Part 14 (1/2)
With hydrogen it forms the acid fulminate of silver It is used in crackers and bon-bons, and other toy fireworks, in minute quantities Gay Lussac found it to be coen, 924 per cent; silver, 7219 per cent; oxygen, 1065 per cent; and he assigned to it the forive it the for_{2}, and thus suppose it to contain nitryl, NO_{2}
On adding potassiuentic fulentic chloride forms, there is obtained on evaporation brilliant white plates, of a very explosive nature, of potassic argentic fulCN, from whose aqueous solution nitric acid precipitates a white powder of hydric argentic fulCN All attempts to prepare fulminic acid, or nitro-aceto- nitrile, C(NO_{2})H_{2}CN, froold, which is a violently explosive buff precipitate, forold, and fulminate of platinum, a black precipitate formed by the addition of ammonia to a solution of oxide platinu silver is a compound obtained by the action of ammonia on oxide of silver It is a very violent explosive Pure th of time Water does not affect it It explodes at 187 C, and on contact with an ignited body It is very sensitive to shock and friction, even that of wood upon wood It is used for discharging bullets in saloon rifles Its inflammation is so sudden that it scatters black powder on which it is placed without igniting it, but it is sufficient to place it in an envelope, however weak, for ignition to take place, and thethe envelope the more violent is the shock, a circumstance that plays an important part in caps and detonators The presence of 30 per cent of water prevents decomposition, 10 per cent prevents explosion This is, however, only true for small quantities, and does not apply to silver fulminate, which explodes under water by friction Moist fulminates slowly decompose on contact with the oxidisable ases obtained fro to Berthelot, 2356 litres The equation of its deco
Fule scale by two methods
One of these, commonly known as the German method, is conducted as follows:--One part of mercury is dissolved in 12 parts of nitric acid of a specific gravity of 1375, and to this solution 165 parts of absolute alcohol are added by degrees, and heat is then slowly applied to the mixture until the dense fumes first formed have disappeared, and when the action has become more violent some more alcohol is added, equal in voluradually The product obtained, which is mercury fulminate, is 112 per cent of the mercury employed Another method is to dissolve 10 parts of ravity of 14, and when the solution has reached a telass funnel into 83 parts of alcohol When the effervescence ceases, it is filtered through paper filters, washed, and dried over hot water, at a te 100 C The fulminate is then carefully packed in paper boxes, or in corked bottles The product obtained by this process is 130 per cent of the mercury taken This process is the safest, and at the same time the cheapest Fulminate should be kept, if possible, in a damp state Commercial fulminate is often adulterated with chlorate of potash
~Detonators~, or caps, arepercussion caps The explosive is pure fulminate of mercury, or a mixture of that substance with nitrate or chlorate of potash, gun-powder, or sulphur The following is a common cap mixture:-- 100 parts of fulminate of mercury and 50 parts of potassium nitrate, or 100 parts of fulminate and 60 parts of meal powder Silver fulht sizes made, which vary in dimensions and in auished as singles, doubles, trebles, &c, according to their nuives the following list:--
No 1 contains 300 grms of explosive per 1000
” 2 ” 400 ” ” ” ” ”
” 3 ” 540 ” ” ” ” ”
” 4 ” 650 ” ” ” ” ”
” 5 ” 800 ” ” ” ” ”
” 6 ” 1,000 ” ” ” ” ”
” 7 ” 1,500 ” ” ” ” ”
” 8 ” 2,000 ” ” ” ” ”
Trebles are generally used for ordinary dynaelatine, roburite, &c
In the British service percussion caps, fuses, &c, are forht of fulminate of mercury, 6 of chlorate of potash, and 4 of sulphide of antimony; time fuses of 4 parts of fulminate, 6 of potassiu darains of shellac dissolved in a pint of methylated spirit Abel's fuse (No 1) consists of a mixture of sulphide of copper, phosphide of copper, chlorate of potash, and No 2 of a un-powder They are detonated by means of a platinum wire heated to redness by means of an electric current Bain's fuse mixture is a mixture of subphosphide of copper, sulphide of antimony, and chlorate of potash
