AN IMPROVED SAPETY BLASTING CARTRIDGE FOR THE USE OF MINERS AND QUARRYMEN
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Alexander Copeland, of Constantine, near
Falmouth, Cornwall, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SAPETY BLASTING
CARTRIDGE FOR THE USE OF MINERS AND QUARRYMEN."
Sealed the 20th January 1857, and dated the 24th July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Alexander Copeland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th July 1856.
I, GEORGE ALEXANDER COPELAND, of Constantine, near Falmouth, Cornwall,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SAFETY
BLASTING CARTRIDGE FOR THE USE OF MINERS AND QUARRYMEN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to cartridges employed for blasting purposes in mines,
quarries, and other situations. The cartridge case is formed of paper or other
materials, such as linen, cotton, canvass, gutta percha, or india-rubber, cut to
such a shape as that when coiled or rolled up it forms a hollow conical or
cylindrical shaped vessel, the bottom end whereof is folded over and securely
closed. This case is filled to within a short distance of the top with gunpowder
or other explosive compound, and the remaining space is filled with horsehair
or other suitable elastic substance. The top of the cartridge is then covered
in by folding the same over as the bottom; a safety fuse is inserted into and
amongst the gunpowder either from the top or the side of the case, and the:
whole is strongly bound round spirally with wire, twine, or tape. over. the top

page_text: along about two-thirds of the length of the case, and is continued straight
down the side to and under the bottom, and securely fastened around the
same. The whole exterior is afterwards varnished or coated with india-rubber;
gutta percha, or any of the well-known materials that resist water.
external wrapper of paper or other material is then fastened around the case
thus formed, and the cartridge is then completed and ready for use.
An
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Alexander Copeland in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
ALEXANDER COPELAND, of Constantine, near Falmouth, Cornwall, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Alexander Copeland, Her special licence that I, the said George
Alexander Copeland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Alexander Copeland, 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 "AN IMPROVED SAFETY BLASTING CARTRIDGE FOR THE USE OF MINERS AND
QUARRYMEN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Alexander Copeland, my executors 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 George Alexander Copeland, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved cartridge; Figure 2, the said
cartridge in course of construction; and Figure 3, the cartridge as it would
appear when finished and ready for use; Figure 4 shows the shape of the
material employed for the case of the cartridge; and Figure 5 shews the case
when ready for filling. At each of the foregoing Figures similar letters of
reference are employed to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts
appear o'r can be seen at each of such said Figures respectively.
-
The cartridge is formed of paper or other materials, such as linen, cotton,
canvass, gutta percha, or india-rubber, cut to the shape exhibited at Figure 4,
so that when coiled or rolled up it forms a hollow conical-shaped case A; or
said case may be formed cylindrical; the bottom b, b, of said case is folded
over and securely closed. This case is filled to within a short distance of the
top thereof with gunpowder or other explosive compound, and the remaining
space at C is filled with horsehair or other suitable elastic substance. The
top D of the cartridge is then covered in by folding the same over similar to
the bottom. A safety fuse E is inserted into and amongst the gunpowder or
other explosive compound, as exhibited at Figure 1, from the outside of the
binding; or it may be inserted from the top of the case A, as shewn by dotted
lines; the whole is then bound around with wire, twine, or tape G, extending
over the top and along about two-thirds of the entire length of the case, and
is continued straight down the side thereof, as at a, a, to and under the bottom
of the case, and is securely fastened round the lower end of the case; the
whole of the exterior is then varnished, coated or covered with a solution of
india-rubber, gutta percha, or any of the well-known materials that resist
water. An external wrapper B, B, of paper or other suitable material, is then
fastened around the case thus formed whilst the coating is plastic, and the
cartridge is then completed and ready for use.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
an improved safety blasting cartridge for the use of mines and quarrymen,
together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into

page_text: practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that what I claim as my
Invention, intended to be secured to me by the above in part recited Letters
Patent, is, the manufacturing of a safety blasting cartridge in the manner and
for the purposes above stated, thereby ensuring uniform combustion of the
charge, and safety to the operative.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Alexander Copeland, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
GEORGE ALEXANDER COPELAND. (L.S.)
Witness,
-ISAAO EADE,..
Constantine, Cornwall.