An Improved Priming and Detonating Composition.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
An Improved Priming and Detonating Composition.
We PAUL WARD formerly of 10 Hatton Garden but now of 16 Crown Terrace
Fulham Electrician and EDWARD MAMMATT GREGORY of 61 Moorgate Street in the
City of London Merchant 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 :-
Our Invention relates to the adaptation of a composition suitable for priming to
the purposes also of detonation by the addition of a further ingredient to the com-
position thus providing a novel cheap and effective detonating material and
manufactured at a minimum risk suitable for use in any fuze or for similar
purposes.
We form the chief basis of our explosive composition by the admixture of the
ingredients as follows :-
with the addition of Benzol Chloride of Carbon or Acetate of Amyl.
The Amorphous Phosphorus and Chlorate of Potash are ground separately in a
mortar or other vessel under one of the above fluids. The Amorphous Phosphorous
is then submerged with either of the above fluids-Chlorate of Potash is then added
and the two ingredients are ground together under sufficient fluid to keep the mass
from clogging. When this has been done for a suitable time coke is then added in
powder and the whole is again ground for a short time.
This forms an excellent priming composition, and by the addition thereto of
paraffin or other similar oil, the powder will be enabled to cake together after the
grinding fluids have evaporated.
This reduces its sensitiveness to friction or percussion without detracting from its
explosive violence, or its sensitiveness, to an electric current and thus constitutes an
excellent detonating composition.
We have found that the detonating effects of this compound are most pronounced
when it is detonated by the previous explosion of a priming composition occurring
at the closed end of a fuze and detonator case, where the compression of the gases
from the exploding priming composition, causes intensely rapid combustion and
consequent detonation in the detonating charge.
The manufacture as above described of this detonating composition is much less
dangerous than where the usual fulminate of mercury is employed, and the addition
of paraffin oil to the composition serves also to prevent oxidation of the ingredients
when stored.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1st. A detonating composition avoiding the use of fulminate of mercury and con
sisting substantially of Carbon 2 lbs. Amorphous Phosphorus 1 lb. Chlorate of
Potash 0.75 lbs. with the addition of Benzol acetate of Ainyl or chloride of Carbon

page_text: during manufacture, and with the final addition of paraffin or a similar oil in sufficient
quantity to render the powdered compound pasty or capable of being caked together
substantially as described.
Dated this 31st day of May 1890.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.