IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM FIRE ENGINE LOCOMOTIVES.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM FIRE ENGINE LOCOMOTIVES.-A communication
from William Knaust, Manufacturer, residing at Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria.
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 3rd May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd May 1875.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency,
of Frankfort-on-the-Main, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM FIRE ENGINE LOCOMOTIVES," a com-
munication, to be as follows:―
This Invention relates to a movable transportable motor combined in
such a manner with one or several pumps that the former can also be
used as motor for other machines.

page_text: The steam fire locomotive consists of a steam generator, the motor,
the pump, with all the accessories peculiar to a fire engine, and the
frame. The steam generator is of Field's system. Peculiar to the
boiler is a conical steam jacket provided with openings. The steam
before entering the cylinder must pass through the openings, whereby
the steam mixed with water separates and becomes dry. The boiler is
provided with an ash box widening towards the front and being there
open. This arrangement offers the possibility to take advantage of the
speed of the engine, when running to a place of fire, to increase the
draft. The bottom of the box can be removed so that when the engine
arrives at the place of its destination, the ashes may be allowed to fall
on the floor; at the same time there exists no danger that glowing ash
will be lost during the ride. There is a feed valve which, together with
blow-off and stop-cock gauge, tap shutting valve, and chain, I place in
one box. The stop-cock is to shut off the boiler, on the one hand, when
the automatic feed valve should get loose, thus allowing it to be cleaned
and tightened without the necessity of blowing off the boiler and inter-
rupting the working, which is necessary when the cock is leaking; on
the other hand this massive cock is perforated only in one direction, and
straightly, so that the blow-off way may be cleaned easily, and as the
feeding takes place through the blowing-off aperture, the latter will
always remain open.
The feed generally takes place by means of the feed pump, but it may
also be carried out by means of a hand pump or injector. The feed
pump either sucks through a pipe of the pressure box of the principal
pump, or through a thread nozzle and hose of same vessel or reservoir.
A stop-cock, by means of which the communication of the space above
and beneath the suction valve can be established and interrupted,
permits the regulation of the amount of water conveyed to the boiler
in such a manner that the same level is retained in it.
The axis of the middle part of the crank shaft is eccentric to the axis
of the pivot. This middle part forms the crank shaft to move the feed
pump plunger as well as the slide valve; exccentrics are thus completely
obviated. The axis of the steam cylinder and of the pump cylinder
form a straight line inclined towards the horizon.
The steam piston transfers the pressure on the two connecting rods by
means of the piston rod provided with a traverse, the former setting ou

page_text: their part the crank shaft in rotation. Attached to this shaft is the fly
wheel pulley by which, on disengaging the pump, the force is trans-
mitted to the working machine to be driven.
'
The coupling of the motor with the pump is accomplished by a screw
in the pump piston provided with a traverse.
The principal pump is double-acting, its valves are not only accessible,
but can also be removed with facility on loosening a female screw.
The general arrangement of the valves is such, that the water
entering the suction channel is conveyed in the shortest way to the
pressure pipe. Each of the four valves consists of two bronze plates
and a caoutchouc body, of which the faces towards the valve seat are
interrupted. The valves are provided with springs, the tension of which
assumes the function of the gravity of the mass without possessing any
vis inertia.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of
Frankfort-on-the-Main, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
cighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frank Wirth, Her special licence
that I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel

page_text: .
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
FIRE ENGINE LOCOMOTIVES," a communication from William Knaust,
Manufacturer, a person resident at Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frank Wirth,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frank Wirth, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification :—
This Invention consists of a moveable transportable motor combined
in such a manner with one or several pumps that the former can also
be used as motor for other machines.
The steam fire locomotive consists of a steam generator, the motor,
the pump, with all the accessories peculiar to a fire engine, and the
frame. The steam generator is of Field's system. Peculiar to the
boiler is the conical stream jacket B provided with openings C, C.
The steam before entering the cylinder must pass through the
openings C, C, whereby the steam mixed with water separates and
becomes dry; besides, the boiler is provided with an ash box D,
widening towards the front and being there open. This arrangement
offers the possibility to take advantage of the speed of the engine, when
running to a place on fire, to increase the draught. The bottom of the
box can be removed so that when the engine arrives at the place of its
destination the ash may be allowed to fall on the floor; at the same.
time there exists no danger that glowing ash be lost during the ride.
E is the feed valve which, together with blow-off and stop-cock F,
gauge tap G, shutting valve, and chain, is in one box. Stop-cock Fis
for the purpose to shut off the boiler on the one hand, when the auto-
matic feed valve E should get air-tight, thus enabling to clean and
tighten it without the necessity of blowing-off the boiler and to
interrupt the working, which is necessary when the cock is leaking;

page_text: The suction chamber is in combination with the suction channel by
means of two angular pipes, which branch off at B³, situated between
the two suction valves.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood that
I claim,-
First. The combination of a moveable motor locomotive fire engine
with one or several pumps in such a manner that it can also be used as
motor for other machines.
Second. a. The conical casing B with openings C, C, working as
water separation. b. The disposition of an ash box D increasing the
draught. c. The contraction of the blowing-off cock and the stop-cock
separating the feed valve from the boiler in one. single stop-cock F with
one single and straight perforation. d. The manner in which the work
absorbing excentrics are obviated by the middle part N of the crank
shaft. c. The coupling of the pump with the motor by means of the
slightly conical end T, of the pump piston rod U, and the screw V.
The end T increases in size. f. The valve construction with the
caoutchouc body A³, of which the faces towards the valve seat are inter-
rupted. 9. The communication of the suction air chamber with suction
channel at the place B' situated between two suction valves.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.