US449687A - maxim - Google Patents

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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. s. MAXIM. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES.

. No. 449,681; Patented Apr. 7,1891.

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I 1 Wdbwascdlir'u e'nlul- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet H. S. MAXIM. PROQESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES. No. 449,687. Patented Apr. '7, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I'IIRAM S. MAXIM, OF URAYFORD, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF AND APPARAT'USFOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,687, dated April '7, 1891.

I Application filed November 10, 1890; Serial No. 370,853. (lie model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IIRAM S.1\IAX1M, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Crayford, in the county of Kent,En gland, have invented 5 certain newand useful Improvements in Processes of Manufacturing Explosives and in the Apparatus Therefor, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same. I

Myinvention relates to the manufacture of explosives of the kind or class known asnitro-compounds or nitrated explosives,

such as nitro-glycerine, gun-cotton, and the r 5 hke, which result from the combination or composit on with glycerine, cellulose, or the like of nitric acid orother suitable nitrating compounds.

In the specification which follows I shall descr be the invention as applied to the manufacture of nitro-glycerine only; but its applicabillty to the treatment or manufacture of other explosive, compounds of a similar nature will be understood. 5 The main objects ofmyinvention are, first,

to produce any desired quantity of an exploslve by a continuous process or operation, and, second, to bring the acid or nitrating agent and the glycerine or other material to be acted upon thereby into intimate contact with each other while both are ina very finely-divided condition. complish by bringing the glycerine or other material in the condition of spray into a stream or current of acid-spray.

In carrying out the invent-1011 practically the mixing of the nitric acid or nitrating agent and the glycerine is efiected by means or an injector operated by cold compressed air or by a cold-air blast; The suction prouuced by the current-of air flowing through a nozzle forming a part of the injector draws the glycerine from a tank in which it is contained and-. ithecurrent 'of air impinges upon land atomizes the glycerine-or scatters it in a fine sprayi- Ilhe acid is similarly drawn from another tank and blown intoa fine spray, and -the two' substances while in this finely-divided condition-are caused to intermingle in These objects I ac-j the presence of air whichlis rapidly expand-' mg, a'irfd'of which the temperature is rapidly j falling. The atomized acid and glycerine are together blown into and conveyed through a mixing pipe or tube, and after issuing therefrom they are washed or quenched by a co- 5 pious spray or'jet of Water and collected in a suit-able receiver.

Thedetails of this process or method of manufacture .will be described by reference to the drawings of the apparatus which I employ and which are liereto'annexed.

Figure 1 is a vieuqmainlyin section, of the apparatus which I have devised for carrying out the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification of the same.

A is a nozzle entering a chamber 13, which is provided with a nozzle 0, entering the enlarged endlof a tube D, the three concentric parts A, (l, and D forming a double injector, of which the inner or first nozzle A is connected with a receiver E of air compressed by a suitable'pump F to a pressure of about one hundred pounds to the square inch. A pipe G enters the chamber B back of the orifice of the nozzle A. This pipe contains a suitable cook a and leads from a tank or receiver II. A second pipe I, provided with a cock 1), leads from a second tank or receiver J and enters the closed pipe or tube D back of the orifice of the nozzle C. One of the tanks II J is to contain the acid or nitrating agent and the other the material to be combined therewith, and both are provided with glass gage-tubes K to indicate the levels of the liquids therein.

The tank H is filled with glycerine, and the tank J is filled to the same level with acid. The air is then allowed to flow through the nozzle A. The current of air issuing from the nozzle A produces a partial vacuum in the chamber B, which, upon opening cook a, draws the glycerine from the tank H. The air impinging upon the glycerine atoinizes it and forces it in a spray through the nozzle 0. The air-jet and spray issuing from nozzle 0 produce in like manner a partial vacuum in the tube D back of the orifice of said nozzle, andthis draws in the acid, which, meeting the jet, is blown into spray and mixed with the at mized glycerine. The air being kept I0! under high pressure in the reservoir E, a considerable amount of refrigeration will take place in the nozzle C and tube D by reason of its expansion in these places, and the temperature of the acid-and the glycerine will thus be prevented from rising too high.

The tube D, into which the atomized mixture of acid and glycerine is blown, serves as a mixingschamber, and should be of considerable length, so that the materials may have ample tiinev'liile in the same to complete teen inches, or thereabout, from the said injector, and may gradually increase in diameter beyond this point until it reaches a collecting-tank L. It is, moreover, advantageous to arrange the said pipe or tube with a fall of about one in fifteen towardthe said tank.

