Nov.

20, 1951

s, GORDON ET AL

2,575,871

GRANULAR SMOKELESS PROPELLANT POWDERS

Filed Sept. 24, 1947

FIG. 3.

ll

STUART

Inventors
GORDON

EDWARD

WHITWORTH

Attorneys

2,575,871

Patented Nov. 20, 1951

UNITED 'GRANULAR
s'rarss
?illlgjlvialglgssFPRolEnLaNT
PATENT " OFFICE
Stuart Gordon, Saltcoats, and Edward Whitworth,
West Kilbride, Scotland, assignors to Imperial
Chemical Industries Limited, a corporation of

Greatliritain

1 Application September 24, 1947. Serial No. 715,950"

'

In Great Britain December 20, 19416

6 Claims. (Cl. _102--8.8j9.

vThepresent invention is concerned with im
In the drawings. for ing-nartof the speci?ca
provements in or relating to granular smokeless
i'iiQXl-Ii
propellant powders based on colloided nit-r0:
Figure l is representative of. a granular smoke?
cel'lulose compositions and is particularly con
less perforated disc made in accordance with the
cerned with the provision of granular smokeless 5
propellent powders as aforesaid for shotgun and
Figure 2 "is a radially slotted variation of
invention;

rim?re cartridges.

'

Figure 1;

,,

It is well known that in the combustion of

' Figure 3 is representative of a granular smokes
propellent explosives the amount of gas evolved
less powder perforated ?ake;
'
'
. '
'
in any given time for a given composition depends 10
Figure 4 is a radially slotted variation of Figure,
amongst other factors upon the manner in which
3; and
the burning-surface area varies as burning
Figure 5 shows as an example the non
proceeds. For the aforesaid uses in the case of
geometric arrangement of the powder granules
powders based on colloided nitrocellulose com . . within-a standard type shotgun shell.
positions an extremely thin form of grain .of
in the casing 13 of a shotgunv shell having the
large surface area would be necessary which leads
usual head II and cap l2, a powder charge I0
to certain dif?culties of production. To over-'
made up of the granules having a porous struc
come these di?iculties it has long been the prac
ture {i and perforations 2 and/or radialslots
tice in the art to incorporate with the ingredients
3 is randomly packed, above which are placed
a solid water soluble substance in a ?ne state of 20 the usual overpowder cardil, wad 8,, .undershot
sub-division, and after colloiding the nitrocellu
card I, shot 6, overshot card 5. and these- are
lose and forming the powder grains of the pre~
casing
in turn13.
held
' in place by the turnover 4.10?T, -

ferred size and shape, to leach out the ?nely

divided water soluble ingredient from the powder
v Figure 6 is representative of .a granular smoke
grains thus leaving a porous structure through-y as less powder flake of this invention having two.
out the propellent grain and consequently large

burning-surface, the degree of porosity being

radial
' Figure
slots
7 istherein;
representative
and . of a
. 'granularsmoke
. ' iI"

controlled by (a) the amount and (b) the grist

less powder perforated ?ake of this invention
of the water soluble solid ingredient. It is also
having one radial slot extending inwardly to
well known that porosity improves the ignit 30 said perforation and a second radial slot extend
ibility of thegrains.

'

ing inwardly and stopping short of said perfora:

We have now made the discovery that a marked.

tion.

duickening, both as regards ignitibility and rate

'

'

The following comparative'examples illus'tr to

of evolution of gas, can be produced in a porous

the advantages of the invention.

colloided smokeless propellent composition in

disc or flake form by providing it. with at least

"

'

"

A granular smokeless propellent powder of

porous structure is produced in disc form from;

one burning-surface therethrough, as for ex.

arnple, one'or more radial slots, or a central
perioratio'n' with or without one or more radial

slots. thereby permitting smokeless propellent

powders of at least standard ballistic performance

40

tobe produced in the aforesaid manner with less

colloided nitrocellulose (-13.25% nitrogen) 100

parts by weight; diphenylamine 1.1 vparts by
weight, and 65 parts by weight'oi ?nely divided
potassium nitrate in order to provide the rep
quired deg-rec of porosity for a required ballistic
performance.

of the ?nely divided water soluble crystalline

" Granular smokeless powders of porous structure

ingredients with consequential increased con~
throughout in disc form and provided in ac
venience and saving in production.
45 cordance with the invention. with a central
According to the present'invention, therefore,

the granular smokeless propellent powders of

perforation therethrough give substantially the

same ignition and ballistic performance when

porous structure based on colloided nitrocellulose

produced from colloided nitrocellulose (13.25%
compositions, are characterised in that the
nitrogen) 100 parts by weight, diphenylamine 1.1
powders are provided with at least one burning; 50 parts by weight and potassium nitrate 45-50
surface therethrough, as for example, one or
more radial slots or a central perforation with

parts by weight.

or without one or more radial slots.

Table 1.

The comparative results are set forth in

-

2,575,871
Table 1
~.

