Alfred Nobel

“ The manufacture of explosive compounds as above described, consisting in placing upon each other, by pressing, rolling, or otherwise joining together, layers of a plastic explosive compound of different chemical composition, as respects rate of combustion, in the order and for the purpose above set forth. ”

“ Attempts have been made to impart a progressive combustion to ordinary black powder, by using in the outer layers of the same, saltpetre crystals of larger size than in the inner layer, but in this way the desired result will not be obtained, owing to the fact that the larger crystals make the product more porous, and as the quickness of combustion of powder increases with the porosity of the same, it will easily happen that a result is obtained which is contrary to the one sought for. ”

“ Such substances may be substituted the one for the other, as they all serve the same purpose, viz., to modify the rate of combustion of the explosive. For large guns, it is preferable to manufacture the charge by using several layers having various rates of combustion, which increase towards the centre of the charge. Thus, the innermost layer will consist of a composition of quick combustion, intermediate layers of slower combustion, and outer layers of very slow combustion. ”

“ The explosive compound manufactured according to this invention differs essentially from the above mentioned powder, in that its progressive quality is obtained, in the latter case, in a purely mechanical way, by altering the size of the saltpetre crystals, while in the former case it is obtained in a chemical way, by introducing chemical substances in the outer layers of the compound, capable of modifying its explosive character. ”

“ The coils of these rolls are kept apart by means of longitudinal strips of the like material, the object of the insertion of these strips being to form conducting passages for the fire from the fuse to act upon the surfaces of the coils.--The rolls thus formed may be of any desired length, and, when a heavy charge is required, it will be convenient to fill the cartridges with short rolls of corresponding diameter, placed one upon the other. ”