US954689A - Delayed-action electric exploder. - Google Patents

Description

R. L. OLIVER. 1 DELAYED ACTION ELEGTRIG` BXPLODER.

AI'YLIGATION FILED JUNE Z2, 1909.

Fatented Apr. 12, 1910.

WITNESASES.'

(DGM/OJ i, .UNTED STATESv PATENT @EFEQEG f ROLAND L. OLIVER, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNOI; ro CALIFORNIA CAP COM PA'NY, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

i OELYEIi-ACTION ELECTRIC ,EXPLODER Specification of Letters Patent.

To yall. whom Iit may concern:

n, Be 1t known that I, ROLAND L. OLIVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at ,Oaklamh ,in ythe County of Alameda and State'ot-California, have invented certain new and useful linirovements in Delayedn ,Action Electric Exp odors, ot which the foll llowing isV a Specification.

`lily invention relates to that classl ot' electrie-cxploders for blasting charges. in which a del`ay-action tnse 1s interposed between @the primer 'and the detonator.

The object of this type of exploders is to temible lall, the primers of the exploders to be simultaneously tired' bv one electrical imxpnlsdand vet have ditl'erent predetermined groups of exploders go otl successively-vac` cording to the prearranged times of their delay-action fuses.' rThis has many advantageous results ivliich are novr'well recognized and need no discussionhere.

@Briefly stated thc objects of my invenltion are, to' insure the uniform combustion LOt the delay-action fuse; to prevent undue compression of the gaseous products of coni' "bastion which might result in premature ex-Y pl o'sion; to provide against any spark diately prweding;-and other objects which.

reaching the detonator except lirougli the combustion of the delay-action fuse; to proyvide against any disturbance of the position of the later exploders in the blasting charges, dueto the possible disarrangement ot the electric-wires by debris from blasts unmewill` hereinafter appear.

l My invention consists, therefore, in certain novel constructions and arrangements o'l the explodcr which l shall now fnllydescribe byreference to the accompanying drawings in wliich Figure l is a longitudinal section, partly Vin elevation, of my delayedaction electricproviding, iii-the main body o" the shell, a

relatively eapa-cious air-chamber, designated by l; secondxot providing, by the tapering portion, a guide for the entrance of and 'a seat for the igniter-plug 5; and, third, by

its reduced end, serving to receive and hold the tube 6, Awhich :terms the other partof the inclosing casing and which contains the primer 7, the delay-action fuse 8) and the detonating composition 9, in the order named.

p Patented Apr. i2, g, Application filed June 22, 1969. Serial No. tifl.

f The inner end of Vthe igniter-plug 5, coni forms in general shape to lthat portion of the shell which surrounds it, but is not seated very tightly, so that it may be readily dislodged as l shall presently point out.

l0 is a closure for the shell 1, which may be a cap, or it may be a plug, as here shown,v

said closure, of whatever forni, being not too tightly fitted to the shell, so that it, too, may

be readily dislodged.

1l are tlieleading wires from suitable source of electric impulse. These wires pass in through the plug l0, and through the i ruiter-plug from the inner end of which tiey project and carry the usual bridge 12 which is in contact with the primer 7. The primer 7 is of some material which will serve the double purpose o igniting the delayaction fuse 8 and of sutciently rapid com bastion to effect by its ex losion the dislodgment of the igniter-p ug 5 and the closure-plug 10. Fibrous gun-cotton is found to well serve for the primer.

The delz'iy-action fuse 8 is one which. lia-s a body or covering ot' some suiiieiently com pres-sible water-proof material or composition, to make :i tight tltin the tube 6 which contains it, said body having a relatively 'simili core xii'.`})o\\'ileif designated by 13, vwhereby thcre'ivill be the minimum amountof gaseous products Ct' combustion. What is known as tape-fuse Well answerstlie purpose. y

Be fore describing the Operation of my en ploder, with respect to its several improvemonts, it may be well to state that, as usual.

with devices ot, this general class, someeir1 plodei's will have a. delay-action fuse of one time; others will have fuses of another time',

others 'of still another time, and so on. 'lhoseof one 'time will be set in blasting charges o one group o holes; those ot anw other time in o second group Ot holes;v and so forth, according to accepted practice. All the exploders will be, as usual, connected l by their wires with a single source of electric energy, so that a single impulse willl simultaneously ignite the primers of all. But those with fuses of shortest time will explode first, and those with fuses of longest l time will explode last.

Now returning to my improved exploder, its operation is as'followszT-The electric eireuit being closed, the bridge l2 of the igniter becomes heated and fires the primer 7. This instantly sets fire to the powder core 13 of the delay-action fuse 8, and also by its explosion, drives back the igniter-plug 5 from its seat in the shell and also drives out the] closure l0 from the end of the shell. By this action the whole igniting device is so disconnected from the exploder that any pull on its wires will not affect the position of the exploder in the blasting charge. N ow as this breaking of said connection takes place simultaneously in all the exploders of all the groups, it follows that the .flying rocks and debris of the earlier blasts can have no effect, by interfering with the Wires of the delayed exploders, of-pulling them from their places. lfVhile this result' is one much to be desired and is approached in .some degree by the use of groups of difterently timed exploders, the primers of which are set off by one electrical impulse, as com- I pared with the practice of separately setting ofi' ordinaryexploders by successive impulses, it, obviously, is not fully reached, for, though all the primers of delay action cxploders are set olf' simultaneously, the blasts themselves are still, necessarily, snccessive, and the early ones will, by their debris acting on thewires, disturb the positions of the later exploders and pull them out of their places. This is' entirely ob- Viatcd by my exploder, as I have described.

