Proceedings.] GUTTMANN ON MAUHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER.

161

27 November, 1900.
CHARLES HAWESLEY, Vice-President,
in the Chair.

(Paper No. 3233.)

“Machinery for the Manufacture of Smokeless Powder.”
M. Inst. C.E.
By OSCARGUTTMANX,
A manufactory of explosives often consists of more than a
hundred buildings,
widelyseparated
and
generally
divided
into groups. Thedangerbuildingshaveto be screened by
mounds;and in the construction of everypart of the factory
tha dangerous character of the worknecessitatesspecial pre-
caution. Most explosivesfactories atthe presentdaypartake
largely of the nature of chemical factories, since, for economic
reasons, not only must the factory produce most of the materials
required, such as gun-cotton, collodion-cotton, distilled glycerine,
nitric and sulphuric acids, but also it oftenmanufactures such
products as hydrochloric acid, sulphates of copper, iron, and
magnesium, nitrates of iron and lead, and liquid carbonic acid ;
and must recover copper and many other materials in order to
utilizethewaste products. Many of thebuildingshaveto be
connected by tramways, by conduits for fresh and for waste water,
for acids, glycerine and nitro-glycerine, and for compressed air, and
by mains for electriclightingand steam-service. Of themany
problems thus presented, by no means the easiest has been the
design of machinery for the manufactureof smokeless powder and
its constituents.
The adoption by the great armiesof what are known as military
smokeless powders dates from theyear 1886, andthevarious
processes for their manufacture only became defined about 1889.
Each nation strove to be the foremost ; and in order to avoid loss
of time in theconstruction of special machinery, machines used i n
other industries were adapted for making the new powders. The
Author proposes todescribeinthisPaperthe most recently-
constructed machinery for the manufacture of smokeless powder.
[TEE INST. C.E. VOL. CXLIII.) M

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 162 GUTTMANN ON MACHINERY FOR SMOEELESS POWDER, minutes of

VARIETIES
OF SMOKELESS
POWDER.
Modern smokeless powders fall into one of two main groups :
( a ) powders consisting of nitro-cellulose, generally gun-cotton,
either alone or incorporated with a nitrate or a nitro-compound
like dinitrotoluene; and ( b ) powders consisting of a mixture of
nitro-glycerineand nitro-cellulose ; in some cases withsmall
additions of other bodies. I n t h e shape of the powders there is
greatervariety,andtheymay bedivided intothe following
classes :-
(l.) Granular or agglomerated powder, such as E. C. powder,
principally used for sporting purposes.
(2.) Granulated powder resembling somewhat the familiarblack
powder, such as ‘‘Plastomenite ” and other varieties.
(3.) Flake powder, consisting of lamellae varying in thickness
between &-inch and .&,-inch, cut into squares varying
between &-inch and +inch side.
(4.) Flake and cube powder for large guns, of various sizes and
thicknesses up to f-inch square and$-inch thick.
(5.) Thread-shaped powder, either of square section likethe
Italian ‘‘Filite ” or cylindrical like“ Cordite.”
(6.) Perforated powder resembling the old prismatic powder,
such as the Maxim-Schiipphaus powder.
(7.) Tube powder, t.he character of which is indicated by its
name.
The proper manufacture of the nitro-cellulose is of the greatest
importance. Wood-cellulose is employed occasionally, as in the
case of Plastomenite, for which the so-called “ soda-cellulose ” is
used in the finely divided state. Theapparatus for treating it
with a mixture of nitricandsulphuric acids-the so-called
‘6 nitrating process ”-is very simple. The cellulose is fed from
a hopper into the acid mixture in an aluminium tank, and is con-
stantly agitated bymeans of a paddle-stirrer.

OF GUN-COTTON.
MANUFACTURE
Generally, cotton is used in the form of waste from spinning-
mills. I t undergoes (either a t the factories or at special establish-
ments) a process of purification, sorting,carding,anddrying,
which has often been described.
Thenextstep is thenitration of the cotton. Formerlythe

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 Proaeedings.] CtUTTMANN ON MAOHINERY FORSMOKELESS POWDER. 163
mixture of nitric and sulphuricacids was made by running these
acids into cast-iron vessels, andstirringby means of paddles
either rotating continuously inone direction only, or actuated by
reversing gear. This practice hasnow beenabandonedfor the
more convenient one of keeping the mixture agitatedby means of
compressed air; and in many factories even this stirring is con-
sidered superfluous, asexperiments made by theAuthorhave
proved that perfect mixing may be effected by merely running
the sulphuric acid into the nitric acid, the former being of higher
specific gravity.
Roughly speaking, the process of nitrating consists in dipping
the cotton into theacid mixture and allowing it to be actedon for a
certain time. I n practice various methods of doing this have been
adopted. In what is called the Waltham Abbey process, which
is also used i n some Germangovernment factories and private
works, an apparatus is used consisting of three cast-iron dipping-
tanks, which, together with a fourth tank containing a reserve of
mixed acid, are placed i n a cast-iron trough in which cold water
oirculates. The nitrating vessels have inclined fronts for fishing
out the gun-cotton, and, at the back, supports carrying a cast-iron
grate. After being dipped, the cotton is drawn out by means of a
flat wrought-iron fork and is laid on the grate where partof the acid
drains away, the extractionof the acid being assisted by pressing the
cotton undera plate hinged toa lever, a horizontal rod fixed at the
back forming the fulcrum. The cotton remains in acid the for afew
minutes only, and after being squeezed out is transferred to covered
earthenware pots each holding the materialfrom one c c dip "-that
is, about 14 lb. of cotton and about 138 lbs. of absorbed acid.
The pots with their contents are then placed i n shallow cooling-
pits, through which cold water runs, and are allowed to stand for
24 hours to complete the nitration. Believing that dipping in a
large quantityof acid, and finishing the nitration witha compara-
tively small quantity, did not give a uniform product witha high
percentage of nitrogen, continental manufacturers introduced the
method of soaking the cotton in between thirty times and fiftytimes
its weight of acid (just enough to keep it immersed) and leaving
it in this for a certain length of time; this is now the common
practice at many factories. In this way larger quantitiesof cotton
can be treated at a time, and the nitration can be completed i n
between 1 and 2 hours. The vessels used are either large cast-
iron troughs or lead pots holding between 48 lbs. and 20 lbs. of
cotton. Fromsuchtroughsthe cotton is transferredinsmaller
pots to the wringing-machines, or else the soaking-pots are made
M 2

