Improvement in the Process for the Manufacture of Fuse Cord for Transmitting Ignition without Flame or Visible Fire.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Process for the Manufacture of Fuse Cord for
Transmitting Ignition without Flame or Visible Fire.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
W.C., Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent (a communication from the Westfalisch-
Anhaltische Sprengstoff-Actien, Gesselschaft, of Wittenberg, Prussia, in the German
Empire), 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:-
Fuse cords which are designed to transmit ignition without flame or visible fire
are already known in which the fuse threads are impregnated with an oil with which
there are mixed salts having a high percentage of water of crystallisation, or even
other compounds which have for object to effect a moderation of the flame or to
completely prevent the generation of flame. The present invention now relates to
improvements in the process for the manufacture of fuse cords of this kind.
It has been found advantageous in the case of such fuse cords not to employ the
usual fibrous substances such as cotton, jute and the like, but to mix them either
with nitro-cellulose or to employ nitro-cellulose by itself. It is also advantageous to
add to the aforesaid oil (which is employed for impregnating) compounds which have
the effect of producing the most rapid possible thickening (or drying) of the same.
Such compounds are hydrated protoxide of manganese, borate of manganese, also
mixtures of manganese salts and bases from which hydrated protoxide of manganese
is produced, such as for example sulphate of protoxide of manganese, and hydrate of
lime, and also compounds from which borate of manganese can be produced, such as
for example, sulphate of protoxide of manganese and borax. In general all those
compounds can be employed which act with a drying (or siccative) effect. Therefore
there may also be employed red lead or other compounds of lead, borax and the like.
Instead of employing the above mentioned salts having a high percentage of water
of crystallisation there may be employed with advantage either alone or with the
aforesaid salts, salts which give off oxygen with the object of producing a regulation
of the ignition so as to render the latter intense. Chromates, manganates, per-
manganates, and chlorates have been found to be advantageous additions of this kind.
It is also advisible to add glue and also albuminous or albuminoid substances to the
aforesaid ingredients of the fuse cord, namely either by employing glue and
albuminous substances together or separately and adding the said substances either
in the solid state or in solution.
The nature of the albuminous substances and the form in which they are employed,
is immaterial for the purposes of this invention. The object of these additions is to
completely obviate the generation of flame or fire on ignition or during combustion of
the fuse cord; this being effected by reason of the fact that the said substances burn
with great difficulty and are decomposed with carbonisation without flame or fire.
In order to effect a complete security of ignition in addition to the water-proof quality
of the fuse cord, it is of advantage to employ chrome-glue and to expose the finished
mass of the fuse cord to the light, whereby the chrome-glue is rendered impervious
to water so that the access of moisture to the fuse cord is prevented. It has further
"

page_text: such as for example, chrome-glue (in the latter case with exposure of the impreg-
nated thread to light) either alone or in admixture, in the solid or in the dissolved
state.
5. In the manufacture of fuse cord with impregnation with oils, or with the
admixture of salts containing water of crystallisation, the addition of diazo compounds,
particularly para- or meta-diazo-benzolsulpho acids or the alkaline salts of the same, or
the dibrom-diazo-phenols.
6. The impregnating of the nitro cellulose employed as the fibrous material
according to Claim 1 (in addition to impregnation with oil and the substances
employed for rapidly drying the same according to Claim 2, further in addition to
the salts according to Claim 3, or to the glue and albuminous substances according to
Claim 4, or to the diazo compounds according to Claim 5,) with lacs, varnishes,
polishes and solutions of these substances which after the evaporation of the solvent or
after the cooling of the molten substance employed, are adapted to regulate as desired
the temperature of the combustion, and also the duration of the combustion, to
prevent the absorption of moisture by the fuse thread, or by the so-called core, and to
keep the same rigid and stiff.
D
11
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.