USRE1435E - Improved composition for blasting-powder - Google Patents

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.added, and when the composition is afterward naturally suggests the use of the other. There UNITED STATES W. R. THOMAS AND M. EMANUEL, JR.

IMPROVED COMPOSITION or OATASAUQUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOR BLASTlNG-POWDER.

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 32,016 dated April 9, 1861; Reissue No. 1,435, dated March 17, 186;l.'

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatwe, V. R. THoMAs and MORGAN EMANUEL, J11, both of Oatasauqua, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Composition for Blasting-Powder; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention consists in the employment of a composition consisting of nitrate of soda or Chilian saltpeter mixed with sulphur, ground bark or its equivalent, and water. We prefer the following proportions, though these may be considerably varied without seriously affecting the value of the powder compounded therefrom: nitrate of soda, three and onehalf pounds; flowers of sulphur, one and one fourth pound ground bark, four and onehalf pounds; water, three quarts. The water should be first heated to the boiling-point,and the nitrate of soda thendissolved therein. Into this heated solution the bark shouldthen be introduced and well stirred until it is perfectly saturated. The sulphur should then be well dried it is ready for use.

\Ve do not claim to have been the first to have conceived the idea of using the nitrate, of soda instead of the nitrate of potash in the composition of powder. The two nitrates are so much alike that the use of one is, however, one important difference between them. The nitrate of" soda so readily. and freely attracts moisture that powder formed by the mere substitution of this in gredient in the place of common saltpeter is found wholly unfit for use.

Our discovery consists in ascertaining that by the use of ground tan-bark or other equivalent unburnt carbonaceous substance instead of charcoal the compound does not attract moisture to such a degree as to render it unfit for blasting-powder, so that in this way a cheaper ingredient can be used in the composition of powder without essential detriment to the value of the compound when completed.

We have also ascertained that by the use of nitrate of soda and ground bark or its equivalent a larger proportion of this carbonaceous matter (which is the cheapest ingredient used in the formation of powder) can be used than has before been found practicable, and thus the cost of the composition is further diminished.

Instead of ground bark, sawdust, rotten wood,

I and many other kinds of finely-divided vegeproportions'of the ingredients above men tioned; but

What we do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A powder intended principally for blast ingpurposes, in which nitrate of soda is substituted for the nitrateof potash and the tend ency of that salt to attract moisture is prevented by the use of ground bark or its equivalent instead of charcoal, substantially as above described.

2. A powder intended principally forblasting purposeacomposed of sulphur, nitrate of soda, and ground bark or its equivalent, prepared substantially as above described. WILLIAM R. THOMAS.

' MORGAN EMANUEL, JR.

RVitnesses: r

CHAS. OoRwIN, DANIEL MILRAN.

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