IMPROVE- MENTS IN FIRE ENGINES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tomlinson, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Police Constable, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE ENGINES."
Sealed the 15th March 1861, and dated the 22nd September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tomlinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
September 1860.
I, JOHN TOMLINSON, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Police Constable, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to a peculiar adaptation and combination of parts
in the construction of a fire engine, by which great power may be obtained for
the discharge of water with facility for operation. There are three pumps,
each double-acting, and they are formed or held in one casting. The piston
rods pass through hydraulic packings, and are worked by a crank shaft, the
cranks of which are set to operate at different times of their strokes better to
distribute the power applied. This crank shaft is supported across the under
side of the engine, with one end projecting on each side thereof, where it is
provided with crank arms, each of which is connected to a horizontal rod,

page_text: having a series of arms forming handles for the operators to hold by. These
horizontal rods are controlled to move horizontally one on each side of the
engine, whilst the action upon them is rotary by their being connected also to
other crank arms. The arm on the crank axis to the horizontal rod on one
side is set at an angle to that on the other, better to distribute the power applied
and exerted. The adaptations are also applicable for working by the aid of
steam power. The inlet valves to the pumps open from reservoirs, one to
each pump, and each pump is capable of being supplied by a separate supply
pipe, whilst the six outlet valves open into a reservoir or valve chamber con-
municating with the air vessel, and with four or other number of discharge
passages, either or all of which may be used for jets. By these means
pulsation in the discharge of water is avoided.
engine is provided with a reel or reels for hose.
The upper portion of the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Tomlinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TOMLINSON, of the Town and County of the, Town of Nottingham, Police
Constable, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Tomlinson, Her special licence that I, the said John Tomlinson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Tomlinson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Tomlinson, 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

page_text: 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 John Tomlinson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
The improvements relate to a peculiar adaptation and combination of parts
in the construction of a fire engine by which great power may be obtained for
the discharge of water, with facility for operation. There are three pumps,
each double-acting, and they are formed or held in one casting. The piston
rods pass through hydraulic packings, and are worked by a crank shaft,
the cranks of which are set to operate at different times of their strokes better
to distribute the power applied. This crank shaft is supported across the
under side of the engine, with one end projecting on each side thereof,
where it is provided with crank arms, each of which is connected to a hori-
zontal rod, having a series of arms forming handles for the operators to hold
by. These horizontal rods are controlled to move horizontally one on each
side of the engine, whilst the action upon them is rotary, by their being con-
nected also to other crank arms. The arm on the crank axis to the hori-
zontal rod on one side is set at an angle to that on the other better to distribute
the power applied and exerted. The adaptations are also applicable for
working by the aid of steam power. The inlet valves to the pumps open from
reservoirs, one to each pump, and each pump is capable of being supplied by a
separate supply pipe, whilst the six outlet valves open into a reservoir or valve
chamber communicating with the air vessel and with four or other number of
discharge passages, either or all of which may be used for jets. By these
means pulsation in the discharge of water is avoided. The upper portion of
the engine is provided with a reel or reels for hose.
But that the nature of my improvements may be more fully understood, I
will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawing, to describe the means
pursued by me in carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews an external side view, and Figure 2 a back end view, of
a fire engine, with parts combined according to my Invention; Figure 3 is a
longitudinal section, and Figure 4 a transverse section of the same; Figure 5
shews some of the parts on a larger scale.
15
kamm in adanted to be drawn by horse.

page_text: at its
other animals, and to be drawn on ordinary roads by running on the supporting
wheels a, a, and to be worked by hand, but it will be readily understood that
steam or other power may be applied as a means of draught or propulsion, or
as a means of obtaining the power required for working; b, b, are three pumps,
each of which is similarly arranged and double-acting, as will be more clearly
seen by the separate section through one of the pumps shewn by Figure 5.
The rods c of the pistons c¹ pass through hydraulic packings b', and are worked
by the crank shaft d, which is formed with three cranks d', one for each piston.
And these cranks d¹are, as is well understood when arranging three throw-
cranks for other purposes, set at angles to each other, better to distribute the
power applied. The crank axis d is supported in bearings d², carried by the
framing, so as to admit of its freely turning therein, and upon each end thereof
is applied a toothed wheel e, and these toothed wheels are each taken into by
pinions on an axis g, provided with crank arms g', each of which
outer end connected to a horizontal rod h, one on each side of the engine, and
each of these rods h has affixed to it other arms h¹, forming handles by which
the operators exert their power in working the engines by manual labour. In
order that these rods h, whilst they give a rotary motion to the axis d, may
move in a horizontal direction, they are also connected to other cranks h², h²,
acting simply as guides. The water to supply the pumps is drawn inwards
through suction pipes (as is well understood) applied to the passages i, i, i,
which open into reservoirs 2, each of which is capable of supplying its own
pump 6 alternately through one or other of the valve passages j, j. And it
will be seen by reference to the separate view, Figure 5, that whilst a piston is
moving in one direction water will be drawn into one end of a cylinder b,
through a passage j, and at the same time water previously drawn into the
other end of the cylinder will be forced out therefrom by an outlet valve k, as
indicated by the arrows, and when the piston is moved in the opposite direction
the corresponding operations will take place in the opposite direction. The
valves k, k, open into a reservoir or valve chamber 7, upon which is affixed the
air vessel m, and from this valve chamber or reservoir pass four (though there
may be other number) discharge passages n, either or all of which may be
employed, or all simultaneously for the attachment of hose or other suitable
pipe to convey the water in jets to the localities desired.
b
By the adaptation of means thus explained pulsations in the discharge of
water are avoided. o is a reel, worked by a handle o' for the hose.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and an arrangement
of means which I have found to answer well, I would have it understood that

page_text: I do not claim the mechanical parts separately considered, nor do I confine
myself to the precise details shewn and described; but what I do claim is
the adaptation or combination of means for the purpose substantially as
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tomlinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.
JOHN TOMLINSON. (L.s.)