WHY AND WHEN LAMPSEXPLODE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2114, 13 October 1875, Page 4

WHY AND WHEN LAMPSEXPLODE.

All explosions of coal oil lamps are caused by the vapor or gas that collects in the space above the oil. When full of oil of course a lamp contains no gas, but immediately on lighting the lamp, consumption of oil begins, soon leaving a space for gas, which commences to form as the lamp warms up, and after burning a short time sufficient gas will accumulate to form-an explosion. The gas in a lamp will explode only when ignited. In this respect it is like gunpowder. Cheap or inferior oil is always the most dangerous. The flame is communicated to the gas in the following manner: —The wick tube in all lamp-burners, is made larger than the wick which is to pass through it. It would not do to have the wick work tightly in the burner, on the contrary, it is essential that it move up and down with perfect ease. In this way it is unavoidable that space in the tube is left along the sides of the wick sufficient for the flame from the burner to pass down into the lamp and explode the gas. Many things may occur t© cause the flame to pass down the wick tube and explode the gas. 1. A lamp may be standing on a table or mantel, and a slight puff of air from the open window, or the sudden opening of a door, cause an explosion. .

-.2. A lamp may be taken up quickly from a table or mantel, and instantly explode. : 3. A lamp is taken into an entry where there is a draft, or out of doors, and an explosion ensues. 4. A lighted lamp is taken up a flight of stairs, or raised quickly to place it on the mantel, resulting in an explosion. In all these cases the mischief is done by the air movement —either by suddenly checking the draft, or forcing air down the chimney against the flame. 5. Blowing down the chimney to extinguish the light is a frequent cause of explosion. . ; 6. Lamp explosions have been caused by using a chimney broken^oif at the top, or cne that hks a piece broken out whereby, the draft is rendered variable and the flame unsteady. 7. Sometimes a thoughtless person puts a small-sized wick in a large mimber, thus leaving, considerable space in the tube along the edges of the wick. 8. An old burner, with its air drafts clogged up, which righfully should be thrown away, is sometimes continued in"; use, and the final result is an explosion. '■ .