Page:Incandescent electric lighting- A practical description of the Edison system.djvu/83



In laying the mains along a street, suitable junction boxes for branch circuits are inserted in the line at points opposite the buildings in which lights are to be used, whence wires of a proper size to carry the current to be used are led into the buildings. Taking one of these branch circuits, or house "Services," for example, we lead it underground through a tube similar to those laid along the street until the wires enter the cellar or basement of the building. Here they are connected to a three-wire cut-out, and are then led to the meter. This cut-out is to provide against a larger amount of current than is necessary for the number of lamps to be used entering the house. The meter is also proportioned in size to the number of lamps employed. After passing through the meter, the wires are led to