Manufacture of densified spheroidal fine particle nitrocellulose

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A DENSIFIED, FINE-PARTICLE NITROCELLULOSE PRODUCT WHICH COMPRISES (A) FORMING A SLURRY WITH AGITATION OFWATER-MOIST NITROCELLULOSE FIBERS SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF FIBER AGGREGATES IN A VOLATILE ORGANIC LIQUID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBON DILUENT AND NITROCELLULOSE SOLVENT WHICH IS COMPLETLEY MISCIBLE WITH SAID DILUENT IN THE PRESENCE OF A WATER-SOLUBLE PROTECTIVE COLLOID; (B) SAID ORGANIC LIQUID MIXTURE BEING ONLY A SOFTENING AND SWELLING AGENT FOR SAID NITROCELLULOSE FIBERS INCAPABLE OF DISSOLVING SAID FIBERS; (C) SAID SOLVENT BEING SOLUBLE IN WATER TO THE EXTENT OF AT LEAST ABOUT 2.5% BY WEIGHT; (D) SUBJECTING THE RESULTING SLURRY OF NITROCELLULOSE FIBERS TO HIGH SHEAR AGIATION, WHERBY SAID FIBERS BECOME SOFTENED AND SWOLLEN AND BREAK DOWN INTO TINY, SMOOTH SURFACED, ROUNDED PARTICLES; (E) INITIATING HARDENING OF THE RESULTING COMMINUTED AND SHAPED PARTICLES OF SOFTENED AND SWOLLEN NITROCELLULOSE BY DILUTING THE SLURRY WITH HYDROCARBON DILUENT WHILE CONTINUING HIGH SHEAR AGITATION; (F) AND REMOVING SUBSTANTIALLLY ALL OF THE NITROCELLULOSE SOLVENT AND WATER FROM THE SLURRY BY DISTILLATION IN THE PRESENCE OF EXCESS HYDROCARBON DILUENT TO COMPLETE HARDENING AND DENSIFICATION OF THE NITROCELLULOSE PARTICLES.