Detonator invention

Magnet Fuse (pronounced Fuzee). A medium power electric detonator, invented in 1854 by Abel, which was fired electrically. The original fuze contd a priming mixt of Cu20, Cu2S and K chlorate packed around the exposed wire leads, and a main charge of either mealed pdr or MF. 

Novit (Swed). An underwater expl consisting of TNT 50 and Hexanitrodiphenylamine (HNDPhA) 50%, invented prior to WWI. Its properties were loading d, 1.65—1.68g/cc relative brisance, 103% (TNT 100%) Qe f iOOOcai/g (TNT 950) power by Trauzl Pb biock test, 315cc (TNT 290cc) and vel of deton 7200m/sec (TNT 6800)... 

Nonel fuse, invented by Nitro Nobel AB in Sweden, consists of a thick plastic tube of bore about 1 mm, the inside surface of which is dusted with a small amount of powdered high explosive. If a shock wave is formed at one end of the tube the explosive powder is raised to a dust and a stable detonation at velocity 2000 m s 1 proceeds indefinitely along the fuse. The plastic itself is unaffected and the only outside effect is a flash of light seen through the tube walls. This therefore is an extremely safe method of propagating a detonation from one place to another. 

Nearly a hundred years elapsed, after the invention of Lieut Moor, before interest in electric detonators was revived in USA. This was done during WWII when US Armed Forces began to fly electrical systems to perform fuzing and firing tasks. The first Army Ordnance Corps electric detonator, for use in fuzes, was the M36. It is described here in Section 5. 

W. Taylor, Chem Ind 58, 1065-69(1939) (Modern detonators) Ad 42) C. Ostaszkie-wicz, Wiadomosci Techniczne Uzbrojenia 1939, No 4 MAF 19, 181-96(1940) (Construction and precision of functioning of mechanical time fuzes. They were invented in 1840 in Switzerland Germany, but did not find practical application until WWI, when Germans started to use them and this was followed by France, England, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and USA) Ad 43)... 

Sprengel reported that Picric Acid (PA) by itself could be detonated by means of fulminate. but this led to no practical results until E. Turpin started to use it beginning 1885 as filler for HE Shell invented by him (See under 1885 1843) (Ref 11, p 49)... 

Oxyliquit, invented by Linde, consisted of liquid air (or oxygen) absorbed in wadding, charcoal or other org material. As these mixts were hard to detonate, kieselguhr was substituted as absorbent with an addn of petroleum. It was inconvenient to use, as the cartridge had to be fired within 5 to 15 mins of its prepn. It was tried in Austria and used in construction of the Simplon tunnel (Ref 11, p 44)... 

Uses of MF. Until the invention of LA (Lead Azide), MF was practically the only expl used both in primers, blasting caps and detonators, either by itself or in compns. When loaded alone in blasting caps [also known as "commercial (or nonmtlitary) detonators"] it is subdivided into eight numbers accdg to the amt of MF contd in them No 1 contains 0.30g, No 2 0.40, No 3 0.54, No 4 0.65,... 

Fulminating Powder of Forsyth. Under this name Newman (Ref) lists the mixture of K chlorate, sulfur charcoal which could be detonated by percussion. It was invented at the beginning of the 19th century by the Scotch clergyman, A. Forsyth. It was replaced later by the mixture consisting of K chlorate, MF powdered glass... 

The first chemical explosive was invented in China around 1300 years ago and was originally used exclusively for military purposes. Black powder was not used industrially until the seventeenth century when it was adopted to blast out mines in Europe. In order to detonate black powder, it must be ignited by flame or intense heat. 

CA 68, 51485y(1968) [Nitrocarbonitrate blasting slurry compns contg flaked Al and DNT as sensitizers, are described. Prior-art inorg oxidizer salt expl compns of the aq-slurry type had generally not been detonable unless hazardous material (such.as PETN, TNT, etc) was included. In accordance with Ferguson s invention, slurry-type expls are provided that contain a combination of 3—20% flake Al, with 2—15% DNT (as sensitizer), 8-25% water, 30—75% of an inorg oxidizer, and 0.2—5% of a... 

The Nobel family suffered many set backs in marketing nitroglycerine because it was prone to accidental initiation, and its initiation in bore holes by blackpowder was unreliable. There were many accidental explosions, one of which destroyed the Nobel factory in 1864 and killed Alfred s brother, Emil. Alfred Nobel in 1864 invented the metal blasting cap detonator which greatly improved the initiation of blackpowder. The detonator contained mercury fulminate [Hg(CNO)2] and was able... 

Abel Powder or Picric Powder. A mixt for priming PA(picric acid) invented in 1869 by Sir F. A. Abel Amm pi crate 40 K nitrate 60% (Ref 1). French used a similar compn called Brugere(poudre). In Ref 2, the compn of picric powder is given as Amm picrate 43 A K nitrate 57% vel solid.dec without melting brisance — less than TNT ballistic strength ca 75% TNT deton rate ca 3500 m/s vs 6900 for TNT sensitivity to impact, rifle bullet and initiation — comparable to tetryl stability and compatibility with metals — comp arable to Amm picrate. Was used during WWII by the British as a booster in AP projectiles filled with Sbellite(qv)... 

CA77,22454 (1972) [Claimed are expls with better deton properties than AN-fuel oil expls. The invented expls consist of mixts of xylene (as the fuel) and nonylphenyl ether (as the sur-facent) together with NG and prilled AN (as the expl sensitizers and oxidizing agents)]... 

To initiate the nitroglycerine, detonators filled with black powder were used at first. Later, Nobel [4] invented blasting caps (detonators) charged with mercury fulminate for this purpose. 

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