US268518A - Explosive compound - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES r PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER F. MOHRIG} OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EXFfLOSlVE .COMPQUND SPECIFICATION forming part af 1'.etter=.?atent No. 268,518, dated Decemberfi, 1882.

Application filed August 9, 1881. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER F. M011- RIG, of the city and county of San Francisco, in the State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Compounds and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to that class of explosive compounds in the composition of. which chlorate of potash enters as the principal ingredient or base. Such compounds, while pos-' duce a compound with chlorate of potash as the base in which great energy and powerful; effect are combined with safety in handling,

freedom from explosion by friction or percussion when not confined under pressure, and

which is adapted to be used in close-or confined situations, where the geueratiou of un-..;'

healthy and dangerous vapors and odors would be an objection and prevent the employmen of such explosives.

The invention will be iinderstood as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

I mix and combine together the following iug dientsin the usual manner of making such compounds, and with the assistance of any suitable apparatus known to those acquainted or familiar with the art: chlorate of potash, fifty to seventy parts; sugar, twelve to fifteen parts; charcoal, five parts; water, twentytive to thirty parts. I grind these substances together and reduce them to a pulverulent condition. Into this mixture I then introduce black oxide of manganese, five parts; metallic zinc, ten to twenty parts, ground together and reduced. I then grind and mix the whole inti'mately together. To the mixture and compound 1 then add about ten (10) parts of wax by heating the compound to the temperature of boiling water and then combining the wax by stirring and thoroughly incorporating it throughout the mass. For this purpose I employ yellow wax, beeswax, or vegetable wax. The degree of heat used should'not be greater than necessary to render the wax soft and pliable, as its natural tenacity would be destroyed or impaired by increased heat.

This compound has great force. It is not percussion. Its. freedom from objectionable vapors and odors when used in confined places renders it of especial value in shafts, tunnels, and other close situations.

'It is well known that the use of chlorate of potash as the chief ingredient in such compounds is attended with much danger from the fact that the particles of chlorate dist-ributed among and throughout the other substances and ingredients are sensitive both to percussive force and to friction, and willreadily ignite when subjected to any force of such character in handling or transportation; and in order to overcome, restrict, or remove this peculiar property, many modes and processes have been suggested, devised, and employed, so that this otherwisedesirable explosive could be generally used with comparative safety. ,For this purpose soft, pliable, or semi-elastic substances have been employed for providing asoft or partly elastic coating or cushion to surround and envelop the chlorate particles, and thus isolate them from one another, and among them tarry and resinous substances have been employed with improved results. Such substances, however, while operating with good effect at first, gradually lose their soft and pliable nature or condition, and'after a time -become hardened or brittle under changes of temperature, and the compound with its supposed safe quality is rendered more dangerous than if the attempt to remove the tendency of the chlorate particles to ignite from friction and percussion had not been made. I find, however, in the use of wax, either in the form of yellow wax, beeswax,or vegetable wax, thatI obtain a covering or coating medium deterioration after manufacture, but remains permanently soft and pliable. it has no tendency to harden or become brittle or to crumble and separate from the chlorate particles, and it is readily applied to and incorporated for the chlorateparticles that is not subject to:

liable to explode accidentally from friction or consistingotthefollewingingredients,in about the proportions named. viz: chlorate of potl5 ash sugar, charcoal, black exitle of manganese, metallic zine, water, and wax in either of the forms of yellow wax, beeswax, 0r vegewith any chlorate compound. By the use of this ingredient I am enabled to give this class of explosives a quality of safety not; attainahie' by the use of mineral substances, which, possessing the required pliabillty at the time of manufacture, gradually part with it or f tab-1e Wax, in about the proportions set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 20 hand and seal.

CHRISTOPHER F. MOHRIG. ['L. s] Attest:

EDWARD E. Osnonx, W. F. CLARK.

change their character after combination with the eomponnd. I Having {thus described my inventionm'hai: I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

As an improvement in ehlorate-of-peiash explosives, the herein-descrihev'l eompannd,