US1239247A - Subaqueous-blasting system. - Google Patents

Description

H. ALLISON.

lutvnted Sept. 1', 1917.

` 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 d. QM M M w. a f/d w w M i C. H. ALLISON.

SUBAQUEOUS BLASTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APILZ 19|?. 1 ,239,247. Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I Zwama/7 il Y Mare( f7. //Lf'a/g CHARLES H. `ALLISN, F GLENDALE, CALIFORIA.

sUBAQUEoUsfBLaSTING SYSTEM.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. ALLisoN,

a citizen of the United States, residing -at Glendale, in the county of 'Los Angeles,

State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Subaqueous-Blasting Systems, of which the following is Ya speciication.

This invention relates to systems and devices particularlyl adapted for explosive fwork under water; and tne invention has for its general object tti-.e

provision of an eilicient system of sub-aqueous blast-ing of any kind; and, particularly for blasting and other Aexplosive work in great depths of water. I have developed my system and the component parts of its apparatus with especial reference to blasting wells, where such work must frequently be earried'on in very excessive depth of water, sometimes exceeding a mile; but it will be understood, from the nature of the devices themselves, and from the following specification, that my invention, and this-system, are not limited to such specific use, and are not, in some cases, even limited to aqueous blasting.

In order lto make my invention most clearly apparent in all its scope and detail, I may briefiy describe the method and system most universally in previous use. For most kinds of workpf the character herein indicated, it yhas become very usual and'prevalent to yuse a relatively insensitive explosive. For instance, gelatin has come into very prevalent use, both 'on account of its great explosive strength and force, and on account of its relative safety due to its in-` sensitiveness.'

But this insensitiveness, coupled also with a lack of self-detonation, hasmade it nec essary to use a very strong detonator to obtain theutmost efficientv from the gelatin; and has further necessitated the use of detonators at frequent intervals throughout the length of a charge of gelatin in order to eilieient-ly detonate. the whole charge of gelatin. Such explosives as these are not good conductors of the explosive wave. In actual practice it has therefore become necessary to place detonating caps, or bundles of detonating caps, at frequent intervals throughout a large or long charge of gelatin or similar explosive; in practice these caps, or bundles of caps, being placed from twenty to thirty inches apart.

Then such insensitive explosives `are Specitcation of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 4, 19.17.

.Applicationl'led A-pri121, 1917. v` Serial No. 163,600.

Aplaced under great water pressure their insensitivencss and non-conductiveness of the explosive wave increases as the pressuremcreases; and"consequently, at great depth under water, it is quite necessary to use very,` strong detonators at frequent intervals throughout the entire length of the charge in order to developthe maxim of etliciency of the explosive charge. e I have substituted for the explosive caps,

orthe bundles of caps, placed at intervals throughout the length Aof the explosive charge, a continuous detonating fuse, of

Vthe type knownas Cordeau; being a fuselikebody comprising a tube containing a very strong explosive in which the detonationv travels with extreme rapidity and causes a very great explosive or detonatintt effect. 1I extend such a detonating fuse throughout the length of a gelatin or other explosive charge;v and then, by detonating the fuse, I' cause almost instanta-y -neous ldetonation of the whole explosive charge; and I cause thorough detonation of .the explosive charge at its highest efficiency.

The meansand arrangements by which I cause detonation of the detonating fuse is one of the elements of this system and of this invention. I have found that such -a detonating fuse as .Cordeau will retain its etliciency under great pressure provided the Water is not allowed access to the interior of the tube to the explosive. The tubular container of such a fuse is usually of lead or other soft met-al; and this tubular container is therefore relatively` compressible Asuch a detonating fuse and close one end. vby sealing the tube; and then make arrangements of an explosive cap or caps in such relative position tothe end of the fuse as to cause initial detonation of the fuse at that end; and I provide means for waterproofing andfforprotecting the end of the fuse and the-cap against." great pressure. Such means arel shown in my issued Letters Patents Nos! 1.09-l,(92, April t28. 1914; 1,163,965, December 14. 1915; and 1.215,329, February 13, '1917: and the waterproofing and pressure protective means herein described are dta'elopments. in'iprovcments and adaptations of said devices. Furthermore, I providemeans for com'entrating the exby exterior pressure; but great exterior presplosion, or the explosive wave' created by the cap, onto the end of the detonat-ing fuse;

and I may also provide a second ,explosive cap to augment the explosive and detonat-y in effect of the cap.

