Year: 1898

page_text: I, ERNEST AUGUSTH GEORGE STREET, of 60, Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows
-
During my researches in chlorate powders I discovered that sulphur was soluble
in oils.
When heated to about 140°, the solubility varies from 7 to 12% according to the
oil employed.
On cooling, part of the sulphur crystallises and the proportion decreases
to 4 or 5%.
If the temperature to which the oil is heated is raised beyond 150° C. and
maintained at about 180° the oil gradually becomes dark and thickens, and the
Bulphur enters into a chemical combination with it.
The reaction may be followed by taking from time to time a drop of the oil and
placing it on a saucer When the drop cools and remains transparent without
depositing any sulphur, the reaction is complete. Then the sulphurated oil must be
simply left to cool, and during this cooling the sulphur does not crystallize. The
sulphur and the oil are then chemically combined, and the liquid is ready for use,
orthor hot or cold.
The most suitable oil for this operation is linseed oil, but any other vegetable or
animal oil can be used.
The sulphonated linseed oil ceases to have siccative properties and can be
preserved for several months in contact with air without apparently undergoing any
alteration or depositing sulphur, and it is this oil that is generally used in all these
experiments.
Sulphurated oil dissolves nitio- or azo-derivatives with the same ease and in the
aaine conditions as non-sulphurated oil.
The solution heated to 100° does not undergo any alteration (.e. the nitro-
derivatives do not react on the sulphur-compounds of oil) and gives stronger
powders than the corresponding powders prepared with the non-sulphurated oil.
The following are two compositions of these powders given by way of
example —
-

page_text: It was previously stated that sulphur was soluble in cold oil to the extent
of 4 to 5%. These oil-solutions prepared cold can also be used hot or cold when it
it is desired to reduce the proportion of sulphur.
When on the contrary the proportion of sulphur in the oil solutions must be
inoreased, I take oil solutions as described, prepared either hot or cold, and add to
them various sulphur compounds, such as sulphurated ethers, sulphide of allyl,
sulphide of amyl These sulphides introduce with them a certain quantity of
sulphur and as they are, moreover, excellent solvents for sulphur, their presence
enables an additional quantity of the latter to be dissolved.
For example I may emplo

page_text: When oil is replaced by a fatty acid, I may combine the fatty acid with ammonia.
I obtain thus a new series of chlorated powders, the ignition temperature of which
is lower than that of the chlorated powders hitherto described, and which
consequently may be used in mines containing firedamp.
In order to obtain these powders I proceed as follows:-
I dissolve sulphur in a fatty acid, say oleic acid, and then saturate it with liquid
or gaseous ammonia. The liquid product thus obtained is then mixed with
alkaline chlorate or perchlorate I may, for the same reasons as before, add starch
or cellulose.
Instead of proceeding as described, I may first produco hydrosulphate of ammonia
and combine it afterwarde with aloin poid
In case of fatty acids being used I may completely dispense with sulphur and
manufacture explosives simply by saturating the fatty acid with gaseous or liquid
ammonia. The fatty acid thus saturated is then mixed with the chlorate either
alone or with the addition of starch or cellulose.
Ammonia oleate also dissolves, in certain proportions, nitro- or azo derivatives
and therefore it can play the same part as regards nitro or azo-derivates as animal
or vegetable oils.
When the nitro derivative used is pioric acid, there is no need to add it in the
shape of picric acid which decomposes the ammonia soap and gives free acid and
ammonia picrate It is preferable to add it directly in the shape of ammonia picrate.
For example:-

