A NEW OR IMPROVED SAFETY EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND OR COMPOUNDS TO BE USED FOR BLASTING AND D Tan
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy Albert Blake, of Highbury, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
SAFETY EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND OR COMPOUNDS TO BE USED FOR BLASTING AND
D
Tan"
Sealed the 25th January 1870, and dated the 21st August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy Albert Blake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st August 1869.
I, PERCY ALBERT BLAKE, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED SAFETY EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND OR COMPOUNDS TO BE USED
FOR BLASTING AND OTHER PURPOSES, TOGETHER WITH MEANS CONNECTED WITH ITS
USE," to be as follows:
My Invention relates to a new or improved safety explosive compound
or compounds applicable for blasting in mining operations, for charging
shells, torpedoes, and for other similar purposes, and for use in small
arms and ordnance. The compound (which is rendered explosive by
the aid of a suitable detonating powder or other fulminate) consists of

page_text: sulphur and chlorate of potash preferably in the proportions of about
two parts of the former to five of the latter. The above ingredients may
be kept separate if desired in a dry and powdered state, and mixed
by passing them together through a sieve in the above proportions when
required for use. This compound has been long known to detonate
when struck with a hammer, but was practically useless as an explosive
agent, inasmuch as the explosion or detonation was confined to the
portion actually struck, the remainder being dispersed, while it merely
burnt slowly when ignited by the ordinary fuses.
My Invention consists in rendering the above mixture capable of
being exploded by the use of a detonating tube arranged as herein-
after described, or when the compound is used in small arms and
ordnance a percussion cap may be employed. The detonating tube
which I employ for blasting and other similar operations is made
of metal and open at either end. At one end of this tube a portion
of the compound is introduced and well pressed, in and upon this
some fulminating mercury or other powerful detonating substance is
placed, the remainder of the tube being filled up with ordinary meal
gunpowder. If required a small quantity of fulminating silver may
also be added to the mercury if the latter is not sufficiently powerful.
In some cases I make one end of the tube larger than the other, the
compound being placed at the larger end. The end of the tube con-
taining the compound is to be brought in contact with a quantity
of the same compound previously placed in the cavity or chamber
in which the explosion is to take place. The gunpowder contained
at the other end of the tube is then ignited by means of a fuse or
by any other suitable means according to the purpose required. The
compound may also be exploded by the detonating tubes and caps now
in use in mining operations. The above compound, which has hitherto
been practically useless as an explosive agent as before mentioned, may
thus be readily exploded and so rendered serviceable for the purposes
referred to. If it is required to check the sudden explosion of the
compound as, for example, when applying it for use in fire-arms and
ordnance, a mixture consisting of sulphur and nitre in their combining
proportions may be added to the compound so as to retard its com-
bustion, care being at same time taken not to weaken the compound
so much as to deprive it of its explosive properties. For storing
purposes the whole of the sulphur in the two compounds would be mixed

page_text: together, as also the potash and nitre, the one mixture being kept
separate from the other and the two combined by passing them together
through a sieve when required for use. If required the compound may
be made up into cartridges in any suitable manner. In all cases care
must be taken to remove all acidity from the sulphur employed by
previously steeping it in an alkaline solution.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Percy Albert Blake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PERCY
ALBERT BLAKE, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Percy Albert Blake, Her special licence
that I, the said Percy Albert Blake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Percy Albert Blake, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
SAFETY EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND OR COMPOUNDS TO BE USED FOR BLASTING AND OTHER
PURPOSES, TOGETHER WITH MEANS CONNECTED WITH ITS USE," upon the con-.
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Percy Albert Blake, my exe-.
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,. or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Percy Albert Blake, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to a new or improved safety explosive com-
pound or compounds applicable for blasting in mining operations, for
charging. shells, torpedoes, and for other similar purposes, and for use
in small arms and ordnance. The compound (which is rendered explosive
by the aid of a suitable detonating powder or other fulminate) consists
of sulphur and chlorate of potash in the proportions of about two parts
of the former to five of the latter. The above ingredients may be kept
separate if desired in a dry and powdered state, and mixed by passing
them together through a sieve in the above proportions when required
for use.
This compound has been long known to detonate when struck
with a hammer, but was practically useless as an explosive agent,
inasmuch as the explosion or detonation was confined to the portion
actually struck, the remainder being dispersed, while it merely burnt
slowly when ignited by the ordinary fuses.
My Invention consists in rendering the above mixture capable of
being exploded by the use of a detonating tube as herein-after described,
or when the compound is used in small arms and ordnance a percussion
cap may be employed for exploding it in lieu of the detonating tube.
The detonating tube or fuse which I employ for blasting and other
similar operations is made of metal and open at either end. At one end
of this tube a portion of the compound is introduced and well pressed
in, and upon this some fulminating mercury or other powerful deto-
nating substance is placed, the remainder of the tube being filled up
with ordinary meal gunpowder. If required a small quantity of
fulminating silver may also be added to the mercury if the latter is
not sufficiently powerful. In some cases I make one end of the tube
larger than the other, the compound being placed at the larger end.
The end of the tube containing the compound is to be brought in con-
tact with a quantity of the same compound previously placed in the
cavity or chamber in which the explosion is to take place. The gun-
powder contained at the other end of the tube is then ignited for the
purpose of exploding the compound by means of a fuse or by any other
suitable means according to the purpose required. The compound may
also be exploded by the detonating tubes and caps now in use in mining
operations. The above compound which has hitherto been practically
useless as an explosive agent as before-mentioned, may thus be readily

page_text: exploded, and so rendered serviceable for the purposes referred to. If
it is desired to check the sudden explosion of the compound, as, for
example, when applying it for use in fire-arms and ordnance, a mixture
consisting of about 24 parts of sulphur and 51 parts of nitre is added
to the compound so as to retard its combustion, care being at same time
taken not to weaken the compound so much as to deprive it of its
explosive properties. For storing purposes the whole of the sulphur
in the two compounds would be mixed together, as also the potash and
nitre, the one mixture being kept separate from the other, and the
two combined by passing them together through a sieve when required
for use. If required the compound may be made up into cartridges
in any suitable manner. In all cases care must be taken to remove all
acidity from the sulphur employed by previously steeping it in an
alkaline solution.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
I claim the application as a new or improved safety explosive
compound of a mixture of sulphur and chlorate of potash as herein-
before described.
I also claim a safety explosive compound composed of sulphur, nitre,
and chlorate of potash, as herein-before specified.
I also claim the detonating tube or fuse herein-before described for
exploding the said compound or compounds.
In witness whereof, I, the said Percy Albert Blake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.