Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Gun- Cotton and Soluble Nitro-cellulose.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1899--Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Gun-
Cotton and Soluble Nitro-cellulose.
I, LUCIEN MORANE, of 23, Rue Jenner, Paris, in the Republic of France,
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;-
In the ordinary method of manufacturing nitro-cellulose the cotton or paper
is immersed for a certain period in an appropriate mixture of sulphuric and
nitric acids, then drained-off and finally dried or pressed for the purpose of free-
ing the nitrated cotton of the greater portion of acid with which it is impreg-
nated, before subjecting it to prolonged washing operations in order to extract
the last traces of acid and to render it neutral.
This manner of operating has numerous inconveniences. The nitrating vessels
which usually are of stoneware are difficult to move and to handle and notwith-
standing the energetic ventilation the atmosphere of the nitrating room is always
more or less vitiated by the acid-vapours.
Furthermore during draining and removal to the press, or to the centrifugal
apparatus, the nitrated cotton no longer covered by the acid, comes into contact
with the atmosphere from which it absorbs the humidity with the result that
the mass becomes heated and a partial decomposition is started which often
affects the yield of nitro-cellulose to an appreciable extent.
Now with the nitrating apparatus which forms the subject of this invention
the inconveniences herein before stated disappear entirely. All the operations
of nitration up to the moment when the nitro-cellulose is plunged into the water,
are effected in one apparatus which is closed and which is in communication
with a ventilator whereby the acid-vapours are driven into a condenser. No
acid vapours are allowed to escape into the atmosphere of the workroom or to the
exterior. The draining and the removal to the press or to the centrifugal
apparatus are thereby obviated and the work rendered more rapid and without
the nitrated cotton coming into contact with the atmosphere thus obtaining an
increased yield.
My improved apparatus will be clearly understood and may be readily carried
out by the aid of the following description with reference to tlie accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Figures 3 and 4 show modified forms of apparatus for facilitating the rapid
discharge of the drums and
Figure 5 is a detail of the arrangement shown in Figure 3.
The general construction of the apparatus resembles a centrifugal machine
driven from below. A casing a carries a vertical shaft driven by a pulley c.
To the upper end of this shaft is fixed a plate d upon which is mounted, by means
of screw-bolts, an inner drum or casing c. This latter is formed of a bottom
plate f and double concentric sides h. The internal wall is perforated

page_text: throughout its height, while the outer wall
passage of the liquid by overflow.
which is plain only permits the
Between these two concentric walls are disposed metal partitions in the
form of a helice starting at the bottom and ending at the top of the annular
space formed by the walls g h of the inner drum or casing e.
The apparatus is provided at the top with a cover i which is in communication
with a suction-fan which draws the vapours, evolved during the operation, across
a condensing tower. Two doors p permit access to the apparatus for the intro-
duction of the cotton into the acid and to watch the operation. The ventilator
and condensing tower are not shown in the drawing:
The operation of the improved apparatus is as follows:-
After having started the ventilator the tap is opened for supplying acid to
the inner drum e through the pipe t. When the inner drum e is sufficiently
filled the tap is closed and the drum is started but only so as to perform but a
few revolutions per minute. The attendant then introduces the cotton into the
acid-bath through the doors taking care to ensure the complete immersion, of
the cotton by the aid of a stick or rod. The rotary motion of the drum greatly
facilitates this operation.
After immersion for a sufficient length of time the movement of the drum
is gradually accelerated until it reaches its maximum speed. The liquid owing
to the centrifugal force is caused to pass through the perforations of the wall
and runs up the helicoidal partitions and flows over at o and falls upon the
draining plate a from which it flows through a pipe s into a suitable storing-
tank.
After operating for a few minutes the drum is stopped by disengaging the
intermediary shaft of the driving power and then slightly applying the brake.
The nitro-cellulose is then discharged from the drum through the doors p in
the same manner as ordinary centrifugal apparatus.
It is however preferable to adopt one of the arrangements indicated in
Figures 3 and 4 to ensure a more expeditious discharge. In these arrangements
the drum is removable and the outer casing or jacket i is adapted to be raised
so as to permit of the drum being removed to the exterior as indicated in Figure 3,
or to be tilted around a pivot as indicated in Figure 4.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, the drum is secured by three
hooks to the plate which is fixed upon the motor shaft . A conical
flange is rivetted to the bottom edge of the drum and the three hooks u u¹ are
tightened upon this flange and the table.
Two of the said hooks are fixed. Their distance from the centre can be regu-
lated by a screw-nut and lock-nut. The third hook is screwed upon a screw
fixed to the plate d. By turning this screw the hook is caused to advance or
recede and so engage or release the conical flange of the drum upon the plate.
During the unscrewing of the hooks the latter will pass beyond the edge of
the plate as indicated in the detail view, Figure 5, it can then be turned round
halfway so as to hang downwards and in this position it leaves a free passage
for the withdrawal of the drum from the apparatus.
After the drum has been discharged it is replaced upon the plate and pushed
under the fixed hooks u, then the third hook ¹ is placed in position and tightened;
and after the outer casing i has been lowered the apparatus is ready for another
operation.
Figure 4 shows a modification of the previous arrangement in which the
drum is pivoted to the plate d by a hinge m; the drum being secured in its
working position by another hinge m fitted with a removable pin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: --
(1) An apparatus for use in the manufacture of gun-cotton, and soluble nitro-

page_text: centrose, characterized by the combination of a plate fast upon a motor shaft,
with a drum fixed to the plate provided with double and concentric walls or
sides; the inner wall being perforated throughout its height and the outer wall
being plain allowing the liquid to escape only by overflow.
(2) An apparatus for use in the manufacture of gun cotton and soluble nitro
cellulose, characterized by the combination of a plate and a drum with double
wals as claimed in Claim 1 fitted with a number of helicoidal partitions between
the two walls of such drum; the said partitions starting from the bottom of the
annular space formed by the two walls and ending at the top thereof with the
object of causing the acids to ascend and flow over the sides of the drum and into
an appropriate receiver.
(3) An apparatus for use in the manufacture of gun cotton and soluble nitro
cellulose characterised by the combination of a plate and drum as claimed in the
previous claims, in which the drum is secured to the plate by means of stationary
hooks and a movable hook permitting the removal of the drum from the
apparatus for the purpose of discharging it.
(4) An apparatus for use in the manufacture of gun cotton and soluble nitro-
cellulose characterised by the combination of a plate and a drum as claimed in
the previous claims in which the drum is pivoted to the plate by a fixed hinge
o enable it to be tilted, the drum being secured in its working position by similar
inge but provided with removable pin.
Dated this 9th day of Doganashan
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.