Aug. 22, 1933.

'

1,923,761,

1' _W. O. SNELLING ETYAL

IIvIiANUFACTURE 0F DETONATING FUSE

Filed.July 28, 1932

D mS .Hv:

6. 0

DENSITY

1.60

WA LTEF? _ 0.. , SNELL 1 NG

, CLARENCE 13. Hoe/1

INVENTORS

'v

'

BY

Mom
_ LQ.,L|IATTORNEY

Patented Aug. 22, '1933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,923,701
MANUFACTURE OF DETONATING FUSE

Walter 0. Smelling and Clarence B. Koch, Allen

town, Pa, assignors to Trojan Powder Com
pany, a Corporation of New York

Application July 28, 1932. Serial No. 625,340

'

4 Claims.

(Cl. 102-42)

Our invention relates to improvements in the be avoided to a considerable extent, and it has
manufacture of detonating fuse, and more par- also been discovered that the admixture of a
ticularly relates to the preparation of detonating more sensitive detonating agent than trinitro
fuse of improved ability to withstand long con- toluene with the trinitrotoluene used as the prin
5 tinued storage without loss of sensitiveness. The cipal detoneting charge in cordeau also results in 60
principal object of our invention is to provide improved keeping properties 01 ability to With
means for the manufacture of detonating fuse stand storage without excessive loss of sensitive
or cordeau of initial high sensitiveness, and ness, as has been pointed out in U. S. Patent
which maintains this initial high sensitiveness 1,241,705 of June 1, 1920 to Cope.
10 without substantial diminution with time.
We have discovered means by which detonating 65
Detonatlng fuse or cordeau consists of an outer

fuse or cordeau of improved sensitiveness can be

tube or sheath of tin, lead, or any other suitable

metal or alloy, and an inner core or member of

produced in an extremely Simple and inexpensive

way, and the cordeau produced by our new method

trinitrotoluene, trinitrobenzene, tetryl, pentaery- possesses exceptional ability to withstand long

15 thrite tetranitrate or any other suitable detonaing agent or mixture of detonating agents. De-

continued storage Without reduction in sensitive- 70

ness with time.

tonating fuse is made by?lling the outer sheath

In order to explain the novel features involved

or tube with a molten charge of the fused de-

in our present invention we will now point out

tonating agent, permitting this fused charge to

20 solidify, and then increasing the length and decreasing the diameter of the composite tube by
a series of rolling or drawing operations as de-

certain relationships which exist in cordeau made

by the methods at present known, in order to 75
distinguish these relationships from the corre
spondillg relationships existing in cordeau made

scribed in U. S. Patent 869,219 of October 22,

1907 to Lheure or U. S. Patent 882,154 of March
25 17, 1908 to Lheure, or by increasing the length and
decreasing the diameter of the composite tube
by a swaging operation, as described in U. S.
Patent 1,741,380 of December 31, 1929 to Snelling
and Koch,
30
It has been found that detonating fuse or

by our present invention. In the manufacture

of cordeau by the methods known up to this time,
a metal tube is ?lled with a molten detonating g0
agent, and is then increased in length and de
creased in diameter by a series of rolling, draw
ing or swaging operations, until cordeau of the
desired ?nal diameter is secured. It is imperative
that the tube should be completely filled with the 85

cordeau made by either of the methods known molten?etonating agent, since any large all bllb
up to this time has satisfactory sensitiveness at ble 01' mterruption in the Pxplosive core will_ 0f

the time of its manufacture, when made with courselfmgthen materially Kthe rolllnsdrewms
35

trinitrotoluene or other detonating agent of high or swaging wartime and 1.1 prevent the saus
.

. .

. .

factory functioning of the ?nished fuse, through 90

purity, but with age this initial high sensitive- . bTt f th

1 t. 1
k at
t.
f
dually decreases so that detonating fuse ma 1 I y 9
6 re a 1v? 3. W88
8 ona?mg one

ness gm

of the thin core of tnmtrotoluene to Jump any

or cordeau several years after its manufacture

gap or open Space in the column of explosive

often shows insufficient sensitiveness to enable

material.

