in other respects the
gunpowder is manufactured from the usual ingredients and in the ordinary way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In the manufacture of gunpowder the employment, as the carbonaceous
constituent, of purified lignite or vegetable charcoal or a mixture of both, prepared
substantially in the mauner herein set forth.

page_text: 2. The herein described process of purifying or treating lignite, vegetable
charcoal or mixtures of lignite and vegetable charcoal, to adapt the same for use as
the carbonaceous constituent of gunpowder.
3. In the preparation of lignite, vegetable charcoal or mixtures thereof for use
in the manufacture of gunpowder, the treatment with sulphuric or other acid as
and for the purpose set forth.
DIL:
LL 1
1000
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Agents.