(Peschke, Norbert: 130 Jahre Grubenlampen- und Akkumulatorenfertigung in Zwickau. Geschichte der Firma Friemann & Wolf und ihrer Nachfolger. Zwickau 2016, p. 28)
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| Opening/closing a magnet lock. (Peschke, Norbert: 130 Jahre Grubenlampen- und Akkumulatorenfertigung in Zwickau. Geschichte der Firma Friemann & Wolf und ihrer Nachfolger. Zwickau 2016, p. 28) |
Open fires could have catastrophic consequen- ces underground due to the possible presence of explosive gas in the mine. That is why mine lamps were fitted with a lock so that they could not be opened underground. After Carl Wolf invented the magnetic lock in 1882, this became the most common lock for mining lamps. A heavy magnet is required to open lamps with a magnetic lock. The magnets were located in the lamp room above ground, in Dutch known as the lampisterie. This is where the mine lamps were stored and maintained. At the end of a shift, staff in the lamp room opened the lamps, filled and checked the petrol and then closed them again. The lamp room was the only place where the lamp could, and was allowed, to be opened. This was done exclusively by selected lamp room staff.