GB298543A - Improvements in and relating to explosives - Google Patents

Abstract

298,543. Du Pont, F. I., Du Pont, E., and U.S.F. Powder Co. April 7, 1927. Explosives.-Relates to the production of ballistically stable smokeless propellent explosives consisting of colloided nitrocellulose with or without nitroglycerine, nitrotoluene, stabilizers, moderants or non-volatile gelatinizers, and containing also in admixture an oxidizing substance and an oxidizable substance consisting wholly or partly of charcoal of such character as substantially to prevent muzzle flash at firing. According to the invention, a substantially dry finely divided mixture of oxidizing substance and oxidizable substance is intimately mixed with nitrocellulose before or during gelatinization or before the gelatinized nitrocellulose is in a hard state with or without nitroglycerine and the other ingredients, the mixture including the nitrocellulose being substantially dry before incorporation with the gelatinizing agent, the amount of the finely divided mixture of oxidizing substance and oxidizable substance being from 0.5 to 25 per cent by weight of the nitrocellulose or explosive mass, preferably from 2 to 20 per cent, a smaller amount of the mixture being added for the manufacture of charges for guns of smaller calibre, and a greater amount for the manufacture of charges for guns of larger calibre. The mixture may consist of potassium nitrate, and charcoal, or of black powder, or of potassium bichromate and charcoal. Specifications 1471/88, 298/91, 11383/91, 19002/98 and 12591/99, are referred to.