together' with the various details of-:structure and arrangement, and furthervobjects and features of this invention are explained in the following specification. In lthis specification I describe in'detail a preferred arrangement and combination of devicesfem` Vbodying my Y invention and accomplishing the objects herein set forth; and for-the purposes of this specicationI refertoV the accompanying drawingsin which Figure 1V is a longitudinal central section vshowing a preferredV construction and I arrangement' of a completev blasting system or organization,

according to myinvention; Fig. 2 is van enlarged central longitudinal section illustrating' the connection of 'the` explosive capto the detonating fuse; Fig. 3 is a similar section: showingfthe caps in elevation; Fig. 4 is 'a vertical section of a well casing showing my devices in elevation therein.` Fig. -5

vis a cross-section takenv as indicated by line y5 5' on Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a cross sect-ion taken as indicated by line 6-6 on Fig..y 2,

Referrin now more particularlyvto =the drawing: illustrate at 10 -(Fig. 4) awell casing and show thegeneral relationof an vlexplosive charge thereto.V In actual practice, vin deep well work, the explosive charge is put into long tubular cansll; and a single tubular can may hold the complete charge, or

a number of such cans `may be connected togetherend-'to end,'.for thepurpose of carryingv a heavy charge, `also for the -purposeof distributing a charge over a great length of the well or casing. Il show such cans` as are generally used in Figs. 1 and 4. Thesev cans yare preferably ,made of sheet iron pipe and arey provided with a conical bottom cap `12 and `withfa suitable: suspension bail: 13, at

their upper ends. i Two or. more such cans may be connected together in the manner best shown in detail in Fig. r1. A plurality `of wire loops 14 may berused to connect r adjacent cans together; and short lengths of pipe or tubing, shown at 15, may be usedto space the cans apart, so as to preclude `or minimize any tendency-of the cans to move relatively to each other. ,v This `arrangement isof lparticular importancein `view 1 of the fact t at ythe detonating fuse, which I extend in "a-single length vthroughout all of the interconnected cans,.is liable to be broken if it is sharply bent, twisted, or turned at anyfpoint.v In order to further minimize any `dificulties of thisvsort, I provide the denotating fuse 16Jwith anaexpansion and i contraction coil 16a .at the point where it extends between adjacent connected cans. The bottom 12 of one can may have a suitll of thesel foregoing indicated features,"

...The sealed end is shown at 32 in Fiir 2.

- i 1,239,242?.y l l fable opening 12'* therethrough to allow the fdetonating fuse passage;

Each can is filled with the explosive v.charge in any suitable manner, and the detonatingfuse 1G is placed centrally. lengthfwise'ofthe charge. For instance, 1n using gelatin, ,I- fill the `cans with cylindrical blocks or sticks of gelatin 20 cut to proper A size to it the can;l and each block or stick of ygelatin is slit, as shown in., Fig. y5; so that the detonating, fuse 16 mayV extend lengthblock` of gelatin may-` have va `larger sized opening 21l at its center to accommodatefvthe protected cap and fuse connection device 22. This device 22 is preferably set down within the 1 top of the uppermost can'v and within -wise through the blocks. The vuppermost, v

the gelatin, so that it is heldin a relatively immovable position; andthe two line wires 23, v which lead out from the cap arrangement, are lashed or otherwise suitably se# cured, vas indicated `at 24, .tothe cable, wire, or rope, or other vsuspension means 25, by meansv of which vthe explosive charge is lowered into thev well. The line wires 23extendup along the cable to thetop of the well. u l

.The extreme lower end ofthe detonating fuse l16 `is closed. This is accomplished preferably by sealingthe end of the leaden .tube 30, after a suitable amount of the explosive substance 31 has been melted out. In my preferred device I' provide, at tlie upper end vofthe detonating fuse, a suitable shell 33`having a longitudinal bore 34; the part 34al of the bore being adapted'to receive the upper end of the detonating fuse and to receive an ordinary explosive cap 35 and the upper part 34 of the borev adaptedto receive an electric cap 36. ThisA electric ca`p36 fits downinto the bore against the cap 35, with its upper end fitting inv an ,enlarged or recessed portion 34b ofthe bore, andthe upper 4end Vof the capbeing preferably somewhat below the extreme upper end of the' bore. The exterior diameter of the detonating fuse (of the leaden tube 30 and the exterior diameter of the shell 35 of the cap 35 are very nearlyvthe saine; and the upper `end part 30% of the leaden tube 30 yis scraped Hdown, or otherwise reduced in diameter, so

thatv it will fit into the open end of the cap ,shell 35a, with the exposed end of the de t- .I

konating material 31 directly against a small onating fuse is inserted in the cap shell 35a it is first dippedl in melted asphalt, tar or some similar substance, which substance then seals the end of the detonating fuse into the open end of the shell; and when the shell arid the detonating fuse are then inserted together in the bore 34 of the exterior shell 33, they are both dipped in the melted plastic sealingl substance and then inserted. The result is that both the cap 35 and the end of the detonating fuse are sealed into the exterior shell 33 by a thin film or coating of the plastic substance, as shown at 40.; and the upper end of the detonating fuse is sealed into the open end of the cap shell by a similar thin film or coating of the same substance as shown at 41. The film or coating 40 extends out to the outer-end of the exterior shall 33 and afterward unites with the final exterior coating of the same substance which is applied to the exterior of the shell.

