GASOLINE LAMPS AND GASOLINE GAS MACHINES 33 



there is a possible chance of the air having become saturated with 

 the gasoline vapor. 



If these precautions are observed there will be but little 

 danger in handling gasoline. 



VI. GASOLINE LAMPS AND GASOLINE GAS MACHINES 

 GASOLINE LAMPS 



38. Reviewing the Kerosene Lamp. When we studied the 

 kerosene lamp we saw that it was the vapor arising from the 

 heated kerosene in the wick which burned. We also saw that 

 this vapor had to be mixed with just the right amount of fresh 

 air before it burned properly. 



When the kerosene burned in the lamp we noticed that this 

 changing of the liquid kerosene into vapor and the mixing of 

 the vapor with the air, both processes, took place in the upper 

 portion of the burner. The oil in the bowl of the lamp was not 

 heated much by the flame. If a good quality of kerosene is 

 used, it will never be heated to the flashing point except at the 

 tip of the wick where the flame is burning. Therefore in con- 

 structing an ordinary kerosene lamp no attempt is made to 

 have the bowl of the lamp air tight or to remove the oil far 

 from the flame. There is no need of doing so. The ordinary 

 kerosene stove is constructed on precisely the same principles 

 as the lamp. 



39. Dangerous to Burn Gasoline in a Kerosene Lamp. To 

 burn gasoline in an ordinary kerosene lamp would be a very 

 dangerous undertaking. We have seen that gasoline is always 

 at a temperature far above its flashing point when in the ordi- 

 nary heated or unheated room. This means that if gasoline 

 were placed in a kerosene lamp it would constantly be vapor- 

 izing from the wick exactly as it would from an open can. 

 Such a condition would be dangerous when the lamp was 

 lighted. The lamp bowl would contain a mixture of air and 

 gasoline vapor which would be ready to explode as soon as the 

 flame should reach it. 



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