US440921A - Explosive - Google Patents

Description

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEMITRY MINDELEFF, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

EXPLOSIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,921, dated November 18, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DEMITRY MINDELEEE, of San Francisco, in the count-yof San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention is an improvement in ex plosives, and its object is to provide an explosive insensible to concussion that can be handled with more safety and will yet have a greater explosive force than the ordinary high-power explosives.

The improved explosive consists, essentially, of a combination of nitrate of ethyl, nitrate of methyl, pyroxyline, and nitro-glycerine, and in combination of such elements with nitro-benzine, xyloidine, and penta nitrocellulose, which substances are combined and prepared substantially in the proportions and manner hereinafter clearly set forth and claimed.

For the purpose of clearness and conciseness in the description, I will refer to some of the sub-combinations of elements employed in compounding my explosives by letters, as occasion may arise hereinafter.

In order to produce the most perfect resul s, I prefer to produce or treat some of the sub stances used in the explosive in a particular manner to purify them and facilitate their intermingling and coalescence in the explosive, and shall herein specify which of the substances I so prepare and the manner of preparing them, but do not herein claim such methods.

With these observations I will proceed to describe the preparation of the explosive. One of the principal ingredients in my explosive is nitro-glycerine; but the common nitro-glycerine employed in the manufacture of dynamite and made by ordinary processes contains impurities in considerable quantities and is objectionable or unfit for my purpose, and I therefore purify this common nitro-glycerine as follows: Common nitro-glyc erine contains, as shown by analysis, one or more or all of the following impurities: Sul phate of lead (plumbic sulphate Pb,SO,) and such as are produced by thechemical action of the nitric and sulphuric acids on theleaden Application filed August 19, 1890- Serial No. 362/241. (No specimens.)

vessels generally employed in the manufacture of nitro-glycerine. The lead salts are insoluble in water and are not separated from the common nitro glycerine during the process of washing, but remain mechanically suspended therein. Another impurity is protosulphate of iron (Fe,SO,,Aq) resulting from the action of acids on the iron vessels employed in making thecommon nitro-glycerine. WVhile such salt is soluble in water, yet it is oxidized thereby during the process of washing common nitroglycerine, and deposits a portion of oxide of iron, (Fe ,O which remains mechanically suspended in the common nitroglycerine. Again, the common nitro-glycerine generally contains fatty acids derived from the crude glycerine, such as stearic, margaric, oleic acids, &c., and more or less water. The presence of these impurities in common nitro-glycerine is evidenced by its impure cloudy color, as when thoroughly purified it is transparent. To get rid of these various impurities in the nitro-glycerine to be used in compounding my explosive, I take about seventy-five, eighty, or even eighty-five parts of common nitro-glycerine and add thereto sufficent ethyl alcohol to make one hundred parts in volume of the mixture. The stronger and purer the alcohol the less it is necessary to add, or a larger percentage of nitro-glycerine can be used. This mixture is gently agitated until the ingredients are thoroughly commingled, and is then left to settle. In two or three hours the mixture will separate into two distinct layers, each transparent and of a light yellow color. The upper layer of the mixture will be the ethyl alcohol, and contains in solution fatty acids and water derived from the common nitro glycerine, and perhaps a small quantity of such nitroglycerine. This upper layer should be removed by siphonage or decantation, as the ethyl alco* hol does not enter into the composition of my explosive, and is used merely as a means of purifying the common nitro glycerine, and must be entirely removed, since its presence will interfere with the union of the purified nitro-glycerine and other ingredients. The lower layer of such mixture consists of nitroglycerine containing a small quantity of sulphate of lead and oxide of iron; but these impurities will gradually precipitate themselves to the bottom, or could be separated from the nitro-glycerine by filtration. This leaves the nitro-glycerine pure and colorless, and I will distinguish it from common nitroglycerine hereinafter by naming it purified nitro-glycerine. Again, I take one part of ni-' trate of ethyl (nitroethyl O H ,NO and one part of nitrate of methyl (nitro-methylen OH ,NO and mix these together and dissolve therein about ten per cent. of pyroxyline. All threejof these substances are highly explosive, both separately and incombination. This combination of ingredients I will refer to hereinafter as mixture B. Again, I take one part of nitro-benzine (C H ,NO or dinitro-benz'ine (O H NO and mix with it an equal volume of methyl alcohol, and dissolve in this mixture pyroxyline up to the point of saturation. This mixture of ingredients I will hereinafter call mixture 0.

The combination of purified nitro gly'c'erine and mixture B produces'a powerful explosive,

the proportions being about thirty-five parts of purified nitro-glycerine to fifteen parts of mixtureB. Again, combiningthirty-fi-ve parts of purified nitro-glyc'erine' with fifteen parts of mixture 0 will aifor'd a powerful non-sensitive explosive; but to make the most powerful explosive I take about seventy parts of purified nitro-glycerine, fifteen parts of mixture B, and about fifteen parts of mixture 0 and thoroughly incorporate the same. This final product constitutes a most powerful explosive, and is the base and body of my improved explosive compound, and it has a semi-fluid consistency. I may add to this compound powdered pyroxyline, commonly known as pressed pyroxyline or xy'oloidine, (as ordinarily prepared.) Either of these will thicken this compound and make it plastic, and I use either as may be found most convenient and economical, according zine, methyl alcohol, pyroxyline, and nitroto the location of the factory and the purpose for which the explosive is to be employed. The addition of nitro-benzine, methyl alcohol, and pyroxyline (mixture 0) is valuable in producing my explosive, as they render it non-sensitive to concussion.

dangerous to incorporate pyroxyline with ordinary nitro-glycerine; but the purified nitroglycerine and compounds above described It is extremely will readily and safely dissolve aconsiderable quantity of the soluble pyroxyline.

To increase the explosive force of my compound, I use, instead of pressed pyroxyline or xyloidine, an expressly-prepared form of pyroxyline, which is produced as follows: Itake strong nitric acid, heat it to boiling, and add thereto as much soluble pyroxyline as the acid will dissolve. I subsequently pour this solution into five or six volumes of cold water. The pyroxyline is separated from the acid and is precipitated in a finely-divided powder, whichis subsequentlythoroughlywashedfrom the acid and dried. This precipitated pyroxyline Icall penta nitro-cellulose, and add as much of it to the compound as is necessary to make it plastic. The compound described is transparent and might adhere to the exterior of vessels without being noticed.

To prevent accidents, I preferably stain it with aniline, cochineal, or other pigment that would not affect the compound or any of its constituents.

This improved explosive will not explode on concussion. Ignited in the open airit will burn slowly until it reaches a temperature of about 280 centigr'ade, when it explodes; 'It can be loaded into shells for artillery and safely fired from a cannon, and is also useful for torpedoes and other appliances of war, and is practically a safe explosive for industrial purposes. 7

To explode the compound, I use a detonator of fulminate.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is-- 1. An explosive compound consisting of nitrate of ethyl, nitrate of methyl, pyr'oxyline, nitro-glycerine, and a non-sensitizing mixture, substantially as described.

2. An explosive compound consisting of nitrate of ethyl, nitrate of methyl, nitro-benglycerine, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presenceof two witnesses. 7

DEMITRY MINDELEFE Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. DOWELL, PERCY L. BROOKS.