A New Foam Fire-fighter
Page 60
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Compact Merryweather Apparatus Capable of Throwing 1,000 Gallons of Foam from One Gallon of Solution by Utilization of Exhaust Gases from Engine
ESIGNATED the Xaust-suds port able generator, a new fire-fighting appliance has just been introduced by Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., Greenwich Road, London, S.E.I0, and 63, Long Acre, W.C.2. The apparatus can be used either to work direct from a hydrant, when sufficient pressure is available, or for use with a fire pump.
It comprises a tank, containing a liquid-foaming agent, a small pump driven by an electric motor, designed to take current from an ordinary automobile starting and lighting accumulator, a mixing device and control valves. The whole is mounted on a small base plate, provided with convenient carrying handles and suitable for attachment on the rear footboard of a fire-engine.
There is a hose coupling on the waterinlet connection, seen in the accompanying illustration beside the handoperated valve, and a length of metallic tubing is provided for connecting up to the exhaust pipe from the power unit of the vehicle, whilst for attachment to the discharge orifice, a length of canvas fire hose with branch pipe and nozzle, etc., is included in theequipmeet.
Mixing of the water and exhaust gas is effected by a ventnri device, whilst the foaming fluid is injected into the system at a low rate by the electric pump. From the mixer, foam flows under the initial water pressure along the pipe line. The maker stipulates B46 that there should be not less than 50 ft. of hose on the delivery side, but states that there is no limit, under several hundreds of feet, to the maximum length that can be successfully used.
Foam from the Xaust-suds generator is claimed to possess the unique featvire of flowing with remarkably little friction through the hose. It has very line and close bubbles of inert gas, which last an abnormally long time and assist easy flow for quick covering. Variations in the density of the foam can be effected by altering the speed of the motor, for which purpose a resistance is provided.
It is stated that this apparatus shows a 90-per-cent. saving in cost of working on a powder generator, and that the equivalent quantity of solution occupies only one-fortieth of the space needed when powder is employed.
Its output is claimed to be 1,000 gal Ions of foam per gallon of solution, whilst, throwing a powerful Win. jet, one gallon is said to last five minutes. That is to say, five gallons of solution will be converted into foam, delivered for 25 minutes, at the rate of 200 gallons per minute.
The complete apparatus costs £100, and the price of the foam solution is 23 per two-gallon can.
A successful demonstration of the appliance was given at the concern's Greenwich factory last Wednesday before a number of fire officers from vari. ous brigades throughout the country,