IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BLASTING WITH EXPLOSIVES AND IN CARTRIDGES AND COMPOSITIONS TO BE USED THEREIN
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Stanley Clark of Rock Cottage Cefn-y-bedd in
the County of Denbigh Mining Engineer for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR RELATING TO BLASTING WITH EXPLOSIVES AND IN CARTRIDGES AND
COMPOSITIONS TO BE USED THEREIN'
"3
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Stanley Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th. February 1882.
EDWIN STANLEY CLARK, of Rock Cottage Cefn-y-bedd in the County of
Denbigh Mining Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN, OR RELATING TO BLASTING WITH
EXPLOSIVES, AND IN CARTRIDGES AND COMPOSITIONS TO BE USED THEREIN.
A compound which is designed to absorb the flame arising from the exploding
of explosives in mines or other subterraneous places, and thereby minimise if not
do away with the risks arising from use of explosives in mines, to create certain
uninflammable gases and absorb certain deleterious gases, arising from decom-
position of gunpowder and other explosives, to condonse or decompose the smoke
and render the action of explosives when used in coal seams, or other yielding
minerals more economical in the disintegration of such minerals.
My Invention supplies a compound which is so inexpensive, and its component
parts so abundant, that it will be within the reach of any user of explosives. My
compound consists essentially of the following ingredients, A crystallized or
other salt containing a large quantity of water of crystallization (or water
chemically combined but liberated by explosion) such as carbonate soda crystals,
a carbonate such as chalk or marble acted upon by sulphurous acid or even lime,
slacked or otherwise and ground, manganese peroxide, soap, chiefly useful for its
lubricating qualities, mixed in varying proportions. I prefer however to combine
these materials in about the proportion of 90 per cent, soda crystal, 7 per cent. of
chalk, marble or lime, 2 per cent. of peroxide of manganese and 1 per cent of soap.
I do not however consider the manganese of much importance or advantage to the
compound. The materials or ingredients of the said compound are ground
combined, or mixed in a suitable vessel and it is applied to the purpose intended,
namely as a lining to the blast holes or casing for the explosive by suitable
appliances, if loose by means of a moveable brass or neutral metal tube, and
inflammable wads or as a whole with the explosive in the form of a cartridge. I
prefer to make the cartridge of asbestos, cloth or felt.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Stanley Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th August 1882.
EDWIN STANLEY CLARK of Rock Cottage Cefn-y-bedd in the County of
Denbigh Mining Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BLASTING WITH
EXPLOSIVES, AND IN CARTRIDGES AND COMPOSITIONS TO BE USED THEREIN.”
My Invention is designed for the purpose of absorbing the flame arising from
the exploding of explosives in mines or other subterraneous places and thereby
minimising if not doing away with the risks arising from use of explosives in
mines for forming certain uninflammable gases and absorbing certain deleterious
gases, arising from decomposition of gunpowder and other explosives for condensing
or decomposing the smoke and rendering the action of explosives when used in
coal seams or other yielding materials more economical in the disintegration of
such minerals.
My Invention supplies a compound which is so inexpensive and its component
parts so abundant that it will be within the reach of any user of explosives.
My compound consists essentially of the following ingredients
1st A crystallized or other salt containing a large quantity of water of
crystallization (or water chemically combined but liberated by explosion) such as
carbonate soda crystals.
2nd A carbonate such as chalk, or marble, acted upon by sulphurous acid or
carbonate, even lime slacked or otherwise and ground.
3rd Manganese per oxide for the purpose of oxidizing any carbonic oxide that
may be generated, soap chiefly useful for its lubricating qualities, mixed in varying
proportions. I prefer however to combine these materials in about the proportion
of 90 per cent. soda crystal. 7 per cent. of chalk marble or lime, 2 per cent. of
peroxide of manganese, and 1 per cent. of soap. I do not however consider the
soap of much importance or advantage to the compound.
The materials or ingredients of the said compound are ground combined or
mixed in a suitable vessel. The compound is applied as a lining to the blast holes
or casing for the explosive by suitable appliances if loose by means of a moveable
tube not made of iron or steel, but preferably of brass or copper, and closed with
uninflammable wads, or it can be made up with the explosive in the form of a
cartridge. I prefer to mako the cartridges and wads of asbestos cloth or felt.
In the Drawings Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a bore hole end with my
composition cartridges and tool for insertion and Fig. 2 half section and end view
of the same and Fig. 3. view of opposite extremity of apparatus.
A composition lining for blast hole A' is a handful or two of my composition
put first into the hole so as to interpose between the cartridge and any blowers
that might happen to be there B is tube formed of copper brass or other metal
not likely to cause sparks C head screwed on. D asbestos or other noninflammable
wad. This is placed in the tube before filling and has a hole d' for the fuse E.
E. fuse upon which the cartridges are threaded. F cartridges of compressed
powder, gun cotton dynamite or other explosive. G more of my composition shown
in position it will occupy after the withdrawal of the tube B. H a second
inflammable wad with hole h' just large enough to take in the fuse when doubled
and pressed together but not large enough to take in the bend by inserting the
fuse before filling the tube, the fuse can thus be made use of to assist in drawing
up the wad tight and keeping it there. I light chain fastened by handle J to the
cap of the tube.

page_text: The mode of application is as follows. The composition A being put in the tube
filled as above described is inserted and pushed home. A pusher is then held
against the wad D while the chain is pulled forward and the tube extracted (the
soap in my composition enabling it the more readily to leave the tube) another
handful or two of my composition is then inserted and the whole tamped. In
emall bore holes I have found it unnecessary to use a metal or other tube, all that
is requisite being to surround the cartridges as nearly as practicable by first
inserting some composition then the fuse and cartridges the latter little more than
half the diameter of the hole and then well tamp with composition until the
cartridges are well buried in it.
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of
carrying it into effect I wish it to be understood that what I claim under the
Letters Patent is
1st The method of more safely blasting with explosives in coal mines and other
places, by practically surrounding the charge, with a composition that will liberate
water and uninflammable gases, or absorb or make harmless the deletereous gases
substantially as described.
•
2nd The composition for use in blasting substantially as and for the purposes
described.
In witness whereof I the said Edwin Stanley Clark have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourth day of August in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
EDWIN S. CLARK. (L.S.)