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 164 GUTTMANN ON MACEINERP FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. minutes of

small enough to be carried away bodily. A very good arrange-

ment has been adopted recently a t a large continental factory.
I t consists of a brick or iron chamber of circular shape, enclosed
by glass sides and roof. On the top of the iron base a track is
formed, on which a circularplatform is carried by cast-iron
balls. Lead pots, generallysixinnumber,are placed on the
platform. Each of them holds 240 kilograms (529 lbs.) of mixed
acid and 8 kilograms (172 lb.) of cotton. At the apex of the
roof is a fume-pipe, suitably connected to a fume-absorbing appa-
ratus. Opposite a sliding glass door in the front of the nitrating
platform is placed the wringing-machine. The operation is as
follows : Two workers, after having dipped the cotton, revolve
the platform with a wooden pole, far enough to bring another
empty pot forward, and dip a fresh lot of cotton. When all six
pots have been charged, the nitration is allowed to proceed for the
requisitetime,andtheworkerschargeanother chamber. The
weight of the pot with its charge is about 6 cwt., and no difficulty
is found in lifting such a pot off the platform and across the short
distancetothe wringing-machine. Thisis a very expeditious
method of working; each apparatus converts about 530 Ibs. of
cotton per day, allowing 2 hours for nitration.
After nitration the acid has to be removed from the cotton as
completely as possible, by means of centrifugal machines specially
constructed for the purpose o f dealing with the very corrosive
acid mixture. An underdriven centrifugal machine, made to the
Author’s specifications by Messrs. W. Broadbent & Co., of Hudders-
field, is shown i n Figs. 1, Plate 5. It consists of a cast-iron casing,
inside which is placed a basket made of perforated sheet-iron and
fixea on a vertical spindle. The casing is provided with a fume-
outlet, and with a hinged cover which is nearly counterbalanced
by a sliding weight. In case of decomposition the escaping gases
open the cover a little, and this at once causes the weight to run
forward and fully open the cover. The lubricant is fed through a
siphon-tube, and runs down the spindle and through the driving-
pulley, which has a perforation to allow the lubricant to run down
on to the lower bearing, and finally into an annular space round
the footstep, so that the pivot is kept constantly i n oil, whilst none
can get into thegun-cotton. The extractedacid runs away through
outlets at thebottom of the casing; and there arealso water-inlets,
through whicha large quantityof water can be admitted suddenly
in case of decomposition. The methodadopted for applying a
brake bya treadle is shown in theplan.
A centrifugal machine pussessing some interestingfeatures

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 beding8.] GUTTMANN ON MACHINERY FOR SIOEELESB POWDER. 165
has been recently constructed for an English factory by Messrs.
Watson, Laidlaw and Co., of Glasgow, and is shown in Figs. 2.
It consists of an outer casing or chamber of cast iron, which at
the same time replaces the brick compartments usually erected to
contain acid-centrifugals. Doors allow the basket to be reached,
and a discharge-pipe leading from the inclined bottom serves to
convey the extracted acid away. The centrifugal machine proper,
or basket, is mounted on the top of the casing and is suspended
from an outer spindle. This carries on the top a belt-pulley, the
prolongation of which serves as a brake-pulley. Inside this outer
spindle is a stationary spindle fitted with a revolving bearing.
It is suspended by means of a top nut from two elastic buffers i n a
casing, which is fixed to a strong bracket placed overhead. The
manner of driving, starting, and stopping the machine and of
applying the brake is indicated in the drawings.
The life of a basket of an acid-centrifugal is rarely more than a
year, and therefore, at the Author’s suggestion, one made from
aluminium was tried. The result was excellent as regards resist-
ance to the action of the mixed acids; but, mechanically, it gave
some trouble, as the centrifugal force caused the rivetsto draw, the
holes becoming oval. The proper speed for a centrifugal machine
is that giving a circumferential velocity of about 140 feet per
second, with which the acid is extracted from a charge in about
five minutes. I t has become more and more the custom to provide
a balancingarrangement,in order tokeepthebasket steady.
The meansadopted by Messrs. Watson, Laidlaw and Co. above
referred to, will no doubt be effective within the usual rangeof the
oscillations of a basket. Another arrangement,used by the Suden-
burg Engineering Works, is shown in Figs. 3. A cylindrical casing
is attached to the spindle, and three loose brass rings separated by
washers are placed around if. These rings are thrown out as the
velocity of the spindle increases, and if the weight of the basket
is greater on one side than on the other, then one of the rings
will be thrownoutto a greater distance, thusequalizingthe
weight to a certain extent, whilst the rubberbuffers give further
assistance. The revolution of thebasket produces a current of
air; this draws away the fumes given off by the acid, which are
ledthrough a flue to an absorbing-tower, thedraughtbeing
sometimes assisted by a fan.
I n order to avoid the handling of acids and of nitrated cotton,
Messrs. Selwig and Lange, of Brunswick, are making a ‘ l nitrating
centrifugal ” (Figs. 4). Thiscentrifugal machine isgenerally
of the usual style, with the exception that the wrought-ironbasket

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 166 GUTTMANN ON IIZACHINERYFOR SMOKELESS POWDER. [Minutes of

