IM- DRAKEMEAM AT mizni M on DIN Dan
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Kellow and Henry Short, both of Delabole,
in the County of Cornwall, Mineralogists, for the Invention of "IM-
DRAKEMEAM AT mizni M on DIN Dan"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Kellow and
Henry Short at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 17th June 1862.
We, JOSEPH KELLOW. and HENRY SHORT, both of Delabole, in the County
5 of Cornwall, Mineralogists, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLASTING POWDER," to be as
follows:-
We manufacture improved blasting powder thus:-We take nitrate of
potash, chlorate of potash, and nitrate of soda, preferably crude nitrate of
soda, using the two said nitrates and the chlorate in a state of solution, and
with these we combine sawdust, tan, and sulphur. We sometimes however'
dispense with the nitrate of potash or with the chlorate of potash, or with both
the chlorate and nitrate of potash, and we sometimes substitute turf or peat
for the sawdust, or for both the sawdust and tan, and sometimes use either
sawdust or tan instead of both sawdust and tan. We generally .prefer to
proceed by combining the nitrates and the chlorate, making them into solution
which we boil and absorb with tan and sawdust or turf, then mixing well,'
adding sulphur and drying the compound, preferring to kiln dry it. In some

page_text: cases we consider the following proportions suitable, but without restricting
ourselves thereto. To produce 100 lbs. powder: 5 lbs. nitrate of potash,
12 lbs. chlorate of potash, 30 lbs. nitrate of soda, 30 quarts water, 40 lbs.
sawdust and tan, 10 lbs. sulphur; but other proportions may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Kellow and Henry Short, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
KELLOW and HENRY SHORT, both of Delabole, in the County of Cornwall,
Mineralogists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Joseph Kellow and Henry Short, Her special licence, that we, the said
Joseph Kellow and Henry Short, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Joseph Kellow and Henry Short, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and 'vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLASTING
POWDER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Kellow
and Henry Short, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us
or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Kellow and Henry Short,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
We manufacture an improved powder thus:-We take nitrate of potash,
chlorate of potash, and nitrate of soda, (preferring crude nitrate of soda and
using the two nitrates in a state of solution) and with them we combine

page_text: sawdust, tan, and sulphur.
We sometimes however dispense with the
nitrate of potash or with the chlorate of potash, or with both the chlorate, and
nitrate of potash, and sometimes we use either sawdust or tan instead of both
the sawdust and tan.
I
We sometimes manufacture this powder by what we call our "first method"
according to which we combine the nitrates and the chlorate, and make them
into a solution which we boil and absorb by tau or sawdust, or by. both tan and
sawdust, and after mixing the materials thoroughly we add sulphur and dry
the compound.
The powder produced according to this our "first method" is one that will
explode suddenly and is suitable for filling fissures (in blasting cliffs), and
other purposes in which stamping or ramming is not required, the powder
being when so prepared liable to explode during the tamping or ramming,
and we recommend when this first method is adopted that the proportion of
chlorate of potash should not exceed twenty-five parts by weight to every
hundred parts by weight of the compound to be produced.
But to produce a strong powder and with a view to avoid or reduce
liability to explode under tamping or ramming the following, which we call
our "second method," can be adopted. The two nitrates are made into a
solution apart from the chlorate, which is made into a separate solution. The
solution of nitrates is boiled, and while boiling is combined with and absorbed
by tan or sawdust or tan and sawdust. Over this mixture we pour the solution
of chlorate of potash in a boiling state and mix well, so that the said solution
may be absorbed, and we then sprinkle the compound with flowers of sulphur
and dry it; in this method the nitrates are not boiled or fermented with the
chlorate, the object being to avoid danger of explosion during the ramming or
tamping.
We also manufacture according to our Invention an improved. powder. of
slow action by what we call our "third method" in which we do not use the
chlorate of potash in a state of solution or liquid, but we employ it dry and
in a state of powder, using also a solution of nitrate of soda and nitrate of
potash, which we absorb with tan or sawdust, or with tan and sawdust and add
sulphur, (the nitrate of potash may sometimes be dispensed with.) We
sprinkle the chlorate of potash in a state of powder over the tan or sawdust
(or tan and sawdust,) after the same has been added to the boiling solution of
the nitrates and has absorbed it, and after mixing we add sulphur and dry the
compound. In this method the chlorate not being dissolved, retains its ful!
strength, and the powder will not be liable to explode during the tamping or
amming.

