US874264A - Manufacture of gunpowder. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEG. 17, 1307.

0. W. VOLNEYY. MANUFACTURE OF GUNPOWDER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 22,1906.

5 n. Hump-Hun nu M. T l I J a wi W Carl W By his Attorney,-

Witnesses PATENT OFFICE.

CARL WALTER VOLNEY, OF KEYPORT, NEW JERSEY.

manor-Across or GUNI'OWDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Deg; 17,1907.-

Application fil ed mesa 1906. Serial No. 322,309.

To all whom it may concern; I o

Be it known that I, CARL WALTER VOLNEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Keyport, in the county of Monmouth and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Gunpowder, of which; the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to that class of gunowder which has, as a constituent, celluose nitratesjin a colloid state. In its manufacture the cellulose nitrates are commingled with certain volatile liquids, such as mixtures of ethyl alcohol and ether, alkyl 3'5 towards the interior of the masses, and if acetates, acetone and kindredso called-solvents, combining therewith and forming a colloid mass which is subsequently pressed, into suitable shapes, such as sheets, cubes,

c lindersand prisms; these pressed masses t en undergo a finishing process which has for its purpose the induration or'hardenin without disintegration of these masses an theremoval of the so-called solvents therefrom.

It has been found in practice that the removal of volatile matter from the pressed masses of theabove described gunpowder is ,di flicult and tedious.

Under the present practice of finishing such gunpowder, the removal of so-called solvents by drying and the indurating of the pressed masses begins on their surface, which becomes incrusted with a horn like covering; the further removal of solvents and the indurating of the pressed bodies progresses .from the surface these masses are of large dimensions, an uncertain and nearly undeterminable length of time is necessary for a complete finishing of the process. Onthen-other; hand, the com-' plete finishing of the process; that is, the entire removal of all volatile, extraneous matter and perfect and homogeneous induration of the pressed powder masses is. absolutely necessary, for thereon de end. the

uniformit and last'ingstability o the ballistic qua ities of the. hereinbefore describe d class of gunpowder.

It is well known that small quantities of volatile'matter, such as alcohol, ether, alkyl acetates and acetone, retained in the pressedv powder masses under the indicated circumstances, change the ballistic qualities; it is, however, not equally well'known but 0 n to proof, that the presence of these so-cail d solvents and the subsequent incomplete tion and retention of atmospheric moisture,

whereby the colloid nature of the cellulose nitrates is chan ed into a brittle, disintegrating mass whic does: not indurate in the manner of the usual colloid, and is extremely liable to change the powder into a detonating explosive on fiiiiiig fired in the usual manner. At the sametime the application of heat, which overcomes the indicated drawbacks, can, under the present practice of treating this class of npowder, be of limited use only, as there y the surfacesof the masses merely are exposed to the effects of heat, tending to dangerous overheating before penetrating deeper into' the mass;

the extreme effective application of heat is prohibited by the exp material.

It is the purpose of m invention to overcome the herein cited di culties .and to produce gunpowder free from extraneous and unstable matter, such as "the solvents men- .tioned, .and of the uniform homogeneous induration desired. To that end I do not follow the present practicein the use of drying osive nature of the rooms, vacuum drying chambers and um rents of heated or y present used means the, su aces of the air, as b all these at masses only are heated, the volatile matter removed from the surfaces only and the pressed masses indurated on the surfaces ,merely,'leaving the interior to a long continued and-uncertain drying out, of dangerous proclivity. For this purpose I use any suitable gas, preferably atmospheric air of a desired temperature; by varying the pressures in the interior of the owder masses and the outside gas or air, preerably slightly warmed, the gas is forced to enter the masses through interstices, and ca ill'ary fissures, also by an osmotic action; t ereby producing ultimately a uniform temperature throughout these masses. The vapor tension of'the volatilizi matter in the interior is. increased and its 'fi'usion with the surroundin air for gas facilitated; andb these means the combination of the volati e matter, especially that of ethyl alcohol with the cellulose nitrates, ceases and the desired uniform induration of. the powder mass-is completed. Upon decreasing the pressure o fthe air surroundi the powder grains, the air forced into the interior of the masses is withdrawn therefrom with its vdifiiused volatilized matter; and in such manner the powder is After leavin in the usual manner in t -p an ofv withdrawing um of 70 or 80 millimeters below atmospheric pressure, and receivethe gunpowder to be treated; an an pump for roduci partialr vacuum of about 70 mil lmeters elow normal, is connected with the vacuum chamber. After placingl the pressed powder e vacuum chamber, as for instance on shelves, the artial vacuum is produced, and then the e amber filled with air or gas of preferably about 35 0. temperature and normal atmospheric pressure, whereby the pressure in the powderchamber rises to t at of the atmosphere. the warm-air in contact with the powder or the space of about one hour, the chamber is again connected with the air "pump, and again a reduction in pressure of 70 .millimeters produced therein, and the connection with the air reservolr again 0 ened and air at 35 C. admitted. This and admitting air at comparatively long lntervals is repeated, until test'shows the withdrawn air to, be free from volatile matter, which indicates the finishin of the-process- A 7 The eating of the air may be efiected in any desired manner, as, for instance, by steam radiating apparatus, the hot air collected in the reservoir and by admission of cool air brought to a temperature of about 35 C. the air reservoir is connected by one or more pi es with the vacuum chamber, which can t us be placed in a conveniently isolated situation. As the temperature in the air reservoir can be automatlcally regulated to 35 0., overheating of the gunpowder is avoided, and as it is the only source of heat in the vacuum chamber the described operations insure the desired safety.