is surrounded by a cast-iron jacket instead of by brickwork. The

acid is run in through the outer jacket until it fills the basket to
a certain level ; the cotton is then dipped and allowed to stand in
the centrifugal machine for, say, two hours. When the nitration
is completed the machine is set in motion, the surplus acid is
driven off, and the cotton is transferred to the washing-machines.
The top is provided with a wrought-iron hinged cover in front
and a fume pipe behind leading to the absorbing-plant. In order
toprevent drops of acid andmoistureinthe fume-pipefrom
running back to the centrifugal, an interceptor is provided at the
bottom of the pipe from which the liquid is carried away auto-
matically.The foot-step is placed on a hinged lever, which
allows it tobeadjustedand also tobe examined. Machines of
this kind have been largely used within the last fewyears.
In order to carry away the acidfumes, both from the nitrating
apparatus and from the centrifugals, steamexhausters, made of
lead, areoften used. Sometimes alsoapowerful fan blows air
intotheventilating-pipe,producing a slightvacuum behind.
Recently fans made entirely of earthenware have come into use.
One made by the Steinzeugwaaren Fabrik of Friedrichsfeld is
shown in Figs. 5.
A new method of extracting theacid has been recently invented
by Mr. F. J. du Pont, of Wilmington, U.S.A., consisting in com-
pressing the nitro-cellulose in a cylinder by a perforated piston,
and then displacing the acid by the application of water under
pressure. Theacid does notthereby become much weakened,
whilst the nitro-cellulose is said to be quite free from acid.
Thenitratedcottonhasnextto be immersed inwaterand
carefully washed free from acid. As it becomes compressed to a
certain extent in the basket, it is somewhat difficult to remove it
veryrapidly.Liftingoutthebasket and placing it bodilyin
water has been suggested, but this would be a slow process, and
dangerous heatingmight occur. The usualpractice is totake
outthe cotton with large scissors-shaped tongs. As a rule,the
immersing machine is separated from the centrifugal by a brick
wall,and a shoot connects the two,down whichthe cotton is
thrown rapidly and is then immersed by wooden rakes. Formerly
there was an arrangement at WalthamAbbey by which the cotton
was thrown into a wide funnel-shaped box, where it met a power-
ful current of water ; but this did not work well. Messrs. Selwig
and Lange have recently constructed a similar drowning-arrange-
ment, made entirely of earthenware, which is shown in Fig. 6.
The cotton is placed in the box and drops through the opening,

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 Pr0WdhgE.l UUTTMANN ON MAUHINERY FOR SNOKELESSPOWDER. 167
which is surrounded by an annular space provided with a large
number of holes through which a stream of water issues,
whereby adownward whirling motion isgivenwhichquickly
immerses the cotton. The immersing-machines generally used
are long oval woeden vats in whichone or two paddle-wheels
revolve, closely resembling i n shape the beaters described later.
On the Continent, the cotton is usually boiled in a weak soda
solution after immersion, in order to remove all traces of acidity.
In this country it is generally treated by prolonged boiling i n
water alone. This is done in wooden vats provided with false
bottoms, on whichthecottonrests;thevatsare filled with
water, and
steam is introduced from below. This boiling,
whichoften occupies several days, is dispensed within some
factories. Althoughthe cotton now appears,even to delicate
tests, to be free from acid, such is by no means the case, since it
still has traces of acid absorbed within the single fibres. It is a t
this stage transferred to pulping-machines or beaters,” i n order
to reduce it to very fine pulp, and at thesame time to remove any
acid that maJ be liberated by the opening of the fibres. A typical
beater, withthelatestimprorements, is illustrated in Figs. 7.
A partition divides the tank longitudinally into two compartments
of unequalwidth.Theknife-rollcanbe raised or lowered by
means of gearwhichlifts a supportingbar for thebearings.
Beneath the roll is the bottom plate with its knives. The bottom
of the beater forms a slope, generally only in the wideror cutting
compartment of the beater; but slopes in both compartments arenow
made by the firm of Friedrich Erupp at theGrusonwerk, Buckau,
near Magdeburg, in order to still furtherincrease the draught. The
slope ascends a t a n angle of 15’ towards the bottom plate, whence
i t curves upwards concentrically with the roll, and then runsdown
at an angle of 45’. In order to minimise friction and to further
promote draught the cross section of the track is now frequently
madesemi-circular, as shown i n Figs. 7. Theknivesinthe
bottom plateare connected byintermediateplates of zinc or
brass, andthe whole is boltedtogether. Modern beaters have
these knives set a t a slight angle to those on the roll, so as to
add a shearing action to the more grinding one of the knives.
A catchplate with a number of fine slots is provided over a cor-
responding recess in the bottom, to retain pottery, nails, etc. I n
older factories the cotton is pulped without changing the water,
but the modern practice is to constantly renew the water whilst
pulping. This is effected by a washing-drum with helical SCOOPS,
which is driven from the roll-spindle, as shown in the drawing.

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 168 BUTTMANN ON MACHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. [Minutes of

The drum can be raised or lowered by means of the gearing SO as

to regulate the quantity of water taken out. The beater can be
emptied through a large foot-valve, but this isnow generally done
through another foot-valve by a centrifugal pump, which can send
the pulped material into vats over the centrifugal machines for
extracting the water. As a rule it is necessary for a man to assist
the movement of the cotton towards the roll by means of a wooden
pole ; and, as this entails expense, a n automatic iron stirrer, such
as was used long ago with the ‘‘ Leviathan ” wool-washing machine,
has been introduced. Another means, frequently adopted i n paper-
works, is that of pumping the stuff by a centrifugal pump from
the back of the roll to the front. This has been further modified
by dividing the beater into two horizontal instead of two verti-
calcompartments, andassistingthecirculationbycentrifugal
pumps. The Author has seen such a beater i n use i n a conti-
nental gun-cottonfactory, but i t hasnotgivenbetterresults
than the ordinary kind, and one objection to it is that there is
no way of seeing what is goingon in the lower compartment.
Another beater of similar character is the “Cannon ” beater
made by Messrs. Bertrams, of Edinburgh, which is used in an
Englishfactoryand is shown in Figs. 8. Herethe bed of the
beater is narrowed down in front of the knife-roll, and the latter
is placed much higher, almost on the top of the beater. I n the
channel formed by thus narrowing thebed, a paddle-wheel rotates,
the object of which is to carry forward the stuff and to bring it
underthe knife-roll. TheAuthor does not consider thatthe
betterresult obtained isworththeextra power required.The
newest pulper of a different shape from those usually employed is
the Eoffsummer beater, shown in Figs. 9. I t is much longer than
is usual, and has two knife-rolls, but these are placed at the ends,
andimmediatelybehind them thetanksarecut off obliquely.
Thispulperis used in a continental factory, and works up
easily 5 cwt. of gun-cotton i n 5 hours, including charging and
discharging.
Theadvantagegainedby refinements of construction is not
always justified,a loss of power generally resulting from such
devices. For example, in a gun-cotton factorytheAuthor has
seen a circular pulper, with knife-rolls moving in a circle, which
consumed as much as 30 HP. as compared with the usual 8 HP. to
10 HP.
So far as the Author is aware, he firstintroduced live steam
into the beaters, by which means the time required for the boiling
in vats before pulping is reduced from between 1 day and 2 days

