Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-24
SUN ACTS AS LAMP.
Lights Lonely, Beaoons at Dusk and
Extineuishes at Dawn.

Although the sun is not mentioned
in the list of 5,5S2 employees of the
United States Lighthouse Board there
is no keeper of n light more faithful
and unfailing. The sun, within the
last few years, has become Uncle
Sans chief lamplighter for the lonely
heacoEa along the tens of thousands
of miles of coast and inland waterways
of this country. 1t kiudles them at
dusk and extinguishes them at dawn.
The beacons that are attended by
the sun are usually in remote places.
Some If them ;tre along Alaskan rivers
close 10 the edge of the Arctic Circles.
During the brief summer of the Far
North they show the way To the boats
passing up and down and IN winter
they guide the travellers on dog
sledges over the frozen surface. Others
are in tropic seas. For months at Il
time no human hand touches them, yet
they burn through the dark and go out
with the dawn with unfailing regular
ity. These sun beacons are one of the
latest achievements of the lighthouse
serNic
There are a number of these self
lightning beacohs near the entrance of
New York harbor and along the Sound
Many travellers ON tile steamers up
and down the hay. the harbor or the
Narrows have wondered how these
lamps are lighted. One moment the eye
can discern nothing but dark and lone
ly buoys tossing on the water. The
next moment il light is shining from
each, winking, or with a steady flame.
Yet there is no boatsman in sight
The popular idea has been that these
were electric lights and the current
was turned on and off from some point
ashore. This, however, is not the case.
The disappearing sun has lit them and
in the morning it will put them. out.
This wonder has a very simple ex-
PLANTATION. 1t is based on q scientific
principle that has been known for hun
dreds of years, but which has been
adapted to the use of the lighthouse
service only recently. Ii YOU will look
closely at one of these channel light
buoys by daylight, you will see that
the tops of one or two big cylinders
project up a little way from the float
ing part of the buoy and that a small
iron pipe runs to the lantern at the
top. The cylinders contain acetylene
gas, stored under pressure. Only d
very close inspection will disclose the
sun valve which is the heart of the Sc
cret.
Every one knows that heat expands
and cold contracts metals. Sunlight
ON dark surfaces is converted into
heat. The sun valve is in d glass jar
inside the lantern. This is about Il
inches high and inches in diameter.
nd III.
centre IS a thick black rod held in
place by three slender polished rods.
The central rod is of copper thickly
coated with lampblack, so that it will
absorb light and heat in the highest
possible degree. The smaller rods are
also of copper, but polished so that
they will not absorb light. They dc
not expand or contract under the rays
of the sun, but the black coated rod
does.
With the light and heat of the morn
ing it lengthens enough to push itself
down and touch the end of lever
which, controlled by u spring cuts off
the flow OF gas from the storage cham
Der below the lamp. When the sun goes
down in the afternoon and the tenn
perature falls the rod contracts. The
pressure is taken off the lever and the
gas flows upward to the lamp. Inside
the lamp there is q little pilot flame
that never goes out. This flame lights
the gas when it flows upward into the
lantern.
The lighthouse people say that this
sun valve has been in use for several
years and has been subjected to the
most severe tests without ever failing.
The black copper rod varies in length
and thickness according to the climate
in Which the self-lighting buoy is to
be used. Therefore they say it is
adaptable to any climate on the globe.
A number CT these lights are in opera
ton and others along the coasts OF is
lands in the Pacific well down under
the equator.
The storage chambers for gas can be
made large enough TO contain a supply
for a single burner for as long as three
years but the usual period that clap
Sos between visits of the lighthouse
tenders is six months. As a general
thing a light buoy is overhauled and
painted twice year. Some Of the self
lighting buoys around New York har-
Dor are what is known as occulating
lights. They fash at certain intervals
This is accomplished by means of IL
clockwork device. Others burn steadily.
Some of these self-lighting buoys are
are of minor Importance, although nee