Two safety lamps

Dr. W. R. Clanny, of Sunderland, had directed his attention, as early as 1813, to lighting fiery mines, and in 1815 his lamp, which was air -tight and supplied by bellows through a water seal, the products of combustion being similarly removed, was tried in Herrington Mill Pit, but was too cumbersome to be ever actually used in working coal. The lamp shown is of a later form, introduced in 1839. The lower portion of the Davy gauze surrounding the flame is replaced by a short glass cylinder, over the top edge of which the air for combustion has to pass. Screw locks are fitted to both reservoir and gauze. Although safer in draughts and of greater illuminating power than the Davy, it was considered inadmissible at the time, owing to the possibility of the glass breaking; in the example shown the glass is, however, 0.33 in. thick.

Dr. W. R. Clanny, of Sunderland, had directed his attention, as early as 1813, to lighting fiery mines, and in 1815 his lamp, which was air -tight and supplied by bellows through a water seal, the products of combustion being similarly removed, was tried in Herrington Mill Pit, but was too cumbersome to be ever actually used in working coal. The lamp shown is of a later form, introduced in 1839. The lower portion of the Davy gauze surrounding the flame is replaced by a short glass cylinder, over the top edge of which the air for combustion has to pass. Screw locks are fitted to both reservoir and gauze. Although safer in draughts and of greater illuminating power than the Davy, it was considered inadmissible at the time, owing to the possibility of the glass breaking; in the example shown the glass is, however, 0.33 in. thick.