Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.8476
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Safety lamp
Date
ca. 1815
Creator
Sir Humphry Davy (1778 - 1829, British) , 1st Baronet Physicist, Chemist
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height: 150mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Original model for a miners’ safety lamp by Humphry Davy, the wick and narrow cylindrical gauze housed under a glass dome, on an ebonized base.
As described in his papers, 'I. On the fire-damp of coal mines, and on methods of lighting the mines so as to prevent its explosion' & 'II. An account of an invention for giving light in explosive mixtures of fire-damp in coal mines, by consuming the fire-damp', Philosophical Transactions , vol 106, 1816, Davy discovered that a flame enclosed inside fine mesh did not ignite firedamp (methane and other flammable gases), thus prevented explosions.
Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) British chemist and inventor was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1803 and served as its President between 1820-1827.
As described in his papers, 'I. On the fire-damp of coal mines, and on methods of lighting the mines so as to prevent its explosion' & 'II. An account of an invention for giving light in explosive mixtures of fire-damp in coal mines, by consuming the fire-damp', Philosophical Transactions , vol 106, 1816, Davy discovered that a flame enclosed inside fine mesh did not ignite firedamp (methane and other flammable gases), thus prevented explosions.
Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) British chemist and inventor was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1803 and served as its President between 1820-1827.
Associated place