In some cases it was possible for these flame safety lamps to be relit.
There were lamp 'relighters' which were permitted to be used underground.
In my experience they were generally used in places such as 'bord & pillar
districts' The relighter had to be located at a suitable point such as a
'deputy's meeting station'. I have seen relighters that could be used on
lamps of Patterson manufacture and perhaps on lamps of other makes as well.
The relighter may have been made by Patterson or possibly by Davis Derby.
In use the safety lamp was placed in a locating ring inside the unit and a
flameproof cover was then closed so that a key could be inserted in order to
turn a hand operated generator which produced a spark inside the lamp and
relit it. The key was removed, the flameproof cover opened, and the lamp
removed.
If a lamp of a shaft bottom worker went out it was usually sent back to the
lamp room on the surface and relit before being sent back down underground.
Alan Vickers.
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