Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives, especially applicable for use in Coal Mines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives, especially
applicable for use in Coal Mines.
I, WILLIAM JAMES ORSMAN of Gathurst, Wigan in the County of Lancaster,
Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the nitrate of ammonia class of explosives, generally
known as those of the Sprengel type, and enables the organic or combustible
body to be more easily produced in such a condition, that when mixed with the
oxidisable compound it forms a safety explosive, bulky in nature and capable of
easy detonation by the ordinary detonators of commerce. For the purposes of
producing the above results, I take finely powdered cellulose or other similar
absorbent organic material, having substantially the same mechanical and
chemical qualities (whether the same be un-nitrated or partially nitrated) and
I impregnate or coat it with some nitrated organic boly, preferably chlorinated
di-nitro-benzol, or I first impregnate the cellulose with some salt of a flame pre-
venting nature, and then coat it with the nitrated organic body, and thus form
the combustible organic compound as a bulky, pulverulent mass.
The organic compound prepared by the above method is then intimately mixed
by stirring or grinding with some oxidising compound, preferably nithate of
ammonia. With a mixture consisting of cellulose or feebly nitrated cellulose
treated with chlorinated di-nitro-benzo! or other nitrated organic body, together
with nitrate of ammonia, a product is obtained which is non-explosive to the
effects of fire and percussion, and can only be exploded by detonation.
Further, on account of the low temperature of detonation this explosive is safe
to use in coal and fiery mines, and on account of its bulky nature possesses great
spreading power.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives, especially
applicable for use in Coal Mines.
I, WILLIAM JAMES ORSMAN of Gathurst, Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Analytical Chemist, 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:-
This invention relates to the nitrate of ammonia class of explosives, generally

page_text: known as those of the Sprengel type, and enables explosives of that type to
be produced more easily than heretofore, and the organic or combustible
body to be produced in such a condition that when mixed with the
oxidising compound it forms a safety explosive, bulky in nature and capable of
easy detonation by the ordinary detonators of commerce. For the purpose of
producing the above results, I take finely powdered cellulose or other similar
absorbent organic material, having substantially the same mechanical and
chemical qualities (whether the same be un-nitrated or partially nitrated) and
I impregnate or coat it with some nitrated organic body, preferably chlorinated
di-nitro-benzol, or I first impregnate the cellulose with some inorganic salt of a flamo
preventing nature, such for instance as sulphate of ammonia, and then coat it with
the nitrated organic body, and thus form the combustible organic compound as a
buy pulverulent mass.
The organic compound prepared by the above method is then intimately mixed
by stirring or grinding with some oxidising compound, preferably nitrate of
ammonia. With a mixture consisting of cellulose or feebly nitrated cellulose
treated with chlorinated di-nitro-benzol or other nitrated organic body, together
with nitrate of ammonia, a product is obtained which is non-explosive to the
effects of fire and percussion, and can only be exploded by detonation.
Further, on account of the low temperature generated upon explosion, this
explosive is safe to use in coal and fiery mines, and on account of its bulky nature
possesses great spreading power when detonated.
In thus describing the nature of my invention it is abvious that a very large
number of compounds can be made in accordance with it, and while not binding
myself to any one receipt, I will now give an example of manufacture according to
the best mode known to me at the present time.
I take finely powdered or precipitated cellulose made from cotton or wood pulp
or other source and after warming and well desiccating the same I add an equal
weight of melted chlorinated di-nitro-benzol, and incorporate the mixture well
together for some hours at a steam heat so that the temperature is above the
melting point of the nitro-compound. This operation is best performed in a
revolving steam jacketted pan or ball-mill. I then cool the mixture. When cold,
this mixture which I call the organic compound exists as a bulky pulverulent
mass, and is non-explosive to the effects of fire or detonation.
To produce an effective explosive I take a certain quantity of the organic com-
pound made as described above, and add to it from three to five times its weight
of finely powdered dry nitrate of ammonia, and stir or grind together till the
mixture is uniform. The operations of mixing, and stirring or grinding, are
performed in the cold state or at a slightly elevated temperature to prevent the
absorption of moisture from the atmosphere. The above proportions can be varied
according to the work required to be done by explosion, and the finished explosive
so produced can be compressed or used in its ordinary more bulky form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
The improvement in the manufacture of explosives consisting of the combina-
tion of (a) absorbent organic material substantially as described (6) a nitrated
organic body capable of being made to impregnate, coat or permeate the same
and (c) an oxidising compound, such as nitrate of ammonia compounded together
substantially as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London, Patent Agents