In the drawing is illustrated an apparatus srulitable for carrying out the present process. e

owder or other materlal to be dried may e placed on shelves 0 in a closed reservoir A; which reservoir is provided with a thermometer t and a pressure gage P. Any

suitable pump M is connected by a pi e m with the vessel A, the pi e having a va ve 'v. The air or other gas is a mitted to the reservoir A from a closed reservoir B through a pipe I) provided with a valve ac. The reservoir B is shown provided with an inlet pipe C provided with a valve w. Suitable means are provided for heating the air in this reservoir B, coil pipes S being shown as arranged in the reservoir that may be supplied with steam or other suitable heating medium to warm the air in this reservoir, the temperature of which is indicated by a thermometer T Iprojecting from the top. The powder or ot er material is placed on the shelves, and the two valves 0 and a: are opened and the ump started, that will draw out the air om the reservoir A and draw in the heated air from the reservoir B, that is preferably heated to a tem erature-of about 35 CI Thereu on the va ve a will be closed and the reservoir A will be exhausted, preferably to reduce its pressure about m. m. Thereu on'the valve '0 is closed and the owder a owed to remain in the reservoir for a considerable length of time, preferably about longer contain volatile matter, I when the powder will be thoroughly dry.

By the described treatment of the herein indicated class of gunpowder, having for a constituted part or being wholly composed of cellulose nitrates in a colloid state, the powder isrendered free from any volatile matter; the drying and induratmg takes place homogeneously throughout the ressed powder masses; and thereafter absor ed atmospheric moisture has no effect on the powder thus treated to change itsballistic properties.

By the'methods heretofore in use comparatively long periods of time were required to dry the owder, involving weeks and months. ereas by my process less than the time of twenty-four hours is necessar to effect a practically perfect drying an removal of the solvents, while with the old length processes the interior was not treate and the remaining solvent portion in the masses, of uncertain and varying uantities, resulted in changing the composition, and hence the ballistic properties of the powder, so that a powder tested and stated to be of a certain explosive character would after a period of time vary suchproperty and become detonating, with disastrous results. After being treated by my process the ascertained firing qualities of a owder remain constant and unchangeable or any period of time.

By the term air as employed 1n the claims it is to be understood that any kind of absorptive atmosphere; that is, any gas, simple or compound, or an admixture of gases, can be used, that will not have a deleterious action on the cellulose nitrates, or similar materials constituting the owder masses, during the time required or the process. The atmospheric air for economic reasonsis found very desirable. But any other gas could be substituted that would not jure the powder.

While it has been found desirable to make the intervals of the alternations of pressure about one hour, this can be lengthened or shortened within considerable limits. But the intervals should be of com aratively long duration, that is, they shou d not be rapid fluctuations, such as might be caused by a continuously acting pump or valve mechanism connected therewith.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In the art of finishing owder containing cellulose nitrates with a cohol and-ether as solvents, the process of removing the alcohol and ether, consisting in subjecting the powder in a closed vessel to air heated to about 35 (3. at normal pressure, and alternately subjecting the powder in the closed alcohol and ether, consisting in subjecting the powder in a closed vessel to air heated to about 35 C. at normalpressure, and. alternately subjecting the powder in the closed vessel to air heated to about 35 C. with the pressure reduced about 70 m. 111., said steps eing each continued for about the period of one hour.

Signed at Nos. 9 to 15 Murray street, New York, N. Y., this 21st day of June, 1906.

CARL WALTER VOLN E Y Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. REID, JOHN O. SEIFER'I.

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