US1565899A - Composition for producing lachrymating gases - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15. 1925- D. B. BRADNER COMPOSITION FOR PRODUCING LACHRYMATING GASES PRODUCTI 0N. OF LACHRYMATING GASES Filed May 5, 1924 Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

DONALD B. BRADNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, I PENNSYLVANIA.

COMPOSITION FOR PRODUCING LACHRYMATm'G GASES. 7

Application filed May 3,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD B. BRADNER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Composition for Producing Lachrymatmg Gases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a composition for producing effective concentrations of lachrymating gases in non-persistent form.

Among the objects of this invention is the production of a composition by which effect ive concentrations of lachrymating gases may be produced without wasting a large amount of the lachrymator and without rendering the ground or structures in the vicinity where said lachrymating gases are generated untenable for periods of time beyond which lachrymation is desired.

A further object of this invention is to form a composition of a lachrymating agent such as chloracetophenone, bromacetophenone, iodoacetophenone, etc. with a fuel of the type such as nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine or black powder. These halogen derivatives of acetophenone will produce irritation and lachrymation when persons are exposed thereto for a period of three minutes in concentration much below 0.01 milligram per liter/ A further object of this invention is to produce a composition which is practicable for use by the police in generation of lachrymating gases for dispersing mobs and other unlawful gatherings.

In practicing my invention I prefer to use chloracetophenone and I form an intimate mixture of chloracetophenone with a fuel, which is capable of burning and liberating a suflicient volume of hot gases to volatilize the lachrymator. This fuel may be a mixture of some oxidizing and reducing agent, such as ammonium nitrate and charcoal or else a material like nitrocellulose wherein each molecule contains both oxidizing and reducing elements. 'I may also mix an excess of the lachrymator with an oxidizing agent sothat the latter will oxidize a, part of the lachrymator and 7 thereby generate sufficient heat to volatilize the remainder of the lachrymatorf It is highly desirable to avoid or atleast minimize as far as possible decomposition of the evolved lachrymator, and in order to ac- 1924. Serial No. 710,736.

complish this result I not only thoroughly distribute the fuel throughout the lachrymator but adjust the proportion of lachrymator to fuel so that a suflicient amount of heat will be absorbed by evaporation of the lachrymator to revent an excessive rise in temperature. Since combustion of such fuels as nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine proceeds readily at comparatively low temperatures, these fuels-have been found most satisfactory in practicing my invention.

In using nitrocellulose and chloracetophenone for this purpose, the proportions may vary from 1 to 5 parts of nitrocellulose for 1 part of chloraceto henone.

If a mixture is prepared rom chloracetophenone and nitrocellulose and allowed to stand for a time before using, there is a tendency for slow decomposition to.develop and in order to overcome or counteract this effect, I sta'bilize such mixtures by adding thereto an anti-acid such GaCO MgCO MgO and ZnO. If MgO is employed as a stabilizer it should preferably vary from about 8 to 12% of the weight of chloracetophenone used in the mixture.

In using my composition, it is placed in a suitable container and suitable means provided for igniting the composition. In the accompanying drawing there is shown a smoke candle which is a specific form of device adapted for use with my composition. This device is shown part in elevation and part in section and consists of a can (1) containing the mixture (2) of chloracetophenone, nitrocellulose and MgO as a stabilizer. Above the mixture (2) is the starter composition which is in contact with the tip (4) of the safety fuse (5). This tip (4) may consist of meal powder which is bound to the fuse with a celluloid-acetonecompo sition. Above 'the starter is steel wool (6). At the top of the can are the cover discs (7 and (8) provided with openings (9) and (10), respectively, which allow the escape of the exit gases. I

In making this candle, the chloracetophenone, nitrocellulose and MgO are thoroughly mixed and tamped into the container. A satisfactory mixture consists of 7 parts of chloracetophenone to 13 parts of nitrocellulose and 1 part of MgO; Acetone is poured uniformly over the top of the mixture in suflicient amount to thoroughly moisten the mixture for a depth of about to 1 inch and the acetone allowedto evaporate, thus producing a hard, compact .surface on the mixture. The starter composition is then spread over the top of the mixture, a layer of to inch of starter mixture being sufficient for most purposes. A suitable starter composition for this purpose is a powdery mixture of about equal parts of-reduced iron and KMnO steel wool is then placed upon the starter composition and the discs (7) and ('8) are then secured to the top of the can. A small opening leading to the starter composition is made in the steel Wool and the tipped fuse is positioned as shown in the drawing.

