The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (October 1898)

144 conclusion arrived at was, that owing to the intense cold the oxygen was not taking up sufficient vapour from the ether. Nothing more was done that evening and matters were postponed until the following evening, when, with the hopes of making the oxygen take up more ether vapour, the saturator was slightly warmed before being placed in the lantern. A light was then applied at the hydrogen side of jet but the flame was by no means good and gave a jerky appearance and emitted a hissing sound. Thinking to improve matters, a slight tap was given to the jet, and the dissolver was manipulated a few times but without any improvement. The gas had by this time been burning for about two minutes and the screw tap on direct oxygen side was opened, when instantly a tremendous explosion took place which blew : the gas tank to pieces, tore off several boards of which the walls were constructed, broke the : skylight windows, and a piece of iron weighing 50 Ibs. was hurled about 10 or 12 feet. sound of the explosion was heard at a distance of four miles. We are very pleased to say that no lives were lost, although our correspondent must congratulate himself on his , miraculous escape, , cause the explosion by concussion ? The | judging from the position of the apparatus. | Had the tank been on the other side of the lanternist he would assuredly have seriously injured if not instantly killed. The foregoing are the facts of the case ; now we will consider the cause of the explosion. It appears that acetylene gas was standing in the gasometer for five days ; now during this period a considerable quantity of the acetylene would have been dissolved by the water. The water, been . The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. but the warming of the saturator and free giving off of the ether vapour put the mixture (from that side of the jet) just outside of the firing back point, but as soon as the free oxygen side was opened we have an uninterruptedchannel of highly explosive gas from the jet to the tank, which only required the application of a flame to bring about a most disastrous result. This flame was present at the hydrogen side of the jet, and the only extraordinary thing under such circumstances would have been had it not fired back. | Our correspondent also asks two definite questions pertaining to this explosion, viz. :—A, Did the lighting gas at jet cause a flame to fire back through jet to dissolver, then through 8 feet of tubing to tank? Ican, he says, hardly think this was the case as no flame was seen. B, Would the turning on of jet and dissolver so disturb the explosive gas in the gasometer as to To which we answer A, The light at the hydrogen side caused the ignition of the explosive mixture contained in the tube conveying what should have been pure oxygen, and this passed with lightning rapidity as suggested to the tank. B, We would not think of attributing the cause of the explosion to such slight concussion as that to which you allude. Optical and Mechanical Effects when changing from acetylene to oxygen, was : not run off and a fresh supply poured in to take its place. all the gas was expelled being to sink the bell chamber under the surface, thus ensuring that the water completely filled the space inside. Now, we learn that the gasometer is charged with a few feet of oxygen, but on passing this gas through the ether saturator the flame given was not so good as usual, so matters are allowed to stand for 24 hours. the water was slowly giving out some of the acetylene gas with which it was impregnated. On the first evening, sufficient acetylene had evidently not been given off by the water to form an explosive mixture which would fire back, although it was sufficiently strong to blow off the rubber tubing. On the second evening a The only means of making sure that . In the meantime : most explosive mixture was present in the tank, ; for the Lantern.—No. I]. | By EDMUND H. WILKIE. (Late RoyaL Poryrecuyic INsTiTUTION). © HE simplest form of mechanical effect is undoubtedly that in which the whole change is brought about on one slide, such as the slipping ss slides so dear to our youthful days. x) Who does not remember the old lady oS” of benign and venerable aspect, and decorated with a gaily striped shawl and mob cap, whose nose, originally of the shape commonly known as a “pug,” gradually became elongated until it resembled a carrot ? Everyone who is interested in slides is aware that the nose is in the first place painted its full length on the fixed glass, and a slip passing in front bears a patch of opaque black, which reduces the feature to the dimensions of its first appearance on the screen, and the slip being slowly withdrawn it is allowed to exhibit its full length,