The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (March 1894)

46 The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. occur they generally arise from the pressure of the gas being diminished. If the saturation is not complete we will find, on turning off the direct supply of oxygen, that the lime still remains incandescent. This denotes that there is sufficient free or nonsaturated oxygen reaching the nipple to produce the requisite proportion to obtain incandescence. Now, if we proceed to turn this out, we have a pop as soon as the pressure is reduced beyond acertain point. In the tube containing the gas we have an explosive mixture of gases, and when the pressure is taken off, it fires back and produces a pop; and according to the length and bore of the tube, so is the intensity of the explosion. When we light up the saturators I sball endeavour to produce the conditions for giving an explosion and shall try to obtain such, only it will be necessary for you to be very quiet at the time, as it will probably not be louder than the sound made were one to give a tap on the table with the end of a lead pencil. If saturation is complete, the saturated gas can be turned down to a mere bead, or in fact completely out, without the slightest sound whatever. I have found that an informal conversaticnal meeting under the guidance of a good chairman—such as we well know Mr. Nelson to be—conduces to much valuable information being obtained. Sorne present have told me that they would on no account use a saturator, althcugh it was their intention to be here to-night merely to listen to what was said, but they declined stating any reasons why they looked upon such apparatus with distrust. This is a little unfair, for if they are quite satisfied as to the great danger attending their use it is only right that they should point out to others what they consider to be the disadvantages or danger. 1 think I have said enough to sct the ball rolling, and would now hope that those who look upon them as dangerous will state their reasons for this belief, especially as we have among us the inventors or makers of most of the saturators, who, of course, know best about them. I observe among the audience a gentleman who has often written against saturators. I refer to Mr. C. Goodwin Norton. Perhaps in course of discussion he will kindly give us his views on the subject. On the other hand, we have present Mr. Timberlake, who has had probably as much experience as anyone, having been experimenting in this line for five and twenty years. Myreason for naming these two gentlemen is that we may make a commencement as soor as possible. I will now try to give you an explosion, as I have endeavoured to arrange a saturator with the requisite conditions. You will observe that oxygen is passing through the ether shown). yet there is a small incandescent spot on the lime, occasioned by the oxygen not bring suticienily saturated. If we now turn out the light the chances are there will be an explosion. (After a short pause the explosion, which was just audible, occurred). There are a number of saturators on the table, the working of which will be described either by their owners or inventors, but I would explain in the absence of the inventor, that this (Gridiron) saturator is about to be made ira slightly different form; here is a model of it which is not quite finished. There is a nut which adjusts the lime nearer to or further from the nipple, while a nut immediately behind turns the lime. The Lawson saturator, in both its single form, and also arranged as a biunial, will be shown by Mr. W. Riley. There are one or two other forms of apparatus which have been placed upon the table by some of tbe audience, description of these, I presume, will be given by their owners ; and now I expect that those who consider saturators dangerous will enlighten us, and in the discussion this evening I hope we may all be able to obtain interesting information. Mr.C. G. Norton: It is hardly fair to ask me to support saturators, because Mr. Taylor knows I have had no experience with those which go into the lautern, my experience is with those of the old form. Some two years ago I illuminated a large advertisement board,and todo this used what was known, I think, as a doublebarrelled saturator, and got a good light with it for upwards of an hour and a half. A policeman came along—he was not after me—and said, “ What a fine light you have,” but just at that instant there was an explosion like a small cannon. I went to see what was the matter, and found all the taps off, and something wrong with the regulator. Now I never understood why the saturator exploded; I used it about thirteen or fourteen times to illuminate this advertisement board, and had no explosions until this one. What struck me was this: A few nights after [had an entertainment to give to children, and supposing I had used the saturator inside the hall! As far as I can see it would not have hurt the children, but still some of them might possibly have been frightened. I have nothing to say against the use of the siturator amongst gentlemen who are quite fearless, but what I do say is that, as regards the old form of saturator, it should not be used where danger might arise from a panic.