page_text: On cooling, part of the sulphur crystallises and the proportion decreases to
4 or 5%.
If the temperature to which the oil is heated is raised beyond 150° C. and main-
tained at about 180°, the oil gradually becomes dark and thickens, and the sulphur
enters into a chemical combination with it.
The reaction may be followed by taking from time to time a drop of the oil and
placing it on a saucer. When the drop cools and remains transparent without
depositing any sulphur, the reaction is complete Then the sulphurated oil must
be simply left to cool, and during this cooling the sulphur does not crystallize.
The sulphur and the oil are then chemically combined, and the liquid is ready for
use, either hot or cold.
The most suitable oil for this operation is linseed oil, but any other vegetable or
animal oil can be used.
The sulphurated linseed oil ceases to have siccative properties, and can be
preserved for several months in contact with air without apparently undergoing any
alteration or depositing sulphur, and it is this oil that I generally use, in all my
experiments.
Sulphurated oil dissolves nitro- or azo-derivatives with the same ease and in the
same conditions as non-sulphurated oil
The solution heated to 100° does not undergo any alteration (ie., the nitro-
derivatives do not react on the sulphur-compounds of oil) and gives stronger powders
than the corresponding powders prepared with a non-sulphurated oil
The following are two compositions of these powders given by way of example
Chlorate of potash
Nitro naphthaline
Sulphurated linseed oil
2.
4 kg.
600 grammes
400
"
Chlorate of potash
Nitronaphthaline
Picric acid
Sulphurated linseed oil
"
4 kg
600 grammes
-
100
"
300
"J
It was previously stated that sulphur was soluble in cold oil to the extent of
4 to 5%. These oil solutions prepared cold can also be used hot or cold when it 18
desired to reduce the proportion of sulphur
When on the contrary the proportion of sulphur in the oil solutions must be
increased, I take oil solutions as described, prepared either hot or cold and add to
them various sulphur compounds, such as, sulphurated ethers, sulphide of allyl,
sulphide of amyl. These sulphides introduce with them, a certain quantity of
sulphur and as they are, moreover, excellent solvents for sulphur, their presence
enables an additional quantity of the latter to be dissolved.
For example, I may employ:
Chlorate of potash
Oil solution of sulphur
Sulphide of allyl
Cellulose starch
-
-
8,000 grammes
800
"
-
200
"
-
1,000
33
In the formulae given above the sulphurated linseed oil may be replaced by the
new oil solutions already mentioned
I have also found that mineral fats or oils such as vaseline, paraffin, hydrocarbons,
etc. also have the property of dissolving a certain quantity of sulphur. These
solutions also give very good powders when mixed with alkaline Chlorates and
perchlorates.

page_text: In this case, in order to increase the consistency of the product, I may add starch,
cellulose or other similar product.
The following may be given as an example.—
Chlorate of potash
-
Solution of sulphur in vaseline
Starch or cellulose
8,000 grammes
-
1,000
"
-
1,000
"
These mixtures are dissolved in
Sulphur is also soluble in nitric ethers and more particularly in nitrate of amyl,
as well as in nitrobenzene and nitronaphthaline
oil, and this oil solution mixed with the chlorate.
I may mix these sulphurated solutions with chlorates without oil, in which case
explosives would be obtained which, however, have the drawback of being difficult
to handle
For example, I may use:
Chlorate of potash
-
Solution of sulphur in nitrobenzene
Solution of sulphur in nitronaphthaline
800 grammes
-
100
"
100
"
Sulphurated oil, referred to above, enables in certain cases the nitro- or azo-
derivative to be dispensed with. In fact when mixed with alkalina chlorate or
perchlorate, it produces an excellent powder, of low sensitiveness, slower than in
the case of the addition of a nitro oi azo-derivative, and having the drawback of
being a little soft In order to obviate this diawback, I may replace part of the
sulphurated oil by resinous substances, starch, cellulose in the shape of powder, or
any other similar body.
The following composition may serve as an example.
EXAMPLE
Chlorate of potash
Sulphurated oleic acid 01 %
Starch or cellulose
-
-
-
-
800 grammes
-
100
"
->
100
"3
When oil 18 replaced by a fatty acid, I may combine the fatty acid with ammonia.
I obtain thus a new series of chlorated powders, the ignition temperature of which
18 lower than that of the chlorated powders hitherto described, and which consequently
may be used in mines containing uredamp.
In order to obtain these powders I proceed as follows
I dissolve sulphur in a fatty acid, say oleic acid, and then saturate it with liquid
or gaseous ammonia. The liquid product thus obtained is then mixed with alkaline
chlorate or perchlorate. I may, for the same reasons as before, add starch or
cellulose.
Instead of proceeding as described, I may first produce hydrosulphate of
ammonia and combine it afterwards with oleic acid.

page_text: In case of fatty acids being used I may completely dispense with sulphur and
manufacture explosives simply by saturating the fatty acid with gaseous or liquid
ammonia.
The fatty acid thus saturated is then mixed with the chlorate, either alone or
with the addition of starch or cellulose.
Ammonia oleate also dissolves in certain proportions, nitio or azo derivatives
and therefore it can play the same part as regaids nitro or azo derivatives as animal
or vegetable oils
When the nitro derivative used is picric acid, thero 18 no need to add it in the
shape of picnic acid which decomposes the ammonia soap and gives free acid and
ainmonia picrate It is preferable to add it directly in the shape of ammonia
picrate
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is
1 In the manufacture of explosives by means of nitro- or azo derivatives
dissolved in an animal or vegetable oil with the addition of chlorate of potash, the
substitution for ordinary oil, of a sulphurated oil or a sulphurated mineral fat or a
Bulphurated fatty acid, with or without the addition of ammonia, thus enabling
sulphur to be introduced into the explosive substantially as described.
2 In the process of manufacturing explosives described, dispensing with nitro or
azo-derivatives and the replacement of a portion of sulphurated oil or mineral fat
by resinous substances, starch, pulverised cellulose or other similar material
substantially as described.
8. Explosives prepared substantially in the manner described.