page_text: :
The best mode of. proceeding in performing our Invention is as follows:-
When tan is used it is first sifted to separate its finer from its coarser particles,
:the finer being used for our powder and the coarser rejected; but instead of sifting
the tan we prefer to grind it to a very fine powder, as then the whole of it will be
"available. When tan and sawdust are both used, they should be well mixed
by sifting them together through a screen. Before using either tan or sawdust
.we first dry the same thoroughly.
In carrying out' what we above call our "first method" (that is, the method
for producing powder for operations in which tamping or ramming is not to
¡be performed) we place the nitrates and the chlorate together in one vessel
and make them into a solution which we boil and keep boiling for about five
*minutes. While boiling we throw in the tan or sawdust (or tan and sawdust)
, in sufficient quantity to absorb the solution, mix well, and transfer the mixture
to a tray or like receiver, where we sprinkle it with flowers of sulphur, mix
well, and kiln dry the whole.
In carrying out our second and third methods we place the nitrate of
potash and the nitrate of soda in the same vessel, and reduce them to a solution
which we boil and keep boiling generally for about five or ten minutes.
During the boiling of the solution a sort of fermentation takes place which
may be said to change its moistening qualities. While the solution is still
boiling and this ebullition or fermentation is going on we throw the tan or
sawdust (or tan and sawdust) into the boiling solution in sufficient quantity to
absorb the same. We stir the whole well so that the ingredients may be
thoroughly mixed and the solution wholely absorbed, and we then discharge
tlie mixture on to a tray or like receiver and add the chlorate of potash, which
if to be used in a liquid state we boil, and then pour it while in a boiling con-
dition over the mixture, but if the chlorate is not to be used in a liquid state
we first grind or reduce it to a fine powder or flour which we apply by
sprinkling or sifting it in a dry condition over the mixture, and mix the whole
well together. Flowers of sulphur are next sprinkled over the mixture and
mixed well up with it. The whole is then kiln dried.
If we require a weak powder or one of slow action we can in any of our
methods, dispense with the chlorate of potash or with the nitrate of potash or
with both. When we dispense with the nitrate of potash we generally boil
the solution of nitrate of soda for at least ten minutes instead of five, in other
respects proceeding as before. Various proportions may be used, but a good
powder may be manufactured with the following:-
.
To produce 100 lbs. of powder: 30 quarts water (to make the solution),
30 lbs. nitrate of soda, 8 lbs. nitrate of potash, 12 lbs. chlorate of potash,

page_text: 10 lbs. sulphur, 46 lbs. tan and sawdust; or, 30 quarts water (for the solution),
36 lbs. nitrate of soda, 4 lbs. nitrate of potash, 6 lbs. chlorate of potash, 10 lbs.
sulphur, 50 lbs.. tan and sawdust (allowing 6 lbs. for evaporation).
To produce a powder of extra strength, the quantity of nitrate of soda may
be reduced and the same quantity of chlorate of potash added, taking special
care in such case to adopt our second or third method in which we use the
chlorate dry in powder or boil it apart from the nitrates and apply it after the
nitrates have been absorbed by the tan or sawdust.
We wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not restrict ourselves to
the foregoing proportions, nor to the intervals of time mentioned, as the same
may be varied.
According to a fourth method we produce a powder of extra strength by
dissolving nitrate of potash and chlorate of potash in warm water, then add tan
and mix well over the fire, next transfer the compound on to a tray or like
receiver and sprinkle over it chlorate of potash ground to a powder, and in a
dry state, mix well, sprinkle flowers of sulphur over the compound, mix again
well and dry. For this compound we recomend the following proportions,
per 100 lbs. powder: 20 lbs. nitrate of potash, and 10 lbs. chlorate potash to
make the solution, 46 lbs. tan, 10 lbs. chlorate of potash in powder to sprinkle
in a dry state, and 10 lbs. flowers of sulphur. The quantity of chlorate may
be varied.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim as our said
Invention the manufacture of powder as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Kellow and Henry Short,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
Witness,
RICH. H. BORT,
Of Camelford,
Cornwall,
1.
Postmaster.
J. KELLOW. (L.B.)
H. SHORT.
(L.S.)