The length of the mixing-pipe D may be from one to two hundred feet, more or less, and a wall or a mound of eartlnmay behuilt between the injector and the tank L to serve as a protection to the operator. The pipe D, as. well as other parts of the apparatus, may be surrounded by a water-jacket M, through which a circulation of cool water is maintained for keeping down the teinperatnre of the explosive compound. I Prior to entering the collecting-tank L the currentof spray is met by astream or a number of jets of cold water from a nozzle N or other suitable device, which serves to cool or "quench the'said spray as it enters the tank.

, The tanks J H for containing the acid and the glycerine are preferably arranged side by side above the injector and'mixing tube or chamber, and should be made of such relative capacities or dimensions that they will con- .tain the required proportions of acid and 1 glyceri-ne, and will therefore both be emptied at the same time.

. By the use of an apparatus s-uch as that above described it will be seen that't-he'quan- 1 I tity of explosive material operated upon at pansion of the air as it issues from the in any time in the apparatus is very small. The

collecting-tank should, however, be of large dimensions, so that'it will contain a great quantity of water. 4

The acids and glycerine being blown into a fine-spray, as above described, an instantaneous nitration will be effected, while the exjector serves to lower the temperature. Moreover, by the use of my improved apparatus the chemical reaction may be readily controlled, and should any undue production of heat take place or nitrous fumes be developed the supply of air to the injector may be increased and the temperature thus brought down.

In cases where the space available for the i apparatus does not admit ofthe use of a long mixing pipe or tube, such as I have herein described, the mixing-tube D is carried direct to a tank L, surrounded by a water-jacket O.

mixing glycerine and acid.

A pipe P leads from this tank, from the bottom or near it, back to the mixing-chamber or space at the rear of the nozzle 0. This pipe contains a cock R, which while the atomized acid-and glycerine are being mixed is closed. When a quantity of explosive has been thus made, the acid and glycerine supply-pipes are closed and the cock R opened. The continued flow of air under pressure produces a rapid flow of the mixture from p pe back into the tank. The expanding air, with its refrigerating elfect, keeps down the temperature, while by the circulation and agitation the substances are thoroughly and intimately mixed.

An air-vent S is provided in the tank L,

and the same disposition as in the previous case maybe used for quenching the mixture by jets of water.

The subsequent treatment of the nitroglycerine or other compounds made by this process may be the same as in the case of similar compounds as hitherto manufactured.

WVhat I claim is-- l. The method or process of manufacturing jets of the acid and material to be acted upon thereby, in the condition of spray, carrying off the spray in a mixing-chamber, and col-.

lecting the resulting compound in a tank or receiver.

- -3. The method or process of manufacturing explosives herein described, which consists in atomizing or spraying glycerine by a et of air under pressure, separately atomiz ng or spraying in a similar manner a nitrating agent, and mixing the two substances while in the condition of spray.

4. The method or process of manufacturing I explosives, which consists in separately atomizing and uniting the spray of the nitrating agent and the substance to be acted upon thereby, and then quenching the mixture with water.

5. The combination ofa nozzle, a receiver or source of compressed air connected therewith, a tube or chamber surrounding the nozzle, a tank or receiver for glycerine connected with said chamber, a second chamber, and a tank or receiver for acid'connected with'the same, the first chamber being formed with a contracted nozzle that enters the second or mixing chamber, the-above parts being arranged in substantially the manner set forth to constitute an injector for 'atomizing' and 6. The combination, with a collecting-tank,

a mixing tube or chamber leading thereto,

and a nozzle or means of quenching with was ter an explosive mixture delivered from the mixing-tube into the collecting-tank, of an injector at the end of the mixing-tube, tanks for containing acid and glycerine, respectively, connecting with the injector, and a receiver or source of compressed air for operating the injector.

7. The combination, with a receiving-tank and mixing tube or chamber, of two concentric injector-nozzles, receivers for containing 10 gi'ycerine and. acid, respectively, connected tothe chambers surrounding the nozzlce in the rear of the orifices of the same, and a source of compressed air, as herein set forth. I

. I-IIRAM S. MAXIM.

Witnesses: A

PARKER W. PAGE, FRANK B. MURPHY.

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