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 Proceedinga.] GUTTMANN ON MACHINERYFOR SMOKELESS POWDER. 169

to between 4 hours and 6 hours. Where the regulations require

a higher standard for the heat test, i t may be necessary to further
washthepulp. A simple planis to have wooden vatswith
paddle-stirrers, sometimes withchainsattachedorblowingin
compressed air only, so as tostirup effectively therapidly
settling cotton. Another common way is to have washing-
machines similar to the beaters, with a paddle-wheel instead of
the roll, and also withtheusual washing-drum. The finished
pulp is freed from water in centrifugal machines, having baskets
lined with flannel, or the pulp is run into bags, and these are laid
in thebasket.
I n order to shorten the time of pulping, and also to catch still
more of theimpurities,thepulpisvery often pumped over a
strainer or knotter, such as is shown i n Fig. 10, from the designs
of Messrs. Bertrams. A sand-trap receives thepulp,which is
thence conveyed into a trapped gutter, whence it flows in a thin
filmover the surface of theinclinedstraining-plates. A board
is connected, by a two-armed lever and crank, with a worm-gear
contained in a box, the crank making two revolutions per minute,
lifting the board every time. When this is done the pulp rushes
intotheauxiliarychannel,andthe board immediatelyreturns
to its old position. The refuse entrapped in this channel runs to
an auxiliary strainer, where the knots are finally taken out, and
the clean pulp is lifted to the sand-trap by a small centrifugal
pump. Thestraining of thepulpis aided by a metallic
diaphragm-plate,whichisattachedto a connecting rod and
elliptical sleeve, by which means a pulsating motion of the dia-
phragm-plate is caused. This plate is connected with the vat by
india-rubber strips, which compensate for the pulsating motion,
andthusthepulpisdrawnthroughthestrainer-platesand
discharged throughtheclean-pulpoutlet.Strainersorknotters
givegreat satisfaction. The one illustratedin Fig. 10, having
15 square feet of plate-surface with slots & inch (0.28 milli-
metre) wide, and -& inch stroke, can easily pass 24 cwt. of pulp
per hour. The only objection to such machines is the irritating
noise produced by the rapidoscillation.
The finished gun-cotton has to be dried, and €or this purpose
it is sometimes moulded intocylindricalcartridgesby simple
hydraulic presses, a number of cartridges being generally pressed
a t a time. Such presses are well known, and i t is only necessary
to explain that the plungers are hollow and are covered with fine
wire-gauze, a vacuum being formed through them before applying
pressure, so that the bulk of the water is drawn out before the

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 170 GU’PTMANN ON MACHINERY FOR SMOEELESS POWDER. [Minutes of

final compression. These moulded cartridgesarethenputinto

drying-rooms, which are heated by warm air, produced by blowing
air over steam-heaters in the usual way. I n continental factories
where ether-alcohol is used as the solvent for smokeless powder,
i t has become the practice to alcoholize ” the gun-cotton ;that is
to say, it is mixed with alcohol, which penetrates it and partly
displaces the water. The excess of alcohol is then removed by
means of a hydraulic press with a hollow wire-gauze-covered
plunger, anda similar pressing-block on the crosshead, so that the
alcohol can be carried away for ultimate recovery. In many other
factories the gun-cottonis dried in theloose state. Instead of using
drying-rooms and blowing in hot air as a drying agent, which
introduces some risks if the temperature is not carefully regulated,
and in order to shorten the timeof drying, some factories have re-
cently adopted the Passburp; vacuum drying-apparatus @ost,p. 180).

NITRATING
MACHINERY
FOR GLYCERINE.

In the manufacture of nitro-glycerine hardly any machinery is

used. It is not the object of this Paper todescribe this manu-
facture,since it has beendone bytheAuthor elsewhere,’ and
thereforethenitratingapparatus only willbe mentioned. The
period, within the experience of the Author, when the nitratingof
glycerine was effected i n porcelain pots by a man with a thermo-
meter in his left hand and a glass rod for stirring in his right
hand, is past, and so are the mechanical contrivances for stirring
the mixture in iron pots and tanks. At the present time com-
pressed air is almost exclusively nsed for effecting agitation ; in a
few factories only this is assisted by a mechanical stirrer. The two
types of apparatus are shown in Figs. 11 and 12, Plate 5. They
always consist of alead vessel withan inclined bottom and
a dome-shaped cover, insidewhichtwoorthree coils for the
circulation of col& waterare provided. I n warmclimates the
lead vessel stands in a wooden tub, leaving a space between the
two for further circulation of water. Pipes for the introduction
of compressed airenterthroughthe cover, andtwoorthree
thermometers allow the temperature at different levels to be read.
Theacidmixture is putintothe vessel through apipe or a
funnel, and after beingcooled b y blowing compressed air through
it, the glycerine is gradually introduced, keeping the temperature
-
“The Manufactum of Explosives,” London, Whittaker & Co., 1895.

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 Proceedings.] GUTTNANN ON YdOHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. 171
withincertainlimits.Theintroduction of theglycerine is
accomplished inseveral ways, sometimes through aperforated
annular pipe on the top-which is not the best plan, because the
compressed air used for agitation throws the liquid up instead of
drawing the glycerine down-but more often by means of a small
injector placed outside the vessel, and a pipe ending in a flat
coil introduced atthe bottom, theglycerineissuingthrough
holes in the pipe. As the expansion of the compressed air
produces cold, the glycerine is not so well divided in this way
as might be wished ; sometimes the injector itself, suspended on a
rope, is let down into the acid mixture. The apparatus shown in
Fig. 12 has a mechanical agitator, and thereis a smalI conical disk
attached to the spindle, upon which the glycerine drops, and from
which it is projected i n a finely divided state. Such aniapparatus
is, as a rule, placed on the slope of a hill, and the cooling-water
issuing from the cooling-worms runs over a water-wheel, which is
connected by belting with pulleysabove the apparatus, and drives
the screw agitator by means of a pair of bevel-wheels. A fly-
wheel and handle areprovided i n order that the apparatus may be
worked by hand should the water-supply accidentallyfail.
The best way of introducingtheglycerine is by means
of apressurevessel as shown i n Fig. 11. It is a cylindrical
iron or copper vessel provided with gauge-glassa and a
funnel for the introduction of the glycerine. Compressed air is
introduced through the pipe over the glycerine, which i t forces
through the pipe at the bottom. Thispipe passes through the
cover of the apparatus, and ends i n a flat perforated coil at the
bottom, whilst a compressed-air pipe attached to it allows the
clearing of the pipe from glycerine when the supply is cut off.
As shown i n Fig. 12, this nitrating apparatus is provided with
a large discharge-cock atthe bottom, andin B similarway
the separating- and washing-vessels, which are very often placed
inthe same building,can be emptiedinthenormal course
of operations. These cocks are connected by funnelsand
conduits with one or more safety-tanks filled with water for the
purpose of drowning the charges without delay should danger
arise. As this operation of drowning requires great presence of
mind on the part of the worker, and sometimes is delayed by his
not bcing near to the cocks, a neat contrivance has been adopted
a t a continental factory. I n a convenientpart of the room is
placed acast-iron cylinderhaving apiston attachedto a rod,
which is connected by bell-crank levers and links with the plug
of each cock. The front end of the cylinder is connected with a

