US1212770A - Process of making smokeless powders. - Google Patents

Description

"-,accomplished by various means and has been heretofore deemed necessary, in order to render the nitrocellulose soluble for the- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mums s. xounnarmrr, or wrnmmeron, DELAWARE, assrenoa or ONE-HALF 'ro 3mm nnnnnnn'rz, new YORK, N. Y.

1,212,170.- lo i To it may concern:

it known that I, Dmrrain'S. Konrad rmrr, a subject 'of Russia, residing at Wilmin'gton, in the county of New Castle,'State 5 of Delaware, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Processes of Makin Smokeless Powders; and-I do here-- i'a cellulose which has been gelatinized. Aftertreating the cotton-wool or cellulose with nitric acid, it has'been considered necessar to thoroughly wash the end products witi water, so as to "thoroughly remove anytrace ofthe free acids which would be undesirable. and dangerous in the further treatment of the nitrocellulose. As a result the nitro- "cellulose. is obtained in. awet condition. Whileit is in such wet condition the nitrocellulose is usually subjected to the well "known process of centrifuging after the --i:iitroee'llulose still contains a certain degree -of-moisture averaging from to t has. heretofore been considered necesan initial ste t subject the nitro' ulose, after centri uging, to various proccases of either thorough or partial drying 'or dehydration. The process of either thorough or partially drying or dehydrating the nitrocellulose, after centrifuging, has been purpose'of'bringingit into a condition renitrocellulose and ether for making an'alcohol ether smokeless-powder. Another cominonly used method has been to treat the nitrocellulose with alcohol by percolation with pressure. In all instances, these various'processes of either thoroughly or partially drying the nitrocellulose, aftercent-rifuging, or drying, or treating the nitrocellulose with alcoho by percolation with pres- Sure, are, expensive and take up a great deal 6f time. a

I have discovered thatit is not necessary to remove any further part of the moisture V the nitrocellulose, after its centrifugquired for the propergelatinization of the l O! ILKINQ BMOKELESS POWDERS.

p lpe cllcation ct mar-32mm. Avbllcati on flied November 18, 1916. Serial No. 51,668.

" Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

iiig, and that, in fact, the moistureremaim ing in the nitrocellulose, after such centriiugin not only does not harm the degree of so ubility, but, on the contrary, will greatly facilitate and improve it.

new and improvedprocess there-fore,

the following proportions: To each 100 lbs.

of nitrocellulose about 7 5 lbs. of alcohol and ether, one part alcohol and two parts ether. This admixture added as described, will bring about the condition required for the proper gelatinization of the nitrocellulose and ether for the purpose of making an alcohol ether smokeless powder.

It is to be understood that the exact pro portion of moisture in the wet or undried nitrocellulose, after centrifuging, for the purpose of obtaining the most favorable results, may vary with a specific nitrocellulose used, as this is not at all times an abso lutely uniform product, which variations are well known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, therefore, changes may be made in the details of my invention, without de-.

parting from the spirit thereof.

lclaim: 1. In the art of making smokeless gun and rifle. )owders, from nitrocellulose, that step whic .consists in adding alcohol and ether to thewet nitrocellulose, unsubjected to any other process of drying or dehydration except centrifuging, for the purpose of bringing about the condition required for the proper gelatinization necessary to-pro duce an alcohol ether smokeless powder.

2. In the art of making smokeless gun and rifle powders, from nitrocellulose, that step which consists in adding alcohol and ether to the wet nitrocellulose, after centrifuging, without subjecting such nitrocellulose to any other process of-either thorough or partial drying or dehydration, or to any process of drying with alcohol by percolation with pressure, for the purpose ofbringin about. the condition required for the proper gelatinization necessary to producean alcohol ether smokeless powder.

3. In the art of making smokeless gun and rifle powders, from nitrocellulose. that step which consists in adding simultaneously alcohol and ether to the wet nitrocellulose, immediately after centrifuging. without subjecting such nitrocellulose to any other process of either thorough or partial drying or clelrrdration. or to any process of drying with alcohol by percolation with pressure. for the purpose of bringing about the eoiulition required for the proper gelatnnzation necessary to produce an alcohol ether smokeless powder.

1n testnnony that I claim the loregoing as my invention, 1 have. signed my name in presence of two suljiscriblug mtnesses.

DMIIRIE S. KONDRAIIEFF.

Witnesses: