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BETTER PROTECTION

19th March 1929, Page 62
19th March 1929
Page 62
Page 63
Page 62, 19th March 1929 — BETTER PROTECTION
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for

Firemen

A Powerful Fire-engine with Enclosed Body Built, by a Well-known French Concern.

SOME six years ago the French company of S.O.M.U.A., which is actually the industrial-vehicle department of the Schneider concern, produced a new type of fireengine for the Corps des Sapeurs Ponmiers. This was a first-aid engine designed specially for longdistance calls and it was provided

with a closed body for the protection of the men.

In bad weather, firemen travelling on an open engine sometimes arrive at their destination numbed with cold and in an unfit state to begin their dangerous work. The closed body has proved a great success with the French fire brigades and the S.O.M.U.A. concern has received many repeat orders for its original model, a fast and extremely powerful fire-fighting machine.

A new and improved model of the S.O.M.U.A. first-aid, closed-body engine has just been produced, and this is mounted on the latest S.O.M.U.A. 6-ton RE-type low load-line chassis. This particular model has already achieved success for fast passengertransport work ; it has a four u36 c-ylindered, monobloc engine, with a bore and stroke of 100 mm. and 150 mm. respectively ; superimposed valves are used, a valve disposition which has been a special characteristic of Schneider engines for many years past. Transmission arrangements comprise a • threedisc cluteh, four-speed gearbox, open propeller shaft and bevel drive to side shafts.

Secondary reduction is obtained in the final drive, which is by means of straight pinions and internally toothed rings on the road wheels, The rear axle, which is a single forging, is underslung, and exceedingly long, flat springs, shackled at the rear end only, are employed for suspension. Externally contracting band brakes are used and a transmission brake is fitted, in addition to .those operating upon the road wheels.

The fire pump is of the well known S.O.M.U.A. heavy-duty type, with six parallel cylinders. Under normal conditions the pump gives an output of 130,000 litres per hour, but i is capable, in an emergency, of delivering up to 150,000 litres per hour, if worked at the maximum pressure. The latter can be raised to the enormous figure of 16 kg. per square centimetre, a pressure which can be safely maintained for long periods when necessary: As the appliance is designed for first-aid work, a tank containing 400 litres of water is carried on the chassis and, in addition, two auxiliary chemical reservoirs are provided for foam-throwing.

The delivery of water or foam and vice versa can be quickly regulated by the movement of a single lever governing the outlet valves from the chemical reservoirs.

The new closed body is a particularly handsome and serviceable product. Comfortable seating accommodation is provided for 11 men,

including the driver. Hook ladders are carried on the roof and two hose reels (each carrying 200 metres of armoured hose, 35 ram. in diameter), are mounted at the rear.

The pump. is driven by a horizontal propeller shaft mounted

above the gearbox and operated by a clutch, the lever of which is actuated from the driver's seat.

At the rear of the pump a hinged door gives easy access to the cylin

ders and pistons. The vehicle is mounted on single pneumatics in fiont and twins at the rear,

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