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 172 GUTTMANN ON MACHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. [Minutes Of

compressed-airpipe, andin case of dangerthe pistoncanbe

moved forward by admitting air to the cylinder, whereby all the
cocks are opened simultaneously. A whistle connected with the
fartherend of thecylinder gives anaudiblesignal when the
piston has travelled the full length and the cocks are open. This
contrivance works very smoothly.
After nitration the mixture runs into a separating-vessel, the
nitro-glycerine is separated from the acid, and the former is sub-
jected to a series of washings and filtrations untilit is quite pure.
AS the various operations are conducted i n houses at least 50 yards
apart, the conveyance of the impure nitro-glycerine is a matter of
some anxiety. As a rule, leaden V-shaped gutters are used, which
have to be laid with a continuous slope in order to prevent the
nitro-glycerine from collecting in a cavity. The gutters canbe
warmed in the winter by a warm-water pipe supported on the
top. I n factories which are built on level ground, however, suffi-
cient fall is not available for such gutters, and means for lifting
t h e nitro-glycerine must be provided. I n some cases this is done
by the well-known ‘‘ monte-jus ”. ; i n one instance the Author has
seen the lifting done by means of an exhausted copper vessel; and
Messrs. Eynoch & Co. have devised the expedient of raising the
whole apparatus by means of a hydraulic lift, when it is desired
to run its contents to a distant building.

POWDER.
OF SMOKELESS
MANUFACTURE

Agglomerated powders are frequently incorporated by the well-

known edge-runners, or mixed in other suitable ways. They are
then formed into grains by passing them through sieves, and are
subsequently treated with solvents, such as ether-alcohol, for the
purpose of hardening their surface. Formerly agglomeration was
performed in revolving drums, but at present i t is almost univer-
sally effected on oscillating trays, skilfully moved by hand, water
beingsprayed over themixture.Aftersortinganddrying,the
grainsareagainputintotheplaintrayandare moistened
with ether-alcohol, andsubsequentlythe solvent is evaporated.
Granulated powders are for the most part made inthe same
manner as black powder. I n the case of Plastomenite, the material
is treated in hot presses, whereby the dinitrotolueneis melted, and
the resulting solid cake is broken i n rollers, being subsequently
treated like black powder.
The modern militaryandother smokeless powders undergo

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 Pr0ceedings.J OUTTMANN ON MAUHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. 173

at
the
beginning practically
similartreatment.
Thenitro-
cellulose, if used alone, is treated with a solvent-generally ether-
alcohol, acetone, or acetic ether. Should the powder be composed
of nitro-cellulose and nitro-glycerine, and be of the cordite type,
namely, with nitro-celluloseinsoluble i n nitro-glycerineunder
ordinary circumstances, then a solvent is also used for promoting
incorporation. If the powder be composed of nitro-glycerine and
of nitro-cellulose soluble in it, like ballistite, no solvent is used as
a rule, and the incorporation is effected in a slightly different
manner. Theincorporation of nitro-cellulose and solvent, or
nitro-glycerine, is generally effected i n a mixing-machine, those
made by Messrs. Werner, Pfleiderer and Perkins being almost ex-
clusively used. They are well known, and were fully described
by Mr. Anderson i n a Paper on L L The Machinery used in the
Manufacture of Cordite,” read before the Institution in 1898.’
With soluble nitro-cellulose and nitro-glycerine, mere mixing
in a machine would not be sufficient to effect complete incorpora-
tion, and thereforea discovery by Messrs. Lundholm and Sayers is
made use of. Both the nitro-glycerine and the nitro-cellulose are
agitated in a large quantity of hot water, under which conditions
the two materials seem to have a mutual attraction, and combine
to the exclusion of the water.
The mixture obtained in either wayis passed between rolls. I n
order to improve the incorporation when dealing with powders of
the ballistite type, it is effected by steam-heated rolls, whereby
the moisture is driven off during the process of incorporation. I n
the case of powders made with a solvent,as much aspossible of this
has to be retained until final drying, and the rolls therefore are not
heated. Some of the first rolling-machines made were those still
used in the Italian ballistite factory, which consist of two super-
posed cast-steel rolls, the lower of which has a vertical adjustment
whereby the sheet is rolled down to the proper thickness without
takingit off. At present therollingisgenerally effected in
two operations. First, thematerial is thoroughly incorporated,
doubling it repeatedly;irregularsheetsresult, which arere-
duced tothe proper thicknessbythe final rolling-machine. A
modern machine for the initial rolling, made by the Krupp firm,
previously referred to, is illustrated in Figs. 13, Plate 5. It has
two rolls placed at an angleof 30°, and a funnel for feeding them.
Counterweighted scraperskeep the rolls clean. The bearings of
the upper roll are movable, and are adjustable by gearing. The

