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Instruction on the uses of the Davy lamp to all colliers You therefore see the necessity of taking great care of your lamps at all times from injure, for should there be any hole or aperture whatever later than one twenty fourth of an inch in size, whether in the gauze or bottom, or any part whatever, you might well go to work with a naked candle as for any protection a lamp in that state could afford you, its efficiency being entirely destroyed by any such hoe. To make the case more clear, as many of you must have noticed that when the safety lamp had been for some time in gas, or firedamp, that would have exploded had a candle been used, that the wire gauze has acquired a red heat from the burning of firedamp inside the lamp, the heat or redness is the flame that come to the wire gauze, when it is sucked up, as it were, until the wire becomes so hot as to melt. Always see that the wire called the trimmer, which regulates your lights, fits closely to the long socket in which it works and in repairing that, or any other part of your lamp, use either iron or copper wire, as brass or tinned wire will much sooner melt, owing to the quality of zinc in those metals. Never, on any account, open the lamp while in your works, either for the purpose of giving a light to a fellow workman, or for the sake of smoking a pipe or anything whatever. Never, enter the works in a morning without your lamp, as the gas is more explosive when mixed with common air, in the state you would be sure to meet with it in the roads and works, than at any other time, one-twelfth part only of gas, or firedamp, being fully sufficient to explode on coming in contact with any uncovered light. Never blame your underlooker or viewers for being strict in enforcing regulations which had only your safety in view. When you have read these observations, consider whether you have not frequently exposed yourself to the most awful consequences of an explosion? Whether you have not taken your lamp to work with the same indifference as your hammer or candle, and used it with more care? Whether you have not many times disobeyed the injunctions as to its use, because you have thought different? And whether you have not, in consequence witnessed, as well as experienced some fearful results, which might have been avoided had you placed a proper value in the efficacy of your safety lamp? |
