1,797,509

H. A. L E w E

ELECTRIC BLASTING CAP AND IGNITION MATERIAL FOR THE SAME

Filed March 18, 1929

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Patented Mar. 24, 1931

1,797,509

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

HAROLD A. LEWIS, OF WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE
NEMOULS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA
WARE

WEIECTRICWBVLASTING CAP AND IGNITION MATERIAL FOR THE SAME

Application ?led March 18, 1929.

Serial No. 347,915.

This invention relates to electric blasting used, for example, mercury fulminate, either

caps, and more particularly to an improved alone or with potassium chlorate, mixtures of

ignition mixture for the same, and consists mercury fulminate, antimony sulphide, po
tassium chlorate, and gun cotton. A mixture
phocyanate, an oxidizing agent, and a low comprising eighty parts of mercury ful
?ash point fuel as an ignition material for minate and twenty parts of potassium chlo~
essentially in the use of a mixture of a sul

the blasting caps. -

Electric blasting caps, as commonly manu

rate has been, in most common use.

These mixtures heretofore used are expen

factured, comprise a metallic shell containing sive because of the high proportion of costly

a pressed explosive charge and an igniter.

In some cases the pressed explosive charge has
been a single charge of a primary detonat
ing compound such as mercury fulminate, or

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mercury fulminate included; it has been

found in the past impractical to reduce the

cost materially by decreasing the proportion

of fulminate because of erratic performance.

a mixture of this material with an oxidizing In addition, the mercury fulminate cannot be
agent such as potassium chlorate; and in used in certain metallic shells because the
other cases it has consisted of two separate free mercury, almost invariably present as

charges, one a base charge and the other a impurity in fulminate, caused oxidation of
primer charge. Among the explosives used or an amalgamation with such metals; for
for the base charge have been, for example, example, mercury fulminate cannot be satis

trinitrotoluene, picric acid, tetranitromethyl factorily used in alumir'im shells, which

aniline (tetryl) tetranitropenterythrite, ery shells have been almos1 universally em

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throl tetranitrate, nitrated ivory nut meal, ployed with lead azide primed detonators.
and ground smokeless powder. For the prim Also mixtures of mercury fulminate and
ing charge there have been used primary det potassium chlorate when used in contact
onating compounds, such as mercury ful with lead azide, have been generally con
minate, cyanurtriazide, and lead axide, va sidered responsible for spontaneous ex
rious oxidizing agents such as potassium plosions and therefore incompatible. F ur
chlorate being often mixed with the priming thermore, mercury fulminate and potassium

compound, and various ignition and binding chlorate mixtures are hydroscopic. In moist

compounds such as lead tritroresorcinate be

condition they exert a powerful corrosive ac

ing often mixed with or superimposed upon tion on certain metals and alloys whose other
the more di?icultly ignitible primers such as properties aresatisfactory for bridge wires;
lead azide. In some cases an inner capsule it has, therefore, been necessary in many cases
has been used with the primer charge in to use expensive metals, such as platinum, for
order to get additional con?nement, and bridge wires in order to overcome this cor
thereby increase the e?iciency of the det rosion. Also, when moist, these mixtures fre
onator, while in other cases no such capsule quently fail to ignite.
has been employed.
The object of my invention is to provide
For the ignition of these electric blasting an ignition compound for electric blasting
caps two general methods have been in use; caps which is cheaper than those most C0111

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CO

one, a so called match head in which a wire is monly used heretofore. A further object
surrounded by a mass or bulk of ignitible ma is to provide an ignition compound which

terial; and, two, a bridge wire embedded in a

loose charge of ignitible material. In both
cases the ignition is a?'ected by heat gener
"ated in the bridge wire by passage of an.

may be used in any of the metals which have

heretofore been used for the manufacture of

blasting cap shells, and particularly one

which may be used in the presence of lead

electric current from an outside sourcev azide. Further objects will be apparent as

through leading wires attached to said the description proceeds.

bridge. For the loose charge, to which the , These objects are accomplished by the fol
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present invention relates, there have been lowing invention, in which I have found that

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menace

an ignition com ound comprising a sulpho grammatic illustration merely of a satisfac

cyanate, an oxi izing agent and a low igni tory shell, constructed according to my in
tion-point fuel produces most satisfactory vention, reference may be had to the ac
results.
A suitable sulphocyanate for this purpose

companying drawing:

is lead sulphocyanate, although other sulpho

which a designates the metallic shell, 6 the

Figure 1 illustrates a sectional view in 70

cyanates may be used, such, for example, as leading wires, 0 the bridge wire, 03 a plug of
copper sulphocyanate. A suitable oxidizing sulphur or other suitable material, e a water
material for use in my composition is potas proo?ng compound, f a bridge plug, 9- the
sium chlorate, although I may use other oxi loose ignition mixture, h a capsule contain
dizing agents, such as potassium perchlorate ing 90-10 F. C. primer, designated z; and 3'
or barium nitrate.

