Self-disarming electric blasting caps and assembly containing same

Claim 1

AN ELECTRIC BLASTING CAP ASSEMBLY CAPABLE OF SELFDISARMING AFTER MISFIRING IN A WATER ENVIRONMENT, WHICH COMPRISES A CLOSED ELONGATED SHELL; A BASE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE IN ONE END OF SAID SHELL DISPOSED THEREIN AS DESCRIBED HEREINAFTER; A DIELECTRIC IGNITION PLUG WITHIN SAID SHELL IN CLOSING RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH AND SPACED FROM SAID BASE CHARGE; A PAIR OF LEGS WIRES LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING INTO SAID SHELL THROUGH THE END THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID BASE CHARGE IN DIRECT SEALED CONTACT WITH SAID DIELECTRIC PLUG, AND TERMINATING WITHIN SAID SHELL INTERMEDIATE SAID BASE CHARGE AND SAID IGNITION PLUG; A BRIDGE WIRE CONNECTING THE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID LEG WIRES TO THEREBY FORM AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT THEREWITH; AN IGNITION COMPOSITION WITHIN SAID SHELL IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID BRIDGE WIRE; SAID IGNITION COMPOSITION BEING IGNITABLE IN RESPONSE TO HEAT FROM SAID BRIDGE WIRE DEVELOPED BY PASSAGE OF ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH SAID CIRCUIT, AND SAID BASE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE BEING DISPOSED IN OPERATIVE COMMUNICATION WITH SAID IGNITION COMPOSITION TO DETONATE IN RESPONSE TO IGNITION OF SAID IGNITION COMPOSITION; A CORROSION AGENT-FORMING MATERIAL WITHIN SAID CAP ASSEMBLY CHEMICALLY INERT TO ALL COMPONENTS OF SAID ASSEMBLY BUT, UPON CONTACT WITH WATER, FORMING AN AGENT CORROSIVE TO ANY OF SAID WIRES IN SAID CIRCUIT, AND PRESENT IN AMOUNT TO FORM SAID AGENT IN QUANTITY TO CORRODE ANY OF SAID WIRES SUFFICIENTLY TO BREAK SAID CIRCUIT; SAID CORROSION AGENG-FORMING MATERAIAL BEING DISPOSED WITHIN SAID ASSEMBLY SO AS TO PERMIT DIRECT CONTACT OF SAID CORROSION AGENT, WHEN FORMED, WITH SAID CIRCUIT FOR CORRODING SAME AS DESCRIBED; INGRESS MANS IN SAID CAP ASSEMBLY FOR ADMITTING WATER FROM OUTSIDE SAID SHELL INTO CONTACT AT A RATE, AND IN AN AMOUNT, WITH SAID CORROSION AGENT-FORMING MATERIAL TO FORM SAID AGENT FOR SAID CORROTION SO AS TO BREAK SAID CIRCUIT AFTER A PRESET PERIOD OF WATER INGRESS TIME, WHEREBY SAID BLASTING CAP ASSEMBLY BECOMES DISARMED.