Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Explosives, or Explosive Compounds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Explosives, or Explosive
Compounds.
We, ALFRED EDRIDGE PIKE of 180 Lewisham Road, London, S.E. Fellow of
the Institute of Chemistry, and WALTER HENRY THEW of Talbot House, Arundel
Street, London, W.C. Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to explosives or explosive compounds and the manufacture
thereof certain parts of vegetables of the tuber class such as potatoes being used
according to the present invention as hereinafter set forth particularly the residue
or refuse or part of the same left in the manufacture of various products from
potatoes or similar tubers.
For the sake of example we will describe the use of potatoes or the residue or
waste portions thereof for instance the refuse produced from potatoes large
quantities of which waste as is well known are produced in Holland Germany
and other countries in the manufacture of flour from potatoes.
Such waste or residue is treated in any known or suitable manner to produce
a more or less fine or impalpable powder for instance by washing and sieving
to remove any parts which are not capable of forming a powder and then
thoroughly drying and grinding the mass to a powder and if desired sifting the
latter to any degree of fineness required.
Or this powder may be obtained in any equivalent or other suitable manner
either from the refuse of potato flour factories or from any other potato or tuber
refuse or the like adapted for use according to the present invention.
The product (powder) thus obtained we now treat with dilute sulphuric acid
(advantageously hot) or any other suitable acid or chemical equivalent to remove
the starchy matters as well as any other matters which may be present in such
powder other than the fibrous or cellulose matter which latter it is the object of
the present invention to retain and utilise.
The mass is now separated viz. the solid portion from the liquid (the latter
being recovered) and the former is then washed with water and then de-hydrated
or dried in any suitable manner.
This dried product is now nitrated in any suitable manner and to any suitable
degree for instance by the usual acids such as concentrated sulphuric acid mixed
with nitric acid in any suitable proportions and of suitable specific gravity or
strength respectively and same should be left to digest or combine during any
suitable period (say from 1 to 24 hours) after which the solids are separated from
the liquid and suitably purified.
The explosive material thus obtained may be utilised or employed in any
desired manner and if desired may be combined or mixed in any suitable propor-
tions with any suitable oxydising agents (such as nitrates of potassium, ammonium,
barium, strontium or lithium) or with nitro-glycerine.

page_text: If desired we may treat the mass at any stage or stages before it has reached
the aforesaid first dried and powdered state with dilute sulphuric acid to remove
the starch etc. before drying and powdering instead of after same or if desired we
may not remove such starchy matters etc. at all and proceed directly to nitrate
the powder first obtained.
Also if desired we may waterproof this explosive material in any suitable
manner either in course of the manufacture of the said explosive or subsequently.
Doted this 14th day of November 1806
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECI CATION.
Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Explosives or Explosive
Compounds.
We, ALFRED EDRIDGE PIKE of 180 Lewisham Road, London, S.E. Fellow of
the Institute of Chemistry, and WALTER HENRY THEW of Talbot House, Arundel
Street, London, W.C., Gentleman, 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:-
This invention' relates to explosives or explosive compounds and the manufacture
thereof certain parts of vegetables of the tuber class such as potatoes being used
according to the present invention as hereinafter set forth particularly the residue
or refuse or part of the same left in the manufacture of various products from
potatoes or similar tubers.
For the sake of example we will describe the use of potatoes or the residue or
waste portions thereof for instance the refuse produced from potatoes large
quantities of which waste as is well known are produced in Holland, Germany
and other countries in the manufacture of flour from potatoes.
Such waste or residue is treated in any known or suitable manner to produce
a more or less fine or impalpable powder for instance by washing and sieving
to remove any parts which are not capable of forming a powder and then
thoroughly drying and grinding the mass to a powder and if desired sifting the
latter to any degree of fineness required for example we may proceed as follows:-
This refuse or part remaining after the extraction of the flour will be found
to contain water, peel, and fibre or cellular material and in the form usually
obtained (viz. in a pulpy mass) is estimated to contain about:-
85% of water.
5% of peel.
10% of cellular or fibrous material.
The last-named is the material which is utilised according to the present
invention as follows:-
The aforesaid refuse is mixed with water (advantageously a copious supply of
cold water) and stirred well or otherwise agitated to obtain a plastic or pulpy mass
for instance somewhat of a paste-like consistency-the supply of added water
being sufficient to allow the whole mass to be sieved or straited or submitted to
any suitable separating process or action to separate or remove the particles or
larger parts that formed the peel (which latter is waste or may be utilised for any
purpose for which it may be found suitable) and this sifting or assorting process

