US1147958A - Detonating composition. - Google Patents

Description

umnn sra'ras rn'rnn'r orrrcn WALTER LEE MAIN, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

No Drawing.

' clare that the following is a full,.clear, and

-' exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to an improved composition for use in detonators, as for example, in blasting caps ignited by fuses or electrically, and it has reference specially to blasting caps used for detonation of dynamite.

Hitherto blasting caps have usually consisted of a primary detonating compound such as fulminate of mercury and an admixed ingredient such as chlorate of potash, this mixture being usually comprised of 80 to 9.0 parts of fulminate 'of mercury mixed with from 20 to 10 parts of potassium chlorate. The small percentage of potassium chlorate used has been found to increase the detonating force of the fulminate mixture while, at the same time, it renders the same less expensive. It. has not been possible to use more than 20% of potassium chlorate, however, without decreasing the detonating force of the mixture.

The object of my invention is to provide a 'detonating composition, which has even a greater detonating force than the mix ture containing fulminate of mercury and potassium chlorate above referred to, and which, at the same time, permits a larger percentage of the ingredient added to the fulminate of mercury to be used in the mixture.

I-have discovered that if a bromate, as for example, sodium or potassium bromate, is substituted for the potassium chlorate more than 20% of the mixture may be comprised of the bromate while, at the same time, a composition having a higher detonating force is obtained than either of the mixtures obtained by mixing 90 parts of fulminate of mercury with 10 parts of chlorate of potash or by mixihg 80 parts of fulminate of mercury with 20 parts of potassium chlorate.

While my invention is capable of being 'carried outin many different ways, for the purpose of illustration, I shall mention only certain ways herein in which my invention Specification of Letters Patent.

DETONATING COMPOSITION,

Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,934.

may be'carried out. For example, a mixture of 70 parts of fulminate of mercury and 30 parts of potassium bromate maybe used. This has a greater detonating force than a mixture of 80 parts of fulminate of mercury and 20 parts of potassium chlorate. A mixture of 60 parts of fulminate of mercury'and 40 parts of potassium bromate,

moreover, gives good results and mixtures containing fulminate of mercury and potassium chlorate. For example, a mixture c'ontaining 60 parts of fulminate of mercury and .40 parts of finely divided potassium bromate may be loaded in the ordinary manner into copper shells and pressed in the usual way. The blasting cap thus produced can beignited by a fuse or by electrio current in the usual manner. A blasting cap made in this manner has greater detonating force than a blasting cap containing'equal weights of fulminate of mercury and chlorate of potash. The bromates, as for example, potassium bromate -may also be used in a similar manner with other primary detonating compounds, as for' example, lead azide with good results. F urthermore, a mixture of a bromate and a primary detonating compound may also be used as the priming charge for blasting caps whether ignited by a fuse or electrically, which contain a main charge of an explosive that cannot be detonated directly by the flame from a fuse. For example, I may press a charge of 8 grains of trinitrotoluene into a blasting cap shell and press on top of that a priming charge of 6 grains bf a mixture of 70 parts of ,fulminate' of mercury and ,30 parts of potassium bromate.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention. i

I claim:

1. An explosive containing a primary detonatingv compound and a bromate.

a 9.. An explosive containing --a primary,

detonating compound and potassium bromate.

3. A charge for blasting caps containing 'a primary detonating compound and a bromate.

' -4. A charge for blasting caps containing a primary detonating compoundand potassium bromate.. Y v

5. An explosiy e containing fulmlnate of mercury and a bromate.

6. An explosive conta'ning fulminate of mercury and potassium bromate.

I and; a brgmate.

10, A priming charge for blasting caps containing a primary cletonating compound and potassium bromate.

11. A priming charge for blasting caps containing fulminate of mercury and-a bromate.. 1

12. A priming charge for blasting caps [containing fulminate of mercury and'potas'-' sium bromate.

13. An explosive containing from to" 95 per cent. of fiilminate of mercury and 70 to 5 percent. of potassium bromate;

14. A charge for blasting caps containing from 30 to 95 per cent. of fulminate of mercuryand 70 to 5 per cent; of potassium bro mate. a

15. A priming charge for blasting caps containing, from 30 to 95 per cent. of fulminate of mercury and. 7 O to 5 per cent. of potassium bromate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my'hand. t

WALTER MAIN. Witnesses: A

WM. P. LEAR, MILLICENT M. KELso..