The candle is operated by igniting the fuse which, after a delay, ignites the starter composition, and this in turn ignites the chloracetophenone-nitrocellulose-magne-' sium oxide mixture. As the nitrocellulose of'this mixture burns, the hot gases volatilize the chloracetophenone which becomes entrained with the combustion gases and the gaseous mixture passes out of the openings (9) and (10). Since nitrocellulose and also nitroglycerine burn under these conditions at temperatures below that at which substantial decomposition of the chloracetophenone takes place, the evolved lachrymating gases will be practically undecomposed as they pass out of the candle.

In the following claims, the term gas is used to include substances which are in the gaseous phase as well as substances which are commonly termed smokes, clouds,

vapors, mists, etc., and' combinations of these.

The present invention is not limited to the specific details set forth in the foregoing examples which should be construed as illustrative and not by way of limitation, and in view of the numerous modifications which may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, it is desired that only such limitations be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A composition for producing an effective concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, a lachrymating organic compound not readily volatile at ordinary temperatures which lachrymates-at a con- The - prising a nitrated organic body which burns at a temperature sufficient to volatilize said halogen derivative of acetophenone but be low that at which the said halogen derivative of acetophenone will decompose within the time required for said volatilization.

5. A composition 'for producing an efi'ective concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, a lachrymating organic compound not readily volatile at ordinary temperatures and having intimately distributed therethru a fuel comprising nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine.

6. A composition for producing an effec-' tive concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, chloracetophenone having intimately distributed therethru a fuel comprising nitrocellulose.

7. A composition for producing an effective concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, an oxidizing agent intimately distributed and associated with an excess of a lachrymating agent which lachrymates at a concentration below 0.01 milligram per liter in three minutes and adapted to enter into combination with said oxidizing agent and yield sufiicient heat by such combination to volatilize the remainder of said lachrymator.

8.. A composition for producing effective concentration of a lachrymating gas in nonpersistent form, an oxidizing agent intimately distributed and associated with an excess of a halogen derivative of acetophe none adaptedto enter into combination with the halogen derivative of acetophenone and yield sufiicient heat by such combination to volatilize the remainder of said chloracetoj phenone.

9. A composition for producing an eifective concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, an oxidizing agent intimately distributed and associated with an excess of chloracetophenone adapted to enter into combination with chloracetophenone and yield suflicient heat by such combination to volatilize the remainder of said chloracetophenone.

ture sufiicient to volatilize said lachrymator but below that at which the lachrymator will decompose within the time required for said volatilization and an anti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the lachrymator and fuel.

11. A composition for producing an cflective concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, chloracetophen'one having intimatelydistributed therethru a fuel which burns at a temperature sufficient-to volatilize said chloracetophenone but below that at which the chloracetophenone will decompose within the time required for said volatilization and an anti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the mixture of chloracetophenone and fuel.

12. A composition for producing an effective concentrationof a lachrymating gas 1n non-persistent form, alachrymating organic compound which lachrymates at a concen tration below 0.01 milligram per liter in three minutes and not readily volatile at ordinary temperatures and having intimately distributed therethru a fuel co1nprising nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine and an anti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the mixture of lachrymator and fuel.

-13. A composition for producing an eifec-- tive concentration of a; gas in non-persistent form, a lachrymating halogen derivative of acetophenone and having intimately distributed therethrough a fuel comprising a nitrated organic body which burns at a tom peraturesufiicient to volatilize said halogen derivative of acetophenone but below that at which the said halogen derivative of acetophenone will decompose within the time required for said volatilization and an anti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the mixture of the halogen derivative of acetophenone andfuel;

14. A composition for' producing an effective concentration of a lachrymating gas in non-persistent form, chloracetophenone having intimately distributed therethru a fuel comprising nitrocellulose and an anti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the mixture of chloracetophenone and fuel.

DONALD B. BRADNER.

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