Sample

Charge

Porosity derived from-

Cartridge

Gun

weight, 133357;? Varsity"

'

Powder in square ?ake form

(non- er-forated ,and

slotte ).

65pts.potassiumnitrate

12 bore 2% shotgun

per 100 parts explo-

cartridge with 1% oz

sive base

shot load.

non->

Powder in disc form (non-per-

grains

12boreshotgun.

32

,,

'

2.69

_____do ______________________ "do ______________________ ._do _____ __

forated and non-slotted).

'

1,085

..

_,
-

32

. 2.69

1, 084

32

2. 67

1, 080

10

2.63

996

10

2. 94

l, 006

Powder in perforated disc form.. 45 pts. potassium nitrate ._._.do ______________________ __do ..... _.

per 100 parts explo

sive base.

Powder in disc form (non-per-

60 pts. potassium nitrate

.410-1rv 2_shotgun car-

per 100 parts explosive base.

tridge with % oz. No.

6 shot.

forated and non-slotted).

.4107 shotgun.

Powder in perforated disc form" 40 pts. potassium nitrate -.___do ...................... __do _____ ..

per 100 parts explo

sive base.

compositions in the form of powder grains each

There is thus a saving of 20%-30% in the

amount of potassium nitrate used in the produc

enclosing in addition to its pores a plurality of

spaces extending through its entire thickness

according to the invention. The formation of 20 and defining a plurality of surfaces on which the
powder grain may burn outwardly.
sparks is also decreased thereby indicating a
5. Granular smokeless propellant powders of a
more complete combustion of the powder grains.

tion of granular smokeless propellent powders

porous structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein

- Comparative results obtained in .22" ri?e with

standard .22" rim?re ammunition, show improved 25 one of said spacesis a centrally located perfora
tion and the remaining spaces are radial slots.
ignition characteristics for porous powders in
6.. Granular smokeless propellant powders of a
perforated or slotted disc form as compared to
porous structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein
complete disc form in_ loose leed and worn ri?es
said plurality of spaces extending through its
denoted by the characteristic small difference be
tween the velocity obtained in a tight leed, rifle 30
and the velocity in a worn loose leed ri?e. These
comparative results arev not forth in Table
II.

entire thickness are radial slots.

'

..

'STUART GORDON.
EDWARD WHIT'VVORTH.

'

Table II
.

Charge,

Sample

wt.

Velocity

Velocity

Velocity

in tight lgsgtiggd di?er

grains

leed ri?e

Disc pro ellant (non-perforated and non-

F. s.

ri?e '

ence

F. s.

F. 6

~' slotted , 30% porosity ................ ..

1. 4

1, 186

1, 092

Slotted disc propellanty 30% porosity.

--

1. 4

1,192

1, 128

64

j 4 Do ................................. _-

1. 4

1,182

1,124

58

Disc propellant- (non-perforated and non-

94

- slotted), 75%porosity ________________ __

1.0

1,035

947

Perforated disc propellant, 75% porosity

1.0

1,028

981

Disc propellant (non-perforated and nonslotted), 100% porosity _______________ __

'

88 -

47

1.0

1,053

974

79.

53

Perforated disc propellant, 100% porosity.

1. 0

1,062

1, 009

Disc propellant (non-perforated and non-

slotted). 50% porosity ________________ _-

1. 0

1,046

973

73

1,046

988

58

Perforated disc propellent, 50% porosity__

v 1. 0

Disc propellant (non-perforated and non-

'

slotted), 75% porosity _________ __> ..... ._

1. 0

1,010

947

63

Perforated disc propellant, 60% porosity...

1. 0

1, 028

981

47

.Weclaim:

'

'

"REFERENCES CITED '

'

1. Granular smokeless propellant powders of

a porous structure based on colloidal nitrocellu

" ?le of this patent:

lose compositions in the form of powder grains

each enclosing in addition to its pores at least
one space extending through its entire thickness
and; de?ning at least one surface on which the
grain may burn outwardly.

'

'

a porous structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein

.

':- 3. Granular smokeless propellant powders of

a porous structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein 65

said space is a centrally located perforation.

4._ Granular smokeless propellant powders of a
porousstructure based on colloidal nitrocellulose

UNITED vSTATES PATENTS

Number

2. Granular smokeless propellant powders of 60

said space is a radial slot.

The following references are of record in the

Name

Date

677,527
726,901
751,385

Maxim __________ _.. July 2,1901

Gathmann ________ __ May 5, 1903
Davis _________ __,_.._ Feb. 2, 1904

. 802,347

Aspinwall .e ______ __ Oct. 17,1905

$99,577

Wadsworth ______ __ Sept. 29, 1908

1,077,320.
2,261,630

Walsh __________ __ Nov. 4, 1913

Regestein ________ _._ Nov. 4, 1941

'

'

Number

17,994

FOREIGN

>

PATENTS

Country

Date

Great Britain __________ __'_._ 1894