Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Gunpowder or like Explosives.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Gunpowder or
like Explosives.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by the Dynamite Actiengesellschaft Nobel
of Vienna in the Empire of Austria) to be as follows:-
Hitherto in the manufacture of smokeless gunpowder and the like nitro-starch
has been employed with the addition of nitro-benzol but this is objectionable mainly
on account of its volatility which causes the explosive or gun-powder of this
description when stored not only to alter in projective capacity, but also to suffer
from a considerable increase of gas pressure.
According to this invention there is employed for producing smokeless explosive
or gunpowder nitro-starch, or nitro-dextrine, with the addition of non-volatile
matter (in place of the nitro-benzol) such as di- or tri-nitro-benzol, di- or tri-nitro-
toluol, di- or tri-nitro-xylol and mono-di- or tri-nitro-naphthalene.
The following is a suitable way of manufacturing this powder or explosive 1 to
30 parts by weight of either of the above mentioned nitro-derivatives of benzol,
toluol, xylol, or naphthalene is or are intimately mixed in any suitable mill or mixer
with 99 to 70 parts of nitro-starch or nitro-dextrine, moistened with water, after
which the mixture is pressed into cakes at a pressure of from 1000 kg. to 2000 kg.
per square centimetre. The cakes are then broken and granulated and rounded,
sorted, blackleaded, or polished and dried, which may be done in the ordinary
manner.
By increasing or decreasing the quantity of the aforesaid bodies added to the
nitro-starch or nitro-dextrine the desired degree of projective force can be
obtained without danger of the powder deteriorating in the manner hereinbefore
mentioned.
Further the pressure employed imparts a density to the grains which gives the
lowest possible pressure of gas on ignition.
By observing the proper proportions and pressure a perfectly smokeless powder
can be obtained.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Gunpowder or
like Explosives.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by the Dynamite Actiengesellschaft Nobel
of Vienna in the Empire of Austria) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Hitherto in the manufacture of smokeless gunpowder and the like nitro-starch
has been employed with the addition of nitro-benzene but this is objectionable
mainly on account of its volatility which causes the explosive or gunpowder of this
description when stored for a considerable time to become modified with regard
to its propelling power and also to acquire a considerable increase of gas pressure.
[Price 4d1

page_text: According to this invention there is employed for producing a smokeless explosive
or gunpowder nitro-starch, or nitro-dextrine, with the addition of non volatile inatter
namely di- or tri-nitro-benzene in place of the nitro-benzene.
The following is a suitable way of manufacturing this powder or explosive-1 to
30 parts by weight of either of the above mentioned nitro-derivatives of benzene
is or are intimately mixed in any suitable mill or mixer, such as a revolving drum
or a mill with spheres, with 99 to 70 parts of nitro-starch or nitro-dextrine slightly
moistened with water, after which the mixture is pressed into cakes at a pressure
of from 1000 kg. to 2000 kg. per square centimetre (or from about 6 to 12 tons per
square inch). The cakes are then broken and granulated in a suitable granulating
machine and rounded, sorted, black-leaded or polished and dried, which may be
done in the ordinary manner.
By increasing or decreasing the quantity of the aforesaid nitro-bodies added to
the nitro-starch or nitro-dextrine the desired degree of propelling power can be
obtained without danger of the action of the powder becoming modified in the
manner hereinbefore mentioned and acquiring greater gas pressure as is the
case after prolonged storage when volatile materials such as nitro-benzene are
employed.
Moreover by regulating the amount of pressure employed in the pressing
operation it becomes possible to impart to the grains that degree of density
which is necessary in order to ensure the lowest possible pressure of gas on
combustion.
By these means namely by regulating the proportions of the ingredients and
adjusting the amount of pressure applied to the product a perfectly smokeless
powder can be obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of a smokeless gunpowder or explosive by mixing nitro-
starch or nitro-dextrine with di- or tri-nitro-benzene as hereinbefore described.
2. The manufacture of a smokeless gun-powder or explosive composed of nitro-
starch, or nitro-dextrine with the addition of the non-volatile di- or tri-nitro-
benzene the said ingredients being intimately mixed, pressed, broken, and granulated
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. As a new product of manufacture the sinokeless explosive obtained as herein-
before described.
This 10tl 1....
בד י
1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.