Safesport Butterfly: Carbide Miner's Headlamp

Object/Artifact

-

West Virginia Mine Wars Museum

Name/Title

Safesport Butterfly: Carbide Miner's Headlamp

Entry/Object ID

MW.0036

Description

Full assembly of carbide fuel/acetylene flame miner's headlamp, including hat mounting wires.

Use

Used for illumination in underground mines. Developed after oil wick lamps to include reflector dish, still an open flame.

Collection

Coal Mining Tools

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Safesport Manufacturing Company

Material

Brass

Research Notes

Research Type

Curator

Person

Shaun Slifer

Date

Nov 18, 2020

Notes

A mining or caving lamp has calcium carbide placed in a lower chamber, the generator. The upper reservoir is then filled with water. A threaded valve or other mechanism is used to control the rate at which the water is allowed to drip into the chamber containing the calcium carbide. By controlling the rate of water flow, the production of acetylene gas is controlled. This, in turn, controls the flow rate of the gas and the size of the flame at the burner, and thus the amount of light it produces.

Research Type

Internet

Person

Shaun Slifer

Date

Feb 16, 2022

Notes

"The Butterfly (A.K.A. Safesport) has been called a Hong Kong knockoff of the Guy's Dropper. The outward designs are very similar, however there is a world of difference in their operation. Where the Dropper has a good reputation of being a trustworthy lamp, the Butterfly does not. Though the Butterfly was fairly inexpensive, it was never a dependable lamp. Leaks abounded, gas tubes fractured or pulled free, and various problems arose. A Butterfly is easily identified by a butterfly stamped on to the water door. Regard this stamp as a mark of impending darkness." - National Speleological Society, "Buying a Carbide" (https://caves.org/member/mfraley/buying2.htm)