67. Those of the second class are manufactured in large quantities, and, in connection with a portable dynamo or “blasting-battery,” are almost universally used for blasting operations throughout the United States.
These fuzes ([Pl. XII], Fig. 32) are made up of two insulated copper wires, A, A, passing through a small cylindrical block of insulating material, B, and terminating about 1/16 inch above its end. A very fine platinum wire, C, about 1/1000 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch long, connects the ends of the insulated wires. Surrounding the platinum wire is a small quantity of gun-cotton, mealed powder, or fulminate of mercury, D. A copper capsule containing 15 to 30 grains of fulminate of mercury, E, is pressed down over the cylindrical block far enough to bring the fulminate in contact with the material surrounding the platinum wire, and the whole fuze is then coated with a water-proof composition. The insulated copper wires are cut to various lengths for convenience in connecting with the conductors or lead wires from the battery.
68. Fuzes of the first and third classes are now but little used. Many of them are unsatisfactory and dangerous. They differ in construction from those of the second class principally in that the platinum-wire bridge is omitted, and the exploding spark or current passes from one insulated copper wire to the other through a material which is ignited by it.
69. Placing the Fuses in the Charges.—A certain number of cartridges or packages should be selected, each fuse inserted and well packed in the explosive, and the wires or free end of the safety fuse brought out through the opening, which should be made water-proof, if necessary, by securely closing and thoroughly pitching it. The wires or exterior part of the fuse should then be securely fastened to the outside of the cartridge, so that an accidental strain upon them will not break the waterproofing or move the fuse from its place. They are then coiled up and remain so until the cartridge is placed in the general charge of the mine.
70. Several of the high explosives congeal at a temperature above the freezing-point of water, and in this state are less sensitive to shock, and explode with difficulty if closely packed in cartridges as usually delivered from the factories. They explode more readily when in the form of a powder. When using them in cold weather, therefore, each fuse should be put in a cartridge loosely filled with the powdered explosive, or with some high explosive not affected by cold. Others need special primers to cause detonation. The fuses should, of course, be placed in these primers.
71. Placing the Charges.—The charge is placed in the mine-chambers, either in the dark, by light reflected through the galleries, by closed lanterns carefully placed and guarded, or, when practicable, by incandescent electric lights. It is carried through low and narrow galleries on men’s backs or in miner’s cars, and should for this reason be put up in packages not exceeding 50 lbs. in weight.
It is packed in the chamber with great care, and under the immediate supervision of the responsible officer. The packages containing the fuses are distributed uniformly throughout the mass, and the wires uncoiled and led back into the gallery, the free ends of the two wires of each fuse having been previously twisted together for safety against electric currents and for identification.
These wires, which must be long enough to reach through the tamping, are all collected together and led back through it in a wooden or other conduit, which protects them from injury while tamping the mine.
When electric lights are used, great care must be taken to remove the light and all its conducting wires before the wires of the fuses are uncoiled and laid along the gallery.
72. Tamping.—Mines are tamped with sods and earth, wood and earth, sand-bags, etc., etc.