Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-14
THE I\CaNDESCENT ELECTRIC
LAMP.

70 the ordinary user OF electricity for
home lighting the electric lamp Is but a
lamp They do not know how It Is con-
structed or why one lamp is better than
another. The life of an electric lamp,
its economy and durability, depend al
most entirely upon the little hair-like
nlamcnt. or wire. located within the
glass bulb, which glows with light when
tile electricity is turned on. No matter
how nicely the globe and base are made.
no mater what care is taken in the as
s.mbly of the various parts, the ilfe Of
thu. lamp and its usefulness depend upon
the hlamcnt.
If an old-fashioned carbon .illment Is
used the light will be of Il poor yellow
ish quality and the cost for current will
he high. This IS because the hament IL
made of carbonizcd cclluosc which Is
vegetable paste. Carbon lamps are now
out of date, being replaced by tie metal
iilament tungsten lamps which give a
better light for less cost. But. II the
pressed .ilament tungsten lamp Is used
the hlament becomes brittle with use
ard is Very apt to break into small
pieces Tho lamp is fragile because the
r.ny wire fament is made of pulvertzed
tungsten pressed into wire-like shape
I'll, drawn wire tungsten fllaments are
stronger and Will last longer The tung-
stem metal IS drawn into ilne wire from
which the hlaments are made. This wire
j. really very strong for its size, being
OF less diameter than hair, but 1t has
the tensile strength of piano steer.
strange as il may seem, there are
thousands of people who do not know
that inoandescent lamps can be obtained
IN almost anv candle-rower desired,
| They accept whatever is given them and
nay whatever is asked without a ques-
ticn More than half the time a COM
| plant for excessive cost of electric light
| ing is traceable direct to lamps of too
| hien candle-power for the light required
That cost mounts up In direct ratio with
| the increase of candle-power Is shown
| by the fact that an eight-candle' power
| tungsten lamp will burn for 100 hours
for total cost OF hut 10 cents where the
rate is 10 cents n kilowatt. 20 candle
| power lamp on the same circuit would
only burn 40 hours for 10 cents and g.
candle-power lamp but % hours
| with proper glass shades and reflect
ers ia direct the light where II Is most
| needed lamps of small candle-poWer can
be used with better light effect than
| those Of high candle-power where the
| light Is misdlrected, absorbed and wasted
The incandescent lamp hlament is con
fined in small glass globe from which
the air has been exhausted 70 keep the
wire from burning up. which would hap
pen II the air was allowed access t.
1t. This glass globe also acts as very
effective shield for the lamp making II
possible 10 use the lamps very near In
fammable materials without danger
This Is especially valuable in homes
| where there are children. for they can
| not possibly set tire To the hous" o'
burn themselves with electric lamps
| They also eliminate the danger from
matches MANY a house has been con
sumed by flames because curtain wa
blown across an open gas jet left light
ed near window or door The electro
lamp produces 50 little heat that moth
Ing can catch fire from being blow
against the globe.