Berlin' s Motor Fire Engines.
Page 20
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Our first illustration on this page shows a fire engine of somewhat unusual appearance. If the hose-reel and ladder were removed, the vehicle might easily be mistaken for a heavy touring car, driven by a petrol engine. As a matter of fact, it is propelled by a steam engine, the tubular boiler for which is situated under the bonnet : the boiler is fired by means of a paraffin burner to which the oil is forced under air pressure by an engine-driven air-pump. The three cylinder engine is fitted with a valve-gear which gives large range of expansion ; the valve rod of this drives one the two boiler feed-pumps, and the above mentioned pump. An exhaust-steam, feed-water heater is fitted, ai there is an arrangement by means of which the water tai may be refilled from the main suction-hose while the fir pump is at work. The vehicle is driven by gearing to t reinforced back-axle, and, when the fire-pump is at work, t engine is disconnected from the back-axle by a simple rangement, operated from the driver's seat. The fire-pun is capable of delivering about 112 gallons per minute. The is seating accommodation for to men and the driver, al the 25h.p. engine is sufficiently powerful to drive the yehic along with full load at a speed of 22 miles an hour.
Our illustration on page 450 shows an electrically-propell fire engine which is also in use in Berlin. It is chiefly i tended for first-aid operations, and it carries two, tubul water tanks under the seats : carbonic acid gas supplies t pressure necessary for forcing out. the water. The 12h. motor is situated directly under the driver's footboard and quite accessible. The current is derived from an 8o-cell batte having a capacity of 195 ampere-hours : the bulk of the ce are placed under the bonnet, whilst the remainder are und the driver's seat. A speed of 21 miles an hour can be ; tamed, and the battery charge is sufficient for workii within a radius of 42 miles.
Both the machines have been built by the Wagon-ui Maschenenfabrik, vormais Busch, Bantzen,