Perkins and House's Non-Explosive Kerosene Lamp

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


Any device, any plan of lamp, or any method of management that can render the form of hydrocarbon known as kerosene non-explosive,and insure safety to life and property,is certainly worthy attention and deserving of general adoption. The design of the style of lamp of which the accompanying illustration is a representation, is to provide a perfectly safe means of utilizing the light-giving qualities of kerosene. The lamp may be of any style of form or decoration desired, the essentials of the improvement not interfering with these qualities. The globe, A, is of metal, therefore proof against breaking. It contains the oil, which is fed into a central tube, B, that holds the wick. The connection between the reservoir and the tube, B, or [the wick, is made by pipes (shown where the shell of the lamp is represented as broken away),toosmall to permit flame to pass to ignite the oil in the globe, on the principle of the Davy and other gas safety-lamps. The air (oxygen) necessary to combustion, instead of being taken in near the flame, just below the cone, as usual, passes in, as shown by the arrows, through apertures at the bottom of the lamp,enveloping the central tube and keeping it and the oil it contains as cool as the surrounding atmosphere, thus preventing the generation of explosive gas by a higher temperature. It is claimed that this lamp is absolutely safe, gives a supe- rior light, and is economical in oil; results assured by the following facts: Safety by conducting the oil from the reservoir, or body of the lamp, to the wick by tubes impassable to flame ; in case of overturning all the oil that can be spilled is that contained in the wick tube. By the reception of the air at the bottom of the lamp, the combustion of the oil is more perfect than in lamps in general use, according to experiments made by Prof. E4 S. Snell of Amherst College, who ascertained that the amount of light obtained from this lamp is f roinf orty to fifty per cent greater than from others using the same quantity and quality of oil. Its economy of oil is showp. not only by the foregoing, but by the fact that only the amount necessary for the flame is taken up by the wick. Patented December 11, 1866. For agencies, information, etc., address Votaw Montgomery, at Springfield, Mass., or Cleveland, Ohio.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 20 Issue 18This article was published with the title “Perkins and House's Non-Explosive Kerosene Lamp” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 20 No. 18 (), p. 276
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican05011869-276a

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe