UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. RAFAEL CAL VET, o F BAR, CEL ON A, SPAIN. VANUFACTURE OF PRIMARY EXPLOSIVES, 1,189,238. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 4, 1916. No Drawing. Application filed June 6, 1913. Serial No. 772,097. To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Dr. RAFAEL CALVET, a pounds have an acid reaction and can con subject of the King of Spain, residing at Sequently be combined with metals, and so 45 No. 34 calle de Gerona, Barcelona, Spain, form definite and permanent bodies which have invented certain new and useful Im might, like the thiocyanate compounds from provements in and Relating to the Manu which they are derived, be used for the facture of Primary Explosives, of which the preparation of the improved primary explo following is a specification. sive which forms the subject matter of the 50 This invention relates to a primary ex present patent application. 0 plosive and its manufacture, the object be The compounds in question are the fol ing to produce a substance capable of re lowing: perthiocyanic acid or hydrogen per placing fulminate of mercury and the other . thiocyanate (S.C.N.H.) and its salts, par usual detonating compounds. ticularly copper perthiocyanate (SCN,Cu) 55 The improved product consists of a mix and lead perthiocyanate (SCNPb) fur. 5 ture of a thiocyanate compound or of a sub ther dithiocyanic acid or hydrogen dithio stance derived therefrom with potassium. cyanate (S.C.N.H.) and its salts, copper chlorate or potassium perchlorate. diothiocyanate (SCN,Cu) and diothiocy It has previously been proposed to utilize anate of lead (S.C.N.Pb) and finally Woh 60 certain sulfocyanids or salts of the sulfocy ler's thiocyanic compound (“pseudo sul 20 anic acid SCNH, for the above said purpose. phure de cyanogene’ of Gerhardt and Lau However these substances have not given rent) (SCNH) as well as its combinations complete satisfaction, because they are some with copper (SCN),Cu and with lead what hygroscopic, highly unstable and im (SCN), Pb. - 65 part these qualities to the explosives made I claim- .. 25 with them. According to the present in 1. A primary explosive consisting of a vention, compounds of sulfocyanogen which mixture comprising a compound containing belong to a higher grade are employed and the radical S.C.N., and a salt containing they constitute chemical compounds quite chlorin and not less than three atoms of 70 different from the sulfocyanates, these being Oxygen. 30 called thiocyanate compounds. These com 2. A primary explosive consisting of a pounds are neither hygroscopic nor unstable mixture including S.C.N.Cu, and anoxidiz and when they are mixed with an oxidizing ing Salt of an acid containing chlorin. substance, specially with potassium chlorate 3. A primary explosive containing 75 or perchlorate, they produce primary explo SCN,Cuand potassium chlorate. 35 sives of great strength, which may be ig 4. A primary explosive containing 1 part nited by percussion or heat and might ad of a compound containing the radical SCN, vantageously replace fulminate of mercury acidand 23containing to 3 parts chlorin. of an oxidizing salt of an and similar preparations. These compounds In testimony whereof I affix my signature 80 indeed are not decomposed by moisture, nor in presence of two witnesses. 40 do they form any reaction with the metal DR. RAFAEL CALVET. of the primers or caps; also they can with Witnesses: stand much higher temperatures than fulmi CoNSTANTINo LOPEZ Y CID, nate of mercury. These thiocyanate com NARCIs JuBERT.