Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 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 principally for its object an improved mode of combining
with nitroglycerine large proportions of any suitable nitro-derivative of cellulose such
as a nitrocellulose, an oxynitrocellulose or a nitrohydrocellulose; the Invention is
however also applicable for combining such substances in any proportions.
In carrying out our Invention we employ water in a manner hereinafter described,
availing ourselves of the property possessed by the cellulose nitro-derivatives of
combining with or absorbing nitroglycerine in a uniform manner when agitated
therewith in the presence of water.
According to one modification we take a suitable cellulose nitro-derivative preferably
in a state of fine division and made into a pulp with water which is cold or more or
less heated. We form the nitroglycerine into an emulsion with water which is cold
or more or less heated; and we next, very thoroughly mix the emulsion and the pulp
by pouring one into the other and at the same time maintaining a vigorous agitation
in the mixing vessel.
According to other modifications we may diffuse, emulsionise, or mix only one of
the substances with water, afterwards gradually adding the other with vigorous
agitation; or we may take both substances without previous admixture with water
and bring them into a suitable quantity of water, and subject them to vigorous
agitation therein until we get a homogeneous mixture.
The
By any of these modifications we obtain a very uniform mixture of whatever
proportions of nitroglycerine and cellulose nitro-derivative are required.
cellulose nitro-derivative may be used in the dry, damp, or wet condition, but when
employing it in a state of fine division it is convenient to use it as it comes from a
pulping engine.
When the intermixture has been thoroughly effected, more or less of the water may
be separated in any convenient way, and the compound may be subsequently treated
or finished in any suitable known way.
The proportions of the nitroglycerine and cellulose nitro-derivative will in practice
be varied according to the consistency and quality desired in the final product.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of Inno 1880
د
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 invention 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 principally for its object an improved mode of combining
with nitroglycerine large proportions of any suitable one or more of the nitro-
derivatives of cellulose, such as a nitrocellulose, nitro-oxy-cellulose or a nitro-hydro-
cellulose; the Invention is however also applicable for combining such substances in
any proportions.
As the volume of the cellulose nitro-derivatives is always large as compared
with that of the nitroglycerine, the requisite thorough, uniformn, and intimate
intermixture of the ingredients presents difficulties which it is the object of our

page_text: .
improved process to overcome, in order that the finishing of the compounds
may be facilitated and that the products may be free from imperfections. The
mere mixing or stirring together of the ingredients in an ordinary manner is
quite impracticable when the proportion of the cellulose nitro-derivatives is large.
Equal quantities of nitro-cellulose and nitroglycerine have been mixed in au ordinary
way, and by subsequent pressure it has been attempted to distribute the nitroglycerine
in a uniform manner, but the products obtained in that way have not been satisfactory.
It is scarcely possible by ordinary mixing operations to usefully combine any nitro-
cellulose with less than an equal weight of nitroglycerine; by our improved process,
however, any proportions of the cellulose nitro-derivatives and the nitroglycerine can
be uniformly mixed. In our process we avail ourselves of the fact which we have
discovered that the cellulose nitro-derivatives have the property of taking up or
absorbing the nitroglycerine when suspended in water or other suitable liquid.
According to one modification we take a suitable cellulose nitro-derivative
preferably in a state of fine division and made into a pulp with water which is
cold or more or less heated. We form the nitroglycerine into an emulsion with
water which is cold or more or less beated; and we next very thoroughly mix the
emulsion and the pulp by pouring one into the other and at the same time maintaining
a vigorous agitation in the mixing vessel.
According to other modifications we inay diffuse emulsionise, or mix only one of
the substances with water, afterwards gradually adding the other with vigorous
agitation; or we take both substances without previous admixture with water, and
bring them into a suitable quantity of water, and subject them to vigorous agitation
therein until we get a homogeneous mixture.
If, for example, the explosive compound to be formed is to consist of nitro-oxy-
cellulose and nitroglycerine, we take the nitro-oxy-cellulose, preferably in a state of
fine division, and suspend it in water kept agitated with air, or mechanical stirring, or
otherwise. We introduce the nitroglycerine in the form of a fine jet, or as spray,
into the agitated water, with the result that the nitroglycerine is taken up in a
uniform manner by the nitro-oxy-cellulose suspended in the water. The water is
next strained off, and leaves the whole of the nitroglycerine, which cannot be
separated even by the application of considerable pressure.
In place of water any convenient solution or liquid may be used, in which to
suspend the cellulose nitro-derivative, which will not dissolve or act chemically on the
cellulose nitro-derivative or nitroglycerine employed.
In order to finish the explosive compounds obtained by the hereinbefore described
mixing process, the liquid may be separated by straining or otherwise, followed by
pressure or by subjection to centrifugal apparatus. The compound, with or without
further drying, is malaxated between rollers, preferably heated, or it is pressed, or
subjected to the combined action of pressure and heat. The compound may next be
moulded or rolled into blocks, or into plain or corrugated sheets, or into strips, or rods.
For propelling purposes the explosive compounds may be finally formed into variously
sized cubic or other forms, pellets, grains, threads, tubes, or plain or corrugated strips,
any of such forms being easily producible by known mechanical appliances.
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 process for mixing or incorporating together cellulose nitro-derivatives with
nitroglycerine, the said process consisting in suspending or diffusing either or both
ingredients in water or other suitable liquid which is or has been rendered practically
incapable of dissolving them, agitating them together in the liquid, and subsequently
separating the liquid, all substantially as herein before described.
Dated this Twenty-second day of March 1890