33. The same procedure is adopted with the electric cap 36; this cap being dipped in the same substance and then inserted in the bore 34; being thus sealed in the bore, and completely surrounded, by a thin film or coating of substance, as shown at 42. Any excess of the plastic substance on the cap 36 will be squeezed up and out into the enlarged portion 34b of the bore around the upper end of the cap and will subsequently be united with the nal outer covering of the same substance which is applied to the shell 33, as hereinafter described. The line wires 23 are joined to the cap wires 43, as shown at 44, as closely as practicable to the cap; so that these joints in the wires lie well inside the final plastic covering which is given to the whole device 22. Each of the shells of caps 35 and 36 is preferably provided with an aperture 45 to allow access of the exterior pressureto the interior of the cap shells, through the medium of the plastic substance forming the coatings 40 and 42. Although I have found that the protection given to the caps by the general method herein employed is usually suflicient without providing the openings at 45; yet I have.

found that by providing the openings 45 and allowingthe exterior pressure to be transmitted to the interiors of the caps, I am enabled to lower the caps to the greatest of distances beneath the water surfaces without the caps being deformed by the external pressure and without their being prematurely exploded b v reason of such deformation or being so deteriorated by such deformation that they cannot be properlyv exploded when so desired. The uniform pressure upon the material within the cap does not deteriorate it or prematurely explode it, or prevent its being exploded when so desired; but deformation of the cap shell by reason of exterior pressure, without ka balancing interior pressure, causes such a are lowered to exceptionally extreme depths of Water.

The exterior shell 33 is preferably made of metal with sufiiciently strong walls to withstand the exterior pressure and to withstand the internal 'explosion of the caps and'of the part ofthe detonating fuse contained therein. It will be understood, however, that with the provisions herein described, it is not necessary to provide the shell 33 with strong walls in order to protect the caps and the upper end of the detonating fuse from the external water pressure; with the means herein described, it is only necessary to seal these parts from direct access of water and to provide for an equalization of pressures as herein stated. In this connection I refer particularly to my Letters Patents hereinbefore enumerated and referred to; wherein the general principles of cap protection against moisture and against Water-.pressure are fully set forth, applied to various circumstances, and the devices for such applications claimed. It will be noted that the present described device includes and embodies certain principal features of the devices described and claimed in said Letters Patents; but embodies further the certain combinations, organizations and improvements herein set forth for adapting the arrangements to the particular purposes and to the major combination herein described. One of the particular features of the shell 33 is that I preferably make it with sufficiently strong walls to withstand internal explosion and'to vconsequently directA and concentrate the explosion of the caps, or the explosive Wave created by the caps, longitudinally onto the end of the detonating fuse. It will be seen that my arrangement comprises generally a means for positioning a cap and the end of the fuse in juxtaposition and for causing efiicient initiation of detonation in the fuse from the explosion of the cap. The electric cap 36 may be looked upon as the primary cause of the detonation of the fuse; or the ordinary 'cap 35 may be looked upon as the cause (the immediate cause) of the detonation of the fuse. I prefer to describe the cap 35 as a booster in that it augments the explosive action of the cap 36 and causes a sure'and efficient.

initiation of denotation in the fuse. The position of the booster cap 35 allows me to After the fuse .and the caps have been inserted in the shell 33, then an exterior coatalthough it may be so.

ing of the same plastic substance is aplied preferably Whlle warm enough to be Eneaded, to the outside of the shell, the substance being forced into the open u per end of the shell 33 and being kneaded mto intimate-juncture with the coatings 40 and 42; being at the` same time kneaded closely around the detonating fuse 16 and around the line wires 23, and the Wire joints 44 being covered and inclosed within this coating or covering. The endparts of this covering (the partsat'the ends of the shell 33)A may be lkneaded into place, and the complete covering around the whole length of the shell may be also put into place in the same manner; or the relatively thin part 50 which surrounds the cylindrical surface of the shell may be formed by merely finally dip ing the whole arrangement in liquid asphalt. In any case, the Whole arrangementis usually finally dipped in liquid `asphalt so as to form an exterior soft surface upon which a vtaping,\preferably of rubber, as shown at 51, may be immediately wound and held by the adhesiveness of the plastic substance.