page_text: or separating action should be done very carefully so that if possible a minimum
(if any) of the peel remains in the mass.
The mass is now further washed (advantageously with pure cold water) with
the object of removing dirt and products of previous decomposition.
The product thus obtained we may now treat with dilute sulphuric acid (advan-
tageously hot) or any other suitable acid or chemical equivalent to remove the
starchy matters as well as any other matters which may be present in such
powder other than the fibrous or cellulose matter which latter it is the object of
the present invention to retain and utilise or we may omit this treatment with
dilute acid at this point or altogether if desired or we may apply such treatment
to the material after it has arrived in the powder stage but before nitration.
This done the mass may now be bleached if desired in any suitable manner or
same may be dyed in any suitable manner and colour desired--and is well dried
in any suitable manner for instance by spreading the mass on shallow trays in a
heated chamber.
The mass having been thus treated and thoroughly dried is now reduced (by
grinding or otherwise) to a very fine or impalpable powder and this powder or
finely ground material if necessary may now be sifted through a fine sieve (for
instance a cloth sieve as is used in flour milling) or other suitable means may be
employed to obtain a thoroughly fine powder which should be homogeneous or of
a regular degree of fineness throughout.
Or this powder may be obtained in any equivalent or other suitable manner
either from the refuse of potato flour factories or from any other tuber or potato
or tuber refuse or the like (for instance beetroot or the refuse thereof) adapted for
use according to the present invention.
The product (powder) thus obtained (if not previously so treated) we may now
treat with dilute sulphuric acid (advantageously hot) or any other suitable acid
or chemical equivalent to remove the starchy matters as well as any other matters
which may be present in such powder other than the fibrous or cellulose matter
which latter it is the object of the present invention to retain and utilise and the
mass is now separated viz. the solid portion from the liquid (the latter being
recovered) and the former is then washed with water and then re-hydrated or
dried in any suitable manner and again reduced to a fine powder.
This dried product is now nitrated in any suitable manner and to any suitable
degree for instance by the usual acids such as concentrated sulphuric acid mixed
with nitric acid in any suitable proportions and of suitable specific gravity or
strength respectively and same should be left to digest or combine during any
suitable period (say about 48 hours) after which the solids are separated from the
liquid and suitably purified for the purpose of removing all trace of acid.
The explosive material thus obtained may be utilised or employed in any desired
manner and if desired may be combined or mixed in any suitable proportions
with any suitable oxydising agents (such as nitrates of potassium, ammonium,
barium, strontium, or lithium) or with nitro-glycerine and any suitable lubricant
or moderant either with or without the addition of a small percentage of gun-
cotton.
The explosive material or mixtures may then be treated with any suitable
solvent and compressed into blocks sheets cords or granulated or made in any
other desired form for use or if desired this explosive material or mixtures may
be pressed and finished without such solvent the peculiar nature of the cellulose.
used according to the present invention enabling same to be pressed from the
powder direct into a solid form.
If desired we may treat the mass at any stage or stages before it has reached
the aforesaid first dried and powdered state with dilute sulphuric acid or hydro-
chloric or any suitable acid to remove the starch etc. before drying and powdering
instead of after same as described or if desired we may not remove such starchy
matters etc. at all and proceed directly to nitrate the powder first obtained.
Also if desired this explosive material may be waterproofed in any known or

page_text: suitable manner either in course of the manufacture of the said explosive
or subsequently.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The herein-described process of manufacturing explosives or explosive com-
pounds from the materials specified which consists in treating potatoes or other
suitable tubers or the refuse thereof to recover the cellulose therefrom and
reducing the latter to a fine powder and then nitrating such powder and converting
same into an explosive material substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
As a new article of manufacture-an explosive or explosive compound manu-
factured from potatoes or other suitable tubers or the refuse thereof substantially
in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
1007
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.