IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57° Hatton Garden, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS
to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to the manufacture of explosive compounds.
Gunpowder, composed of 75 parts by weight of nitre, 15 parts by weight of charcoal
and 10 parts by weight of sulphur, has usually been employed for military purposes.
This gunpowder is liable to become damp when exposed to a moist atmosphere.
Moreover, when this powder is formed, in a press, into prisms or blocks, it is
compressed to a greater degree of density near the exterior of the block than at
the centre thereof by reason of the friction between the powder and the interior of
the mould.
My invention is partly designed to overcome these defects, and an important
feature of my said invention is the employment of paraffine or other suitable
hydrocarbon, in the manufacture of explosive compounds, in the manner hereinafter
described.
In manufacturing explosive compounds according to my present invention I
prefer to employ the following ingredients in, or about in, the proportions
stated, viz
=
78.18 parts by weight of nitre
11.42 parts by weight of paraffine
10.40 parts by weight of sulphur
= 100 parts.
The nitre and sulphur are intimately mixed in an edge-mill or otherwise, and the
paraffine is added to the mixture in a molten state and sufficiently warm to ensure
its being thoroughly incorporated with the nitre and sulphur.
The proportion of paraffine employed may be somewhat varied, if desired, but,
when the paraffine is used in the proportion above stated, it is about equivalent to
the charcoal ordinarily used in gunpowder.
My improved compound can be used either alone or in combination with other
explosive compounds. I sometimes combine it with gunpowder, in which case,
I prefer to mix one part by weight of my improved compound with three parts
[Price 6d.]

page_text: by weight of gunpowder. When they are thoroughly incorporated, the resulting
compound will possess many advantages over gunpowder, for example, it can be
more readily moulded or compressed into prisms or blocks of uniform density, as it
will flow in the press like wax; and it can be made of very great density for use
in heavy guns, or of different degrees of density to regulate the rapidity of its
combustion; it is not so liable as gunpowder to be pulverized or to have its quality
impaired by rough handling; and it will not be injuriously affected by moisture;
great constancy or uniformity in its action is thus ensured. Moreover it will not
hang fire, and will not rust the barrel of a gun, nor corrode, or form verdigris on,
the cartridge-cases.
In some instances, I combine my improved compound with gun-cotton.
I do not confine myself to the use of nitre or nitrate of potash in the manufacture
of my improved compound, as I can, if desired, employ instead thereof nitrate of
soda, or the chlorates, either alone, or in combination with other salts. Moreover
the proportions of the several ingredients may be somewhat varied according to
the desired quality of the compound.

page_text: Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Explosive
Compounds.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57º, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical 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 :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of explosive compounds.
The gunpowder usually employed for military purposes is composed of 75 or 76
parts by weight of nitre, 15 parts by weight of charcoal, and 10 parts by weight
of sulphur.. This powder is liable to be rendered useless or ineffective by exposure
to a moist atmosphere. Moreover, when such powder is compressed to form a
prism or block, its density is greater at the two ends than at the centre of the
said prism or block, because, in order to overcome the friction between the powder
and the mould, and consolidate the central portion of the mass of powder therein,
great pressure must be applied to the ends of the said mass.
My invention is partly designed to obviate or avoid these defects, and an
important feature of my said invention is the employment of paraffine wax or other
suitable hydrocarbon, in the manufacture of explosive compounds, in the manner
hereinafter described.
In carrying my invention into practice, I make a composition or compound of the
following ingredients in, or about in, the proportions stated, viz:-
78.18 arts by waight of niture
The nitre and sulphur are intimately mixed in an edge-mill or the like; and the
paraffine is added to the mixture in a molten state and sufficiently warm to ensure
its thorough incorporation with the nitre and sulphur.
The proportion of paraffine employed may be somewhat varied, if desired, but,
when the paraffine is used in the proportion above stated, the combustible ingredients
(carbon and hydrogen) thus introduced into the compound are equivalent, or
nearly equivalent, to the charcoal ordinarily used in gunpowder.
The explosive compound thus produced is to be used either alone or in
combination with other explosives, such as gunpowder or gun-cotton.
I prefer to mix one part by weight of the said compound with three parts by
weight of gunpowder. When these substances are thoroughly incorporated, the
resulting compound possesses many advantages over gunpowder; for example, it can
be more readily moulded or compressed into prisms or blocks of uniform density,
as it will flow in the press like wax, and consequently the pressure required to
consolidate the ends of the mass will be sufficient to consolidate the central portion
thereof. It can be made of very great density for use in heavy guns, or its density

page_text: may be varied for the purpose of regulating the rapidity of its combustion. It is
not so liable as gunpowder to be pulverized or to have its quality impaired by rough
handling. It is not injuriously affected by moisture, and is therefore reliable. It
is constant or uniform in its action. Moreover it does not hang fire, and does not
rust the barrel of the gun nor corrode, or form verdigris on, the cartridge-cases.
I do not confine myself to the use of nitre in the manufacture of my improved
compound, as I can, if desired, employ instead thereof, nitrate of soda, or the
chlorates, either alone or in combination with other oxygen-bearing salts. Moreover
the proportions of the several ingredients may be somewhat varied, according to
the desired quality of the compound.
By mixing the compound of paraffine, nitre and sulphur with gun-cotton, the
rapidity of explosion of the latter can be modified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. An explosive material or compound consisting of paraffine or other hydro-
carbon, nitre or its equivalent, and sulphur, mixed in, or about in, the proportions
above stated.
Second. The combination of the said explosive material or compound with
gunpowder in, or about in, the proportions above stated.