Gas-light in the Tron Steeple of Glasgow. 141 



Akt. XVIII. — Description of the Apparatus used in lighting 



the Tron steeple Glasgow^ with Gas — see the plate. 



[Communicated to the Editor, by a gentleman in Glasgow.] 



C Is a lamp in which the gas is burned. Externally it is 

 concealed by the figure of an eagle, internally it has a door 

 containing five panes of glass, glazed convexly. Within 

 the lamp, and behind the flame, the surface is covered with 

 pieces of mirror plate so as to form a parabolic reflector, 

 from which the rays diverge upon the dial plate of the clock 

 D. At the top of the lamp is a funnel for the smoke. 



A is the gas pipe by which the lamp is fed. It is at the 

 same time the principal support of the lamp. 



B is a flash pipe by which the lamp is lighted ; and it acts 

 at the same time as a bracket to strengthen the pipe A. 

 This pipe is cut with cross apertures in the side at short 

 distances from each other, extending from the body of the 

 steeple to the burner. At figure second is a section of the 

 flash pipe, showing the cuts in the side, and a covering which 

 projects over them to protect them from rain. D fig. 

 2. shows a transverse section of the pipe and the covering. 

 A and 2 show the cuts C, and the cover B. 



After the gas has been let on by both pipes, a light is ap- 

 plied externally to the flash pipe, the gas rushing in jets 

 through the apertures, kindles, and the flame communicating 

 from one to another reaches the burner within the lamp. As 

 soon as the gas passing through the burner is inflamed, the 

 stop cock of the flash pipe is shut, the jets are of course ex- 

 tinguished, and the lamp continues to burn fed by the oth- 

 er pipe. 



E and F are air-tight hinges in the two pipes, so contriv- 

 ed that by means of the chains G G, the lamp is drawn up 

 by a person standing within the balcony of the steeple, be- 

 side H, the City Arms, iii alto relievo, the burner, the glass, 

 and the parabolic reflector, are thus cleaned every day, from 

 the smoke or condensation of vapour which may have accu- 

 mulated during the preceding night. 



By the side of the pipes there is a good deal of scroll 

 work acting as lateral brackets to strengthen them, which 

 could not have been introduced into the drawing without 

 confusing: it. 



