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Lloyd and Plaister's Chemical Fire Engine.

2nd January 1908
Page 3
Page 3, 2nd January 1908 — Lloyd and Plaister's Chemical Fire Engine.
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The addition of a chemical fire engine to the equipment. of a fire station is, without doubt, a valuable one. The majority of large fires start from small causes, and rapidly increase until, upon the arrival of Lhe ordinary lire engine, they have gained such proportions that the dimculty ot sub, doing the flames is very greatly increased. The self-propelled chemical engine is relatively light in weight, and can travel at high speeds with safety, the consequence being that, in many cases, it can be at the required point with very little loss of time, and can discharge a stream. of liquid upon the flames before they have gained large proportions. Thui, again, the chief officer can and a seat upon the vehicle, and thus be on the spot in time to formulate his plans, should the conflagration threaten to become a large one. "The vehicle which we illustrate has been built to the order of the Municipality of Alexandria, by Messrs. Lloyd and Haister, of Station Road, Wood Green, London, N. The design is a special one which has been got out with a view to the character of the roads, and the climate of the district within which the engine will have to work. The weight complete, and including two 4-foot, folding, Pornpier ladders, is 35 cwt. The driver's seat is roomy and holds two with ease, whilst the platform, projecting from the back of the chassis, will also accommodate two passengers. Each of the two cylindrical, chemical tanks shown above the back wheels has a capacity of twenty-five gallons, and after completion has to undergo a hydraulic test of 300 lb. on the sq. inch—double the normal working pressure. One tank only is discharged at one time, and when this is empty a cock is opened, thereby allowing the contents of the second to be directed on the flames. This is a useful point, because it allows either of the tanks to be replenished while the other is in operation. The acid bottle, which is a leaden one, fits into a casing that forms an integral part of the manhole situated at the top_of each drum, just beneath the pressure gauge. The under side of the manhole forms the bottom of the bottle casing, so that the working position of the latter is an inverted one. To fill the bottle, the whole fitting is removed, then turned upside down. The bottle is filled with sulphuric acid, after which the mouth is closed by a hinged lid having a spring capThe fitting is then put back into position. Means for opening the bottle when required are supplied by levers—one for each drum—connected to shafts, which carry fingers. at their inner ends. By swinging the lever over, the finger pulls away the spring catch upon the lid of the a.7.id bottle, and so releas-L:s the lid. Should the lid not open when the catch is released, a second finger, of a different form, is attached to the same shaft, so that, by throwing the lever full over, the lid itself is forcibly dropped. The hose reel, which can be seen beneath the rearward tank, is of the automatic-delivery pattern ; that is to say, the liquid from the tanks passes down a tube, which lorms one of the journals upon which the reel revolves: the second journal is solid. The water thus passes into the interior of the reel upon which the hose is wound, the inner end of the hose being coupled up to a short pipe opening to the interior of the reel. This pattern is fitted because it enables just as much hose as is required at the time to be unwound, but allows the full length of iSo feet to be uncoiled gradually, while. the hose is discharging. The chassis, which has been designed throughout for the particular work in view, is constructed of material supplied by Jessop's, of Sheffield, and the engine and gear-box are carried upon a sub-frame that is connected at its forward ends to transverse frame members. The motor is of 16h.p.

and it has cylinders inches in diameter, by 4.1 inches piston stroke. A Simms-Bosch, high-tension magneto is lifted, in addition to a battery and coil, and both systems are connected up together and can be controlled from a single lever, working upon a sector upon the steering wheel. The radiator has a larger capacity than those fitted to engines of this power. The disc clutch is identical in design to those which Messrs. Lloyd and Plaister have fitted to cars of their make for the last nine years. The clutch proper is fitted with twelve hardened-steel plates, each of which is inch in thickness, and ground true after hardening. The-gear-box has three speeds forward, operated by a lever working in a " gate," and the shafts are fitted with ball bearings. The gear teeth have a common width of It inch, and the wheels themselves are extra solid. The final drive is by side chains; the small chain sprockets have 12 teeth, whilst the larger ones are cut with 36 teeth. Both brakes act. upon drums on the driving wheels. The foot brake is of the internal-expanding type, and has phosphor-bronze, friction surfaces ; it is also compensated. The hand brake is of the band type, and the working surfaces are lined

with vulcanised fibre. The whole of the transmission system, from the engine to the back wheels, is well designed and ought to give entire satisfaction to the purchasers.

The suspension of the chassis has been well thought out. The front springs are semi-elliptic, with a length of 3 feet, whilst those on the back axle are three-quarter elliptic and have a length of 4 feet. The result is that the firemen, who stand on the small back platform, can travel with a minimum of vibration. Back and front wheels have a diameter of 34 inches and are shod with De Nevers solid tires.

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Locations: Sheffield, Alexandria, London

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