Abstract: A detonating system includes a detonator within a thermal insulating container. In order for the detonator, especially an electronic detonator, to be usable at higher temperatures, the detonator is surrounded by the thermal insulating container especially a Dewar vessel.

Abstract: Explosive composition, and method for its manufacture, based on an essentially particulate mixture containing a solid oxidizing salt and optionally a fuel, wherein at least a part of the oxidizing salt contains ammonium ion. The mixture contains an additive of acid and may be used in environments with risk of ammonia liberation.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method for blasting employing bar-like charge, having a pure blasting coefficient for maximum fracturing performance without causing danger of flying rock or so forth. At first, digging a random length H of a blast hole consisting of a charge length N and a least resistance distance W from the upper end of the charge length N to a free surface G. Secondly, defining a first and second distances D1 and D2, as limitation of fracture force acting on the free surface G, of each length corresponding to the least resistance distance W and corresponding to each other from an opening end E of the blast hole. Finally, defining a charge amount L under the condition of which a blasting coefficient c, namely, a proportion of the charge amount L to a fracture rock volume V=H.times.D1.times.D2 is within from 0.25 to 0.45.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of production of ultradispersed diamond which can be used for the production of abrasive materials, more particularly, this method relates to production of fine diamond powder by explosive means.

Abstract: Modular components including donor units (20), relay units (30), and detonator units (50) create a variety of blasting systems. A donor unit (20) is formed from a signal transmission tube (22) having donor mini-caps (24) attached to each end thereof. A relay unit (30) is a device having a receptacle (32) at one end to receive a donor mini-cap in operative association and engaging means (34) to operatively engage a point along another donor unit such that the detonator contained within the relay unit (30) will initiate the transmission lines passing through the donor unit. A detonator unit (50) is provided for the initiation of explosives such as boosters and primers and comprises a shell for receiving explosives and a receptacle at one end suitable for receiving a donor mini-cap (24) at the other end. Relay units (30) allow for the simultaneous initiation of several donor units. Each donor unit can be attached to either additional relay units or to detonator units (50).

Abstract: A high speed silent cracking agent of the liquid-soaked type consists of a cartridge of solid cracking agent and a solution of liquid inhibitor catalyst. The cartridge of solid cracking agent contains about 50 to about 90 percent by weight of quicklime, about 1 to about 4 percent by weight of borax, about 8 to about 30 percent by weight of vermiculite, 0 to 2 percent by weight of aluminum powder, and 0 to about 14 percent by weight of sulphur based on the total weight of said solid cracking agent. The solution of liquid inhibitor catalyst contains about 0.05 to about 0.40 percent by weight of caustic soda, about 0.01 to about 0.50 percent by weight of quartz, about 0.04 to about 0.30 percent by weight of ammoniation agent and about 99.8 to about 98.8 percent by weight of water, or contains about 0.40 to about 1.80 percent by weight sodium silicate, about 0.05 to about 0.40 percent by weight of ammoniation agent and about 99.55 to about 97.

Abstract: The above device consists mainly of a rigid explosion tank (10) with a closed rear end (11) and a front opening (12). Said tank is mounted in the direction of the slope on which the avalanche is to be triggered. It is connected to a fuel gas supply station (19) and to an oxygen-carrying gas supply station (20). These two stations are linked by pipes (17 and 18) to injection nozzles (16) situated inside the tank (10). An ignition device (29) is mounted in the bottom of the tank and can be operated by remote control by means of a triggering device (30). An advantage of the above device is that the explosion is exponentially propagated inside the rigid explosion tank and causes a powerful high-velocity blast to be expelled from the latter.

Abstract: A highly selective, sensitive, fast detection system and method are disclosed for detecting vapors of specific compounds in air. Vapors emanating from compounds such as explosives, or stripped from surfaces using heat and suction from a hand-held sample gun, are collected on surfaces coated with gas chromatograph (GC) material which trap explosives vapors but repel nitric oxide, then are desorbed and concentrated in one or more cold spot concentrators. A high speed gas chromatograph (GC) separates the vapors, after which specific vapors are decomposed in two pyrolyzers arranged in parallel and the resulting nitric oxide is detected. A low temperature pyrolyzer with silver produces NO from nitramines or nitrite esters; a high temperature pyrolyzer decomposes all explosives vapors to permit detetion of the remaining explosives. Also disclosed is a series arrangement of pyrolyzers and gas chromatographs and an NO detector to time-shift detection of certain vapors and facilitate very fast GC analyses.

Abstract: A connection between the ends of two discrete signal transmission devices allows signal propagation between the ends of the devices. The ends of the devices are axially aligned at a close distance from one another within an alignment sleeve. A length of heat-shrink tubing having a sealant on its inner surfaces is placed over the alignment sleeve and the ends of the devices. The tubing is heated and provides axially compressive and radially compressive forces on the alignment sleeve and device ends thereby providing a high tensile strength connection between the device ends.

