Extending the Scope of the Theory of Knowledge
The invention of the light bulb is without any doubt one of the major inventions of the nineteenth century. It changed life profoundly in that it made human activities independent of the natural light circumstances on a hitherto unknown scale. The idea of
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Extending the Scope of the Theory of Knowledge Anthonie W.M. Meijers and Peter A. Kroes
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Introduction
The invention of the light bulb is without any doubt one of the major inventions of the nineteenth century. It changed life profoundly in that it made human activities independent of the natural light circumstances on a hitherto unknown scale. The idea of electric light goes back to Humphrey Davy. He discovered that an electric arc between two poles could produce light. This phenomenon, however, was rather unpractical for home applications and could not be an alternative to existing gas light. New ideas were explored on the basis of the theoretical work on heat production in resistant conductors. An electric current could heat a conductor to such an extent that it would glow white-hot. Joseph Wilson Swan was the first to construct an electric light bulb on these physical principles. It contained a thin strip of material (filament) in an oxygen-free environment to prevent the strip from burning. An electric current heated the strip. He had, however, serious trouble maintaining the vacuum in the light bulb. Thomas Edison was able to solve this problem and at the same time to construct stable enough carbon wire that could function as filament. On October 21, 1879, he illuminated an electric lamp that glowed continuously for 40 h. That was an enormous achievement in those days. US Patent 223,898, filed by Edison in November 1879, is about the design and manufacturing of electric lamps. The patent describes the claim Edison makes as follows:
A.W.M. Meijers (*) Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] P.A. Kroes Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] M.J. de Vries et al. (eds.), Norms in Technology, Philosophy of Engineering and Technology 9, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5243-6_2, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
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A.W.M. Meijers and P.A. Kroes I claim as my invention: 1. An electric lamp for giving light by incandescence, consisting of filament of carbon of high resistance, made as described, and secured to metallic wires, as set forth. 2. The combination of carbon filaments with a receiver made entirely of glass and conductors passing through the glass, and from which receiver the air is exhausted, for the purposes described. 3. A carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to electric conductors so that only a portion of the surface of such carbon conductors shall be exposed for radiating light, as set forth. 4. The method herein described of securing the platinum contact-wires to the carbon filament and carbonizing of the whole in a closed chamber, substantially as set forth.1
The method Edison mentioned here consists of the following: If the carbon thread is liable to be distorted during carbonization it is to be coiled between a helix of copper wire. The ends of the carbon or filament are secured to the platina leading-wires by plastic carbonizable material, and the whole placed in the carbonizi
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