'Ihis taping is put on` for the mechanical protection of e plastic substance from abrasion, etc. When I say plastic substance, I do not nece'arily mean a substance which is plastic at ordinary temperatures or pressures, For instance, the substance which I use yfor coating and sealing inthe caps and the fuse and for coating the whole device 22 is an asphalt or tar or the like, and this substance may be quite hard and brittle at ordinary, temperatures or pressures; but it moves under high pressure. I do not conceive of my invention as being limited to the particular and specific devices, etc., herein set forth, but as being of a broad nature andcovering those general combinations of which the described ldevices are indicative. I have consequently proceeded yto describe a'preferred form of system embodying my invention, not for thepurposes of limitation, but for the purposes of indicating and typifying what forms my invention maytake. And the following claims are therefore drawn to briefly cover the different main and subsidiary combinations, parts and elements, herein set forth, both broadly and specifically.

Having described a preferred lform of my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a

shell having a longitudinal bore adapted to receive one end of the fuse, the fuse being otherwise exterior of the shell, an explosive cap in the shell bore to initiate the detonation ofthe fuse, and a protective covering around the shell, the cap and said fuse end to protect them against water pressure.

2.' In a device of the character described,

in combinationy with-fa detonatin lfuse, a shell having'a longitudinal bore a apted to receive one end ofthe fuse, the fuse being otherwise exterior of theshell, an ex losive4 cap in the shell bore Vto initiate the etona.- tion of the fuse, and a protective covering of plastic water-proof material surrounding the shell, the cap and the fuse end.

3. In a device of thecharacter described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a shell having a longitudinal bore extending from end to end and adapted at one end'to receive one end of the fuse, an electric explosive cap in the bore with its firing wires extending out of the other end of the bore, and a protective covering of plastic water-proof material surrounding` the shell and said fuse end and extending over the end of the cap andaround its firing wires.

4. In a device of the character described,

in combination withk a, detonating fuse a shell having la longitudinal bore extending from end to rend and adapted at one end to receive one end of the fuse, the walls of the shell being of explosive' resisting strength and the shell thus adapted tol concentratethe explosive wave of the cap y longitudinally onto the end of the detonating fuse, an electric explosive cap in the bore with its firing wires extendingl out of the other end of the bore, and a protective covering of `plastic water-proof material surrounding the shell and said fuse end and extending over the end of the cap and around its firing wires.

g 5. In a device of the character described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a shell having'a longitudinal bore adapted at one end to receive one end of the detonating fuse, an explosive cap in the bore, and a protective covering of plastic waterproof material around the ends of the shell and extending into the shell bore around the fuse end and around the cap.

6. In a device of the character described,

in combination with a detonatin fuse, a shell having a longitudinal bore adapted at one end to receive one end of the detonating fuse, an explosive cap in the bore, and a protective covering ofA plastic waterproof material around the ends of the shell and extending into the shell bore around the fuse end and around the cap, the cap being composed ofa capshell and contained explosive material, and the cap shell having a perforation to allow access of exterior pressure to the interior of the cap shell through the medium of the plastic material.

7. In a device of the character described,

in combination with a detonating fuse, a

in combination with a detonating fuse, a shell having a longitudinal fuse receiving a cap ,shell containing explosive materia the end of the detonatlng fuse entering the open end of the cap shell and being in longitudinal juxtaposition to the, explosive material therein, and an electric capin the bore in longitudinal, juxtaposition to the firstl mentioned cap.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a

shell having a longitudinal fuse receiving i bore, an explosive cap in the bore embodying a cap shell containing explosive material,-

