Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-16
From the n. Y. Tribune.
Lee and Larned,s Steam Fire Engine.

Lee and Larned's Steam Fire Engine.
new steam fire engine differing in almost
every point from all Others within our knowl
edge, has been lately constructed in this CITY
and made the subject of several exhibitions in
the Park, the Last -ries of which have appeared
perfectly successful, exhibiting finely the
greatest valuable quality of such an apparatus.
its untiring perseverance.
As originally constructed, the steam could
not Be kept up to the proper point, but rapid
ly declined whenever the full power was ap-
Pile !, so thar its performance reseinbled that
Of the usual man power machines requiring in
tervals of rest.
This difficulty has now been overcome by
fixing CRATE in the furnace, an addition not
previously supposed necessary with wood fuel,
and it i. now able without any artificial draugh
TO gen ste steam a. fast as it is consumed
while throwing to a great height steady
stream thr ugh one and a quarter inch noz-
zle ior half day at a time.
Messrs. wellington Lee and J. G. z. Larned
Of this city are the inventors of this combine
ton, the whole of which weighed, before the
CRATE was added, but $500 pounds, and is de-
signed to be easily and rapidly hauled in any
ordinary condition Of the streets by two hor-
ses, without assistance from the iremen.
The boiler is of course the most important
element in the combination. This is the in
vention of Mr.. Lsrncd alone, and consists al
most entirely Of tubes through and around
which the fame is carried in such a manner
a. 20 generate steam in the most rapid manner
possible 1t is common to employ tubes to Il
great extent in steam boilers, the same SER
wing in come ms ances, as in the common To-
ccmotive, 10 carry the flames through the wa
ter, and in Others, as in some ocean steam
II. IL, a..
Either plan presents the great heating surface
and when as in the barrel of locomotive boi-
Ter, the space is nearly filed with tubes and
the quantity of water is consequently small
steam is generated very quickly and supplied
very efficiently There is an additional adyan
tage, however, growing out of the use of tubes
IN the other torm--contaning the water in
side; this is the diminished danger in case of
explosion.
The rupture of a small tube is of little mo-
ment so far As danger to the surroundings is
concerned, and it is for this reason that Mr..
Fisher, the great modern advocate of steam
carriages, makes his boiler mere cage of tubes
with the fire in the incosed space The boiler
now under notice is a compound of both. A
wall ofupright tubes, tightly packed together
surrounds the fire, while above the furnace
the fame acts on both the inside and outside
of a double tube. By double tube is meant,
in this case, large tube iuclosng a small one;
the annular space between being filed with
water, and the whole being provided with
every facility for rapid circula ion by receiving
water freely aterally, and from below A
strong water bottom, literally punctured with
short tubes to supply air to the fire. and large
chamber above to separate and dry the steam
completes the description Of this boiler, proba-
bly, the most powerfully efficient, for its size
and weight in the world.
Economy OF fuel, the great point aimed at
in most steam apparatus, has been entirely set
aride in this construction, and although from
its arrangement the amount consumed is not
probably excessive, the whole end and aim is
attained in boiler light, strong, and durable,
which will generate dry steam AT high press
ure with great Iapidity. The time eapsing
between the lighting Of the fire and the start
ing Of vigorous steam has varied from ten to
twelve minutes, So that steam would probably
be raised while the machine was being hauled
q mile.
A steam tre-engine must embrace three dis
tinct parts, the boiler, the engine or engines
aud the pump or pumps. The machine I'M
der notice employs two OF Reeds pa ent, os-
Cllstiug engines, Of the simplest forms known
both connected at right angles to the same
era K. The shaft requires 10 balance - heel,
but is keyed directly to large aud strong 70
tary pump, Cary's patent, the OF which is -
force q continuous stream Of water through
the hose without racking the machine or ex-
hbting violent action of any kind. With
dry pine fuel, little smoke or other annoyance
is experienced, adj as a means of subduing
Extensive fires, or al! such as cause a signal OF
general alarm the steam machine may DO con
sdered a. having 10 great extent established
Il reputation.