AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann, of Solingen,
in the Kingdom of Prussia, and temporarily of the Royal Hotel, New
Bridge Street, Blackfriars, in the City of London, Merchant, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND."-A communication
from abroad by Wilhelm Fehleisen and Ernst Fehleisen, both of Cilli,
Styria, in the Austrian Empire.
Sealed the 24th October 1866, and dated the 10th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johann Heinrich August
Bleckmann at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th May 1866.
I, JOHANN HEINRICH AUGUST BLECKMANN, of Solingen, in the Kingdom
of Prussia, and temporarily of the Royal Hotel, New Bridge Street, Black-
friars, in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND," communicated to me
from abroad by Wilhelm Fehleisen and Ernst Fehleisen, both of Cilli, Styria,
in the Austrian Empire, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved explosive compound especially
suitable as a blasting powder and as a guppowder. This improved compo-
sition is composed of the following ingredients:-Sawdust or other particles
of wood or other cellulose substance in a finely reduced or comminuted
condition, saltpetre or nitrate of potassa, charcoal or carbon, and prussiate
or ferrocyanate of potassium. These materials when combined or mixed

page_text: together are made into an agent which will not explode by impact, ramming,
or friction, but only by ignition or the application of fire or very strong heat.
In carrying out the Invention, the following proportions are in some cases
suitable:-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHANN
HEINRICH AUGUST BLECKMANN, of Solingen, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann, Her special licence that I, the said
Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann, 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 EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND," com-
municated to him from abroad by Wilhelm Fehleisen and Ernst Fehleisen,
both of Cilli, Styria, in the Austrian Empire, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Johann Heinrich Angust Bleckmann, 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 per-
formed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann,
'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 :-
This Invention consists of an improved explosive compound, especially
suitable as a blasting powder. This improved composition is composed of the
following ingredients :-Sawdust, or other particles of wood or other cellulose
substance in a finely-reduced or comminuted condition, saltpetre or nitrate of
potassa, and charcoal or carbon, and sometimes ferrocyanate of potassium.
These materials, that is to say, the sawdust or other cellulose substance,
the saltpetre or nitrate of potassa and the charcoal with or without the ferro-
cyanate of, potassium form or constitute when mixed together a compound
or agent which will not explode by impact ramming or friction, but only by
ignition or the application of fire or very strong heat.
Having set forth the nature of the said Invention, I proceed to describe
the best means with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into
effect.
I consider the following proportions, or about the following proportions
of ingredients most suitable for the manufacture of my compound: -
9 parts by weight sawdust,
"
3 to 5
45
"3
"
"
charcoal,
saltpetre;
and when the ferrocyanate is used, 1 part by weight ferrocyanate of potassium.
The sawdust should be of a non-resinous wood or of wood from which the
resin is previously extracted or separated. I first sift the sawdust; I then
take the sawdust which has passed through the sieve and mix it with finely-
powdered charcoal and with powdered saltpetre; the charcoal I prefer to
make from one of the lighter kinds of wood. I moisten the mixture of saw-
dust, charcoal, and saltpetre with water, using about a pint of water to every
cwt. of the mixture; I then crush or press the mass by stamping appa-
ratus or by heavy rollers (such as hollow cylinders weighted with iron balls) or
between millstones, or by other ordinary means, whereby I reduce it to a very
fine condition, and render it so homogeneous that its ingredients cease to be
separately distinguishable even through a magnifying glass. The mixture is
then again moistened with water which may or may not contain ferrocyanate of
potassium in solution; the ferrocyanate is generally omitted except when the
powder is intended to produce sudden explosion; the mixture is then made
into a cake by heavy stampers or pressing apparatus in the same manner as
is done in the manufacture of ordinary powder; this cake is broken to pieces,

page_text: reduced to powder, sifted, granulated, and dried just also as is done in the
manufacture of ordinary blasting powder; the remaining loose or extraneous
particles of dust are separated from the grains of powder by sifting. The
grain may be polished if desired like ordinary blasting powder, but this is not
necessary.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim the improved
explosive compound or composition herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johann Heinrich August Bleckmann,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JOHANN HEINRICH AUGUST BLECKMANN. (L.S.)
FRIEDRICH WILHELM PALTZOW.