New Lamp. Yay!

[munty]

Hi folks.

I've been interested in the Eccles safety lamps for years, I have nothing to do with mining in the slightest but I find these things exceptionally pleasing.  I've refurbished a few in my time but the previously found lamps have ended up getting lost in house moves or divorce settlements!  So I thought it's about time I picked up a couple more, they're not hugely expensive after all.

Up until now all the lamps I've owned have had the built in strikers, very handy obviously.  However the last one I picked up is a different type, it looks to have two small poles on the lighting plate with a fine wire between, to the untrained eye I'd say there's meant to be a current applied to light the flame, but I really have no idea.

Obviously these lamps are meant to be lit while the flame remains contained, could someone please explain how these were started?

Many thanks.

[John]

May 22, 2022 15:01:02 GMT -5 munty said:

Hi folks.

I've been interested in the Eccles safety lamps for years, I have nothing to do with mining in the slightest but I find these things exceptionally pleasing.  I've refurbished a few in my time but the previously found lamps have ended up getting lost in house moves or divorce settlements!  So I thought it's about time I picked up a couple more, they're not hugely expensive after all.

Up until now all the lamps I've owned have had the built in strikers, very handy obviously.  However the last one I picked up is a different type, it looks to have two small poles on the lighting plate with a fine wire between, to the untrained eye I'd say there's meant to be a current applied to light the flame, but I really have no idea.

Obviously these lamps are meant to be lit while the flame remains contained, could someone please explain how these were started?

Many thanks.

Those are workman lamps, originally before electric caplamps, the main source of lighting for underground workmen, later as the laws changed, there had to be one miner in a team of so many who carried one for gas detection.
The relightable lamps were restricted to Officials of the mine, ie Manager, Undermanager/s, Deputy's and Shotfirers. Plus authorised people like Surveyors.

[munty]

Ah ok, that's very interesting.  So how are they lit?  And what are the poles with the thin wire between?  Is that part of the lighting mechanism?

[John]

May 23, 2022 11:38:21 GMT -5 munty said:

Ah ok, that's very interesting.  So how are they lit?  And what are the poles with the thin wire between?  Is that part of the lighting mechanism?

They were lit in the lamproom, you will find an external insulate connector, the lamp is lit by passing a current through it and the other is the body of the lamp. Prior to the NCB, some collieries had an underground lighting station, as it's so easy to put the lamp out.
One of the collieries I worked for when I migrated to Australia had workman's lamps most of the Continuous miner drivers had a "lamp ticket", the mine was pretty gassy, of course the Deputy and Undermanager carries relightable lamps. The last one I worked at, just the officials had oil lamps AND a D6 methaneometer.As an Apprentice electrician with the NCB during the 60's, I passed the test to carry and use a workman's lamp, but wasn't authorized in writing by the Manager.

[munty]

I wondered if this should have an external connector or terminal, but there's nothing, apart from the lighting poles in the bowl the lamp is exactly as the lamps with the striker.  I've looked at several lamps with the ports so I know what you mean, it's just this one hasn't got anything.  I notice on the underside of the bowl base there is a suspiciously clean brass screw, it may well have been misunderstood and parts removed, but I still don't understand where the external connector was, there's just no sign.

Does anyone have a drawing or pictures of how the poles were connected to the outer terminal?

Thanks.

[John]

May 24, 2022 5:01:01 GMT -5 munty said:

I wondered if this should have an external connector or terminal, but there's nothing, apart from the lighting poles in the bowl the lamp is exactly as the lamps with the striker.  I've looked at several lamps with the ports so I know what you mean, it's just this one hasn't got anything.  I notice on the underside of the bowl base there is a suspiciously clean brass screw, it may well have been misunderstood and parts removed, but I still don't understand where the external connector was, there's just no sign.

Does anyone have a drawing or pictures of how the poles were connected to the outer terminal?

Thanks.

I don't recall how the lamproom lit the workman's lamps, been many years since I saw it done, and the old memory is faded, but I looked it up, try this, there's a short video on the procedure.

[Wheldale]

To light a SL lamp (Side lit) the lamp I think sat on a contact plate on the green Protector lighting box. Then a wire with a plunger switch type contact was placed against the rim of the lighting plate at the bottom of the glass. That made a circuit which resulted in the wire between the two terminals glowing red and lighting the wick.

Protector made before the SL lamp the BL (Bottom Lit) lamp, worked the same as the SL except both contact terminals was on the bottom of the lamp.

Many collectors are now replacing the platinum wire in the SL lamp with vape wire, Kanthal 24AWG. The lamp can then be lit with a Lithium-ion 3.7v battery and the wire will not burn through.