Calcium Carbide Can

Object/Artifact

-

West Virginia Mine Wars Museum

Name/Title

Calcium Carbide Can

Entry/Object ID

MW.0165

Description

Retail canister containing calcium carbide crystals.

Use

Calcium carbide crystals react to water by producing flammable acetylene gas. In the context of a headlamp, the flame from acetylene gas is used to light a miner's underground work space. The headlamp has two compartments: a bottom compartment is loaded with calcium carbide, and screwed into the upper compartment which is filled with water. Water drip is controlled by a lever, gas is expelled from a small hole in the center of a reflector dish and lit with a spark wheel.

Context

This container is retail packaged, but many miners would carry calcium carbide into the mine in a flask shaped more readily for a pocket.

Collection

Fred Barkey Collection, Coal Mining Tools

Category

Flammable

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Air Reduction Company

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Location

Can Front

Transcription

National Carbide WARNING KEEP DRY FLAMMABLE GAS FORMS IF CONTENTS BECOME WET KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AIR REDUCTION CHEMICAL & CARBIDE CO.

Type

Label

Location

Can Sides (Both)

Translation

MINERS LAMP-HALF INCH NET WEIGHT TWO POUNDS 88 (hand-written in marker) THIS PACKAGE CONTAINS CARBIDE OF HIGHEST QUALITY FOR USE IN MINERS, BICYCLE AND OTHER SIMILAR CARBIDE LAMPS MADE IN U.S.A.

Materials

Material

Metal

Material Notes

can contains calcium carbide crystals

Web Links and URLs

Calcium carbide