1 Minutes of Proceedings Inst. C.E., vol. cxxxii. p. G9.

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 174 GCU’PTPANN ON MAUHINERY FOR SPOKELESS POWDER. [Minutes of

position of the rolls is shown by the graduated wheel and fixed

index on a continuation of the screw. The rolls are hollow, and
can be either heated or cooled with water. A final rolling-machine
is shown i n Figs. 14,also from a design of the Krupp firm. The
material is led along the cast-iron table, and passes through a pair
of rolls driven by cog-wheels from the main shaft.
I n powders of theballistite class small deflagrations fre-
quently occur, probably due to the ignition of partially dissolved
particles of nitro-cellulose by the combined heatand friction.
These small explosions pass off harmlessly i n almost every case,
but the noise is a t first alarming. As a certain amount of risk to
the workmen always exists, it is best to have two rolls placed
inthe same horizontal plane, so thatany ffame will shoot
upwards, and away from the worker. AS the dough is rolled, it
issues i n more or less irregularly shaped sheets, which are passed
back over the upper roll and through the rolls again, the distance
between the
rolls
being
diminished a t each rolling.
The
thickness of thesheetsvarieswiththe class of the powder.
Sometimes theyare rolled asthinasinchforsporting pur-
poses, and for large guns it may be necessary to have a powder
sheet # inch in thickness. It is not usual to make thick sheets by
direct rolling to the final thickness. In order to ensure thorough
incorporation, sheets are rolled thin, generally to a thickness of
about & inch,andthentwoor more superposed sheets are
passed throughtherollsandthus cementedtogether.Powder
cut from such sheets does not show t,he lines of the joints except
when cut obliquely. As a rule the powder does not stick to the
rolls, but this depends on the nature of the solvent used, which
has in general a far wider in%uence on the powder than might
be supposed. The rolls have to be of the hardest cast steel, or
of special chilled cast iron, so as to leave no pores on the surface
and allow a perfectly bright polish to be produced.
The finished sheets have to be cut up. Powder in tape form,
like the French kind, inorstrips likefilite, or in the strips required
for cube powder and thick flake powder, is cut in a “guillotine ”
machine. A good machinefor this purpose is constructed by
Mr. Robert Legg, of London, for cutting tobacco, and has been
adapted for certain powders of the ballistite class. It is shown
in Fig. 16. Thecrankshaft is set in motion by a pulley,and
drives, by means of two rods, a crosshead to which an adjust-
able knife is bolted. The crosshead is connected with two long
levers which hinge at theback of the machine. As the knifeascends
it is moved away from the jaw holding the powder-sheet, and

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 Proceedings.] GUTTNANN ON MACHINERY FOR SNOKELESS POWDER, 175

descends i n a slight curve so as to touch this jaw at the moment

of cutting only. The pulley carries an adjustable eccentric with
a rod and a hinged lever, bringing down a t every revolution a
pawl, which engages i n a ratchet-wheel, moving it forward one
tooth. This in turn actuates a worm-wheel and a cam, and also
two or threefluted wheels not shown inthedrawing,which
receive the powder-sheets entering through the shoot and carry
them forward under the jaw. The cam rotates a chopping-drum,
made of cast iron faced with wood on end. The feeding-
rollers are helddown by means of weightsand levers, which
can be adjusted fromahandwheel. Should it be intendedto
suddenlystopthecutting-action of the machine, a foot-lever
throws the pawl out of action. The width of strip cut canbe
varied by a set of change-wheels, which regulate the travelof the
chopping-drum and the feed-rollers. Trays on the rails receive
the cut strips. This machine will cut a number of superposed
sheets: i t makes 300 strokes perminute, and can turnout
between 100 lbs. and 200 lbs. per hour, according to the width of
the powder. If the powder isintended tobe used i n tapes or
strips, no further operation is required ; to produce flakes or cubes
the strips are againfed through the machine.
For cutting flake powder of the ordinary kind, the machines of
Mr. Ernst Schiess, of Diisseldorf, and the Krupp firm, are almost
universally used. The Schiess machine is illustrated in Fig. 16,
andthedetails of thecuttingarrangements of theKrupp
machine inFig. 17. Two spindles carry a number of circular
knivesseparated by washers. Theknivesoverlap each other
slightly,andbehindthem is a comb tostripthe powder
from them. Thecutting edge is adjustableas shown. The
powder-sheets arefed from the storage-box over the incline,
and pass thekniveswhichcutthemintostrips: these strips
pass o n over the cutting edge and are cut into flakes by a hori-
zontal cutter. The position of the knives can beadjusted. The
spindle of the disk-cutter revolves on a bearing which, during
Work, is held back by a vertical bar on a nut. The hole through
which this bar passes is conical, and the tightening nut and the
boss on the bar are spherical. By tightening or loosening the nut
thebearing is lifted or lowered, whichregulatesthe distance
between the knives to suit the thickness of the sheets of powder.
The size of the powder can be varied by placing thicker washers
between the circular knives and changing the cog-wheel for the
horizontalknife. It has been foundbest to givethecircular
knives U-shaped edges.

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 176 QUTTMANN ON MAOHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDZR. [Minutes Of

The presses used for cordite have been fully described in Mr.
Anderson's Paper, and by the Author in various publications. It
has recentlybeen found however that screw-presses witli hydraulio
buffers are unnecessarily complicated, and that a plain hydraulic
press is better. Further improvement hasbeen made by increasing
the number of cords squirted through the die-plate from four to
seventy, according to the size of the mould, care being taken that
the speed of the cords is the same. This, together with simple
means forcutting thecords, has resulted ina very largelyincreased
output of the presses, without increasing the total pressure i n
the mould.
There are a number of powders made in other partsof the world
having the form of threads, of tubes, of threads cut into short
cylinders, or of flakes cut from threads, for which presses of a
different kind are used. The German government having recently
adopted cylinders cut from threads for the shape of their rifle-
powder, in place of the flake powder hitherto used, several presses
have been designed for the manufacture. One used bythe
German government works, constructed by Messrs. Chr. Metzger
C% Co.,of Homburg, is illustratedin Fig. 18. It is much like
a cordite-press, with the difference that the pressing piston is
attached to the ram overhead. There are two moulds swinging
round one of the columns and stopped by the other. Whilst one
is being filled, the contentsof the other are pressed. Water enters
above the ram from the pump and forces the threads out of the
mould upon a travelling band beneath, wbich is moved by rope
pulleys from the pump-shaft.A rod is connected withthe
ram, ending in an adjustable loop overhead. When the ram has
finished its strokethe looptouchesa two-armed lever, and
therebylifts a catch. At this moment a counterweight,which
is attached by means of a slotted lever to the belt-striking gear,
falls and shiftsthebelttothe loose pulley. The rod of the
catch can be adjusted by means of nuts. In case of accident,
theweightdisengagingthestrikinggearcan be moved by
hand. By means of thehand-wheel on thepumpthe press-
cylinder can be emptied, and the weights which are connected by
chains and pulleys with the rod of the ram move the latter back
veryrapidly.The mould is thenswung round, and the whole
of the die-plate and nozzle part is pushed out from the mould by
means of the toothed rod and handle. After cleaningthey are
readjusted in the mould and the powder is introduced, being a t
the same time pressed i n by the piston which is brought down by
a pawl and ratchet hand-lever. The dies are put into a special

