Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1890-Accepted, 21st June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
We, CARL OLOF LUNDHOLM and JOSEPH SAYERS, both of Stevenston, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain, Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object the manufacture of improved explosives
suitable for use in fire arms and otherwise when to be ignited, and for blasting, for
filling shells, and for other purposes, when to be detonated, such improved explosive3
being of a horny, semihorny, or celluloid-like character; and our Invention consists
principally in combining what is known as insoluble nitrocellulose, such as that known
as Abel's guncotton, Stowmarket guncotton, or such as is used in explosives such
as Tonite, Potentite and the like, with nitroglycerine by the aid of heat and pressure
combined, hot presses heated rollers, or other suitable apparatus being employed.
The combination or product formed of the ingredients named is sometimes some-
what brittle, and it is difficult to get it into uniform sheets; and to correct this
when necessary we combine with the nitroglycerine a substance which will promote
the solution of the so-called insoluble nitrocellulose. Amongst substances suitable
for the purpose are camphor, nitro and binitro derivatives of the aromatic group,
paranitro-benzaldehyde triacetin and other substances of the nature of ketones, alde-
hydes, and compound ethers. As little as 1 percentum of the solution-promoting
substance has a distinct effect in reducing brittleness and in facilitating gelatinization,
but larger proportions may be used.
The brittleness may also be removed or diminished by mixing with the so-called
insoluble nitrocellulose some soluble nitrocellulose, or nitro-oxycellulose or nitro-
hydrocellulose or a mixture of any of these substances.
We may add solvents or solution-promoting substances to the nitroglycerine in
some cases and in others not. The uniform diffusion of the nitroglycerine amongst
the nitrocellulose may be effected in any suitable manner, we however prefer to effect
it by agitating the substances together in water. The so-called insoluble nitro-
cellulose which we intend to use is such as can be conveniently produced on a
manufacturing scale and which generally contains some soluble nitrocellulose.
Dated this Second day of August 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
We, CARL OLOF LUNDHOLM and JOSEPH SAYERS, both of Stevenston, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain, Chemists do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:
Our said Invention has for its object the manufacture of improved explosives,
suitable for use in fire arms, and otherwise, when to be ignited, and for blasting,
for filling shells, and for other purposes, when to be detonated, such improved
explosives being of a horny, semihorny, or celluloid-like character; and our Inven-
tion consists principally in combining what is known as insoluble nitrocellulose, such
as what is made for use in the manufacture of the explosive compounds known as
Tonite, l'otentite, and the like, or such as what is known in commerce as Abel's gun-
cotton, or Stowmarket guncotton, with nitroglycerine by the aid of heat and pressure
combined, heated rollers, or other suitable apparatus being employed.

page_text: Hitherto no satisfactorily practicable process has been used or known for combining
the more highly nitrated celluloses with nitroglycerine without the aid of large
amounts of solvents such as acetone, acetic ether, nitrobenzole, or others; but by
our improved process the desired combination can be advantageously and satisfactorily
accomplished without such solvents.
The combination or product formed of the ingredients named, by means of our
improved process, is sometimes somewhat brittle; and it is difficult to get it into
uniform sheets. This brittleness may be removed or diminished by mixing with
the so-called insoluble nitrocellulose, some soluble nitrocellulose, or nitro-oxycellulose,.
or nitro-hydrocellulose or a mixture of any of these substances. A small amount
of a solution promoter added to the nitroglycerine will greatly facilitate the combi-
nation and improve the final product. Amongst solution-promoting substances
suitable for the purpose are camphor, nitro and binitro derivatives of the aromatic
group, paranitro-benzaldehyde, triacetin, and other substances of the nature of
ketones, aldehydes, and compound ethers. As little as 1 per centum of the solution-
promoting substance has a distinct effect in reducing brittleness, and in facilitating
gelatinization but larger proportions may be used, there being however no advantage
in any case in using more than 10 parts by weight for every 100 parts of the
insoluble nitrocellulose in the compound.
The uniform diffusion of the nitroglycerine amongst the nitrocellulose may be
effected in any suitable manner; we however prefer to effect it by agitating the
substances together in water, as described in our Patent Specification No. 10376 of
1889.
The so-called insoluble nitrocellulose which we intend to use is such as can be
conveniently produced on a manufacturing scale, and which generally contains
some soluble nitrocellulose. We do not confine ourselves to any particular propor-
tions of the so-called insoluble nitrocellulose and nitro-glycerine; but may state
that we can form satisfactory combinations with 100 parts of nitroglycerine and
from 50 to 140 parts of the insoluble nitrocellulose. The heat employed may vary
from 10 to 100 degrees, Centigrade; and the pressure when applied by means of
an hydraulic press should be at least one ton per square inch of the area of the
cake or block of explosive compound. When rollers are used the pressure on
them should be sufficient to reduce a cake or sheet of the explosive compound passed
through them from a thickness of to inch down to a thickness of to inch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
The improvements in the manufacture of explosives, consisting in combining
nitroglycerine with so-called insoluble nitrocellulose and with or without soluble
nitrocellulose, nitro-oxy cellulose, or nitro-hydrocellulose with the aid of heat and
pressure combined, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Second day of May 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.