USRE7068E - Improvement in blasting-powder - Google Patents

Description

-* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

I-IERRENSTEIN OOURTEILLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIeNoR, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE TRIUMPH PATENT SAFETY POWDER COMPANY,

OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLASTlNG-POWDER,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,503, dated September *7, 1875; reissue No. 7,068, dated April 18, 1876; application filed March 2-8, 1876.

T0 cal; whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERRENSTEIN COUR- TEILLE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Blasting- Powder; and I do hereby declare the follow-- ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The chief aim and purpose of my invention is to produce a powder for blasting, which, while having great dynamic power, (which I graduate for mining purposes,) shall possess the quality of being non-explosive in the open air or by concussion or friction, and at the same time be manufactured at a greatly reduced cost. To this end the essential principle of my invention consists in mixing a comparatively large volume of the elements of common gunpowder with a small volume of such other elements as will, under the proper conditions, combine with the nitrogen, oxygen, and sulphur ol' the gunpowder-to form nitro-glycerine, or the equivalent thereof, the nitro-glyceri n e elements remaining chemically uncombined as nitro-glycerine until the mixture is exploded in a close chamber or under pressure.

In carrying this invention into practice, I employ the following ingredients, to wit: nitrate of soda orsaltpeter, sulphur, and charcoal, which form the base or large proportion of gunpowder elements above referred to, and the oils or fats of animals, or tar of any kind, which unite with the nitrates and sulphur to form the comparatively small nitroglycerine element; or combination of nitric or nitric and sulphuric acids with the elements of common tar, and also a small quantity of peat, metallic sulphates, and hard coal, to expedite the process and insure the best results.

WVhile the proportions of these things may be slightly varied, yet experiment has shown that the .l'ollowing have proven. the best for the purpose, varying from the maximum to the minimum, according to the strength desired. Formanufacturingonehundredpounds, the proportions willbc: nitrate of soda or saltpeter, sixty to seventy pounds; sulphur, ten to twelve pounds; charcoal, seven to ten pounds; peat and hard coal, nine to twelve pounds; combined metallic .sulphates, two to four pounds; and oleaginous matter, animal'or vegetable, refined or crude, one to three pounds. Tar in any form will answer the purpose of such oily matter. All the solid qnatters are pulverized and mixed together with the metallic sulphates, and with moisture suflicient to thoroughly saturate them at a temperature of about 250 Fahrenheit. The moisture I consider to be best applied by subjecting the materials in an open Vessel to the direct action of steam until they are thoroughly saturated. With this I combine the action of external heat, using superheated steam on account of its safety, the vessel being provided with a double bottom for that purpose.

The temperature should not be raised so high as to liquefy the sulphur, for the reason that the latter will then form independent globules, and the process will be impaired, it not altogether defeated 5 but it should be kept as high as it can without melting the sulphur, it being best if graduated so as to soften the sulphur, and render it sticky or pasty, the minimum of moisture being thatwhich will dissolve the nitrates, and the maximum of heat being that which will soften but not liquefy, the sulphur. The result will be aperfect ineo rporation of the materials, and by prolonging the external heat about thirty minutes after the direct application of the steam ceases the liquids will evaporate, and the compound become dry.

During the evaporation of the liquids the temperature of the heating element in the double bottom is slowly reduced from 250 to 150 Fahrenheit, in order to insure perfect safety during the drying process.

WV'hen nearly dry, I take the mass out and put it on a dryin'g-platform, of metal, heated by steam or hot air, and under this action for about fifteen minutes the powder is ready for packing.

I claim as my invention 1. The improved safety blasting-powder, iontaining the eleniei'lts of common gunpow- 'ler and also the unecmbinecl elements 01' ni ro-glyeerine, substantially as described.

2. The process of i'nanufacturing an explosive compound by treating the components )f ordinary gunpowder in the presence of 0le aginous 0r tarry matters, peat, and metallic sulphates, substantially as and for the purposes set forth,

H'ERRENSTEIN COURTEILLE. \Vitnesses:

TH. G. STEWART, OTTO BENNER.