Mine Gases and Gas Testing (For underground officials and workmen)

Deputy's safety (davy) lamp and good old scargill... all even the most avid mine explorer needs!
I did come across a chart shwoing the different flame sizes and what they mean, if anyone wants me to scan it?

Copyright question

If enough people are interested in this publication then I am willing to digitise it and make it available to them.

Does anyone know if this would breach copyright?
The book is so old, and the content so dated, that I think it may be considered 'public domain' by now.

Otherwise I may be persueded to do it 'under the counter'

dweeb said:

Deputy's safety (davy) lamp and good old scargill... all even the most avid mine explorer needs!

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I'm right with you there, bro!

Im interested...

Sorry, how rude... going on about scargill, I forgot to say, so am I!

It took a long time to find these!! The lamps are easy to get hold of... I paid a tenner for mine in near working condition...

Thats pretty interesting, so is it working???

Duration of copyright
The 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act states the duration as;

For literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works
70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last remaining author of the work dies.

If the author is unknown, copyright will last for 70 years from end of the calendar year in which the work was created, although if it is made available to the public during that time, (by publication, authorised performance, broadcast, exhibition, etc.), then the duration will be 70 years from the end of the year that the work was first made available.

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I think it's safe to assume that the copyright has expired.

The detection of methane on a flame safety lamp is pretty irrelevant for exploration purposes. Methane can only ignite between 5% and 15%,which in the worst case scenario can then cause a coal dust explosion if the mineral mixture is of the correct content. The examination using a flame safety lamp was for Mine Officials and was to adhere to the Mines And Quarries act (sect. 55) which meant that at 1.25% all underground electric in that area would be switched off,all diesel locomotives and F.S.V's would be stopped ans shot-firing suspended until such times as the methane content was sufficiently diluted to enable things to be restored. As methane is "mainly" created by the operation of cutting coal it is highly unlikely that there would be many instances of a build up of CH4 in abandoned mine workings. Other gasses or combinations of gasses eg Stinkdamp,Blackdamp etc are more to be of concern to an explorer. These gasses are only detectable by the flame safety lamp being extinguished when the oxygen level in the atmosphere is too low to maintain it. A multi gas detector however gives a clear and continuous indication of gas levels and is much more user friendly.
Hope this helps.Heayknacker - Colliery Ventilation Officer 1988-1999

LiamCH said:

I think it's safe to assume that the copyright has expired.

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Job's a good 'un then

I'll start putting some PDFs together next week.

The links will be passed on to interested parties as I get each chapter scanned.


Thanks for the info, Heavyknacker (love the username BTW).. My interest in this particular subject is mostly academic - I rarely find myself in gassy mines - unless I happen to make the gasses myself