Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left. 14th June. 1889-Accepted. 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAI. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
We, INNES MUNRO TAYLOR ANDERSON, of Edgar House, Combs, in the County of
Suffolk, Engineer, and ALEXANDER ANDERSON, of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in
the County of Kent, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the manufacture of explosives from nitro-cellulose, more
particularly tri-nitro-cellulose.
The main feature of our invention consists in dissolving the nitro-cellulose by means
of acetic ether or other suitable solvent, thoroughly mixing or kneading the inass
and then working it into the form of spheres, cubes, prisms, or other figures, or
reducing it to grains or to powder, according to the purpose for which it is
required.
The employment of acetic ether in connection with nitro-cellulose has heretofore
been limited to the water-proofing and hardening of compressed or granulated gun-
cotton for use in shells, torpedoes and the like.
Now we have discovered that, by dissolving nitro-cellulose (more particularly
tri-nitro-cellulose) in acetic ether or other suitable solvent and then mixing or kneading
and drying the mass and granulating it or forming it into cubes, prisms or other
suitably shaped pieces, we can produce an explosive which is capable of use with
safety and effect in sporting, military and other guns. Our improved explosive
manufactured in this manner is slow-burning, smokeless, not liable to corrode the gun
or the cartridge-cases, is practically unaffected by moisture or by atmospheric
influences, and has other advantages over most of the nitro-compound powders
hitherto employed.
In carrying our invention into practice, we take the nitro-cellulose (preferably the
trinitro) either in a state of pulp or in a condition in which it resembles cotton-waste,
and we treat it either in a dry or a moist state with the solvent. We find it advan-
tageous to employ about thirty two fluid ounces of the solvent to each pound weight
of dry nitro-cellulose. These proportions may, however, be varied if found necessary
or desirable. In some instances we dilute the solvent with light benzoline or other
suitable oil or spirit. The above described treatment converts the nitro-cellulose into
a jelly, which we thoroughly mix or grind to ensure homogeneity of the mass.
then divide the mass into grains or into blocks or pieces of different shape or into
powder according to the purpose for which the explosive is intended.
We
We sometimes force the mass of dissolved nitro-cellulose through fine holes in a
metal or other plate and thus form it into strips or threads; or we cut the strips or
threads by means of rapidly revolving cutters as they are squeezed or forced through
the holes, thus forming granules; or we force it through slits and thus form it into
ribbons which are, if desired, cut into pieces of suitable length; or we roll the
mass into the form of a sheet or web and cut it into pieces of any desired shape.
When the explosive is to be used in heavy guns or ordnance, we prefer to make
it into spheres, cubes, prisms or other suitably shaped blocks or pieces. We some-
times form or make up charges or faggots consisting of any desired number of thin
strips or pieces of the explosive bound together with strips or threads of the said
explosive.
In some instances we combine, with the nitro-cellulose and the solvent, nitrates or
oxides, for example any suitable oxygen-carrying substance such as has heretofore
been used in explosives.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Explosives.
We, INNES MUNRO TAYLOR ANDERSON, of Edgar House, Combs, in the County of
Suffolk, Engineer, and ALEXANDER ANDERSON, of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in
the County of Kent, Civil Engineer 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 :-
Our invention relates to the manufacture of explosives from nitro-cellulose, more
particularly the trinitro-cellulose.
In making explosives according to our said invention, we dissolve the nitro-
cellulose by means of acetic ether or other suitable solvent, thoroughly mixing
and kneading the mass, and we then work it into the form of threads, strips,
ribbons, tubes, spheres, cubes, prisms or other figures or reduce it to powder
according to the purpose for which it is required," and afterwards thoroughly dry
it on steam-plates or other suitable apparatus.
As acetic ether when used alone makes the explosive too hard or dense, so that
there is liability to incomplete combustion of an entire charge of the said explosive
in a gun. we dilute the solvent with benzoline or other suitable oil or spirit, the pro-
portions being according to the nature of the product desired. We find that good
results are obtained by employing from 10 to 2 per cent. of oil or spirit. We can
thus produce an explosive which is comparatively soft and elastic and is capable of
use with safety and with good results in sporting, military and other guns. Our
improved explosive is slow-burning, smokeless, and is not liable to corrode the gun
or cartridge-case; it is, moreover, practically unaffected by moisture or by atmo-
spheric influences, and has other advantages over most nitro-compound powders
hitherto employed.
In manufacturing our improved explosive, we take the nitro-cellulose (preferably
the tri-nitro compound) either in the state of pulp or in a condition in which it
resembles cotton-waste, and we treat it, either in a dry or in a moist state, with the
solvent diluted with benzoline or other oil or spirit as above mentioned. We find it
advantageous to employ about 32 fluid ounces of the solvent to each pound weight of
dry nitro-cellulose, and to use, as above stated, from 10 to 20 per cent. of oil or spirit.
These proportions may, however, be varied if found necessary or desirable. The above
described treatment of the trinitro-cellulose converts the same into a jelly which we
thoroughly mix or grind to ensure homogeneity of the mass. We then divide the
mass into threads, strips, tubes or grains or into blocks or pieces of any desired shape
or into powder according to the purpose for which the explosive is intended.
According to one method we force or squirt the mass of dissolved nitro-cellulose
through fine holes or slits in a metal or other plate and thus form it into strips,
ribbons or threads; for this purpose we place the dissolved mass in a cylindrical or
other tube or chamber having an air-tight piston fitted to slide therein. One end of
this cylinder or chamber is closed by a cap or cover having round, square, triangular
or other suitably shaped holes or slits. The piston is then moved forward by hydraulic
pressure or by a screw and the dissolved nitro-cellulose thereby forced through the
aforesaid holes or slits and thus formed into strips, ribbons or threads.. Or we force
or squirt the dissolved cellulose through holes in each of which is a central mandrel,
and thus form the gelatinous mass into tubes. We find that the tubular form is more
advantageous than the solid for ensuring complete and regular combustion of the
explosive in a gun, as the volume of gas generated by the burning of the tube does
not rapidly diminish as the tube is consumed, the burning, taking place from the inside
as well as from the outside of the tube.
%
It is obvious that this method of squirting the plastic, mass through holes in a
metal or other plate is applicable to various kinds of explosives.
We sometimes form or make up charges or fagots consisting of any desired number
of tliin strips, threads, tubes or pieces of explosive material bound together with other

page_text: strips or threads of the said material, or of other suitable explosive material; or we
cut the strips, threads or tubes by means of revolving cutters either whilst they are
being squirted or forced through the holes, or after they are dried, thus forming short
threads, granules or small rings of explosive material. In the latter case, we prefer to
perform the operation under water.
In some instances, we combine with the nitro-cellulose and the solvent, nitrates or
oxides, for example any suitable oxygen-bearing substances such as have heretofore
been employed in explosives.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it understood
that we do not claim the use of benzol with nitroglycerine as we are aware that
this has already been suggested for facilitating the incorporation of nitro-cellulose
with the nitroglycerine; but we claim :-
First. In the manufacture of explosive material from nitro-cellulose, the dilution of
the acetic ether or other solvent (not nitroglycerine) by means of benzoline or other
suitable oil or spirit, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Second. The above described method of forming explosive material into threads,
strips, cylinders, tubes or other forms by squirting or forcing it through holes or slits
in a metal or other plate, and then, if required, cutting or dividing the said threads,
strips, cylinders or tubes into short pieces, grains or rings.
Third. An explosive charge made up of thin strips, threads or tubes of dissolved
nitro-cellulose bound together with strips or threads of the same or other suitable
explosive material.
Dated this 14th dove of June 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.