The principle of the Tin Can Davy was devised by Richard Heckels, who was the chief viewer of the Earl of Durham’s Houghton collieries in County Durham. As chief viewer, his role was to oversee and advised on the general running of all the Earl’s collieries.
In 1865, whilst experimenting with a Davy lamp, he found that by placing it in a workman’s can, the lamp was significantly safer in strong air currents.