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 Proceediugs.] GUTTMANN ON BIACHINERYFOR SMOKELESS POWDER. 177
container, andthe nozzle ends of the moulds can be heated, if
necessary, by hot water circulating i n an annular space in the
mould. Should i t be desired to make tubular powder, then
nozzles of a special shapeareinsertedintothe die-plates. The
die has conical holes, and into these a mandril is placed, shown in
Fig. 19. I t consists of two steel arcs of acircle connected by
a small bar which is knife-edge-shaped on the top, and continues
downward first into a conical and then into a cylindrical mandril,
finishing flush with the hole of the die.
Presses similar tothose used for corditeare made bythe
Krupp firm, combining with them thearrangements shown in
the Metzger press-namely, swinging the table round the columns,
removing the die-plate, pressing the material into the mould, a
travelling band, and an arrangement for cutting the cords.
A pressfor makingtubular powder, designed by the Erupp
firm, is shown i n Figs. 20 and 21. It has a different arrange-
ment from the presses usually employed. A strong table serves
both as a guide for the side-rods and as a base for the pressing-
mould. The latter has a jacket for heating it with warm water,
if necessary, and also a strainer-plate for the purpose of retaining
impurities. It is attached to a nozzle-block which carries on one
side the die-plate and on the other side the mandrils concentric
with the nozzles in t,he die-plate. The press-piston can be swung
through an angle of 90" by means of a hand-wheel and chain,
for the purpose of filling the mould. When water under pressure
is admitted through the valve into the bottom cylinder, the ram
descends and takes with it the two columns with the press-piston.
This descends gradually, and the tubular powder issues through
the nozzles on t o the inclined platform. As soon as the proper
length has been reached the worker deflects the hand-rail,whereby
the cog-wheel actsupon aknife, whichcutsthe powder. On
releasingthehand-rail,weightsbringtheknife ,back intoits
former position. When it is intended toclean the nozzle-block,
the mould is attached by a chain to the top crosshead of the side-
rods and on the ram going back the mould is lifted out of the
nozzle-block.
Another press for cord or tubular powder is made by the same
firm for pressing the powder fr0rn.a material that has been rolled
into sheets so astopreventthe formation of air-bubbles. The
sheets are rolled round a wooden rod and then introduced into the
press-mould. A small auxiliary hydraulic piston brings a mandril
from below into the core of the powder-roll, thereby compressing
the powder and allowing the air to escape. The pressingpiston
[THE INST. C.E. VOL. CXLIII.] N

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 178 GUTTMANN ON NACHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. [Minutes of

proper carries also the dies, andinitsgradual descent takes

with it the mandril of the auxiliary piston, whilst the powder is
squeezed through the nozzles and issues from a slot in the hollow
piston.
I n Austria the tube powder is said to be drawn and not pressed,
and, as far as the Author has been able to ascertain, there is a
combined action inthe press bywhichthe powder is pushed
forward to a nozzle, and its issue is assisted by a kind of wire-
drawingarrangement. In this way the press is saidto deliver
very large quantities.
Sometimes, especially in the Austrian rifle powder, the shape of
the powder is a round flake. This is produced by squeezing B
number of cords in the usual way, and cutting them as theyissue
by rapidly-revolving knives.
Formakingmultiperforated powder, Dr. Robert Schiipphaus,
of NewYork, employs the nozzles illustratedin Fig. 2 2 . The
mandrilsare screwed into a dome-shaped flange, which is held
between the mould and the nozzle by means of a screwed cap.
Themandrils converge a t first so as toguidethe dough, and
then they become parallel to the nozzle. Should it be intended
to coat the powder outside with a layer of material of different
composition, such asa slow-burning one, thenthisis squeezed
round the cord issuing from the nozzle through the annular space.
The pressure required to squirt the cords or tubes depends so
much on the plasticity of the dough, the number and size of strand
squirted, and the desired rate of squirting, that no general rule
can be stated. A tendency exists to augment continually the yield
of presses by increasing thenumber of strands, and there is nothing
against the practice, as the cutting of each line singly intosmaller
lengthshas now been almost universally abandoned. Generally
speaking, a pressure of 2,500 lbs. per square inch of nozzle-surface
is sufficient.
In the construction of presses for squirting powder it is neces-
sary to secure rigidity of the whole structure and perfect guidance
of mould and piston, so as to avoid undue friction ; but it cannot
be said that sufficient. attention has been given to this condition
in all presses. There is also no reason why the dough should not
be filled intothe mould direct,asinthe more recentcordite-
presses, since it is quite possible to avoid the so-called air-bubbles
in the cords. The presses are almost always worked by accumu-
lators, but for powders of small section the hydraulic press can be
attached direct to the pump.
Tubular powder is frequently used in short lengths, and the
cutting of this powder is not done immediately on leaving the