Abstract: A blasting system wherein the actuation of detonators at a plurality of blast holes is controlled by firing one or more test blasts and, at each blast hole, monitoring the resulting shock wave to derive data which is used to determine time delay criteria for the blast holes.Each detonator includes a shock sensitive device which detects the shock wave. Each detonator has on-board signal processing capability and optionally is connected to a central control computer.

Abstract: Well stimulation involving use of a liquid explosive composition in the explosive fracturing of subterranean formations such as oil and gas bearing formations. An explosive formulation comprising a nitrate ester explosive component and a phlegmatizer component is introduced into a well penetrating the formation to be fractured. The phlegmatizer component is an alkyl or alkoxy diester which is mixable with the nitrate ester and can be varied in concentration to control the detonation velocity and maximum explosive pressure. Examples of phlegmatizing agents include alkyl or alkoxy alkyl esters of adipate or azelaic acids such as dibutoxyethyl adipate or diisobutyl azelate or polyethylene glycoxy-based diesters such as triethylene glycol dipelargonate. After the formulation is detonated to fracture the formation, the well is placed on production to recover hydrocarbons at an increased rate.

Abstract: A less sensitive explosive, 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one. The compound 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) has a crystal density of 1.93 g/cm.sup.3 and calculated detonation velocity and pressure equivalent to those of RDX. It can be prepared in high yield from inexpensive starting materials in a safe synthesis. Results from initial small-scale sensitivity tests indicate that NTO is less sensitive than RDX and HMX in all respects. A 4.13 cm diameter, unconfined plate-dent test at 92% of crystal density gave the detonation pressure predicted for NTO by the BKW calculation.

Abstract: An aqueous wet blasting composition and process for cleaning a ferrous surface which reduces the rusting of the surface due to aqueous contact by incorporating phosphate ions and an imine compound in the composition.

Abstract: A barrier breaching device that is designed primarily for opening holes in interior walls of buildings uses detonating fuse for explosive force. The fuse acts as the ribs or spokes of an umbrella-like device that may be opened up to form a cone. The cone is placed against the wall so that detonating fuse that rings the base of the device and which is ignited by the spoke-like fuses serves to cut a circular hole in the wall.

Abstract: A method and a device for the purpose of de-icing those covers and other surfaces of limited size which can be subjected to severe icing and which it may be necessary to make ice-free at very short notice. Examples of the types of surfaces intended are protective doors for ship-borne missiles and torpedo tubes, emergency exit doors, and helicopter landing platforms etc. These surfaces are de-iced by an interior igniting primed tubular power charge which in the case of doors is placed directly in a groove along edges which the door seals against the surrounding door frame or another mating door, and in the case of other types of surfaces is placed in accordance with a pattern intended for that particular surface. The tubular powder charge is placed in an open groove in the relevant surface which faces in the same direction as it is desired that the ice should be flaked loose.

Abstract: The detonation gas for gas-detonatable blasting charges used in surface mining and the like is supplied by a portable self-contained delivery unit connected to the blasting charges by a network of small flexible tubing, which unit blends pressurized fuel and oxidizing gases from separate supply sources in predetermined proportions and regulates the separate flows of such gases in response to the backpressure imposed by the tubing network to maintain such proportions in the gas blend delivered to the tubing network. The separate gas flows are controlled by servo-actuated flow control valves actuated by a control gas pressure which is applied or released in response to such backpressure.

Abstract: An explosive device comprising:(1) a metal liner composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of luminum, magnesium, copper, and brass, the liner enclosing a chamber;(2) a liquid contain in the chamber;(3) a layer of pyrotechnic material surrounding the outside of the liner, the pyrotechnic material composed of a mixture of powders of(a) nickel;(b) metal oxide; and(c) an aluminum containing component which may be (i) aluminum or (ii) a mixture of from 50 to less than 100 weight percent of aluminum and from more than zero to 50 weight percent of a metal which can be magnesium, zirconium, bismuth, beryllium, boron, tantalum, copper, silver, niobium, or mixtures thereof; and(4) means for igniting the pyrotechnic material. This device is useful as an explosive, particularly as an underwater explosive.

Abstract: A novel composite explosive comprised of conventional explosive material and a mixture of boron and at least one other metal is disclosed. The other metal must be capable of exothermically reacting with boron to produce intermetallic compound and an energy release of at least about 1.0 kcal/gm. In a preferred embodiment of the composite explosive, pellets of a stoichiometric mixture of boron and titanium are mixed with cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX). By mixing the boron and at least one other metal which forms an intermetallic compound with boron in an exothermic reaction wherein the heat energy release is at least about 1.0 kcal/gm and adding a conventional explosive material to the mixture, there is an improved method of forming a mass of hot or molten particles in an environment when the conventional explosive is detonated.

Abstract: A mechanical safety switch for closing electrical contacts in a well tool. The mechanical switch has several safety requirements which must be satisfied before the electrical contacts will close including upward pull on a wireline and a preselected value of fluid pressure exterior to the switch. The safety switch can be incorporated into a well perforating gun to provide safe, reliable operation of an electrically powered perforating gun by a conventional wireline. Preferably, the electrical circuits of the well perforating gun should include a motion sensor and a timer for increased safety.