Burrell Mine Methane Detector
date: label: date made
content: 1918 - 1928
notes: label: Description
content: George A. Burrell invented the Burrell Methane Detector in 1915; subsequently the Mine Safety Appliances Company manufactured and sold it. The Bureau of Mines approved the methane tester for use on March 10, 1922. A belt-worn Edison battery similar to the one used for battery-powered hat lamps powered the methane tester. A measured sample of mine air is drawn into a tube and mixed with water. This mixture is heated by a platinum filament. Any contraction in volume after burning indicated methane, and the tester’s gauge showed the concentration of methane in the air.
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content: Work and Industry: Mining
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content: Industry & Manufacturing
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content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition
content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Mine Safety Appliances Company
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AG.MHI-MN-7940
label: catalog number
content: MHI-MN-7940
label: accession number
content: 240639
objectType: label: Object Name
content: indicator, methane gas
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 15 in x 3 1/2 in x 4 1/2 in; 38.1 cm x 8.89 cm x 11.43 cm