IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUNDS
Year: 1879

page_text: EXPLOSIVE
LETTERS PATENT to Hermann Joseph Dernen, of Opladen, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMPOUNDS."
Sealed the 2nd March 1880, and dated the 17th October 1879.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hermann Joseph Dernen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1879.
HERMANN JOSEPH DERNEN, of Opladen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Gentleman..
IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS."
This Invention relates to the preparation and use of a strong explosive base for
the purpose of absorbing explosive liquids such as nitroglycerine, the nitrates of
methyle, ethyle, and other analagous substances. The explosive base in itself is
composed of a mixture of inorganic oxydising agents, such as the chlorates and
nitrates of the alkaline metals and of the alkaline earths, as for example potassium,
sodium, ammonium, or barium, and of organic sulphur compounds, especially
of the group known to chemists as organo-sulphites. Suitable proportions of
some of the inorganic oxidising agents and of some of the group of organo-
sulphites are reduced to a fine state of subdivision, and being intimately mixed
together by any suitable means, avoiding undue friction, form a strong explosive
mixture or base capable of absorbing and retaining the above named explosive
liquids. By combining the dry explosive base with one of the explosive liquids
referred to an explosive having an enormous irruptive power is obtained.
Some of the charateristics of the explosive are (1), it is in a high degree free from
danger either in its transport from one place to another, or in storing the same, or
in use; (2), it contains no inert inexplosive substance such as kieselguhr; (3), when
confined and ignited by an ordinary fuse, or when unconfined and fired by means
of a detonating cap its irruptive force is at once developed; (4), it is less sensitive
to damp than kieselguhr dynamite, and explodes in water with undiminished
effect; (5), when exploded it affords scarcely any noxious fumes; (6), if nitro-
glycerine associated with the explosive base should become frozen it is not necessary
to incur the danger incident to thawing the cartridges, as in kieselguhr dynamite,
since the heat generated by the firing of the explosive base is sufficient to effect the
perfect combustion of the nitroglycerine or of a similar liquid explosive; (7), it can
be manufactured at at cost not much exceeding that of kieselguhr dynamite, while
its explosive power greatly exceeds that of kieselguhr dynamite, gun-cotton, or any
explosive hitherto in practical use.
Out of the large group of substances constituting in themselves organic sulphur
compounds I prefer to employ the sulphonic salts of that family which may be

page_text: represented by the general symbol R (SO 3 M) x, in which R stands for the organic
radical. M for any metal or material similar to a metal, and x for the number of
times the group SO 3 M has entered into combination with the radical R. The
value of x is generally 1 or 2. All of the combinations forming the salts of
sulphonic acids would be suitable for my purpose, but those which I have employed
are,―
=
=
=
C 10 H 7 SO 3 K.
C 6 H 5 (SO 3 NH 4), et cetera; and
C 6 H 4 (HO) (SO 3 K), et cetera.
1st. Ammonic napthyl sulphonate = C 10 H 7 SO 3 NH 4, in which C 10 H 7
constitutes the organic radical. NH 4 the material similar to a metal (ammonia + H).
2nd. Sodic napthyl sulphonate = C 10 H 7 SO 3 Na.
3rd. Potassic napthyl sulphonate
4th. Ammonic phenyl sulphonate
5th. Potassic phenol sulphonate
The substances I have here given as examples of the combinations suitable for
my purpose have been variously named by different chemists; for example, Nos. 1,
2, and 3 have been named napthyl sulphites, naptho-sulphites, and sulpho-
napthalites; No. 4, phenyl sulphites and sulpho benzolates; and No. 5, sulpho-
phenate, et cetera, but these particular substances, however named, have the above
formulae, and come within the family of substances represented by the general
symbol R (SO 3 M) a.
As inorganic oxidizing agents I employ chlorate of potash (K CIO 3), nitrate of
potash (K NO 3), or analagous substances.
To modify the explosive power of the base, and to diminish or increase its capacity
for absorbing a liquid explosive, I introduce into my dry explosive mixture a certain
proportion of other dry organic substances, such as sawdust, sugar, charcoal, coal,
colophonium, or analagous substances, but only in such quantities that the explosive
character of the base may be maintained, and the proportion I have found cannot
exceed 9 to 11 per cent. the weight of the explosive base. It is evident that a great
number of combinations of the various substances included in the inorganic oxidizing
agents and organic sulphur compounds may be made so as to form my improved
explosives, but I prefer to employ such inorganic oxidizing agents and organic
sulphur compounds as are easily and cheaply obtainable, mixing them together in
such proportions that the combustion and recombination of the various elements
may be as perfect and rapid as possible, and the resulting noxious fumes reduced
to the smallest amount. Two examples of such combinations of inorganic oxidizing
agents and organic sulphur compounds mixed with some proportion of dry sawdust
as have been found efficient and satisfactory, and which may serve as a type of a
highly safe and strong explosive are as follows:-
C10 TI Ị SÁ NITA

