TY - MANSCPT DB - Science History Institute DP - Science History Institute M2 - Courtesy of Science History Institute. Rights: No Known Copyright TI - Soldering wire at Hercules Port Ewen plant ID - ht24wj97t AU - Hercules Incorporated DA - 1945/03// YR - 1945 AV - Photographs from the Records & Ephemera of Hercules Incorporated, Box 2, Folder 36 VL - Photographs from the Records & Ephemera of Hercules Incorporated, Box 2, Folder 36 AN - Photographs from the Records & Ephemera of Hercules Incorporated, Box 2, Folder 36 UR - https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/ht24wj97t AB - Close-up view of the soldering of wire at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Port Ewen, New York. During the production of electric blasting caps, wires were inserted into the base of a bridging machine while a mixture of sulfur, graphite, and mica was poured in a mold to form a plug around the so-called leg wires. Then, a platinum alloy bridge wire was soldered across the two ends of wire protruding from the plug. Following inspection, the plugs subsequently were sent to the Filling Room to be inserted into shells. Formed in 1912 as part of an anti-trust settlement with DuPont, the Hercules Powder Company (later Hercules Inc.) specialized in the manufacture of explosives and smokeless powders. During World War II, the company's Port Ewen plant produced a range of special detonators designed for military use. KW - Explosives, Military KW - Detonators KW - Chemical industry KW - Solder and soldering KW - Propellants KW - Hercules Incorporated KW - World War (1939-1945) KW - Military supplies KW - Corporations KW - Explosives KW - Defense industries LA - ER -