Military_And_Civilian_Pyrotechniques_By_Herbet_Ellern.pdf

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Military and Civilian
Pyrotechnics
by
DR. HERBERT ELLERN
formerly Staff Scientist
UMC Industries Inc.
St. Louis, Mo.
CHEMICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY INC.
New York
1968
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Dr. Herbert Ellern
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© 1968
Chemical Publishing Company, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America
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Foreword and Acknowledgments
Modern Pyrotechnics (1961) was the first pyrotechnic primer and
collection of up-to-date information in the English language—written
mainly in order to help the newcomer to the field of military pyrotech-
nics. Judging from the many comments I have received, it served this
purpose well.
This book retains the basic approach and framework of my first
book. The subject matter has been greatly enlarged as indicated by the
increase in the number of formulas from 91 to 201, the addition of
numerous tables, and a near-doubling of the references—from 354 to
about 700. The subjects treated in the first book are presented in greater
detail and, of course, with addition of new information from the years
1961 to 1966. Some of the subjects that formerly were under security
restrictions—now lifted or relaxed—could be added, though not all in
full detail. A special effort was made to enlarge on the commercial,
or as I would rather call it, civilian, aspects of modern pyrotechnics.
These concern the subject of matches, fireworks, the thermite process,
and certain minor devices. An additional feature is a special chapter on
spontaneous ignition of common materials and one on the dispersion
of chemical agents, such as tear gas and insecticides. It has also been
possible to add, with discretion, some of the matter on clandestine
activities from and since World War II—a subject that has been part of
my and my company's effort.
Ever since I became engaged in the match industry (1937) and con-
cerned with the chemistry of matches—specifically the safety book
match—I have considered this seemingly commonplace prime ignition
source as the most fascinating phenomenon of pyrotechnics. And
since this subject is not found in the generally accessible literature,
except under the historical aspect, and the chemistry of matches is ra-
ther obscure even to chemists, the chapter on matches has been greatly
enlarged. As to fireworks for pleasure, I became convinced that a book
on pyrotechnics, without some details on this subject, might disappoint
many readers. Since here my specific knowledge is extremely limited,
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vi
FOREWORD AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I had to ask for help. Chapter 17 on fireworks was written by the Re-
verend Ronald Lancaster, amateur pyrotechnician and consultant to a
firework manufacturer, Pains-Wessex Ltd., Salisbury, England. Only
a few minor alterations and interpolations were added by me. The
formulas on the subject contributed by Mr. Lancaster should be of
special interest since up-to-date formulas connected with commercial
.interests are generally hard or impossible to come by.
Otherwise, the profusion of facts and figures that I present in this
book are a combination of experience, literature study, and advice from
others. In World War II, my company, Universal Match Corporation
of St. Louis, Missouri (now UMC Industries, Inc.), became engaged in
such activities as comminution of magnesium and manufacture of color-
ed flame signals and other military devices—all of which broadened my
pyrochemical knowledge. Since the Korean War, both production and
development work added greatly to the diversification of my personal
experience when for many years I directed the research and develop-
ment effort of the then newly-founded Armament Division. A branch
of the latter is now the Unidynamics Division, Phoenix, Arizona, of
which I was staff scientist and consultant until my retirement in the
summer of 1967.
The reader will have little difficulty in discriminating between those
subjects of the military pyrotechnic field, in which I speak from per-
sonal experience, and those where I had to rely all or in part on infor-
mation by others. However, a book written by one person, in my
opinion, permits a greatly preferable, comprehensive and cohesive
approach, even though some unevenness must be tolerated. The other
way is to present a subject as "written with a pair of scissors," as
German publishers used to call it, i.e. as a collection of perhaps com-
petent but more-or-less disjointed articles, often leaving other areas of
the field unmentioned.
A number of people and organizations have helped my effort in a
variety of ways. UMC Industries, Inc., with whom I was affiliated for
over a quarter century, has supported the preparation of the manuscript
to such a generous extent that it could be completed in little more than a
year. During this period, the untiring effort of my secretary, Mrs.
Ruth Levine, extended far beyond typing and retyping, and included
most of the burden of checking on references, patent numbers, and the
other tedious by-play of getting out the final typed copy. Mrs. Mae
Chaudet, librarian of Unidynamics, St. Louis Division of UMC Indus-
tries, Inc., has been most helpful in procuring an unending stream of
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