40 the detonating Wave to Propagate complgtely

Accordingly, in all cordeau which has been 95
through the material, and failure to detonate made up to the date of this invention, there has past junctions and Connections of trunk lines been a direct and necessary relationship between
with subsidiary lines of cordeau are of frequent the initial diameter of the cordeau, the ?nal d1_
occurrence.

45 vDiscovery of the fact that detonating fuse or

' cordeau which has been stored for some time
shows reduced sensitiveness is not new, but on
the contrary has been recognized for many years
as being one of the outstanding disadvantages
50 of an otherwise excellent means of simultaneous1y transmitting'detonation to a number of separating charges of high explosives. It has been
discovered that by the use of re?ned trinitrotoluene of exceptional purity the tendency to55 ward reduction of sensitiveness with time can

ameter of the cordeau, and the density of the

contained charge of trinitrotoluene or other detonating agent used. The initial tube, before be
ing drawn down or swaged down to its ?nal diam
eter, is ?lled with the molten detonating agent
which solidi?es within the tube to form the-solid
detonating agent at its normal density when
solidi?ed from fused condition. The operations
of drawing or swaging the ?lled tube, to decrease
its diameter and increase its length, breaks up
the fused detonating charge and reduces it to
pulverulent condition, with the production of a

100

105

,
110

1,928,761

' highly compressed pulverulent mass within the

of slightly impure trinitrotoluene than it is in the

lead tube, the exact density of this pulverulent case of trinitrotoluene of high purity. "
mass being determined by the volume and pres
Our studies of the effect of time on the sensi
sure relationships existing during the drawing tiveness of cordeau indicated the desirability of
and swaging operations. For example, when lead modifying the density of the inner core of cordeau 80
tube 16 mm. inside diameter and 19.5 mm. out

side diameter is ?lled with molten trinitrotoluene

of. high purity, and this trinitrotoluene is then
allowed to cool and solidify, the density of the
i 1 11o fused trinitrotoluene within the tube is initially
about 1.60. Upon drawing this initial tube down
to a ?nal outer diameter of 6 mm., corresponding

independently of the reduction which is deter

mined by the operations of drawing down or
swaging down the original tube to the desired
?nal dimensions, but all efforts to introduce light
porous-?lling materials, air bubbles, foam or the 85

like as a means of reducing the density of the

core proved unsuccessful, and all known methods
to an inner diameter of 4.25 mm. and a wall of drawing, rolling and swaging the outer tube
thickness of 0.875 mm., the pulverulent charge of were found to produce de?nite correlated densi
15 trinitrotoluene within the ?nished cordeau has a ties in the inner core of explosive material.
90

density of approximately 1.30, and it is interest

ing to note that up to the time of the present in

We have now discovered a method by which we

can modify the density of the inner core of ex

vention no method was known of modifying this plosive material independently of the degree of

density, since the density of the main charge of reduction or "drawing down of the outer tube

_ 20

I 25

pulverulent trinitrotoluene was a de?nite and

necessary factor of the drawing or swaging oper
ation used in manufacturing the detonating fuse
or cordeau. According to the initial diameter of
the lead tube and the ?nal diameter of the ?n

or casing, and our method is capable of con

95

trollably modifying the density of the inner core

of explosive material over a satisfactorily wide
range to enable us to obtain cordeau of longer

effective life without decreasing sensitiveness

ished cordeau, the charging density of the pul than can be obtained by any of the methods pre 100
verulent trinitrotoluene in ordinary commercial viously known.

cordeau having an outer diameter of 6 mm. shows

In the simplest form of our invention we ?rst
a normal variation in cordeau made by the draw distort a tube by a preliminary rolling or pressing
ing operation of from 1.20 to 1.30, and shows a operation so that this tube is no longer circular in
so normal variation in cordeau made by the swaging cross-section. Although we prefer to distort the 105
operation of from 1.30 to 1.40, the density of the tube so that after distortion it is elliptical in
pulverulent charge of trinitrotoluene in cordeau cross-section, it will of course be evident that a
made by the swaging operation being somewhat circle forms the ?gure which has maximum area

greater than the density of the charge in cordeau for any given periphery, and. that accordingly
as made by the drawing operation, because of the any uniform deviation from a circle will produce 110
greater pressure applied to the trinitrotoluene a ?gure in which the relationship between the.
core in the swaging operation, as compared with cross-sectional area and periphery will be re

the corresponding pressure produced in the draw

ing operation.

