British Fire-engines for New Zealand.
Page 53
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IN our issue dated April 13th of last year we had an opportunity for publishing details of a Halley-Simonis firstlaid fire-tender which had been built for the Auckland (New "Zealand) Fire Board. We now learn that this machine has proved very suceessful 'in service, and that similar appliances have recently been • built to the orders of, other New Zealand Fire Brigade Boards, including those. at Onehunga and .Mount Albert. • The machine to which we have referred is the product of the joint activities of Halley Motors, Ltd., Yoker, Glasgow, and, Simonis, Ltd., of Willesden Lane, London, N. W.10, and these makers have just shipped another Areengine to the Auckland Fire Board, this being shown in the accompanying illustration.
The same type of chassis is used as in the earlier model, but instead of the first-aid pump the appliance is fitted with a patent self-priming turbine pump of novel design, which is capable of delivering 300-350 gallons of water per minute. This pump creates a vacuum . automatically without the aid of any subsidiary device or mechanism. This is achieved by a positive anti-chamber or priming stage being embodied in the pump. So soon as the pump is put into gear, this priming_ stage acts as a wetair pump of the fluid-ring type, thus automatically causing the necessary vacuum in the suction hese to lift the water from any reasonable depth.
It is claimed that this construction constitutes a distinct progress in the de.,sign of turbine pumps for fire-engines, inasmuch as it eliminates the need for auxiliary priming or air pumps which, apart from taking up extra space, may be the source of certain troubles and complications. ' The general equipment of the latest
appliance follows the lines of those previously supplied, but in order to ensure that the machine gives warning of its presence a new type of electric siren has been fitted in,stead of the usual hell, thus enabling the constantly increasing street noises to be penetrated. The machine is fitted with a six-cylindered engine and runs on pneumatic tyres, and the mechanical air pump. with which-it is fitted can be used for tyre inflation or smoke helmets.