US1651479A - Blasting fuse spitter - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNi'T THOMAS SPEARS, OF BISIBEE, ARIZbNA.

BLASTIITG FUSE SPITTER.

Application filed November 30, 1925. Serial No. 72,221.

Ordinary powder fuses to the holes or points where the blasting charge has been deposited, there usually being a multiplicity of such charges distributed at spaced points or places for effecting the character blast desired; and it is now the general practice to apply a torch or lamp to the end of each fuse independently one after the other. This practice is rather dangerous to the miner, as it is necessary for him to light all the fuses, before retiring to a place of safety. The smoke from the first few fuses fills the working place necessitating him to feel around for remaining fuses or charges, which often detains him longer than he is aware, and the first lighted fuse explodes before he gets to a safe place. Also, many times the lamps or torches are blown out by the spurting of the powder from the end of the fuse, leaving the miner without a light, and causing him to grope around in the dark to a place of safety, or forcing him to attempt to relight the lamp before the blast occurs.

The resultant accidents are said to be from premature explosions and the vast majority of blasting accidents are thus occasioned. I a

It is the object of the present-invention, therefore, to overcome the above stated drawbacks by the provision of a fuse spitter which is extremely economical, and

which is constructed to hold and retain the ends of the fuses in such a manner that all ends may be directly ignited by one flashing of a torch or lamp at the same time, the ends of the fuses being grouped together and arranged in close relation, so that every lighting of one or any number of the grouped ends of the fuses will result in the ignition of the entire group.

A further object of the invention is in the quick and simple method employed in grouping and retaining the ends of the fuses in. a holding device or spitter.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention resides in the sundry details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, and in the steps of the method employed hereinafter more fully described and set out in the appended claims.

In this specification and annexed drawings the invention is disclosed in the form in which it is considered to be the best, but the invention is not limited to such form and method, because it is capable of being embodied in other forms, and being performed in different manners; and it is to be understood that by and 1n the claims following the description herein, it is intended to cover the invention in whatever from it may be embodied, or in whatever manner it may be practiced within the scope of said claims.

In the drawings which show the preferred embodiment of the invention as at present devised, and the manner in which the fuse ends are held in the spitter Fig. l is a front elevation of the spitter constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the spitter showing the fuse ends attached thereto and the method by which they are held and retained in grouped relation in the spitter; and

Fig. 3 is a side View of the spitter shown in Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the spitter of this invention consists of a panel or elongated stick of wood or other suitable material 10, which is slotted as indicated at 11. The slot 11 preferably extends from the upper end of the spitter for a desired distance inwardly thereof, although the slot may be arranged in any desired manner.

The slot 11 is to be of such width as will permit the ends of the fuses to extend there through, and is preferably no wider than will accomplish this, so that the ends of the fuses may to an extent bind themselves in the slot. The slot 11 may be of any desired m0 length, but at least sufficient to accommodate the usual number of fuses which it is desired to ignite at one time.

While the spitter 10 is shown in the form of an elongated panel with the slot extend- 10 lower extremity pointed as at 13 in order that it may be stuck into the dirt, crevice, or other such place. The spitter 10 can be implement.

are mashed or spread, ,asparticularly shown in Fig. 2, so that these extremities will be WlClGftlldll the slot 11, and prevent the same from falling out. Also, this mashing or spreading of the ends of the fuses as at 15, causes the powder in said ends to. be ex.- posed, for convenient ignition. Sincejthe ends of the fuses 14: are in grouped juxtaposition in the slot 11, the ignition can be effected by merely applying a torch generally to the ends 15 of the fuses with the spitter. Of course, it is the practice for the,

miner to run the torch along the ends ofthe fusesin order'to use an abundance of precaution to insure the proper ignition of all of the fuses. 4 v

The ends 15 of the fuses, as above stated, are mashed or spread to a size larger than the width of the slot 11, but this in some instances may be better efiected by splitting the ends of the fuses, with a knife or. other It is also to be'understood that it is within the purview of the present invention that the slot 11 be closed at both ends, but by having at least one end of the slot open it is found that the fuses may be inserted into the slot from this end with greater faoilityand ce-' lerity. i

From the foregoing, it'will be seen that applicant has made a very simple and economical invention requiring no special and expensive parts, and it maintains the fuse ends in position as the same are merely disposed in the end of a slot, which is, preferably, of such size as to bind the ends therein; andby spreading the ends of the fuses in order to properly expose the powder therein for ignition, thereby requiring nosupplemental or auxiliary detonator, or lgniting charge to light theends of the fuses.

WVhat is claimed is; I

l. A blasting fuse spitter comprising a flat solid body member of substantial width and having a slot therein in which the ends of a plurality of fuses may be transversely extended with the ends of they fuses spread on a surface of the body member and groupedtogether for simultaneous ignition, saidslot being of suchwidth as to hold the fuses therein and sajid'body member being of such width that the edges thereof project be- I "yond the spread end of the fuses so when laid on one of its side edges it will support the ends of the fuses above supporting surface. 2. In combination, a' unitary non-resilient fuse spitter comprising a solid body member having a slot extending for a distance thereinto from one edge'thereof so as to provide an unslotted portion beyond the inner end of the slot, said slot being of a width .tohold fuses. transversel tremities of the uses having bent over portions adjacent to the edges of the slot.-

therein, the ignitible ex- I ,3. In combination, a unitary non-resilient fuse spitter comprising a body member having a slot extending for a distancethereinto from one edge'thereof so as to provide an unslotted portion beyond the inner end of the slot, said slot being of a width to hold fuses transversely therein, said unslotted portion providing a handle having a penetrating end, the ignitible extremities of the fuses having bent over portions adjacent to the edges of the slot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1 f

a THOMAS SPEARS.

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