Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-10


operation within 10 days. Tie only
thing now delaying the completion Is
the shipment of 4 feN new boxes from
tine factory. These will probably ar
rive next week and viii be installed
Immediately.
\ new building in the rear Of the
central fire station will contain the
vital parts Of the system This build
ing is probably the only absolutely IRE.
proof building III thc city. being con-
structed entirely Of brick and eeacrele
with metal window frames aad sash,
wired glass in the windows ana metal
daer.
The "diaphene" horn which is used
t. eire the alarm Is situated above
tie roof Of the main buiIdins. and Is
operated bY eonnHc sseh air. stored IA
q tank in the basement The pressure
in the tank 5 kept constant hY an an
compress operated by "a seven horse-
power electric motor. The compressor
is entirely automatic in operation.
starting when tie pressure fails below
leo pounds per square inch ana stop
ping when the pressure atta3ns iin
pounds The storage tank viii contain
ali enough to blow about - LASTS Of
the horn, thus having ample capacity
in case the electric supply should be
strut eff f1r short Jim.
The apparatus IN the new building
consists Of six-eircuit protector beard,
a dpe-circait charging board. iishtns
md cGntrcl board. repeater. tWo mo-
tor generator sets, air compressor ana
- cells af storage battery. TIA the pro-
tector panel ere mounted fer each OF
tie six circuits. eateut switches. ana
fuses. Apard lightning airesters, auto
,natia circuit breakers ground detec-
tors with octtmeter. telephone jack,
and numerous individual switches. Inc
charging board Is equipped with num-
er3as switches ammeters ara volt
meters. rheostats. rela*. circuit test-
ing switches. Jacks md other snail
pats. The lighting ard control panel
contains lighting and motor switches.
both hand aud automatic. meters ana
clock for controlling charge IF bat
teries.
The repeater IS one OF the most mn
portant adlunets eli the new equip
ment, and is Il fire piece of mechanism,
which must he seen to be appreciated
Each one Of the circuits comes TO this
piece of apparatus, and ia ease Of an
alarm on any circuit. this aatoaatical-
TX transmits all signals To TIE other
circuits IN case circuit is not i'll OPP
Grating condition. the repeater VIII aH-
tematieally eat It cut, and viii not re
store I until the circuit Is in cendi-
ten again. Ia ease O. Al. alarm It al
50 aisconneets the other circuits 50
am alarm cannot lac sent in from any
other circuit, thas preventing eonfus-
ion of signals.
In the lire station a new switch
board has BEEN installed. on which is
mounted the clock, indicator and gong.
transmittar tape recorder, automatic
lighting switch, bells and push but
tons. The tape recorder punches an i
paper tape the record of all blows COM
ing in over the system I he transmit
tor IS used To rims in any bJx mum
Der from the fire station. ny tins ar
fanseinent il IS hot necessary to sc t.
4 box to ring in an alarm. Bv simply
calling he central fire station Ga.
! giving the location OF the fire and the
name II the person calling. an alarm
will be rung in.
All new wire has been used for the
overhead lines, totalling in all about
] y mites, exclusive of the underground
/ copper-clad Wire This is something
new in this section for this class of
| work. 1t has nearly the eonduoti1ity
Of copper with the tensile strength OF
steel thus making line that viii
stand the severe storms OF this elm
ate. bout 1900 feet OF two wircaunder
ground cable has beer run. as we'll as
about 1909 feet Of six and Il wite cable.
all lead covered.
/ The different circuits are So arrang-
ed that if anything happens to the
i overhead lines that cannot be repaired
| at once, they can be disconnected from
4 the underground in few minutes and
4 The latter part of the system lett work
ing.
All the old boxes now in use viii lee
repaired. remembered and put in first
class condition. Five new post boxes oi
the latest type are being installed in the
business section. These are of the SO
called iron interfering succession type
rnd are so arranged that any number
Of them up to FIVE can be pulled stimuli
taneously and each and every one vii
StilN itS set al SlsilifS NAfktHS ttAttN T.
y. Each of the boxes in the business
section are on different circuits. TINS
doing away with the possibility of al
of them being out of commission sh"ult
q circuit be out Of order. 4 cable boz
is provided below each one of Tie pos
boxes, where all the caLles in the vi.
cinity are brought, and numerous
changes in the circuits can be made q
these places, eliminating the necesst'
" OF entering any manholes in case %
trouble. Each Of the post boxes vii
be equipped with a red light on the Top
The church strikers formerly in use
will be retained. Indicators haze beer
installed in each Of the hose houses
and mechanical tapers have been plac-
ed in several places where an alarm q
such Kind is needed.