In the manufacture of percussion caps and detonators the copper blanks are cut from copper strips and staun-metal plate, with the concave side upperun-metal, in which are inserted a nuth, and so spaced apart as to exactly fit each point into a cap when inverted over a plate containing the blanks
The points are dipped into a vessel containing the cap composition, which has been previously moistened with methylated spirit It is then reht blow serves to deposit a small portion of the cap mixture into each cap A similar tool is then dipped into shellac varnish, removed and placed over the caps, when a drop of varnish from each of the copper points falls into the caps, which are then allowed to dry This is a very safe and efficacious
At the works of the Cotton-Powder Company Limited, at Faversharound un-cotton and chlorate of potash, in about the proportions of 6 parts fulun-cotton, and 1 part chlorate The water in which the fulminate is usually stored is first drained off, and replaced by displacement by methyl-alcohol While the fulun-cotton and chlorate mixture is added, and well mixed with it Thisin a frame, and each detonator is put separately into athe paste into the detonator shell
At the eleventh annualof the representatives of the Bavarian che, attention was drawn to the unhealthy nature of the process of charging percussion caps Numerous miniature explosions occur, and the air becomes laden with mercurial vapours, which exercise a deleterious influence upon the health of the operatives There is equally just cause for apprehension in respect to the poisonous gases which are evolved during the solution ofthe subsequent treat with the waste products arising during the manufacture andto Kaemmerer, only one of comparatively recent introduction appears to be at all satisfactory It is based upon the fact that e voluh pressure, splits up into metallic mercury and non-explosivethe various ingredients with mercury fulminate to form cap enerally more or less wet, and mixed in small quantities at a time, in a special house, the floors of which are covered with carpet, and the tables with felt Felt shoes are also worn by the workpeople employed All the tools and apparatus used , hair sieves are used, and the granulated ht frames, with canvas trays the bottoms of which are covered with thin paper, and the frames fitted with indiarubber cushi+ons, to reduce any jars theyshould be painted white to keep out the rays of the sun
Mr H Maxim, of New York, has lately patented a coh explosives, which can also be thrown from ordnance in considerable quantities with safety The colycerine is thickened with pyroxyline to the consistency of raw rubber This is done by elycerine, and 15 to 25 per cent of pyroxyline, according to the stiffness or elasticity of the compound desired Some solvent that dissolves the nitro-cotton is also used The product thus forelatine, and should be in a pasty condition, in order that it may be mixed with fulminate of mercury The solvent used is acetone, and the quantity of fulminate is between 75 to 85 per cent of the entire compound If desired, the co it a spongy consistency by agitating it with air while it is still in a syrupy condition The nitro-glycerine, especially in this latter case, may be o um is added
[Illustration: FIG 34 METHOD OF PREPARING THE CHARGE]
The e is as follows:--A piece of Bickford fuse of the required length is cut clean and is inserted into a detonator until it reaches the fulminate The upper portion of the detonator is then squeezed round the fuse with a pair of nippers The object of this is not only to secure that the full power of the detonator34) When the detonator, &c, is to be used under water, or in a darease or tallow should be placed round the junction of the cap with the fuse, in order to e is then opened and a hole made in its upper end, and the detonator pushed in nearly up to the top
Gun-cotton or tonite cartridges generally have a hole already un-cotton, known as priun-cotton The detonators (which are often fired by electrical35)
[Illustration: FIG 35 PRIMER]
One of the for 36 This apparatus is made by Messrs John Davis & Son, and is si a current of electricity of high tension
This firm are also e having been prepared, as in Fig 34, insert into the bore-hole one or ed necessary, and squeeze each one down separately with a _wooden_ rae, and above this insert the cartridge containing the fuse and detonator Now fill up the rest of the bore-hole with sand, gravel, water, or other ta may be used, but with ordinary dyna