The Springfield herald., 1897-12-10
THE SLOT MACHINE.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Those Attached to London Street Lamps
Furnish Hot Water for a Penny-Gas
Now Sold Through Penny-in-the-slot
Meters-A Boon to the Poor.

A "slot" machine of an exceedingly
novel and ingenious nature is about 10
be introduced to London, as well as to
several of the important provincial
English cities. Hitherto the heat given
out from the ordinary street gas lamp
has been a waste product, but Dr.
Mansfield Robinson has invented ap-
paratus to utilize this heat for the pur-
pose of boiling water, which Will be
supplied at the rate of half-penny y
per gallon by means of an automatic
machine.
At the Crystal palace, where the ap-
paratus has been exhibited i'll working
order for months. it has attracted no
small attention. DIR. Robinson's inven-
ton is simplicity itself. In spiral coil
and heating chamber, placed about II
foot above the flame, cold water, sup
piled from the water mains, is con
verted by the heat into steam, which
is expelled through safety valve
down pipe into an iron coil placed III
a tank without coming into contact
with it, and the fluid is ready for auto
matte delivery to any one who places
half-penny in the slot The presence
of the safety valve, and the absence of
any space in which steam can accumu-
late, insure safety in working. matter
of no small Importance in apparatus
to be erected in the public street. The
hot water syndicate. which has taken
up the invention, is convinced OF Its
commercial value, and propose to pay
the half of the gas bills of the munich
pal bodies which permit the system to
be adapted to the street lamps in their
districts This, of course. is n strong
inducement, seeing that it will tend np-
preciably to reduce local taxation, and
at the present moment 1t is estimated
that the taxpayers of London, who
are inveterate grumblers, are required
to foot gas bill of $3.50, 600 per an
mum.
1t is anticipated that the advantage
of being able to obtain for an eXpendi-
ture of penny Il day gallon of hot
water in the morning and another in
the evening will commend itself to the
working class, and in the industrial dis
trict, the promoters of the enterprise
look for a rich harvest. AT public DEM
constructions of the value of the inyen-
ton slot machine adjoining the appa-
rafus supplied penny-worths OF tea,
coffee, cocoa and fluid beef, and cups
of these beverages were made with
the aid of a vessel attached by chain
to the tap of the hot water tank, while
n supply of soap could be obtained for
the purpose of ablution. The expert
ment of placing the apparatus on the
streets of London will be watched with
interest. but whether the invention be
successful in this respect or not, there
are other directions in which 1t may
prove of undoubted utility, seeing that
it can be adapted to the ordinary gas
burners of public buildings and private
houses. and used either for boiling wa
ter, for heating or other purposes or
for supplying the motive power for
machines The local administrative
body of the parish of st. Martin In the
Fields, London. as well as the local au-
thorities in Liverpool and Nottingham.
have granted licenses for the erection
of Dr. Robinson's apparatus in the
streets. so that before long experience
will have been obtained as to the prac-
teal value of what is certainly re-
markable invention.
The Introduction of the penny-in-the-
slot machine into English households
has been attended with results that
verge on the marvellous. In London
the system of obtaining pennyworths
of gas is familiar to the working popu-
lation The officials of that great cor
poration. the South Metropolitan Gas
Company. which supplies practically
the whole of the south of London with