IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Year: 1882

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& C° Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
Communicated to him from abroad by Francis Joseph Petry of Vienna,
Austria
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of tho firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS.' [A communication to him from abroad by Francis
Joseph Petry of Vienna, Austria]
According to the present invention I prepare paper which can be used as an
explosive for blasting or other purposes in the following manner, that is to say.
Fire is made in a hearth like an ordinary kitchen hearth and an iron pot, glazed
on the inside, and filled with fifteen hundred grammes of water is placed thereon,
and seventeen grammes of yellow prussiate of potash are added thereto which
readily dissolves therein. When the water boils, seventeen grammes of finely
pulverized charcoal are added and the mixture is stirred with a stick until the
charcoal is thoroughly inixed with the liquid. As soon as this is the case it is
sufficient to keep the mixture hot without boiling. When the mixture has ceased
to boil up, there are added thirty five grammes of nitrate of potash and then seventy
grammes of chlorate of potash; finally as binding material, ten grainines of wheat-
starch dissolved in fifty grammes of water are added, and the mixture has then
the consistency of a very thin paste and is ready for further treatment.
Before the further treatment or operations are comienced a basin of cold water
containing a coarse linen cloth is arranged near a board or stone slab and then the
explosive or blasting paper is manufactured in the following manner.
A sheet of unsized paper or blotting paper is laid flat on the cold slab or board,
and is coated evenly with the above described composition by means of a brush.

page_text: The brush must be previously well washed and be of good quality so as to certainly
not lose any bristles during its use. The mixture must be kept hot and well stirred
during the whole proceedings. As soon as the paper is coated evenly on one side
it is laid carefully with its non-coated side on a hot iron or stone plate which has
been previously washed with cold water or otherwise cooled if too hot. The paper
is taken off as soon as the moisture has evaporated and it has become dry. The
paper is then repeatedly recoated with the composition until it is provided with
three coatings on each side. Finally it is allowed to dry thoroughly. If portions
of the coating should happen to stick to the hot plate they are to be washed off.
If the board or plate on which the coating of the paper takes place becomes wet or
dirty it has to be wiped clean with a dry cloth. If the paper when laid on the hot
plate begins to glow, it is a sign that the plate is too hot and it must then be cooled,
and the glowing of the paper is to be extinguished by means of the wet cloth
kept ready for use. It is however easy to keep the plate at such a temperature as
to prevent any ignition of the paper.
The paper prepared in the above described manner is finally pressed between
hard smooth wooden rollers in order to increase its density and is then cut into
thin strips which can without danger be rolled into the form of cartridges and be
afterwards used as desired.
The ignition takes place by means of percussion caps or in other suitable
manner.
This paper does not deteriorate when kept in store, is not affected by atmospheric
changes, and if kept in a dry place cannot decompose or become unfit for use and
is certainly not subject to spontaneous or self combustion.
It is evident that without departing from the substance of this invention the
manufacture of the said paper may take place on a larger scale by the aid of
machinery. In such a case the paper would be preferably used in a continuous
form instead of in single sheets.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th December 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS A communication to me from abroad by Francis Joseph
Petry, of Vienna, Austria,
According to the present invention I manufacture in the following manner, paper
which can be used as an explosive for blasting or other purposes, that is to say;-
I make a fire on a hearth similar to an ordinary kitchen hearth and place thereon
an iron pot, glazed on the inside and containing fifteen hundred grammes of water;
seventeen gramines of yellow prussiate of potash are then added thereto which
readily dissolve therein. When the water boils, seventeen grammes of finely
pulverized charcoal are added, and the mixture is stirred until the charcoal is
thoroughly mixed with the liquid; As soon as this is the case it is sufficient to
keep the mixture hot without boiling, when the mixture has ceased to boil, thirty
five grammes of nitrate of potash, and then seventy grammes of chlorate of potash,
are added, and finally ten grammes of wheat-starch dissolved in fifty grainmes of
water are added as binding material; the mixture has then the consistency of a
very thin paste and is ready for further treatment. Before the further treatment
or operations are commenced, a basin, containing cold water and a coarse linen cloth,
is placed near a board or stone slab, and then the explosive or blasting paper is
prepared in the following manner, that is to say-A sheet of unsized paper or
blotting paper is laid flat on the cold slab or board, and is coated evenly with
the above described composition by means of a brush. The brush must bo
previously well washed and be of good quality in order not to lose any bristles
during its use. The mixture must be kept hot and well stirred during the whole
proceedings. As soon as the paper is coated evenly on one side, it is laid carefully
with its non-coated side on a hot iron or stone plate which has been previously washed
with cold water or otherwise cooled if too hot. As soon as the moisture has evaporated
and the paper has become dry, it is taken off the hot plate and repeatedly re-coated
with the composition until it is provided with three coatings on each side; finally
it is allowed to dry thoroughly. If portions of the coating should stick to the hot
plate they are to be washed off. If the board or plate on which the coating of the
paper takes place becomes wet or dirty it must be wiped clean with a dry cloth. If the
paper, when lying on the hot plate, begins to glow it is a sign that the plate is
too hot, the plate must then be cooled and the glowing of the paper be extinguished
by means of a wet cloth kept ready for use. It is however easy to keep the plate
at such a temperature as to prevent any ignition of the paper. This paper which
I term "dynamogen" paper prepared in the above described manner is finally
pressed between hard, smooth wooden rollers in order to increase its density, and
is then cut into thin strips which can, without danger, be rolled into the form of
cartridges and be afterwards used as desired
The ignition takes place by means of percussion caps, or in other suitablo
manner
This dynamogen paper does not deteriorate when kept in store, is not affected
by atmospheric changes, and if kept in a dry place cannot decompose or become
unfit for use, and is not subject to spontaneous or self combustion
It is evident that, without departing from the nature of this invention, the
manufacture of the said dynamogen paper may take place on a larger scale by the

page_text: aid of machinery. In such case the paper would be preferably used in a continuous
form instead of in single sheets
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by
my Foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim :-
The explosive material consisting of paper coated with a mixture composed
substantially as described
In Witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Nineteenth day of December in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.