Account of the Skerryvore lighthouse : $b with notes on the illumination of lighthousesStevenson, Alan
History
Account of the Skerryvore lighthouse : $b with notes on the illumination of lighthouses
Stevenson, Alan
Skerryvore Lighthouse (Hebrides, Scotland)
The reflector is then placed on the circular cast-iron table (figs.
108, 109), to which it is attached by the clamp-screws S, S. In this
position, the bizzle W (fig. 108) and back-belt NAN (fig. 109), are
soldered on. After this the reflector is ready for being finally
polished; for which purpose, it is placed in a _chaise percée_,
padded round the edges, and is first scoured all over with a piece of
pure charcoal of hard wood, and next with a mixture of Florence oil
and finely washed rottenstone, applied by means of a large ball of
superfine cloth. It is then carefully cleansed with a piece of fine
flannel dipped in Florence oil, and afterwards dusted over with the
powder of well washed whiting, and wiped out with a soft cotton cloth.
Lastly, it is carefully rubbed by the naked hand, with finely washed
rouge and clean water, and wiped with a smooth chamois skin. In all
the polishing and cleansing processes, some skill in manipulation
is required, as the hand is generally moved in such a manner as to
describe successive circles with their planes parallel to the lips of
the reflector, and their centres in the axis of the generating curve.
The prices paid to the workmen for the various departments of the
reflector-making are generally as follows:--
Raising the plate to the curve, with the wooden mallet, L.0 10 0
Hammering and smoothing to the mould, 1 5 0
Finishing in the die, and putting on bizzle and back-belt, 0 6 0
Polishing, 0 12 0
-------
L.2 13 0
The prices paid to the manufacturer were for the large reflectors of 24
inches aperture, L.43; for the small ones of 21 inches, L.31, 12s. The
lamp with the sliding-carriage, required for each, costs L.6.
APPENDIX, No. III.
NOTES ON THE GRINDING OF THE VARIOUS PIECES COMPOSING THE INSTRUMENTS
USED IN DIOPTRIC LIGHTHOUSES, CHIEFLY FROM NOTES FURNISHED BY M.
THEODORE LETOURNEAU OF PARIS.
The glass used in all the parts of the optical apparatus of the
dioptric Lighthouses is that of St Gobain, whose index of refraction is
1·51.
As well on account of the difficulty experienced in producing at
all times regular castings of glass from the moulds, as in order
to compensate for the frequent accidents, which occur in the first
application of the rubbers to the inequalities of the surface of the
glass, the castings, whether for rings of lenses or prisms, are made
from moulds, exceeding the intended size of the finished pieces by
_one-eighth part_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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