Why and When Kerosene Lamps Explode.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 69, 23 February 1885, Page 4

Why and When Kerosene Lamps Explode.

T'beifollowjng hhitS''from the ? .*f Scientific American "will be ifsef\d._... JJLexßlosions._ o£ xoaL i)iL-QE., kerosene by tb^ /Vapour or gas that collects m the spaed kbove the oil.! When full >; 6f' oil, of course, a lamp contains no jgasi but immediately on lightmg the' lamp cdrisumptibn'of oil be£iris,"soon leaving a Spac6 for gas, which com-me«ees-t<H^m^s-"^e~kittp-— war«»«.'i|p, and^J^^.ur,ning a. shprt ; time sufficient gas wilraccumulate to wrm •dn expJpslQn.;r jThe gas i m a , -lamp will explode only when ignited. In ..thi&respectdt' isi like gitnpbwder: .'Qheap 015 inferior oils areyallways the .mostdangesous. The flame is comimunicated to the gas m the followJhg nianiier t-^The wjcjc tu}ip |m all) lamps is made Targeij^nan the wick is to pass . through it. It >'wouls n,(»{ d 9 ita; hayej the wick ]tig|vt 'm the burner, on the contrary, it is essential that it move, up ', and down with perfect ease. In this way it is 1 unayo#abj;e, $ al; S p ace j s left/^lbhg « the.;si.d§s «f Jfcejwick, sufficient) for| i tjie flame from the burner- to : /pass down into the lamp andf explode the gas. Manyrthjngs '.occur jto cause flame to pass down tiie.wick and explode the lamp;-- r ] 1 . A lamp may be standing on a tafy.e or. mantie,..and a slight puff of air from an ; ppen window, or a sudden. .opening of a door mayj caqse ;the explosion, 2. A lamp may be, N taken ,up quickly f^om a table or mantle and jnstantjy explode. 3. A lamp is taken into an entry where there is ,a draught, or out of doors, when an explosion ensues. 4. A lighted lamp is token 'up a flight of stairs, or is raised quickly to place on /the mantel, when there is an explosipn. In all these cases tlie mischieFis by the kir m'bvement, eiffier by suddenly checking, the. draught ' or' forcing air down the' chimney against tlie flame. 5. Blowing down the chimiiey to extinguish the light is afre-; quent csuse ; of explosion. •-, 6. Lamp \ explosions have been caused, by! using a ichimney broken ; off at the top, or one that has a piece broken out whereby the draught is variable