Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1896
We, JAMES COMPTON MERRYWEATHER and CHRISTOPHER JOHN WALLACE
JAKEMAN, of the Firm of Merryweather & Sons Limited, Greenwich Road,
Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists in improvements in steam fire engines, the principal object
being so to arrange the parts that the stoking and working the machinery may
both be performed by one man, stationed at the rear of the machine.
The fire door is also so placed that the fire may be lighted and attended to
en route to a fire without stopping the engine and without providing an auxiliary
fire door for lighting up.
One method of carrying out our invention is as follows,-
The boiler is secured near the rear end of the frames, a short stroke specially
designed double vertical pumping engine is secured to the back of the boiler. The
cylinder casting is made with an extension to the steam chest which bolts directly
on to the top of the boiler, so that no external steam pipes are required, The
pump is connected to the cylinder by a distance piece and stays, and the suction
and delivery outlets are placed above the frames, thus leaving ample room below
the pump for stoking. In some cases we make a mouth-piece to the fire hole
extending some distance back from the boiler. This may consist of a plain metal
shoot or tube, or may be surrounded by a water jacket in communication with the
water space of the boiler, or the plain metal tube may be fitted with an internal
coil to form a feed water heater. The fire hole is placed at the back of the fire
box below the hind axle, and coal bunkers are provided at each side the fire hole
with foot plate in the centre behind the machinery for men to ride on. A hose box
is provided in front fitted with seats for firemen and coachman's box. The fore-
carriage is provided with one transverse and two longitudinal springs to allow for
inequalities in the road, and ensure steadiness in travelling.
The improvements in the pump consists in placing all the valves in one chest, so
arranged that the valve openings lead direct into their respective ends of the pump
barrels, thus reducing the air space to the least possible capacity and ensuring the
filling of the pump barrels at a high speed.
We do not confine ourselves to all the details herein described, as in some cases
we use a single cylinder engine, or one of our ordinary pattern Greenwich engines,
so placed that the stoking and working may be performed by one man at the rear
of the engine.
1 1
CM 1906
J. C. MERRYWEATHER.
C. J. W. JAKEMAN.

page_text: Improvements in Steam Fire Engines.
We, JAMES COMPTON MERRYWEATHER and CHRISTOPHER JOHN WALLACE
JAKEMAN, of the Firm of Merryweather & Sons Limited, Greenwich Road,
Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention consists in improvements in steam fire engines, the principal object
being so to arrange the parts that the stoking and working the machinery may
both be performed by one man, stationed at the rear of the machine.
The fire door is also so placed that the fire may be lighted and attended to
en route to a fire without stopping the engine and without providing an auxiliary
fire door for lighting up.
One method of carrying out our invention is as follows;-
The boiler is secured near the rear end of the frames, a short stroke specially
designed double vertical pumping engine is secured to the back of the boiler. The
cylinder casting is made with an extension to the steam chest which bolts directly
on to the top of the boiler, so that no external steam pipes are required. The
pump is connected to the cylinder by a distance piece and stays, and the suction
and delivery outlets are placed above the frames, thus leaving ample room below
the pump for stoking. In some cases we make a mouth-piece to the fire hole
extending some distance back from the boiler. This may consist of a plain metal
shoot or tube, or may be surrounded by a water jacket in communication with the
water space of the boiler, or the plain metal tube may be fitted with an internal
coil to form a feed water heater. The fire hole is placed at the back of the
fire box below the hind axle, and coal bunkers are provided at each side the
fire hole with foot plate in the centre behind the machinery for men to ride on.
A hose box is provided in front fitted with seats for firemen, and coachman's box.
The forecarriage is provided with one transverse and two longitudinal springs to
allow for inequalities in the road, and ensure steadiness in travelling.
The improvements in the pump consists in placing all the valves in one chest, so
arranged that the valve openings lead direct into their respective ends of the pump
barrels, thus reducing the air space to the least possible capacity and ensuring the
filling of the pump barrels at high speed.
We do not confine ourselves to all the details herein described, as in some cases
we use a single cylinder engine, or one of our ordinary pattern Greenwich engines,
so placed that the stoking and working may be performed by one man at the rear
of the engine.
The accompanying sheets of drawings represent a method of carrying out our
invention.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete engine. Figure 2 is an
end elevation of the same, viewed from the back, shewing the relative positions of
the parts described. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are different arrangements of fire-hole
mouth-piece.
On Sheet 2, Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation of the pumps partly in section.
Similar letters on the different figures refer to corresponding parts.
A is the boiler carried between the frames B, B', on the springs C, C1, C2,
axles D, D', and wheels E, E1, E2. F is the hose box and firemen's seat. G, G', are
the steam cylinders connected to the pumps H, H', by the stays I, I, and the
distance piece K. The crankshaft for actuating the slide valve is carried in the
bearings L. M, M', are air vessels. N is the suction inlet and O the delivery
outlet. P is the fire hole door. Q the steam stop valve working in the steam

page_text: chest which is jointed on to the top of the boiler A. R, R', are the coal bunkers
and S the foot plate for men.
Sheet 2, Figure 6, shews an enlarged view of the pump partly in section. T is
the pump piston. U, U', are the suction valves taking water from the suction
passage V. W, W', are the delivery valves. x, x1, x2, 3 are valve seats secured
into their places by the nuts Y, Y. Z is the valve chest cover to give access to
the valves.
Figures 3, 4, and on Sheet 1 shew the mouth-piece of the fire door arranged
to project under the pump.
Figure 5 shews the mouth-piece constructed with a water space around it in
connection with the water space of the boiler. Figure 4 shews a mouth-piece of
sheet metal containing a tube coil for use as a feed heater, and Figure 3 shews a
simple sheet metal mouth-piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
1. The construction of a fire engine with the various parts arranged as described
in reference to Figures 1 and 2.
2. The construction of a fire engine so arranged that the fire door is accessible
for regular stoking beneath the engine and behind the boiler as described.
3. The construction of a fire engine boiler with prolonged mouth-piece to the
fire-hole as described in connection with Figures 4, 5, and 6.
4. The construction of a pump as described in connection with Figure 3.
5. The method of securing the valves in a pump as described in Figure 3.
6. The position of the valves in relation to the pump barrel as described in
connection with Figure 6.
Doted this 17th day of June 1896.
J. C. MERRY WEATHER.
C. J. W. JAKEMAN.