The relatively large air-chamber 4, which is afforded by the main body of the shell, insures the perfect and uniform combustion of the delay-action fuse so that there is no liability of its smoldering or going out. It also provides for the expansion of the gases of combustion, thus avoiding the danger of prematurely exploding the detonator. Usually in exploders, the shell is tightly filled with the igniter and other parts, so that the fire is liable to besmothered, or the confined gases will explode the detonator.

Resort is sometimes hadlto making vent holes in the shell walls, filled with meltable material. In my construction the air-chamber in the shell is ample for the purp'ose of preventing smotherin and supporting combustion and permitting the gases to expand; and, particularly so, in View of the use of the tape-fuse with its small core which gives the minimum amount of gaseous products. The employment of the tape-fuse with its compressible body or covering is of further advantage in affording a tight, close filling of the tube G, so that no spark from the primer can reach the detonator except through the core of the fuse.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosing casing; a primer, delay-action fuse, and detonator in said casine; ing intosaid casing to the primer; and a breakable connection between the circuit wires of the igniter and the casing, the parts being constructed and arranged to permit the connection the primer to disconnect the Wires from the casing.

2. In-an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, electric-circuit wires leading to and havinga separable connection with said exploder to'initiate its action; and means dependent upon said initial action to simultaneously therewith disconnect said wires from the exploder.

3. In an clectric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosing casing; a delayaetion fuse and a detonator in said casing; a primer therein of gun-cotton,l electric-circuit wires with igniter, leading into-said easing to the primer; and a detachableconnection between the circuit wires of the igniter and thc casing, adapted to yield to the explosion of the primer to disconnect the wires from the casing. h

4. In an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, aniinclosing casing; a primer, delay-actlon fuse, and detonator in said casing; electric-circuit wires with igniter, leading into said casing to the primer; and a carrier for said wires removably fitted t0 the easing whereby it is adapted to yield to the explosion of the primer to disconnect itself and the wires from the casing.

5. In an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosing casing; a delayaction fuse, and a detonator in said casing; a primer therein of gun-cotton; electric-circuit wires with igniter, leading casing to the primer; and a carrier for said .Wires looselyfittcd to the casin; whereby it is adapted to yield to the exp osion of' the primer to disconnect itself and the wires froml the casing.

6. In an elcctric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosing casing; a primer, delay-action fuse, and detonator in said casing; electric-circuit wires with igniter, lez'nding into said casing to the primer; an t igniter plug carrying the inner ends of the into said.l

electric-circuit wires with igniter, leadto yield to the explosion of Y .action type, an ,inclosing casing orm'edat ,one end with an air' chamber,.a nd its other fwires and a closure dplug carrying said wires 'into the casing, sai

` .plugs being detachably '"iitte'd tothe casing in a manner to yield to ,the ex lesion of the primer to disconnect themse ves and l their wires from vsaid casing.

7. In anelectric-exploder ofthe delayedi faction-'type,.'an inclosing casing having an enlailged end;l a primer, delay-action fuse and v etonator filling the reduced end of the casing; andan electric-igniting device in theenlarged end of the casing, said casing v .forming anfeiilargedfai-r-chamber at said en- .detonator in its other end; and an electric igniter in the air chamber of the casing.

9. Iii` an`electri'c-exploder of the delayedendtreduced; aprimer,` delay-'action fuse, and detonato'r inqthe reduced end; electric circuit wires withigniter, leading into said vair chamber ,to 'the primer; an igniter-plug 'inthe inner end of the air-chamber carrying the wires and igniter and a closure plug "it'tedjnjsaid chamber and adapted to yield L 4to'" tlieekplosion of the primer toppen the aiiffchamber to thel gases of combustion and 1 disc9nect`- the circuit wires from the casing.

'jdQL-fIn amfeglectric-exploder of the delayedactionitype; a casing; a detonator iny one end; `a-tape-fuse insaid end in advance of the detonator said vfuse comprising a com- Y fgp'ressible covering ti htly fitting the casing actioijnlsypefan inclosing, casing'formed at in its 'other end; a tape-fuse' in said other end r in advanoe'oi` the detonator,. said fuse coniv-prisinga' compressible covering tightly iit-` .vin its vouter end lea'dingsaid-wires into thel 4:air-'- chamber, said plugs being detachably `behind the said plug, the space ting the casing and a relatively small powder-core; a primer .in the casing in advance of the time-fuse; and an electric-igniter in the air chamber ofthe casing.

' l2'. In an electric-exploder of the .delayedaction type, an inclosing casing formed at one' end with an air-chamber; a detonator in its other end; a tape-fuse in the said other end in advance of the d'etonator, saidfuse comprising a compressible covering tightly itting the casing and a relatively esmall powder-core; a primer inthe casing in advance of the time-fuse; and an electric- `.igniter in the casing; electric-circuit wires leading to said igniter; and a connection between said wires and the casing adapted to yield tothe explosion of the primer to disconnect the wires from the casing.

13. In an'electro eXploder of the action type, an inclosing casingA having a seat therein for loosely receiving a'removable plug, a primer and detonator below the plug, electric circuit wires with igniter connected to said reinyovable plug andleading to the primer' and-means whereby the plug' with the parts carried thereby will be released from said seat upon the explosion of theprimer. y

14:.- In an electro exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosing casing comprising an Veularlged end portipn, a reduced end portion a a connecting portion constituting a guide and seat for a plug, a detonator in the reduced end. of the casing, a tape fuse in said end in advance of the detonator, said fuse comprising a compressible covering tightly fitting the reduced end of .the casing and a relatively small powder core; a primer in the casing in advance of the tape fuse and in advance enlarged air of the plug constituting an chamber.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in. the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. ROLAND L. OLIVER. Witnesses: 1 Q

WM. F. Boo'ri,` D. "B. RICHARDS.

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