Yablochkov candle

Yablochkov candle

A Yablochkov candle (sometimes electric candle) is a type of electric carbon arc lamp, invented in 1876 by Pavel Yablochkov.

It consisted of a sandwich of two long carbon blocks, approximately 6 by 12 millimetres in cross-section, separated by a block of inert material such as plaster of paris or kaolin. There was a small piece of fuse wire or carbon paste linking the two carbon blocks at the top end. The assembly was mounted vertically into a suitable insulated holder.

On application of the electric supply, the fuse wire 'blew' and struck the arc. The arc would then continue to burn, gradually consuming the carbon electrodes (and the intervening plaster) as it did so. The first candles were powered by an alternating current Gramme machine.

On disconnecting the supply, the arc would extinguish. It could not be restarted as there was now no circuit between the electrodes. It was necessary to replace the candle with a new one.

The advantage of the design was that it removed the need for any mechanical apparatus, a regulator, to maintain the needed distance between the carbon blocks to sustain the arc. Electrodes would last about two hours.

It was first demonstrated, as street and theatre illumination, during the Paris Exhibition of 1878, notably on the Avenue de l'Opéra. The candles were enclosed in globes of enamelled glass, with four to twelve candles in each connected in series.

ee also

*List of light sources


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Candle — For other uses, see Candle (disambiguation). A close up image of a burning candle showing the wick and the various parts of the flame …   Wikipedia

  • Yablochkov, Pavel Nikolayevich — ▪ Russian engineer and inventor also called Paul Jablochkov born Sept. 14 [Sept. 2, Old Style], 1847, Zhadovka, Russia died March 31 [March 19], 1894, Saratov  Russian electrical engineer and inventor who developed the Yablochkov candle, the… …   Universalium

  • Pavel Yablochkov — Infobox Engineer image size = 150px caption = PAGENAME name = PAGENAME nationality = Russia birth date = OldStyleDate|September 14|1847|September 2 birth place = death date = OldStyleDate|March 31|1894|March 19 death place = education = spouse =… …   Wikipedia

  • Street light — A street light, lamppost, street lamp, light standard or lamp standard, is a raised source of light on the edge of a road, turned on or lit at a certain time every night. Modern lamps may also have light sensitive photocells to turn them on at… …   Wikipedia

  • Timeline of Russian inventions and technology records — The Hall of Space Technology in the Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics, Kaluga, Russia. The exhibition includes the models and replicas of the following Russian inventions: the first satellite, Sputnik 1 (a ball under the… …   Wikipedia

  • Arc lamp — The electric arc in an arc lamp consists of gas which is initially ionized by a voltage and is therefore electrically conductive. To start an arc lamp, usually a very high voltage is needed to ignite or strike the arc. This requires an electrical …   Wikipedia

  • Light fixture — This article is about architectural light fixtures. For stage lighting, see Stage lighting instrument. Many various light fixtures A light fixture, light fitting, or luminaire is an electrical device used to create artificial light and/or… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Russian people — The Millennium of Russia monument in Veliky Novgorod, featuring the statues and reliefs of the most celebrated people in the first 1000 years of Russian history …   Wikipedia

  • Timeline of lighting technology — Timeline of lighting technology* Since the dawn of man, about 200,000 years ago, people use the sun as their main source of light. * 70,000 BCE A hollow rock or shell or other natural found objects was filled with moss or a similar material that… …   Wikipedia

  • Brush, Charles Francis — ▪ American inventor and industrialist born March 17, 1849, Euclid, Ohio, U.S. died June 15, 1929, Cleveland       U.S. inventor and industrialist who devised an electric (electric arc) arc lamp and a generator that produced a variable voltage… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”