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a direct current generator which gen- erates at 500 volts and the four are fed into a common bus from which the 2700 horsepower motor takes its supply. The motor weighs 40 tons and its frame is 11% feet in diameter and the shaft 12 feet in length. The suc- tion pump which it drives is used mostly in the cutting down of sand bars in the Columbia river which has obstructed steamship traffic greatly in the past. Power Generating Plant in Lighthouse The small light and power plant was originally designed and constructed to supply light to farm houses, barns and yards and supply power to operate the various small farm machines. Since its inception for use in supplying light and power to the farm, it has branched out, so that now its applications are numerous and various. The most recent innovation in the field of the small power plant is one that is extremely important and yet is novel and unique. At most of the dangerous points in the various navi- gable waters of the United States, the government has installed a safe and LIGHTHOUSE AT BUFFALO, N. Y. accurate plan for determining the location of ships which pass by the various lighthouses. This is accom- plished by means of radio fog sig- nals, which are operated by electrical energy, supplied by light and power plants, manufactured by the Westing- house Electric & Mfg. Co. In order to insure against failure of these fog signals and consequently against serious shipwrecks which might result from such failures, it is essential that the power plants be rugged and sturdy and that they can operate under the most adverse con- ditions. For this reason the type chosen has a three-horsepower, four- cycle, single-cylinder, valve-in-head, 40 air-cooled engine, with a rating of 1% kilowatts and 110 volts. It oper- ates at 1200 revolutions per minute on kerosene or natural gas, and has a six-gallon fuel tank in the engine base. The control box is bolted to a gen- erator frame with all live parts en- closed to protect the operator. The battery equipment in the plant con- sisted of 56 cells. The lighthouse keeper merely has to press a switch to start the plant in operation. These light and power plants are now being installed at such points as the - Galveston jetty, at Galveston, Texas, San Francisco harbor, Detroit river lighthouse, Mich., Cape Spencer light house, Alaska, Buffalo lighthouse, N. Y., and others making up a total of 46 in all. Electric Drive Capstan for River Boats The accompanying illustration shows an application of modern speed reduction methods in securing the de- sired speed on the capstan of a. Mis- sissippi river boat. This outfit was developed by the Laclede Iron Works, NN wai UF bead ALELE et r ‘piety i ’ kiimaumniinn x ' agitators St. Louis, and is known as the La- clede Iron Works patented capstan, used for raising and lowering the anchor or lightening up on guy ropes. A wide range ot speed on _ the capstan and positive control by the operator are features which make it a valuable piece of equipment in the handling of vessel which operate on rivers or small bodies of water where frequent stops are necessary. The motive power is supplied by an electric motor of standard design, direct connected through a flexible coupling to the high speed shaft of a vertical worm gear speed reducer, manufactured by Foote Bros. Gear & Machine Co. The reducer is of the standard de- sign recently developed by this com- pany and largely used for drives of and mixers and_ stirring equipment. Ball thrust bearings are provided at either end to absorb the end thrust and the worm gear is of English worm gear bronze also pro- vided with ball thrust bearings to take up upward and downward thrusts. The worm gear is rigidly keyed to ELECTRIC DRIVE FOR CAPSTAN WITH PATENTED GEAR SPEED RE- DUCER MAKING CONTROL FLEXIBLE AT WILL FROM SLOW TO HIGH SPEED—CAPSTAN OF THE TYPE SHOWN HAS BEEN SUC- CESSFUULY APPLIED TO MISSISSIPPI RIVER BOATS MARINE REVIEw—August, 1927 Se PaO ay oe ae