Lucas Cadet carbide cycle lamp
Lucas Cadet carbide cycle lamp - with lens open
Name/Title
Lucas Cadet carbide cycle lampEntry/Object ID
2025.1.697Description
A non-ferrous metal carbide cycle lamp. The lamp has a powerful lens and two reflective green glass inserts in the sides of the main body. It has a reservoir for the carbide and above for the water to drip through to the calcium carbide. The reservoir has the words "Do not fill carbide above this groove".Context
The Lucas Cadet was made by Joseph Lucas between 1898 - 1939. The lamps were not only used for bicycles but were used to illuminate buildings, such as lighthouse beacons. Portable versions were worn on the hat or carried by hand, and were often used in mining in the early 20th century. Personal experience of Tom Carpenter of using the lamp given to him by his grandfather: Drip feeding water onto calcium carbide produced acetylene gas which was then burned in the nozzle. There were no mantles necessary as the lamp had a large reflector. The top got very hot, many curious people got burned touching it. You had to have a supply of calcium carbide, few places could sell it because it was hazardous. If you put water in through the drip feed to fast you flooded the carbide and lost all the gas at once. No more light. If you ran out of water you could top it up with urine, but that made a smell.Category
Bicycles, motor bikes, mechanical