IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Kissack Joshua Foster, of Horbury, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
EXTINGUISHING FIRE, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 12th February 1875, and dated the 1st September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Kissack Joshua
Foster at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st September 1874.
I, JOHN KISSACK JOSHUA FOSTER, of Horbury, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER
FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improved apparatus for extinguishing fire,
which apparatus is also capable of being employed for distributing water
for domestic, gardening, irrigating, and other purposes.

page_text: The apparatus comprises a pair of force pumps operated by manual
power, and which are each fitted in an air vessel standing in a tank,
which is kept filled with water from any convenient source. These air
vessels communicate by pipes rising from the lower part with other
vessels, the pipes being suitably arranged and controlled by cocks or
valves, so that the water may be passed through any one or more of the
said vessels, and in one or several of these vessels I place chemicals
capable of generating carbonic acid gas when mixed with water.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Water is pumped from the
tank into the air vessels (in which air has been previously forced until a
proper pressure is obtained), and the water rising in the chambers still
further compresses the air. The water is forced through pipes into the
receptacle or receptacles containing the chemicals above mentioned,
and coming into contact therewith carbonic acid is generated, and is
absorbed by the water which passes thence through a pipe into another
vessel, whence it is discharged through a suitable hose. A portion of the
water may pass directly to the last-mentioned vessel and a portion through
the chemical receptacle or receptacles. Thus the water may be charged.
with the gas to any extent desired, the water being completely under
control by means of cocks and valves, so that the passage through the
chemical receptacle may be cut off altogether and plain water only dis-
charged at pleasure, the chemical being held in reserve and remaining
ready for subsequent use when required.
The pipe leading from the chemical receptacle or receptacles is pro-
tected by a perforated guard to prevent it being choked by the chemicals,
and valves are provided on the pipes to prevent any backward flow of
the water.
-SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Kissack Joshua Foster in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st March 1875.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
sessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Kissack Joshua Foster,
Her special licence, that I, the said John Kissack Joshua Foster, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Kissack Joshua Foster, 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 Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE,
APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Kissack Joshua Foster,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Kissack Joshua Foster, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, referenco being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
My Invention relates to improved apparatus adapted for use both as
fire engine and garden engine, water impregnated by means of suitable
chemicals with carbonic acid gas being discharged for extinguishing fire,
or plain water for gardening, irrigating, and such like purposes, the
chemicals being in the latter case held in reserve for any length of time
and remaining fit for immediate use when required.
The apparatus comprises a pair of manual pumps, each fitted in a
vessel containing compressed air and standing in a movable tank filled
with water. These air vessels are connected by pipes rising from the

page_text: lower part with other vessels, one (or more) of which contains chemical
substances capable of generating carbonic acid gas when mixed with
water, such as carbonate of soda and tartaric acid in proper and well-
known proportions.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Water is pumped from the
tank into the air vessels, whence it is expelled either wholly through the
vessel containing the chemicals and then into another vessel, whence it
is discharged through a suitable hose, or a portion of the water may be
at the same time passed directly to the last-mentioned vessel, so that the
water may be charged with the gas to any extent desired, or the passage
through the chemical receptacle may be entirely cut off and plain water
only discharged, the pipes being fitted with cocks and valves, whereby
the
passage of the water is controlled as required.
The pipe leading from the chemical receptacle or receptacles is pro-
tected by a perforated guard to prevent its being choked by the chemicals,
and valves are provided on the pipes to prevent any backward flow of
the water.
Figure 1 represents an elevation (partly in section), and Figure 2 a
horizontal section of the apparatus of my Invention.
a is the water tank mounted on wheels in order that it may be readily
transported where required; b, b, are the two vessels or cylinders of sheet
metal constructed of sufficient strength to withstand a pressure of say
100 lbs. to the square inch; c is an air pump by which air is forced into
one of the vessels b; and d is a pipe connecting said vessels at the upper
part to equalize the pressure.
In each vessel is a force pump e, having a valve ƒ at bottom by which
water is admitted from the tank.
A portion of the pump barrel is perforated and covered with an india-
rubber jacket g, forming a valve to admit the water to the vessel b; his
another cylinder or vessel filled with chemicals, which are introduced
through an opening closed by a screw plug i; k is a similar cylinder, to
which the discharging hose is attached; is a pipe leading from the

page_text: desired extent with carbonic acid gas or plain water may be discharged,
and the chemicals kept dry for future use as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Kissack Joshua Foster, have
set my hand and seal to this my Specification, this Twenty-
seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand 5
eight hundred and seventy-five.