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hermann Joseph Dernen, of Opladen, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUNDS."
led the 2nd March 1880, and dated the 17th October 1879.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hermann Joseph Dernen
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1879.
HERMANN JOSEPH DERNEN, of Opladen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Gentleman.
IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS.".
This Invention relates to the preparation and use of a strong explosive base for
the purpose of absorbing explosive liquids such as nitroglycerine, the nitrates of
methyle, ethyle, and other analagous substances. The explosive base in itself is
composed of a mixture of inorganic oxydising agents, such as the chlorates and
nitrates of the alkaline metals and of the alkaline earths, as for example potassium,
sodium, ammonium, or barium, and of organic sulphur compounds, especially
of the group known to chemists as organo-sulphites. Suitable proportions of
some of the inorganic oxidising agents and of some of the group of organo-
sulphites are reduced to a fine state of subdivision, and being intimately mixed
together by any suitable means, avoiding undue friction, form a strong explosive
mixture or base capable of absorbing and retaining the above named explosive
liquids. By combining the dry explosive base with one of the explosive liquids
referred to an explosive having an enormous irruptive power is obtained.
Some of the charateristics of the explosive are (1), it is in a high degree free from
danger either in its transport from one place to another, or in storing the same, or
in use; (2), it contains no inert inexplosive substance such as kieselguhr; (3), when
confined and ignited by an ordinary fuse, or when unconfined and fired by means
of a detonating cap its irruptive force is at once developed; (4), it is less sensitive
to damp than kieselguhr dynamite, and explodes in water with undiminished
effect; (5), when exploded it affords scarcely any noxious fumes; (6), if nitro-
glycerine associated with the explosive base should become frozen it is not necessary
to incur the danger incident to thawing the cartridges, as in kieselguhr dynamite,
since the heat generated by the firing of the explosive base is sufficient to effect the
perfect combustion of the nitroglycerine or of a similar liquid explosive; (7), it can
be manufactured at at cost not much exceeding that of kieselguhr dynamite, while
its explosive power greatly exceeds that of kieselguhr dynamite, gun-cotton, or any
explosive hitherto in practical use.
Out of the large group of substances constituting in themselves organic sulphur
compounds I prefer to employ the sulphonic salts of that family which may be

page_text: represented by the general symbol R (SO 3 M) x, in which R stands for the organic
radical. M for any metal or material similar to a metal, and x for the number of
times the group SO 3 M has entered into combination with the radical R. The
value of x is generally 1 or 2. All of the combinations forming the salts of
sulphonic acids would be suitable for my purpose, but those which I have employed
are,-
1st. Ammonic napthyl sulphonate
C 10 H 7 SO 3 NH 4, in which C 10 H 7
constitutes the organic radical. NH 4 the material similar to a metal (ammonia + H).
2nd. Sodic napthyl sulphonate C 10 H 7 SO 3 Na.
=
3rd. Potassic napthyl sulphonate = C 10 H 7 SO 3 K.
4th. Ammonic phenyl sulphonate C 6 H 5 (SO 3 NH 4), et cetera; and
5th. Potassic phenol sulphonate C 6 H 4 (HO) (SO 3 K), et cetera.
=
The substances I have here given as examples of the combinations suitable for
my purpose have been variously named by different chemists; for example, Nos. 1,
2, and 3 have been named napthyl sulphites, naptho-sulphites, and sulpho-
napthalites; No. 4, phenyl sulphites and sulpho benzolates; and No. 5, sulpho-
phenate, et cetera, but these particular substances, however named, have the above
formulae, and come within the family of substances represented by the general
symbol R (SO 3 M) a.
As inorganic oxidizing agents I employ chlorate of potash (K. CIO 3), nitrate of
potash (K NO 3), or analagous substances.
To modify the explosive power of the base, and to diminish or increase its capacity
for absorbing a liquid explosive, I introduce into my dry explosive mixture a certain
proportion of other dry organic substances, such as sawdust, sugar, charcoal, coal,
colophonium, or analagous substances, but only in such quantities that the explosive
character of the base may be maintained, and the proportion I have found cannot
exceed 9 to 11 per cent. the weight of the explosive base. It is evident that a great
number of combinations of the various substances included in the inorganic oxidizing
agents and organic sulphur compounds may be made so as to form my improved
explosives, but I prefer to employ such inorganic oxidizing agents and organic
sulphur compounds as are easily and cheaply obtainable, mixing them together in
such proportions that the combustion and recombination of the various elements
may be as perfect and rapid as possible, and the resulting noxious fumes reduced
to the smallest amount. Two examples of such combinations of inorganic oxidizing
agents and organic sulphur compounds mixed with some proportion of dry sawdust
as have been found efficient and satisfactory, and which may serve as a type of a
highly safe and strong explosive are as follows:-