'

duced, as compared to the relationship which

exists in a circular tube. We prefer to distort

' Ithas long been known that the sensitiveness our metal tubing to form an ellipse in which the 115
to detonation of many explosives is materially in major diameter is between 11/2 and 3% times
?uenced by the density of the material, and some the minor diameter, and we next ?ll this tube
explosives are well known to become highly in with molten trinitrotoluene while it is in such
sensitive when subjected to high pressure. Up to
45 the time of the present invention, however, the uniformly distorted condition along its entire
length. The molten TNT is permitted to harden 120
density of the pulverulent charge of trinitroto in the usual way while the tube is in its distorted
luene in cordeau has never been considered to condition, and the distorted tube containing its
have signi?cance, in view of the fact that whether solidi?ed core of trinitrotoluene or other explosive
cordeau is made by the drawing process or by the agent is then subjected to a rolling or pressing
_ so
swaging process it shows satisfactory initial sen operation to restore it to circular form. Upon 125
sitiveness, and shows no indications whatever of being so restored to circular form the outer tube
being excessively compressed or of being charged or casing possesses substantially the circumfer
to so high a density as to interfere with the nor ence of the original tube, but the amount of con
mal
progress of the detonating wave.
tained trinitrotoluene corresponds only to the re
55
We have discovered, however, that although duced cross-sectional area of the ellipse which 130
the initial sensitiveness of pulverulent trinitro existed at the time the tube was ?lled with the
4o

so

65

7c

75

toluene is not measurably influenced by the den molten detonating material, and accordingly the
sity of the pulverulent material, this is not true density of the contained trinitrotoluene is cor
of the sensitiveness after storage for any con respondingly reduced. Upon now subjecting the
siderable length of time. Apparently, the close tube with its contained core of explosive material 135
ness of contact of the pulverulent particles deter to rolling, drawing, or swaging operations to re-
mines the degree to which recrystallization of the duce its diameter to the diameter desired in the
material occurs, the ?nely divided pulverulent ?nal cordeau there occurs a tendency to con
particles ultimately agglomerating or consolidat stantly approach the usual ratio of the diameter
ing, and partially recrystallizing or reforming to the density met with in ordinary cordeau, 140
into particles of larger crystal size, with very although this ratio is never quite reached, owing
the initial advantage obtained as a result of the
serious reduction in sensitiveness, and the re to
reduced ?lling density obtained as a result of
duction in sensitiveness being materially greater the novel ?lling method as herein described.
in the case of trinitrotoluene of a melting point The larger the initial diameter of the lead tube, 145
under 80 C. than it is with trinitrotoluene hav
the less the distance between the foci of the
ing a melting point higher than this ?gure, desen and
ellipse, the higher will be the ?nal density of the
sitization with time being determined by the per
core in the ?nished cordeau, and ac
centage of impurity present in the detonating explosive
cordingly by suitable control of the diameter of
charge, and being materially greater in the case the Original lead tube, and suitable distortion of 150

1,923,701

a 3

this tubing in the formation of the initial ellipse We have'discovered that the "tendency of'the
which is ?lled with molten trinitrotoluene, we can
control the density of the ?nished explosive core
in our cordeau within a satisfactory range to give
us cordeau which resists storage for many months,

outer tubing to break or fracture during manu

facture or as a result of ?exure during or after

manufacture is greatly reduced in cordeau made

by our present process as compared with cordeau,

_ at temperatures corresponding to the maximum . made by the processes in use up tothe time of
summer temperatures met with in storage maga , our present invention. Although at first we could

zines, without anyrperceptive reduction in sensi

?nd no reason to explain the greater strength of

the outer casing of cordeauwhen made by our

tiveness occurring.
Inthe drawing forming part of this application present invention, as compared with cordeau as
10
Figure 1 is a cross-sectionalview of a lead tube made by the methods earlier known, we have