I have found that for a represents the tetryl base load.

low ignition-point fuel nitrocellulose or pyro

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In Figure 2, like characters represent the

powder is very satisfactory, although any same elements as shown in Figure 1, except
of the low ignition-point fuels, for instance, i designates the lead azide-lead styphnate

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salts of various organic acids, such as the lead compound in place of the 90-10 F. C. primer. I
As many apparently widely di?erent em
salts of styphnic acid or picric acid, may
be used. I have found, however, that the bodiments of this invention may be made
nitric esters are particularly well suited to

without departing from the spirit thereof,

my purpose, because of their availability. it is to be understood that I do not limit my

Another example of low ?ash point nitric self to the foregoing examples or descrip
esters having satisfactory properties for my tions except as indicated in the following
purpose is nitro-starch, tho-ugh this mate patent claims:
I claim:
rial is less satisfactory than ground smoke;
1. An electric blasting cap comprising a
less powder because of its tendency towards

instability and ready moisture absorption.

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metallic shell, a pressed detonating charge,

By way of description, the following is a loose charge of ignition material consisting

given, but it is to be understood that this in

of a mixture of sulphocyanate, an oxidizing

vention is not to be limited to the materials compound and a low ignition point fuel, and
or proportions given below, and that this ex a bridge wire attached to current leading

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ample is merely illustrative of one of the wires embedded in said loose charge.
preferred embodiments of my invention suit
2, An electric blasting cap comprising a
able for the purpose described:
metallic shell, a pressed charge of a sec
Lead sulphocyanate ______________ __ till-b0

ondary detonating compound, a pressed

charge of a primary detonating compound,

Potassium chlorate _______________ __ 10-30

a loose charge of ignition material consisting

Ground smokeless powder _________ __ 3050

of a mixture of sulphocyanate, an oxidizing

P r e nt

A. composition comprising the above mate compound and a low ignition point fuel, and
rials in essentiall the proportions given, a bridge wire attached to current leading
?res with approximately the same current wires embedded in said loose charge.
consumption, and hence at approximately 3. An electric blasting cap comprising a

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the same temperature as a mixture of eighty metallic shell, a pressed charge of a sec

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parts of mercury fulminate and twenty parts ondary detonating compound, a pressed
of potassium chlorate. Such a composition charge of a primary detonating compound,
may be used in any of the metallic shells em a loose charge of ignition material consisting
ployed in the industry, and is entirely com of a mixture of lead sulphocyanate, potas
patible with either mercury fulminate or sium chlorate and a low ignition point fuel,
lead azide priming compositions. Further and a bridge wire attached to current leading

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more, even after it has absorbed appreciable wires embedded in said loose charge.
4. An electric blasting cap comprising a 315
quantities of moisture, it will ?re with a cur
rent consumption approximating that re metallic shell, a pressed charge of a sec

detonating compound, a pressed

quired by dried material, and in this moist ondary
charge
of
a primary detonating compound, a
condition it exerts no corrosive action on com
loose
charge
of ignition material consisting
mon alloys used for bridge wires. Also, the

a mixture of lead sulphocyanate, potassium

scnsitiveness of this ignition mixture, to both of
chlorate and a low ignition point nitric ester,
shock and friction, is lower than that of ful and a bridge wire attached'to current lead
minate-chlorate mixtures, and for that rea ing wires embedded in said loose charge.
son it may be handled. and used with less
5. An electric blasting cap comprising a
hazard.
metallic shell, a pressed charge of a secondary
It will be understood, of course, that the detonating compound, a pressed charge of
new compositions comprising my invention a primary detonating compound, a loose.
may be arranged in the metallic shell in any charge of ignition material consisting of a
suitable manner according to the practice in mixture .of lead sulphocyanate, potassium
making electric blasting caps. For a dia chlorate and ground pyro powder, and a

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1,797,509

bridge wire attached to current leading wires

embedded in said loose charge.
6. An electric blasting cap comprising a

metallic shell, a pressed charge of a secondary

detonating compound, a pressed charge of a

primary detonating compound, a loose charge

of ignition material consisting of a mixture

of from 3050% lead sulphocyanate, 1030%

potassium chlorate and 3050% ground pyro
powder, and a bridge wire attached to cur

rent leading wires embedded in said loose

charge.

7 . An electric blasting cap comprising a

metallic shell, a pressed base charge of tetra

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nitromethylaniline, a pressed priming charge

of lead azide together with an ignition and
binding material either mixed with or super

imposed upon said lead azide, a loose igni

tion charge consisting of a sulphocyanate, an
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oxidizing compound and a low ignition point

fuel, and a bridged wire attached to current

leading Wires embedded in said loose charge.

8. An electric blasting cap comprising a

metallic shell, a pressed base charge of tetra

nitromethylaniline, a pressed priming charge

of lead azide together with an ignition and
binding material either mixed with or super
imposed upon said lead azide, a loose ignition
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charge consisting of lead sulphocyanate, po

tassium chlorate, and ground pyro powder,
and a bridge wire attached to current lead

ing wires embedded in said loose charge.

In testimony whereof, I af?x my signature.
HAROLD A. LEWIS.
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