US2543006A - Smoke agent - Google Patents

Description

. Patented Feb. 27, 1951 SMOKE AGENT Leo Finkelstein, Aberdeen, and Sidney J Magram, Baltimore, Md., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War No Drawing. Application November 8, 1943, Serial No. 509,506

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a colored smokeforming composition.

The object of this invention is to provide an economical smoke-producing mixture which is particularly efficient when used in a smoke gremade or candle but which may also be effectively utilized in artillery or mortar projectives, and in smoke pots or various other pyrotechnical devices.

The smoke-forming composition of this invention comprises as principal ingredients a mixture of a suitable dye, a fuel containing potassium chlorate and sulfur, and a combustion-controlling agent, such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate.

In the late war, small, portable, nonmissile devices which produced smoke by progressive burning of a chemical filling were known as smoke candles. Devices of larger size, not so readily portable but producin a more enduring smoke cloud with longer burning by virtue of their size, were called smoke pots. More recently, the smoke candles were developed along the lines of tear gas grenades and became known as smoke grenades. The grenades are a very convenient type of munition. They are easily carried by troops, and they are readily set into action after projection by small arms or when thrown by hand. However, the use of grenades for colored smoke had the serious limitation that known smoke mixtures were unsuitable in being too slow in igniting, too fast in burning, and erratic in burning.

The colored smoke-forming composition of the present invention does not have the limitations of previously known mixtures and has proved to be an efiicient filling for utilization in the same kind of container as is used for tear gas grenades.

The composition has been satisfactorily standardized into one type with the following variety of colors:

1. Yellow 4. Green 2. Orange 5. Blue 3. Red 6. Violet tain optimum proportions for forming a large amount of smoke.

Examples of satisfactory compositions are as follows:

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 2 Example 1.-Yellow smoke mixture 7 Percent Auramine 38 KClO3 -S 33.5 NaHCO3' 28.5

Example 2.-Ora.nge smoke mixture Percent Orange dye 45 KClO3S 31 Mal-I003 24 The orange dye consists of a mixture of 39 parts of 8-ch1oro-1-aminoanthraquinone and 6 parts of auramine.

Example 3.-Red smoke mixture Percent l-methy1aminoanthraquinone 40 KClO3s 41 NaHCOa 19 Example 4.Green smoke mirture Percent Green dye 41 KC103S 36 NaHCO; 23

The green dye consists of 29 parts of 1, l-di-p-- toluidino anthraquinone and 12 parts of auramine.

Example 5.Blue smoke mixture Percent Indigo 64 KClO3-S 28' NaHCOa 8 Example 6.Vz'o2et smoke mixture Percent Violet dye 44 KCIO3S 42 NaHCOs 14v change in composition and on the burning time desired: Potassium chlorate:

% minimum passes a No. U. S. Standard sieve 1 40% minimum passes a No. 200 U. S. Standard sieve Sulfur:

99% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 85% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve Sodium bicarbonate:

99% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 50% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve Yellow dye:

70% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 20% maximum passes a No.

ard sieve Orange dye:

92% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 16% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve Red dye:

90% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 70% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve Green dye:

95% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 40% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve Blue dye:

90% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 30% minimum passes a No. ard sieve Violet dye:

95 minimum passes a No.

ard sieve 60% minimum passes a No.

ard sieve Each of the smoke mixture charges'may be loaded into a renade body and compressed therein under a high pressure, e. g., pressure of 475 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. Stand- 200 U. Stand- 100 U. S. Stand- 200 U. S. Standpounds per square inch. On top the smoke charge 1 in the grenade body may be placed a'starter charge formulated from silicon potassium nitrate and charcoal with a binder solution of cellulose nitrate and acetone. The starter mixture may be contained in a starter cup and be ignited by an ordinary grenade fuse made up of a primer and a train of black powder, the primer being set off by mechanical impact of a striker. The smoke mixture may be in any suitable container without a starter cup and can be ignited directly simply by a fuse.

' In the operation of a colored smoke grenade, heat evolved by the chemical reaction of the fuel ingredients volatilizes the'dye; and the dye vapors dispersed into the atmosphere condense to form a thick colored smoke. The colored smoke, if formed in sufficient volume and lasting for sufficienttime, can be observed from long distances and serves as a signal, identification or for a variety of other purposes.

It is found to be extremely important to have the combustion reaction in the smoke mixture The kinds of dyes found most suitable are commercial dyes as well as dyes specially made; it was found that some anthraquinone dyes, a diphenyl methane dye, an' indigo dye and other vat-type dyes could be used.

The use of the agent for controlling the combustion reaction is very important. By moderating the temperature of the reaction without adversely affecting the ignition properties of the mixture, the agent makes possible the selection of suitable organic dyes, lengthens the time of burning and increases the smoke-developing eificiency of the mixture. A characteristic of the combustion-controlling agent is the property of decomposing when heated to within the temperature range of about C. to 350 0., more preferably in the range of 200 C. to 300 C. Compounds having this characteristic are basic alkali bicarbonates, such as sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited by the specific examples and that various modifications are included within the scope of the invention.

We claim: 7

1. A colored smoke forming composition comprising a dry fuel mixture of Sulfur and potassium chlorate, a combustion controlling agent in a proportion of from about 8% to 28.5% C S and a dyestuff consisting by Weight of from not less than 35% nor more than 45% of said composition selected from a group consisting of l methylaminoanthraquinone, l,4-diamino-2,3-dihydro anthraquinon and a mixture of each of said quinones.

2. A colored smoke forming composition comprising a dry fuel mixture of sulfur and potassium chlorate, a combustion controlling agent in less than 35% nor more than 45% of said com position selected from 1,4-diamino-2,3-dihydro anthraquinone.

r LEO FINKELSTEIN.

SIDNEY J. MAGRAM.

REFEBENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Library).

La Nature for 1940, pages 240-244 (Les Nuages et Fumees Dans La Guerre Moderne)

Claims (1)

1. A COLORED SMOKE FORMING COMPOSITION COMPRISING A DRY FUEL MIXTURE OF SULFUR AND POTASSIUM CHLORATE, A COMBUSTION CONTROLLING AGENT IN A PROPORTION OF FROM ABOUT 8% TO 28.5% NAHCO3 AND A DYESTUFF CONSISTING BY WEIGHT OF FROM NOT LESS THAN 35% NOR MORE THAN 45% OF SAID COMPOSITION SELECTED FROM A GROUP CONSISTING OF 1 METHYLAMINOANTHRAQUINONE, 1,4-DIAMINO-2,3-DIHYDRO ANTHRAQUINONE AND A MIXTURE OF EACH OF SAID QUINONES.