15
I
20

25

30

85

?lled with trinitrotoluene in accordance with the now found that during the solidi?cation of trini
usual procedure followed in the manufacture of trotoluene or other crystalline detonating agent
cordeau. Figure 2 is va cross-section of a lead within the tube used in the manufacture of cor
tube ?lled with trinitrotoluene in accordance with deau the crystals which form are somewhat
the procedure which we have-discovered. Figure harder than the boundaries between these crys
3 is a cross-section of the tube shown in Figure tals, and that when the ?lled tube is subjected to
2, after this tubinghas been restored to circular operations to decrease its diameter and increase
outline. In all of the ?gures, A is the outer tub its length. the effect of the pressure applied to
ing of lead, tin or other, metal. In all of the the tube is to cause the crystalline mass to form 95
?gures B is the core of trinitrotoluene or other indentations on the inner wall of the tubing pro
pcrtional to the hardness of the individual crystal
explosive mixture.
'
i
The material of which. the outer tube'or casing particles at such points, so that tubing after ini
is made does not form any part of our present tial treatment when subjected to heat to remove
invention, and although we prefer to employ lead the inner core shows a noticeably roughened sur 100
as the material from which the outer tube or face. Upon being subjected to further treatment
casing is made, it will be evident that other metals, to increase its length and decrease its diameter,
and particularly other ductile metals such as tin these initial roughnesses form the source of differ
and copper, or alloys of lead and tin, lead and ences of thicknesses in the wall of the finished
antimony, or lead, tin, and antimony may be cordeau, and owing to the great increase in length 105
used with equal success. We may also employ, and decrease in diameter which occurs in the
in cases where such procedure may be desirable, drawing operation, even a furrow or indentation

a composite tube formed with an outer layer of of very minor depth becomes a source of con- ,
a metal such as lead and an inner member of siderable weakness in the tube after the wall
85 tin or other metal, such composite tube having thickness has been reduced to its ?nal limit. We 110
advantages in cases where the explosive material have discovered that when a distorted tube pre
has any tendency to react with the metal form pared in accordance with our present invention is
ing the body of the outer tube or casing. As our subjected to a preliminary operation to break up

explosive core we prefer to employ trinitrotoluene, the contained solid core by applying pressure to

the'distorted tube the contained solid core of 115

trinitrotoluene
breaks up into pulverulent mate
agent such as picric acid, tetryl, or the like.
We are of course aware that in the manufacture rial without similarly indenting the inner lead
of cordeau prior to our invention it is quite pos wall, no doubt because of the fact that the na
sible, and indeed is most likely, that some portions } ture of the distortion of the tube permits of relief
of the lead tube may have accidentally become to the shearing forces applied to the crystals due 120
distorted in form through injury in handling, and to the distortion of the tube producing simul
that notwithstanding the careful inspection which taneously modi?ed and increased cross-sectional
is usually given to the tubing before being ?lled area available for expansion of the material.
with trinitrotoluene, it is quite likely that at times As a result of this condition, which we discovered
tubing which has been locally thus injured and accidentally during the course of our work, we 125
distorted at one or more points along its length are able to produce by our present process of
may have been ?lled with trinitrotoluene and manufacture not only cordeau of materially im
may have been manufactured in ?nished cor proved sensitiveness, but also cordeau which pos
deau. In view of the possibility just stated, we sesses a notably stronger outer metal wall than
wish to expressly disclaim as any part of our is produced by other methods of manufacture, 130
invention the manufacture of cordeau from tub and we have found that the tendency of the lead
ing which has been subjected to such accidental wall of our cordeau to pierce or break or fracture
injury, and we wish to state that our invention is during manufacture or subsequent to manufac
to be considered as limited to the process which ture when subjected to bending or other action
comprises the uniform distortion of tubing along is notably reduced as compared with cordeau 135
substantially its entire length before being ?lled, made bythe process of manufacture known and
and the uniform ?lling of such distorted tubing practiced up to the time of our present invention.
Although we prefer to use ordinary lead pipe or
to form a non-circular tube having substantially
tubing
as our raw material, and to distort this
the same cross-section at all points along its
length, and possessing at all points along its lead tubing to elliptical or non-circular cross- '
length a cross-sectional area greater than the section by means of rolls, it will of course be evi
dent that the step of distorting circular tubing
area of a circle corresponding to the normal di
to non-circular cross-section does not form an
ameter of the lead tubing used.
During our investigation of the manufacture essential feature of our invention in view of the
145
of cordeau by the method herein described we fact that it is quite easy by methods well known
have discovered an important advantage of our in the art to initially produce lead tubing by an
present method of manufacture which we did extruding operation directly in elliptical form,
not know at the time that we began our work, but and accordingly although as a practical matter
which became evident ,in the course of our investi we refer in this application to a distorting 'opera 150
gation of cordeau made by our present process. tion as representing the initial step in the prac

