The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-27

If you suffer with a kind heart
and a helpful spirit, beware how you
try to help out the driver of a motor
truck loaded with a gasoline tank,
when you see a chain dangling from
the rear of the truck as it stands at
filling station delivering its load of
gasoline into the station tanks.
A big tank truck transporting gaso-
line was blown up by a terrific ex-
plosion on the street of an eastern city
recently, because a passerby, who
didn't know what he was doing picked
up a piece of chain. He saw the chain
dangling by one end from the truck
and thought he would possibly save
the truck from being wrecked thru
fouling the chain in one of the wheels.
Chain Is for a Purpose.
The man didn't know the chain was
hanging there for a purpose. He didn't
know that gasoline, unlike water, is
non-conductor of electricity. Pos
sibly he didn't even know that flowing
gasoline, especially when strained thru
such materials as chamois skin filters,
sets up considerable charges of fric-
tional or static electricity. But that
was what caused the trucks destruc-
| ton.
Usually when the big tank truck
| backs up to the filling plug at a serv-
! ice station or other storage place, the
metallic nozzle from the truck touches
| the metallic intake pipe and thus
| forms a ground for any charge of
| static electricity that may collect in
| the truck. Sometimes, however, the
| nozzle does not touch a grounding
| point, and with no other metallic
/ ground from the truck, the car is per-
| fectly insulated, standing as it does
on rubber tires. Sometimes, also, the
nozzle of the truck outlet pipe rests
! against a wooden piece in the intake
pipe and is thereby likewise insulated,
| for dry wood is also an insulator.
While the gasoline is poured into
| the storage tank certain amount of
vapor arises, and there is certain to
| be some about the intake and the
| truck. The flow of the liquid will set
up a static charge in the truck. AS the
| charge increases, it may become
strong enough to leap the gap to the
nearest ground, or the two points may
| be brought into contact. There is a
spark, a flash, an explosion and
and no truck.
Consequently the careful tank
| driver always has metallic part
| a rod or chain, to drain off the cleo
trio charge as it collects, as long as
| the gasoline is being drawn off.
Causes Fires and Explosions.
The same basic fact has been the
cause of numerous smaller fires and
explosions in garages, both private
and public. In one instance a car
was being filled with gasoline from a
can. While the employe ran the gas
| into the can he strained it thru a
channels filter in a funnel. To make
the funnel sit up straight in the hole
| in the tank a wooden ring was placed
in the hole and the funnel was placed
in that. Thus the can was insulated
After pouring some gasoline into the
tank, the man brought the can spout
| into contact with the tank. There
was a spark, flash and resulting
explosion.
Another man was pumping gasoline
| into a can in his own garage. He
hung the pail on the hook over the
spout of the pump. He did not no.
| tice that the pail had a wooden handle
| By reason of the wooden handle the
| pail was insulated from the pump
| The flowing gasoline set up a static
| charge in the pail which leaped the
gap to the pump and another fire was
started
| Friction of silk cloth will produce
lstatic electricity. and fires have beer
fcaused, it has been reported to gov
eminent agencies, when silk cloths