IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ENGINES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Fowke, of Park House, Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Engineers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ENGINES."
Sealed the 11th March 1859, and dated the 15th September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Fowke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th September 1858.
I, FRANCIS FOWKE, of Park House, South Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ENGINES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of portable fire engine,
capable of being easily transported either by manual labour or horse power,
and forming a compact and powerful fire engine, the ordinary wood or metal
cistern bitherto employed being dispensed with, whereby the efficiency and
lightness of the engine are greatly increased.
My improved engine consists of a pair of single-acting force pumps fitted
with metal valves, and a suction and delivery air vessel; to insure the proper
action of the suction air vessel an additional valve is provided. The pistons
are connected to the slings by a peculiar joint, by which the ordinary guide

page_text: rods are dispensed with, and the pistons are enabled to be instantly withdrawn,
thus affording immediate access to the suction valves. The delivery air vessel
is constructed that by unscrewing the part to which the hose is fastened,
immediate access is also obtained to the delivery valves.
The pumps are fixed direct to a wrought-iron axle, mounted on two high
running wheels, and having a wooden pole attached, to the end of which a
cross bar is fitted, which serves as a drag handle when the engine is drawn by
men, and when working rests on the ground with two or more men standing
on it, their weight preventing the engine from moving.
The wrought-iron frame for working the pumps is fitted with swivel sockets
to receive the working handles, which are parallel with the axle when in use,
and when not in use placed at right angles to it, being still supported by the
swivel sockets, and serving as poles to carry the suction pipes.
The fore carriage may be detached from the engine, and may consist of a
pair of high wheels mounted on an axle and suitable shafts with driving seat,
foot board, and box to contain implements. The axle is fitted with a reel
which revolves freely upon it, and on this reel the whole of the hose is coiled.
When used merely as a hand engine, the fore carriage may be dispensed with,
and the hose and implements placed on the engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Fowke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th March 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
FOWKE, of Park House, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Captain
in the Royal Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Francis Fowke, Her special license that I, the said Francis Fowke,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis
Fowke, my executors, administrators, or 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,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francis Fowke, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Francis Fowke, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to the
letters and figure marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of portable fire engine,
capable of being easily transported either by manual labor or horse power, and
forming a compact and powerful fire engine, the ordinary wood or metal
cistern hitherto employed bring dispensed with, whereby the efficiency and
lightness of the engine are greatly increased.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood, I shall
now proceed particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the illustrative Figure on the annexed Drawing, which represents a
side elevation of the fore carriage and fire engine, the latter being limbered up
for travelling.
My improved engine consists of a pair of single-acting force pumps a, a,
fitted with metal valves, and a suction and delivery air vessel b, and to insure
the proper action of the suction air vessel (not shewn in the Drawing), an
additional valve is provided at c. The pistons or plungers are connected to
the slings d, d, by a joint in the centre of the body of the plunger, so as to
prevent any objectionable vibration, by which the ordinary guide rods are
dispensed with, and the pistons are enabled to be instantly withdrawn, thus
affording immediate access to the suction valves. The delivery air vessel bis
so constructed that, by unscrewing the part to which the hose is fastened,
immediate access is also obtained to the delivery valves.
The pumps are fixed direct to a wrought-iron cranked axle e, mounted on
two high running wheels f, and having a wooden pole g attached, to the end
of which a cross bar (not shewn in the Drawing) is fitted, which serves as a
drag bandle when the engine is drawn by men, and when working rests on
the ground with two or more men standing on it, their weight preventing the
engine from moving.
The wrought-iron frame h for working the pumps is fitted with swivel
sockets i to receive the working handles, which are parallel with the axle

page_text: when in use, and when not in use placed at right angles to it, being still
supported by the swivel sockets, and serving as poles to carry the suction
pipes.
The fore carriage may be detached from the engine, and may consist of a
pair of high wheels k, mounted on an axle 1, and suitable shafts m, with
driving seat n, footboard o, and box p, to contain implements. The axle
may be fitted with a reel which revolves freely upon it, and on this reel the
whole of the hose is coiled. When used merely as a hand engine, the fore
carriage may be dispensed with, and the hose and implements placed on
the engine.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
.Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what I con-
sider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of fire engines as herein-
before described and illustrated by my Drawing.
Second, the connecting of the slings to the centre of the body of the pistons
or plungers of the pumps, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawing.
Third, fixing the pumps and gear of fire engines direct on to a wrought-
iron axle mounted on large running wheels, as herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Fowke, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
FRANCIS FOWKE, (L.S.)
CAPT. R. E.