Patented Jan.

21, 1930

FRANK H. BERGEIM, OF 'WOODBURY, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE

NEMOURS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA
WARE
.DETONATOR
No Drawing. Application ?led May 3, 1928. Serial No. 274,966.

This invention relates to the production primer. This effects a saving both in oper
of an improved detonator. More particular ation and materials. -
ly it relates to a composition blasting cap In my U. S. Batent 1,691,954, dated Nov.
containing erythritol tetranitrate. 20, 1928, I have pointed out that erythritol
Blasting caps are ordinarily made by tetranitrate has a melting point of 61° C. 55
pressing a base charge into a metallic shell, This low melting point makes this compound
and on top of this is pressed a priming charge well adapted to casting and I have found
with or without a capsule, depending upon that when cast this material can be detonated
the kind of primer used. Among the ex by means of a primary detonating compound
plosives which have been used as base charges such as mercury fulminate and in this form
are trinitrotoluene, tetryl, nitrated ivory nut constitutes a very powerful detonating agent.
meal, and smokeless powder. The most com From the foregoing it will be seen that my
monly used primers are mercury fulminate invention is of wide application, and that,
and lead azide. whereas I have con?ned my description of
15 While the above mentioned base charges its use to blasting caps, it is understood that 65
have been used with a certain degree of suc erythritol tetranitrate is equally well adapted
cess, it is desirable that they should possess to use in other detonating devices as, for ex
a greater degree of sensitiveness to detona ample, booster charges for high explosive
tion by a primer, thus insuring regular per shells, which charges perform the same func
20 formance, a matter of considerable impor tion with respect to the main charge in the
tance in blasting practice. A shot that fails shell as does the base charge in a blasting cap
in blasting is a source of danger and expense. with respect to the dynamite.
An object of my invention is to provide The following are by way of illustration
a detonator that insures more regular per examples of blasting caps made in accordance
25 formance than has hitherto been possible. with my invention: For a cap containing no
Other objects will appear as the description inner capsule I may use a pressed base charge
proceeds. ~ of erythritol tetranitrate ranging from 2
I have found that desirable results can be grains to 10 grains, depending on the strength
obtained by incorporating erythritol tetrani of cap desired, with a superimposed charge
30 trate into the cap composition. The erythri of 8 grains of a 90-10 mixture of fulminate 80
tol tertanitrate may be incorporated in vari and chlorate. For a cap containing an inner
ous Ways. I may, for example, use any of capsule, I may use a base charge of 2 to 8
the usual base charges in admixture with grains of erythritol tetranitrate with a top
erythritol tetranitrate, or, if I desire a par charge of 5 grains of 90—10 fulminate-chlo
35 ticularly powerful cap, I may use erythritol rate mixture. 85
tetranitrate as the sole base charge. I have As many apparently widely different em
found that a cap using erythritol tetranitrate bodiments of this invention may be made
alone as a base charge is more powerful than without departing from the spirit thereof, it
40
any of the commercial blasting caps now is to be understood that I do not intend to 90
used. This great strength is of advantage limit myself to the speci?c embodiments
in insuring transmission of the cap explosion thereof except as indicated in the appended
to the main bulk of blasting explosive. It claims.
has also an economic advantage in that it I claim: ‘
45 permits using smaller charges than can be 1. A detonator having a main charge com 95
used successfully with the ordinary base prising erythritol tetranitrate.
charges. A further advantage obtained by 2. A detonator compnising erythritol tet
using erythritol tetranitrate as a base charge ranitrate and a primary detonating com
is that successful caps can be made using pound. .
50 mercury fulminate without a capsule as 9. 3. A blasting cap having a main charge 100
 2 ’ I 1,744,693

comprising erythritol tetranitrate and a

primer comprising fulminate of mercury.
4. A detonator havingv a main charge com
prising cast erythritol tetranitrate.
5 5. A detonator comprising a base charge‘
of cast erythritol tetranltrate and a top charge
of a primary detonating compound. ‘ I
_ 6. A blasting cap comprising a base charge
of cast erythritol tetranitrate anda, priming
1Q charge of fulminate of mercury. ' p
In testimony whereof, I a?ix my signature.
FRANK H. BERGEIM.

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