Handbook for Gas Engineers and Managers (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 Excerpt: ...Herr F. Siemens (Fig. 129) have much improved the lighting of streets and squares wherever they have been introduced; and have proved, at the same time, that efficient street illumination by means of gas is perfectly attainable where there is a willingness on the part of towns' authorities to incur the expense. The earlier street lamps were constructed with opaque reflecting tops, and the glazed tops were afterwards introduced as an improve ment. When the whole of the light is reflected downwards, the fronts of the houses, except for a short space above the height of the lamp column, are placed in a state of utter darkness, and to passengers walking along the streets the gloomy canopy overhead, rendered all the more sombre and distressing from the concentrated light underneath, has an unearthly and depressing effect. manner of the ordinary bellows), by the pressure of the gas exerted on the surfaces of the diaphragms, are communicated by levers and cranks to the wheelwork of the indicators, which are alike in both classes of meter. On the other hand, where the main thoroughfares of a large town are lighted with the capacious lamps above described, with semi-transparent crowns, admitting of the radiation of a portion of the light on the house fronts, the effect is pleasing and satisfactory. The incandescent gas-light is growing in vogue for street lighting, and nothing in artificial illumination can exceed it either as regards efficiency or economy, provided due care and intelligence are exercised in settling the design of the lamp with a view to controlling the air supply, and in applying the adjustment necessary to counteract the effects of vibration caused by traffic. Those produced by the Denayrouze Light Syndicate are of a remarkable type, as giving th...