Wednesday, November 22, 2006

DATING YOUR LAMP

IT WAS MADE IN 1978


Hi,

I have found in my attic a miners lamp of your manufacture, I was most surprised to find you were still producing !

I wondered if you could date the lamp for me, I suspect its not that old judging by the condition. The details on the plate are Type 6 M & Q safety lamp Approval B/28. On the horizonal area below the glass there is a M and 78/ stamped in.

Regards

David Baldock

UNSCREWING THE LAMP BASE OR VESSEL

if the locking /fuel filler flap is out of the way there is nothing to stop the vessel unscrewing. try leaving it on top of a radiator for a few hours having dosed it with some wd40 then unscrew. it is a normal thread ie unscrews anti clockwise.
regards david

Hi,

Further to my last e-mail, I have a question, how does the base remove. The locking mechanism opens but it doesnt seem to want to unscrew, does it need a tap with a bit of wood and hammer or have I missed something.

I did look at the faq blog but that only seemed to deal with the locking mech and had me totally confused as to why a magnet is needed and what for :)

David

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

SIR HUMPHRY DAVY




DAVY'S STATUE AND BIRTHPLACE IN PENZANCE







Apart from the famous lamp, Davy also isolated three elements, alkali metals Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), and Calcium (Ca). He discovered Nitrous Oxide, and its anaesthetic properties, often referred to as "laughing gas." This, when first discovered, was often produced and used by nobility and gentry of the day, much like "recreational drugs" today. Davy was also an accomplished poet, and known to Coleridge, and Byron et al. Davy also travelled extensively through Europe during the Napoleonic wars, such was the respect he commanded at the time for his amazing achievements.
THANKS TO MARTIN ORCHARD FOR THE PHOTOS AND FACTS

lamp identification

the most obvious ommissions are the CT33/33A this was a high candle power lamp from the late 40's and early 50's. it burnt paraffin and was lit by a high tension current in the lamp room. it was intended to compete with electrification of lighting in mines and failed dismally. to be intact it has all the usual items plus a ceramic burner and inner glass.
then their is the MC40 again an oil lamp with ht lighter.
this was developed for manchester collieries, the duke of bridgewater's mines around worsley, manchester.
t
the type 6 deputies relighter lamp was certified for mining use between the great wars.
it became most widely used in the uk from nationalisation in 1947 when it was adopted by the ministry of power as the standard gas testing lamp in uk coal mines.
it has a shut off ring for remote gas testing. the 6rs is basically the same,this was used in the pits in the north east.

in 1964 we prototyped the GR6 which is a modified type 6. this adopted the garforth mechanism for gas testing.
the type 6 began to be replaced by the gr6 and then the gr6s from the mid 60's to the mid 70's. the gr6s is still used in uk mines today.
type 6,6rs , gr6 and gr6s are all flint relighters. as deputies were allowed to relight underground.
the other lamps would be lit by low or ht in the lamp room or at an underground lighting station as workmen are not allowed to relight underground.
sl standing for side lit or workmans lamp. again the 6's have a shut off or garforth mechanism as deputies need to take remote samples underground via a rbber bulb on a long pole. this sample is then injected in to the lamp.
type ai is the garage or utility lamp as opposed to 1a which we built for gpo engineers. this was to test for bad air in tunnels and man holes and is also used by the navy in ships holds and submarines.
we do come accross lamps with different badges and bonnets so beware. hopefully these basic rules will be of use.also meant to say all 6's will have a stainless steel top,a very few are chromed, these were managers lamps and some have brass tops. all three are mines approved although the brass were usually for presentation.
sl's had black iron tops until the mid 60's so should be rusty, from then on stainless steel.
a1 brass and 1a stainless steel.

TYPE 6 DEPUTIES RELIGHTER LAMP

dear daniel,
the type 6 deputies relighter lamp was certified for mining use between the great wars.
it became most widely used in the uk from nationalisation in 1947 when it was adopted by the ministry of power as the standard gas testing lamp in uk coal mines.
in 1964 we prototyped the GR6 which is a modified type 6. this adopted the garforth mechanism for gas testing.
the type 6 began to be replaced by the gr6 and then the gr6s from the mid 60's to the mid 70's. the gr6s is still used in uk mines today.
regards david mather

Daniel & Sara wrote:

Hi there, I recently purchased a lamp with the markings M & Q on the serial plate. I’ve searched the web and can’t find any information pertaining to this model. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Daniel