40 but we may employ any other suitable detonating

45

50

55

60.

65

70

~75

1,928,761
tice of our present invention, we wish to call par

2. In the manufacture of detonating fuse the

ticular attention to the fact that it is quite pos process which comprises ?lling a. metal tube of
sible to avoid this initial distorting step by the elliptical cross-section throughout its effective
original producion of non-circular tubing by the length with a molten detonating agent, cooling to
extrusion of lead from a press providedvwith el solidify the detonating agent and thereafter ap 80
liptical or other non-circular dies. The signi? plying pressure to the elliptical tube in the direc-
cant part of our invention is the ?lling of a non tion of its major axis to distort the tube to cir
circular tube with a molten detonating agent and cular cross-section and thereafter decreasing the
permitting this detonating agent to solidify in the diameterand increasing-the length of the ?lled
10 tube while the tube is still of non-circular cross tube to form cordeau therefrom.
85
3. In the manufacture of detonating fuse the
section, and thereafter giving this tube a circular
form with increase in cross-sectional area without process which comprises distorting a metal tube
signi?cant change in perimeter or circumference, of circular cross-section. to form tubing which is
and the precise means by which the tubing is ini of non-circular cross-section uniformly over its
15
tially obtained in non-circular cross-section unl effective length, ?lling the tube witha molten 90
formly throughout its length is not an essential detonating agent, and permitting this molten
detonating agent to solidify while the tube is of
feature of our invention.
'
,

It will be evident that many modi?cations may ' non-circular cross-section and thereafter restor
ing the ?lled tube to circular form and decreasing
20 .be made within the limits of the disclosure as its diameter and increasing its length to form
95
herein made, and accordingly no limitation of cordeau therefrom.
'
our invention should be made except as indicated
4. In the manufacture of detonating fuse the
in the appended claims.
'
~
process which comprises charging a molten deto
We claim:
'
'
nating agent into a metal tube the cross-sectional
25
1. In the manufacture of detonating fuse the area of which is uniformly less than the cross 100
process which comprises ?lling a metal tube of sectional area of a circle having a-circumference

non-circular cross-section throughout its e?ec equal to the perimeter of the tube, permitting the
tive length with a molten detonating agent, per-' molten detonating agent to solidify, distorting the
mittin'g the detonating agent to solidify while the tube to circular cross-section and thereafter de
30 tube remains non-circular in cross-section, dis creasing the diameter and increasing the length
105
torting the tube to circular cross-section and of the ?lled tube to form cordeau therefrom.
decreasing the diameter and increasing the length
WALTER O. SNELLING.
of the ?lled tube to form cordeau therefrom.
CLARENCE B. KOCH.
35

110

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115

120

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55

125

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135

140

70

v145

150