The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-04-30
Coal Oil INSPECTION.
How the Fire Test AppIfes-The Flash
ing POinG-The BtitniiIg Point.

| How the Fire Test AppIfes-The Flash
ing PoinI-The Bti+nIiig Point:
As oil is gradually heated, at a Def.
tsin point indicated by the mercury, it
will evolve a vapor.. Applying lighted
match carefully to the surface, and not
severely plunging it into the 9oltlD1e of
the oil, feeble flash follows burning
| off this penumbra of vapor, without
setting fire to the body of the oil. The
temperature lit which this phenomenon
occurs is called the -" flashing" or
"vaporizing" point. Raising the heat
q few degrees higher and we have the
same result, the fash growing stronger,
until, at ITO degrees, the body of the
oil takes fire and burns-taking 40
degree oil for the experiment. If the
inspector does not burn off this vapor
with its tirst appearance, letting it &C
cumulate, it gathers quantity sufficient
to infame the body of the oil, at few
degrees higher than its first appear
ance, and considerably below the Gus
tomary inspection. But when an in
spector passes the oil as Ito degrees
test, it is because at that degree it ig-
mites in volume. The vaporizing point
of ITO degrees-knOwn as standard coal
oil, and universally sold at home and
abroad-ranges from IS to 100 degrees;
an oil inspected as a $50 degrees will
vaporize at about 125 to 14O degrees
an oil inspected at IT'S degrees will va
porize at $50 to 160 degrees. Now, the |
custom of all inspectors in the United |
States, and we believe in Europe, is to |
brand the oil according to the Gig |
hitting" point, and not the Flashing"
point the distinction being technical.
as there is fame and danger in both
points if too low. All laws on the sub
ieet have been so construed, and the
requirements of the entire trade have
settled upon that standard OF testing,
and our inspector follows this method
of inspection, approved and followed at
all the trade centers.
An Oil which will vaporize under 110
degrees is unsafe. Even putting the
flashing point at 10 degrees would not
ency of tipping over lamp and spill
contact with the flame it would take
oil of IT'S degrees, which will flash at
put out the flame like water in such
danger from explosion, as the heat in
the lamp is never sufficient to evolve in
any vapor.
The larger proportion of explosions
to coal oil belong to gas
oline. The rascally reporters won't
draw the distinction. And so with the
fires, coal oil has to stand the general
censure, while this white face, unolea-
ginous, "gas-ike," "non explosive"
slips in and retails at a higher price
than a genuine $50 degree test kero-
sene. The trade has become immense 7
in it, and all the warnings as to its in
and general dangerous
ness do about as much good as the
daily telegram of some servant girl
killed by hurrying up the fire with coal
oil. It's sale cannot be stopped by any
law. The attempt was made to iDcor-
porate prohibition of the ''light oils
in the present law, but the judiciary
committee decided that they had an
right to buy them as well !
IS gunpowder, and take their chances
Of being blown up. They could only ,
require their character to be branded
IN the package.
An oil of $50 degrees test costs now
more than ITO degrees oil, while IT'S
degrees test has got hammered down to
i've or eight cents above the common ]
standard. It would seem that this {
light difference, when oil is cheap,
hould not be regarded by the con-
umer.-N. Louis Democrat.