USRE4815E - Alfred nobel - Google Patents

Description

A. NOBEL.

Improvement in Method of Exploding Nitro-filycer'ine.

Relssued March19 ,I872.-

kauk HIWENTOR ,1 y w iii fig? 7 a mafia? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED NOBEL, or HAMBURG, GERMANY, ssronon To THE UNITED STATES BLASTING-OIL COMPANY, or nnwvonx, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT m METHODS OF sxPLoome NITRO-GLYCERINE Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 60,617, dated October 24, 1865; reissue No, 3,377, dated April 13, 1869; reissue No. 4.815. dated March 19, 1872.

DIVISION A.

SPECIFICATION, To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that ALFRED NOBEL, of Hamburg, Germany, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Nitro-Glycerine and certain compounds thereof, and in the utilization, as explosives, of the same and analogous substances, known as the nitrates of ethyl and methyl and nitro-manite.

The improvement in the manufacture of nitro-glycerine is the subject of a separate specification, thisspecification having reference to certain modes of utilizing, as explosives, nitroglycerine and the analogous substances above mentioned. l

There is a classof explosives long known, but not, at the date of NOBELS invention applied to technical purposes, in consequence of practical diiliculties in procuring their explosion. Such substances are nitro-glycerinc, the nitrates of ethyl and of methyl, and nitro-manite. These substances are liquids at ordinary temperatures, and by that characteristic are distinguishable from solid explosives, such as gunpowder, gun-cotton, 82c. and they have also the property that fire may be applied to them without their exploding. N itro-glycer- .ine, for example, if ignited in an open space, is slowly decomposed and, takes fire; but the flame is apt to die out whettthe match is with drawn; hence it cannot, under ordinary circumstances, belooked upon as a ready explosive agent, for, while gunpowder and other substances used as explosives prior to No BELs invent-ion always explode or deflagrate throughout the whole mass when fire is set to them, nitro-glycerine and the analogous substances before named will .not explode from the mere contact of flame. So, also, if a drop of nitro-glycerine be poured on an anvil the blow of ahammer causes it to explode; but only that part is involved which hasreceived the blow. So, also, in this case the explosion is merely a local one.

A principal object of NoBnLs invention consists in the removal of this obstacle to the use of nitro-glycerinc and the analogous substances before named as explosives. For this endtwo diiferent methods were invented by NOBEL for promoting the explosion of nitro-glycerine cussive agitation; the means employed in both cases being in such relation to the mass of nitro-glycerine to be exploded as that the latter shall be confined within the influence of such initial explosion or impulse of explosion. The pressure being developed by-tli'ehcating to the point of explosion of a minute portion of the charge, nitro-glycerine is made use of "in the oneinsta-nce, and in the other the detonation of some violentlyrexplodiu g substance in presence oi the charge of nitro-glycerine.

Nitro-glycerine, as well as the analogous ex-.

plosives hereinbefore named, being liquid, it in such condition that it cannot escape from the influence of the initial explosion, (as, for instance, when placed in a bore-hole for blastin g,) receives and propagates the initial pressure through its whole mass, and the first impulse of explosion is communicated throughout the whole charge, effecting its instantane ous decomposition and explosion. Bythe term impulseof explosion is meant motion produced to efi'ect the explosion by suddenly-communicated force.

There are many ways of obtaining this imf pulse of explosion such as, first, by placing the nitro-glycerine to be exploded in a tube or case of any suitable material which will hold it, and surrounding this tube with gunpowder, gun -cotton, or any-readilyexploding substance, which, being ensily fired by any of the Well-known means, will il istantancou'sl y cause the explosion of the nitro-glyceriue in the tube; or, by reversing this process, and pouring the nitro-glycerine into the bore-hole, (for blasting,) and inserting into the nitrorglycerinc a tube charged with gunpowder or gun-cotton,

'or-other easily-e.q)1oding substance, when, by,

firing'thc charge in the'tubgthe Intro-glycerine is also exploded.

When used for the purposes otihlastin g the nine-g1 cerinc may be poured directly into the bore-ho c, which may be. closed above to prevent the scattering or blowing out of the charge, for which purpose loos'esand will do;

or the in er part of the bore maybe left cn-cv tirelyopen. It notconvcnieut to'pour. the hi t'ro-glycerine directly into the bore-hole,-it may he placed in cases of paper or metal, or other suitable material, open or closedat-top, as may be preferred.

