Safety Water Cartridges at Leycett 1885
Researched by John Lumsdon
The use of ordinary blasting cartridges in the gaseous coal seams of North Staffordshire has frequently been pronounced by the Government Inspectors to have been the cause of explosions attended, not infrequently, by disastrous loss of life and property: consequently, some experiments were made yesterday December 18th at Leycett, North Staffordshire, with an improved water cartridge, demonstrating the fact that explosives may be used with complete immunity from any danger of the gas or the coal being ignited, were exceedingly valuable and interesting.
The cartridge is the invention of Mr. Miles Settle, managing partner of the Madeley Coal and Iron Company, who have extensive workings at Leycett. The invention was patented by Mr. Settle in 1882. It relates to improvements in the means of blasting or rending coal or other materials or substances, the improvements being also applicable to other useful purposes in which it is desirable to extinguish the flame arising from the combustion of gunpowder or other explosive substances.
The invention consists of constructing cartridges in such a manner that the case containing the blasting substance or explosive charge is completely surrounded by water, in lieu of having the water at one end or but partly around, as in some methods used hitherto; and the especial claimed for this patient is that a complete extinction of the flame follows immediately on firing the charge thus avoiding all danger even in the most fiery mines. By means of three cornered disks round each end of the cartridge tube, and projections from the extremities, the explosive is kept in such a position in the outer metal casing that when the latter is filled with water the tube containing the cartridge is completely surrounded by water, there being three quarters of an inch of fluid all round it and two and a half inches of water at each end.
The escape of the water is provided against by a cap to the open end of the outer case, the fuse or electrical wire being carried through a central aperture. The cartridge when fixed into position may be exploded of fired, in the usual manner or it may be exploded by electricity. Upon the explosion occurring, the flame is everywhere met by the surrounding water and momentarily extinguished, the rending action of the charge being thus attained, and all danger of communicating fire to the surrounding coal or any escaping gas avoided.
As a practical instance of the value of the cartridge; Mr. Settle reminded our representative of an explosion at the Harrison and Woodburn Pit, worked by the company which occurred early in 1882.
This explosion happened through a blow-out shot igniting a “blower” of gas, the result being that the whole of the valuable Five-Feet mine had to be built up, and has only recently been re-entered. Mr. Settle is confident that had these water cartridges been in use, gas would not have been ignited, because there would not have been any flame, and the mine would have remained in work.
The experiments yesterday were conducted at the Quarry at Leycett in the presence of a number of gentlemen, interested in mining and other spectators. Among those present were Mr. T. Wynne, Government Inspector of Mines; Mr. A.R. Sawyer, assistant inspector; Messrs. M. Settle, J. Strick, J.R. Haines, R.H. Wynne, H. Bromley, (Florence) Lowe, (Stoke) W. Mellard, F. Sylvester, R. Strick, W. Hewart, (Secretary Madeley Coal and Iron Company) Parker, (Podmore Hall) The experiments were conducted by Mr. H. Bonser, explosives agent, of Newcastle under the superintendence of Mr. Settle.
The charges were of blasting powder and dynamite, which were exploded both by electricity and the fuse. It was shown conclusively that while shots ordinarily used caused a flame to shoot from the position in which it was fixed and ignited the coal dust, causing a fierce blaze. The safety water cartridge could be exploded and produce the same amount of energy but without the slightest vestige of flame.
As an extraordinary test, 3oz of blasting powder was added loosely to the charge contained in the water cartridge and on the latter being exploded, the powder was not ignited. A water cartridge exploded among light shavings had no effect upon the latter, while an ordinary cartridge fired among shavings of course caused combustion.
Similar experiments have been conducted in the same quarry in the presence of many of the colliers employed by the company, who were quite satisfied with the efficacy of the invention, and in their request Mr. Settle is instructing two men in the use of the improved cartridges for use in the collieries.