Fire-Brigade Matters.
Page 7
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One of the greatest points in favour of the self-propelled fire engine is its superior control in traffic. Pedestrians are much less terrorised by it than by any horse-drawn type.
A Steam-driven Second-service Car for Liverpool.
Liverpool Fire Brigade will shortly take delivery of a three-ton rubbertired Sentinel steam second-service chassis, fitted with a " Kermode " paraffin-fuel burner. The superstructure will be constructed in the shops of the Liverpool Brigade. This decision to make room for another steam vehicle, in the ease of a brigade which has several petrol fire-engines, is of a distinctly-interesting character.
Merton Will Order.
Merton (Surrey) Urban District Council decided, at its last meeting, to purchase a motor fire-engine at an estimated cost, with necessary gear, of £921. The superintendent put forward figures showing that although a horsed engine would only involve about half the initial cost, there would, in five years, be an approximate saving of £1,190 on the motor engine, due to the small annual cost of maintenance.
At Keighley.
The Keighley Corporation's Argyll tender, about the delivery of which we had something to say in our issue of the 15th ult., subsequently underwent a formal christening ceremony at the hands of the Mayoress (Mrs. J. Wharton). The machine was christened the " Best," as a compliment to the Chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee, Alderman J Best. Mr. J. S. Matthew, the managing director of Argylls, Ltd. who attended the function, presented a couple of silver muffineers to the Mayoress as a souvenir of the occasion.
Interesting Trials with a Daimler Marienfelde Chassis and Turbinepump at Frankfort.
Our Berlin correspondent writes :— " Some interesting and instructive trials were recently made, by the Frankfort Fire Brigade, with a Dannler-Marienfelde chassis and a turbine pump specially constructed for highpressure work by Messrs. C. Schiele and Co. Commander Srhaenker himself, who appears to have devised the combination, superintended operations.
'The chassis presents the familiar features of the Milnes-Daimler 30-cwt. type with gear drive, and possesses a four-cylinder engine developing 42 h.p. The centrifugal pump, driven from the upper gearshaft by means of gearing and a jaw clutch, is mounted on the frame immediately behind the driver's seat. This gearing is dust-proof, and works in an oil-bath.
"The pump can deliver over 400 gallons per minute at a height of some 197 ft. With the object of securing immediate action, or a sure and easy suction, the vehicle has been equipped with a 70-gallon priming tank. As the pump's connections lie below the lowest point of the tank, it can suck the tank dry, and, with the tanksupply, the pump throws, for eight minutes, a jet of over IT in. to a height of 40-50 ft. It may be pointed out that the pump can suck from a supply at a depth of 26 ft.
"With as many as two jets, the pressure-height reached 164 ft. Experiments with hydrants gave the following excellent results : at a pressure of 5 atmospheres, two threequarter-inch jets to a height of 116 ft.; jet of 1-'4. in., to a pressure-height of 66 ft. ; eight jets of onequarter-inch, to a height of 8.5 ft. The petrol tank holds enough spirit f o r eight hours' working. As the vehicle combines the characteristics of steam-pump, gas-engine and tender, the motor set need not consist of more than two vehicles, the escape constituting t he second."
[This engine seems to posseRs the good points of the Dennis system with C wynne tnrhine.—En.] Willesden's Requirements.
At the meeting of the Willesden District Council on the 27th July, it was reported, in reference to tenders received for a petrol motor fire-engine, that Dennis Bros., Ltd., is to be requested by the Fire Brigade Committee to submit amended prices for a machine, which was inspected by the sub-committee at Guildford, subject to the addition of a satisfactory fire escape, and other detailed alterations. The consideration of the amended tender is deferred for the inspection.
Delahaye and Co.
Mr. A. A. Campbell-Swinton, Chairman of Delahaye and Co., Ltd., had a goad report to lay before the shareholders at the third ordinary general meeting. The turnover for the year was £196,440, arid the net profit £18,478. After paying a. dividend at the rate of 7 per cent. on the preferred ordinary shares, the balance enabled a dividend at the rate of 61 per cent. to be paid on the ordinary shares, and £2,503 to be carried forward. A large trade is being done in Delahaye cabs, fire-engines (see page 448) and other commercial vehicles, particularly in America and the Continent.