the end of the detonating fuse entering the open end of the cap shell and being in longitudinal juxtaposition to the explosive material therein, an electric cap inthe bore in longitudinal juxtaposition to the first mentioned cap, and a protective `covering ofv Waterproof plastic material over the ends of the first mentioned shell and extending into its bore around the end lof the fuse and ,around the explosive caps, eachof the cap shells being perforated to allow access of exterior pressure to the interiors of the caps through'the medium of the plastic material. 10. In a device of the character described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a shell having a longitudinal bore extending from end to end and adapted at one end to receive one end of the fuse,.the Walls of the shell being of explosion resisting strength, an open ended explosive cap in the bore near the end receiving the fuse, the end of the fuse being entered into the open end of the cap and being in juxtaposition to the explosive material thereof, an electric cap in the other end of the shell bore in longitudinal juxtaposition to the first mentioned cap, the outer end of the electric cap being somewhat inside the end of the bore, line wires connected to the electric cap firing Wires close to the end of the bore, and a protective covering of plastic waterproof material around the ends of the shell and around the wire connections and extending into the bore at both ends and extending around the caps and the end of the fuse.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a shell having a longitudinal bore extending from end to end and adapted at one end to receive one end of the fuse, the walls of the shell being of e'xplosion resisting strength, an open ended explosive cap in the bore near the end receiving the fuse, the end of the fuse being entered into Vtheopen end of the cap and being in juxtaposition to the explosive material thereof, an electric cap in the other end of the shell bore in longitudinal juxtaposition to the first mentioned wires connected to the electric cap firing wires close to the end of the bore, and a protective'covering of plastic waterproof mav around the caps and the end of the fuse,

each of the caps comprising a cap shell containing the explosive material, the cap shells being perforated to allow access of exterior pressure to the cap interior through the medium of the plastic material. f

12. In a device of the character described, in combination with a detonating fuse, a shell having a longitudinal b'ore extending from end to end and adapted at one end to receive one end of the fuse, the Walls of the shell being of explosion resisting strength, an open ended explosive cap in the bore near the end receiving the fuse, the end of the fuse being entered into the open end of cap, the outer endvof the electric cap beingl somewhat inside the end of they bore, line Wires connected to the electric cap firing wires close to the end of the bore, and a protective covering of plastic Waterproof material around they ends of the shell and around the wire connections and extending into the bore at both ends and extending` around the caps and the end of the fuse, each of the caps comprising a cap shell containing the explosive material, the cap shells being perforated to allow access of exterior pressure to the cap interior through the medium of the plastic material; the plastic material superficially completely covering the first mentioned shell; and a mechanically protective taping around the plastic coating.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a detonating fuse embodying a Waterproof tubular container and a detonating material therein, the tubular container being closed at one end to prevent entry of Water, an explosive cap at the end of the detonating fuse, and' a waterproofing covering surrounding the cap and the adjacent end of the fuse.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of a detonating fuse embodying a Waterproof tubular container and a detonating material therein, the tubular container being closed at one end to prevent entry of Water, an explosive cap aty the other end of the detonating fuse, and a Waterproofing covering of plastic material surrounding the cap and the adjacent end of the fuse.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a detonating fuse embodying a .waterproof tubular container and a detonating material therein, the tubular container being closed at one end to prevent entry of Water, an explosive cap at the'other end of the detonating fuse, a longitudinally bored shell receiving the cap and the adjacent end of the fuse to hold the cap and fuse in longitudinal juxtaposition and to concentrate the explosion ofY the cap onto the end of the fuse, and a covering of plasticv waterproof material Aaround the shell, the` cap and the fuse end.

16. In a device of v he character described,

the combination of `a detonating fuse em bodying a Waterproof tubular container and a detonating material therein, said container l being compressible by exterior pressure and closed at one end to prevent entr)7 of Water,

a shell of relatively non-compressiblel material with rexplosion resisting Walls receiving 4the other end ofthe detonating fuse, a cap in. the shell adjacent said end of the fuse, and a covering of plastic Waterproof Waterproof tubular container closed at oneend to prevent entry of water, an explosive cap at the other end of the fuse, and a pressure protective covering surrounding the cap and the adjacent end of the fuse.

19. An explosive device for ydeep Water Work embodying ill-combination a body of explosive unaffected by water pressure and unprotected therefrom, a detonating fuse,

extending through the body of explosive, an explosive' cap arranged at one Y end of the fuse, and means surrounding the cap and that end of the fuse to protect it from Water pressure. f

20. An explosive devicefor 4deep Water,

Work, embodying in combination a body of` explosive unaffected by Water pressure and unprotected therefrom, a detonating fuse extending through the body. of explosive, andk i closed against water pressure at one end, an

explosive cap arranged at the otherfend of` thek fuse,'and means surrounding the cap and that end of the fuse to protect them against Water pressure. Y Y

21. An explosive device for deep .Water- Work, embodying in combination a body of explosive unaffected byY Water pressure, a detonating fuse extending through the body of 'explosive and closed against Water pres? sure at one end, an explosive cap at the other endof the fuse, and means surrounding the capvand that end of the fuse to protect them against Water pressure. v

In Witness that I claim theforegoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13thV day of April, 1917.

CHARLES H. ALLISON.

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