General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Tungsten filament/ brass base/ ceramic insulation/ glass bulb

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

5.3 cm

Width

3.2 cm

Height

N/A

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Automotive parts

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Probably 1910-1920

Canada

Part of NRC's 'museum' collection.

Function

Used as a side light in an automobile or electric vehicle.

Technical

Type sample of a G-10, 1-1/4 inch bulb, tipped; bent over tungsten filament anchored in centre (KE – notes). Tungsten is used in almost all incandescent light bulbs because it has a high melting temperature, making it conducive to producing visible light. In early light bulbs, the air was removed to create a vacuum to prevent combustion. However, as a result of the high temperature, tungsten atoms detach from the filament and cover the glass. The filament disintegrates over time and reduces the life of the bulb. Modern light bulbs are manufactured with inert gases, such as argon, which significantly reduces the loss of tungsten. Incandescent light bulbs produce the majority of their energy in the form of infrared light; approximately 10% of light is produced in the visible spectrum (Harris, "How Light Bulbs Work"). Before the advent of the automobile, horse drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation. Candles and oil lamps were attached to the carriages in order to signal their presence. The automobile first appeared in the late 1880s but at first they were not equipped with lights; as a result, night time driving was not possible. The first lighting devices used on automobiles were oil (kerosene) lanterns, which served as a signal to other drivers of carriages and vehicles, as well as pedestrians. However, the oil lanterns did not illuminate the road, which was often in poor condition. In 1906, acetylene gas powered headlamps were introduced in the United States and were increasingly used by motorists; this type of lamp was manufactured until 1912 (Moore: 1-2). The light bulb was invented over a period of time by many inventors, however its invention is credited to Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison, who did similar work around 1878 and 1879 (Grabianowski, "10 Inventions that Changed the World"). The first electric automotive headlamp was created in 1908 and was offered as an optional accessory to the vehicle. Electric headlamps were installed as standard equipment c. 1913. The light bulb was constructed using a vacuum sealed carbon filament that was not filled with gas. The only type of beam pattern available until 1924 was a single beam pattern called a spot beam. The invention of the light bulb provided motorists with the flexibility of driving during the day or night (Moore: 2-3, 7). Many automobile lamps have survived today because they were detachable (Gardiner and Morris: 13).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

No markings

Missing

N/A

Finish

Uncoloured glass

Decoration

N/A