The "Automatic Megass Firemen." 351 
The megass is carried the whole length of the plat- 
form by the usual rake carrier, this being connected with 
each furnace by " enclosing hoppers/' down which 
the megass falls direct into the furnace until it is sup- 
plied, and the hopper is sufficiently full to cause the 
carrier megass to pass over that in the hopper ; in 
other words a portion of the megass in its progress 
along the bottom of an ordinary carrier falls into the 
first fireman or enclosing hopper till it is full, then 
passes over the megass therein to the next, and so on, 
thus keeping a whole series of furnaces automatically 
supplied with megass, each taking its share to make up 
for that burnt in each furnace. 
The surplus megass can be discharged at the carrier 
end, or stored between each furnace, by opening inter- 
mediate doors that are under the easy control of the 
overlooker as shown. 
No human firemen whatever are required except in the 
buildings, where and when the megass furnaces are not 
stopped with the mills ; in which case, by simply open- 
ing the door at the bottom of each enclosing hopper, the 
furnaces can be fed by men in the usual way. 
The man in charge simply regulates the damper to 
give the necessary steam, and the intermediate doors to 
prevent too much surplus megass accumulating at one 
place; he will also see by means of the peep holes or 
slots in the hoppers or firemen, that each furnace is taking 
its proper feed. 
MARKED ADVANTAGES OF THE "AUTOMATIC 
FIREMEN." 
1st, saving labour; 2nd, no firemen whatever required 
no matter how many boilers ; 3rd, less than half the usual 
XX2 