-Second, by th e'vuse of WIHLGYNOBEL calls igniters or burners, being a small tube of' glass', paper, or other material, filled or ch urged--- with gunpowder or other easy explosive, and furnished \vitha fuse or other means of igniting the same by fire or by an electric spark. The burner maybe introduced into the nitroglyccrine, and, being fired in any convenient manner, its explosion'gives to the nitroglycerice the requisite impulse of explosion. These i gniters may be greatly varied in construction;

but in their simplest form they consist of a; wooden cylinder, hollow inside and filled with gunpowder, being corked at -the one end and connected with a fuse at the other. When the nitro-g'lycerine has been poured into the here or blast-hole this cylinder is let down by its fuse until it swims in the nitrdglyccrine, and then, if desired, the upper part of the here is filled with loose sand, and nothing remains but to ignite the fuse. The fuse, in its turn,

fircs the explosive contained iii-the woodencylinder, the hot gases of which rush into the charge. of nitro-glycerine, and the whole mass immediately explodes.

-In the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates one of these iguiters, in which a is the wooden'cylin- -der; e, the cavity, filled with gunpowder and closed by the cork orplugf; and g, the fuse.

The nitro-glyccrine'in the bore-hole is represented at c.

Third. A third method is to heat a. minute portion of the charge of nitro-glycerine to its point of explosioh, by inclosiug a minute portion of nitro-glyceriue'in a tube filled either with rocket-powder, (which, being'casily-ig-c nited, is tired in any convenient way,) or with lime and water, or some other chemical agents adapted to combine. gradually, and, by their reaction, create the necessary heat. The explosion in thetube will give to it the impulse required tcexplode the massof nitro-gl ycerine.

Fourth. Afourth mode of producing the initialcxplosiou is by means of a spark, or by heat developed by a powerfiul current of electricity within the charge of nitro-glycerine, which is so inclosed, as not to .afl'ord an escape 'to the gas developed thereby. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the appara'tnsfor thus efieeting the explosion. h is the case for holding the charge of nitro-glycerine, which may be closed at top,

' ornot, as may be preferred. 6 i are two wires,

which pass through glass tubes].- k or other insulating substan'cein the plug or cup of the case, the wires being immersed in the nitroglycerinc, and their lower ends connected by a line-platr'na wire,'z. The wire-z being heated by the passage of the electric current, the liquid in, contact with the wire is decomposed, giving the initial explosion, and the heat'and pressure developed thereby; instantaneously decompose and explode the contents of the case.

Fifth, still another: method is! by means of a capsule, (more commonly termed in military art a percussion cap,) which, being exploded lllany convenient :mnnner, gives, by'its detonatious, the requisite impulse to explode the charge of nitro-glycerine.

Sixth, the necessary initial explosion may v also be efl'ected by means of an ordinary blast-- i'ng-fuse. This will do in a closed space and -'uuder sufiieient resistance; butiif the gases of the portion of the nitro-glycerine decomposed by the heat of the fuse are enabled to escape before they accumulate to such it pressure as to efi'ect the requisite impulse of explosion, the nitro-glycerine is slowly decomposed, and the fire generally goes out before the whole is obnsumed; The explosion, it produced by a fuse under the condition of the confinement of'the. nitroglycerine, is effected by the initial decomposition of a minute portion of nitro-glyc erine.

In. speaking of nitro-glycerinein the fore. going specification, the nitrates of ethyl and methyl and nitro-manito (being fluid explosivesana-logous in character an composition to nitro-glycerine) are intended to be included asif specially mentioned.

In view of the fact that the explosive substances hercinbefore named, which are liquid at the ordinary temperature, hndf'not, at the date of NonELs invent-ion, beenagplied to any technical use as explosives; and that,"by his invention, heint-roduced these substances-from the domain-of science into that of practical use inthe arts- What we claim as the invention of said AL- FRED NOBEL, and desire to secureby Letters Patent in the name of the United States Blast-.

ing-Oil Company, as assignee of said NOBEL, -is 1 1. The utilization, as explosives, of nitro glycerinejand the analogous liquid substances hereinbefore mentioned, by means of effecting an initial explosion of a,v minute particle of the mass, substantially as hereinbet'ore described.

2. '1he utilization, as explosives, of nitroglyeerin'e and the analogous liquid substances hcreinbefore mentioned, by means of effecting an impulse of explosion communicated to the mass, substantially as hereinbefore described. In witness whereof the said Tun UNITED Sums BLAsTmG-"OIL COMPANY, by TAL. P. SHAFFNER, President, have hereunto set their hand.

THE UNITED STATES BLASTING-OIL (30., By TALLP. SHAFFNER, President. Witnesses:

Oo'rnvms KNIGHT, Eon. I BROWN.

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