Nitro-Explosives: A Practical TreatiseSanford, P. Gerald (Percy Gerald)
Science
Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise
Sanford, P. Gerald (Percy Gerald)
Celluloid; Explosives
When the jelly in the tanks has become semi-transparent and the cotton has
entirely dissolved, the mixture should be transferred to the mixing
machine. The mixing machines are specially designed for this work, and are
built in iron, with steel or bronze kneading- and mixing-blades, according
to requirements.
A suitable machine for the purpose is that known as the Nito-Universal
Incorporator, shown in Fig. 30, which has been specially constructed by
Messrs Werner, Pfleiderer, & Perkins, Ltd., after many years' experience
in the mixing of explosive materials, and is now almost exclusively
adopted in both Government and private factories. Mr George M'Roberts'[A]
mixing machine, however, which is shown in Fig. 31, is still used in some
factories for dynamite jelly.
[Footnote A: See _Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind._, 1890, 267.]
If it is intended to make gelignite, or gelatine dynamite, it is at this
point that the proper proportions of wood-pulp[A] and potassium nitrate
should be added, and the whole well mixed for at least half an hour, until
the various ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
[Footnote A: Most of the wood-pulp used in England is obtained from
pine-trees, but poplar, lime, birch, and beech wood are also used. It is
chiefly imported as wood-pulp. The pulp is prepared as follows:--The bark
and roots are first removed, and the logs then sawn into boards, from
which the knots are removed. The pieces of wood are afterwards put through
a machine which breaks them up into small pieces about an inch long, which
are then crushed between rollers. These fragments are finally boiled with
a solution of sodium bisulphite, under a pressure of about 90 lbs. per
square inch, the duration of the boiling being from ten to twelve hours.
Sulphurous acid has also been used. Pine-wood yields about 45 per cent.
and birch about 40 per cent. of pulp when treated by this process. The
pulp is afterwards bleached and washed, &c.
Birch. Beech. Lime. Pine. Poplar.
Cellulose 55.52 45.47 53.09 56.99 62.77 per cent.
Resin 1.14 0.41 3.93 0.97 1.37 "
Aqueous extract 2.65 2.47 3.56 1.26 2.88 "
Water 12.48 12.57 10.10 13.87 12.10 "
Lignine 28.21 39.14 29.32 26.91 20.88 "]
The following analysis of woods is by Dr H. Mueller:--These mixing machines
can either be turned by hand, or a shaft can be brought into the house and
the machine worked by means of a belt at twenty to thirty revolutions per
minute. The bearings should be kept constantly greased and examined, and
the explosive mixture carefully excluded. When the gelatine mixture has
been thoroughly incorporated, and neither particles of nitrate or wood
meal can be detected in the mass, it should be transferred to wooden boxes
and carried away to the cartridge-making machines to be worked up into
cartridges.
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