METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR QUALITY CONTROL OF EXPLOSIVE PRIMERS BY CHARACTERISTIC X-RAY EMISSION

• US 3,662,882 A
• Filed: 06/25/1969
• Issued: 05/16/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moleculon, Inc. (Mayne Pharma)
• Original Assignee: Arthur S. Obermayer
• Inventors: Obermayer, Arthur S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schacher, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US04/836,248
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 250/83.3D,106 86/32 209/111.5,121
• US Class Current: 378/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 9/005 using radiations, e.g. radioactive analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation G01N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/076 X-ray fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/223 by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for indirectly measuring the weight or composition of an explosive primer by utilizing the characteristic X-ray emissions from a radiation excitable constituent of the primer. The explosive primer is exposed to an external source of ionizing radiation which induces characteristic X-ray emissions of the selected primer constituent. The quantity of the emitted characteristic X-rays is determined by an ionizing radiation energy-resolving detection system. Since the quantity of the emitted characteristic X-rays is a function of the amount of the excitable constituent present in the primer, determination of the quantity of the X-rays emitted provides an indirect measurement of the weight of the primer.

Claims

1. A method for ascertaining the amount of a particular constituent in an explosive primer comprising the steps of:

a. inducing a cHaracteristic X-ray emission from said primer constituent; and

, b. determining the quantity of the characteristic X-rays emitted by said constituent, said quantity being a function of the amount of the constituent present in the primer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said characteristic X-rays are induced by exposing the primer to ionizing radiation from an external source of radiation, said radiation having an energy above the energy of the X-ray absorption edge of said primer constituent.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said radiation energy is above the K-edge of said constituent.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said radiation energy is above the L-edge of said constituent.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said external radiation comprises electrons.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said external radiation comprises X-rays.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said external radiation comprises gamma rays.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the quantity of the characteristic X-rays is determined by:

a. exposing a detector of ionizing radiation to the characteristic X-rays emitted by said primer constituent;

b. resolving the energy distribution in the radiation spectrum detected by said detector; and

, c. producing an electrical signal representative of the quantity of radiation within the resolved energy range of the characteristic X-ray emission of the primer constituent.

9. An apparatus for indirectly determining the weight and composition of an explosive primer having a radiation excitable constituent, said apparatus comprising:

means for inducing a characteristic X-ray emission from said radiation excitable primer constituent;

means responsive to said characteristic X-rays for producing an electrical signal representative of the quantity of the characteristic X-rays emitted by said primer constituent, said quantity being a function of the amount of the constituent present in the primer and an indirect measure of the weight and composition of said primer.

10. A quality control apparatus for accepting or rejecting, on the basis of weight, an explosive primer having a radiation excitable constituent, said apparatus comprising:

a. means for inducing a characteristic X-ray emission from said radiation excitable primer constituent;

b. means responsive to said characteristic X-rays for producing an electrical signal representative of the quantity of the characteristic X-rays emitted by said primer constituent, said quantity being a function of the amount of the constituent present in the primer and, thereby an indirect measure of the weight of said primer;

c. means responsive to said electrical signal for producing a reject control signal whenever the electric signal represents a quantity of the characteristic X-rays that is outside of a predetermined quantity range which defines the amounts of the constituent that correspond to the acceptable range of primer weights; and

, d. means responsive to said reject control signal for rejecting the under and overweight primers.