The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
NEW AERIAL FIRE LADDER.
Pittsburg Using q Pneumatic One which
Is Engine and Water Tower. Too.

One of the most remarkable pieces OF
fire apparatus yet devised has just been
put In Use in Pittsburg. 1t ia the invention
Of n Prussian officer Of artillery and IL il
| expected to solve q whole lot Of the worst
problems yet encountered in fighting fires
IN tall buildings. It's inventor says that
In such n disaster IA tho Windsor Hotel
fire It would be tho means Of saving scores
Of lives.
II ia a telescope ladder operated nv
! compressed air, and II is a water tower
and n chemical fire engine at the same
time. 1t was designed primarily 10 obviate
the difficulty which would liza experienced
by women especially Of having TO descend
or I've carried down a shaky swinging ladder
Of the old type, already swaying under the
weight az other persons. The other fes-
| lures were afterthoughts, hut are considered
equally valuable.
The whole machine weighs 1000 pounds.
but il Is rubber tired and has roller bear
ings. 50 that two horses can draw il easily.
In il l. the usual assorted fire apparatus,
but about the centre OF the truck is a tank
containing air under a pressure of 500
pounds 10 the square inch. Ii Is this pres
sure which lifts the ladder.
The ladder itself is in four sections, each
mounted on the side Of a heavy steel tube.
The tubes telescope into each other, fitting
80 closely that no air is allowed 10 escape.
Alongside and forward Of the main tank
Is a smaller one containing air under 100
pounds pressure, This is used to swing
the ladder from one side Of the street to
the other, or from left to right and vice
versa, so that buildings on all sides can be
reached. II II because OF this swinging
that the weight Of the truck has to loo so
greatly Increased.
The whole tank r~evolves when Il Is neces-
sary TO swing the ladder from side 10 side
The apparatus In strong enough to carry a
dozen men. The PIttsburg machine reaches
the sixth story, but the principle can be
extended within limits.
BY means Of the ladder one, two or three
| men can be lifted into the air and each can
be nut al will into any story within reach
OF the machine. When ii is desired to res
cue q person from an upper window the lad
der is shot into the air as far "a IL needed,
the person steps out on 10 the top round,
the tubes telescope gradually but quickly,
and the person is LANDED safely on the
ground.
There IL no climbing or descending a
ladder. The rescued one simply holds OF
and the compressed air does the rest.
As to the water tower part Of the machine:
Just behind the drivers seat is "a nozzle
and short. strong line Of hose. Tn fireman
can take tie nozzle up with him. engines
can conncCt their hose with the lower end.
and there is a water tower in service. Be
sides this, under the drivers sent Ii "a chem
ical ank of 100 gallons capacity, and tho
contents OF this can be played on the fire
the moment the truck reaches Il.
Pi'rsburg has not yet tested the machine
In a big blaze. when there were many lives
10 be saved. but the firenen who handle IL
are sure that it will surprise those accus-
toned to the old apparatus when tried in an
CmeTg anCy.