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 Proceedings.] GUTTWANN ON MACHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. 179
press, because in this state the tubes would be too soft and because
it isintended to recover the solvent atthe same time. The
tubesare therefore hungin drying-rooms, wherebytheykeep
straight and can be packed very closely. The drying-roomcan
be exhausted of air and the evaporatedsolvent is recovered in
suitableapparatus,generallybyabsorbing it inwater. Rifle-
powder made by cutting cords into small cylinders is cut soon
after pressing. Thecuttingis done bypacking a quantity of
threads or tubes into oblong boxes and bringing them gradually
under a cutting-knife. Such boxes are about 15 inches wide and
4 inches high, and,of course, of the length of the cords. A cutting-
machine made for this purpose by the Krupp firm consists essen-
tially of a table on which slide two ,mnmetal boxes containing the
powder. The covers of these boxes are helddown by weights
and levers. The boxes are moved forward by a push-block
connected with steeltapeswhich windup on rollersactuated
simultaneously with the knife. The knife makes about 60 strokes
per minute, and can be put in and out of action by means of a
friction-coupling. The movement isadjustable in steps of
millimetre u p to 8 millimetres, andwhenallthe powder is
cut the knife stops automatically.
A powder made in England, “ Cannonite,” is ground from cords
instead of being cut. According to a Home Office report, the die
of the press has 1,700 holes of the size of a pin ; the whole of the
cords issuing therefrom are wound on drums ; and when dried
are of the thickness of coarse horse-hair. They are first granu-
lated by a disintegrator and then ground between fluted rollers.
Under a magnifying glass “ Cannonite ” has the aspect of small
broken cylinders. Another gelatinized powder, ‘‘ Walsrode,” is in
the form of round grains, which are formed by blowingsteam
through the dough. A peculiarly shaped powder, somewhat on the
lines of the old pyropaper cartridges, is “ Spiralite.” Sheets of the
powder are wound round a mandril, and the spiral thus obtained
is inserted into the cartridge-case.
The dryingof smokeless powder has for a long timebeen carried
out in ordinary drying-rooms, into which hot air is introduced.
Frequently it. has not been considered worth while to recover the
solvent. At present greater attention is being given t o this latter
point, and in some factories i t is the practice to make the drying-
rooms airtight, to exhaust the room by means of a fan, and to
lead the exhaust from the fan through an apparatus for absorb-
ing the solvents. I n countrieswhere ether-alcohol is used and
heavyduty is payable on both, the recovery of the solvents
a 2

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 180 GUTTDIANN ON MACHINERY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER. W l u t e of
~

becomes of great importance, and therefore more perfect apparatus

is employed. So far,the best seems to be theEmilPassburg
vacuum drying-apparatus, which is used in many industries. An
illustration of an apparatus supplied to the German government
works is given in Figs. 23 and 24. It consists of a wrought-iron
box strengthened by angle-bars, in which a number of steam- or
water-he,ated double shelves are held i n place by bearers, and are
connected by stuffing-boxes and pipes to a main. Iron doors
made tightby means of india-rubberstripsare fixed in their
place by means o f a closing arrangement. Sight-holes allow the
temperature recorded by thermometerstobe read. Both at the
top and at the bottom an exhaust pipe leads into a mainconnected
with avacuumpump. The vacuum produced intheapparatus
may exceed 274 inches of mercury. The powder isbrought in
trays and placed upon the shelves. An apparatus of this kind will
dry 150 lbs. of smokeless powder in three hours, the solvent being
recovered in surface-condensers. The same apparatus is used for
drying gun-cot ton ; whilst for very dangerous materials like ful-
miriate of mercury the apparatus is made of cast iron, and is con-
nected with an expansion-chamber provided with forty-four plates
actingas safety-valves, which in case of explosion aresimply
thrown off, so thattheapparatus is notinjured,The solvent,
when recovered by absorption in water, is distilled in stills of the
t,ype usually employed for refining alcohol, acetone, etc. ; and i n
the Austrian government factory as much as 58 per cent. of the
solvent employed is recovered.
CONCLUSION.
Considering the whole of the machinery at present used for the
manufacture of smokeless powder and its constituents, it cannot
be said that perfection has been attained. The method of nitrating
cotton is not yet quite satisfactory, for there is too much handling
of corrosive liquids and easily ignitable material. The nitrating
centrifugal machine certainly marks a step in the right direction ;
but to produce large quantities of gun-cotton a large number of'
machines is required, which means a very heavy capital outlag.
Other nitrating apparatus, however simple and convenient i t may
be, exposes the workmen to much fume and to risk in manipula;
tion. Thepulpiug-machinery is still slow in action, as
the
charges that can be worked in a beater are conlparstively small,
and their reduction ta,kes a long time. The purification of gun-
cotton is a delicate operation, the standard of stability is continu-
ally being raised, and the processes for effecting the purification
have some difficulty in keeping pace with it. The operation of

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 Proceedings.1 GUTTMANN ON MACHINERY Felt SXOKELESS POWDER. L8 l
extracting the water from the finished gun-cotton is perhaps one
of the slowest, as thecharginganddischarging of centrifugal
machines necessarily take much time, and the quantity that can
be dealtwitharebutsmall.Theearlyinvention of a better
apparatus for nitrating glycerine does not seem to be probable,
but the tendency at present is to increase the quantity nitrated
at a’time and as much as 800 lbs. of glycerine, yielding about
15 cwt. of nitro-glycerine, is now nitrated in one operation. The
methods of avoiding decomposition duringnitrationare now
wellknown, and there is no reason why even larger quantities
should not be nitrated at a time, thus diminishing the number
of operations that have to be performed in the course of a day.
The machines for mixing and incorporating the powder are prac-
ticallylimited to one design,which, althoughthe bestknown
a t present, is by no means perfect;themixinginthe upper
half of thetroughis less thoroughthaninthe lower, and
the incorporation is attended with a good deal of friction. The
rolling-machines answertheir purposes well, but some selec-
tion has to be made according to the nature of the powder and
especially of thesolvent employed. The machines for cutting
have as a rule but a small output, so that a large number must
be employed. Single strips are generally cut, except in the case
of powders that allow the Legg machine to be used. Objection to
this machine has been raised on the ground of the possibility of
oblique cuts occurring, and of the flakes sticking together; but the
manufacturers who use it are evidently satisfied with the nature
of the resulting powder. With the presses for making cords and
tubes there isa risk of the material firingunless the press and the
mould are perfectly guided, and in most cases this does not seem
to be properly provided for. The process of drying the powder
and recovering the solvents is carried outin a fairlyrational
mannerby means of thePassburgapparatus;but objection is
sometimes raised to the rapidity of the drying in, and the capital
outlay entailed by the use of this apparatus.
The Author desires to express his thanks to the various manu-
facturers who have been good enough to permit the publication of
the drawings illustrating this Paper, and to the owners and the
officials of the forty-three explosives factories which he has been
privileged to visit in the course of 25 years’ association with the
manufacture of explosives.

The Paper is accompanied by twenty-four drawings, from which

Plate 5 has been prepared.

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 f

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