Improvements in and relating to Electric Fire Engines and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Fire Engines and the like.
I, MARK WESLEY DEWEY, of the City of Syracuse, in the County of
Onondaga, and State of New York, United States of America, Electrician, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to certain improvements in electrically propelled vehicles
and electric fire engines, and is similar in some respects to my invention set forth
in my Patent No. 2862, dated February 17, 1891.
The object of my invention is to electrically propel an electric fire engine to
and from a fire, so that it will not be necessary to employ horses for this purpose,
and to save the time heretofore lost in hitching them to the engine, as the electri-
cally propelled engine is always ready to start at the instant the alarm is sounded,
and does not consume any energy while not in use.
The object of my invention, also is to apply the necessary apparatus to accomplish
my invention to a fire engine having a rotary pump mounted thereon with its
driving shaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle, or to an engine having a pump
mounted and supported upon the front part of the frame of the vehicle above the
plane of the axis of the front axle.
To this end my invention consists in the combination of a wheeled vehicle
having two axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving
shaft for said pump extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported
upon the vehicle having its armature shaft lower than the driving shaft of the pump
and gearing between the said shafts.
My invention consists also in the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a
frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, an electric motor supported
upon the vehicle having its armature shaft disposed eccentrically in relation to the
axis of the pump shaft, and suitable gearing between the two shafts.
My invention consists further in the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a
frame, a rotary pump fixed upon the front part of the frame and having its driving
shaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the
vehicle nearer the rear axle, means to connect said motor either with the wheels of
the vehicle to propel the same or with the pump, as desired.
And my invention consists still further in certain other combinations of parts
hereinafter described and specifically set forth in the claims.
Referring briefly to the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved fire engine with a part of its frame
broken away to show the gearing clearly,
Fig. 2 is a plan view taken below the battery or the receptacle containing the
same, and below the seat and steering wheel,
Figs. 3 and 4 are modifications of the rear part of the engine,
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of certain parts of the apparatus, circuits and
connections on the engine and
Figure 6 is a view of the compensating gear that may be employed.
In the drawings, A represents the electric motor suitably secured to and
supported by the frame Bor rear axle of the engine, but preferably with its
armature shaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle and below the horizontal plane
of the axis of the rear axle C to allow a battery or its receptacle D to be placed
above said axle and as near the same as practicable so that the battery will be as
low as possible.
The battery is preferably placed low in order that its weight may not render the

page_text: vehicle top heavy and to allow the battery to be removed and replaced more
conveniently. E is a rotary pump which is rigidly fixed to the front part of the
frame of the engine, and which may be of any suitable form of construction.
The pump shown in the drawings is similar to that employed in the Silsby fire
engine, which is well adapted to this purpose; and as such rotary pumps are common,
it will be sufficient to say that it consists of two intersecting cylinders, F and G,
in which work two rotating interlocking pistons, the shafts of which, H and I are
geared together within the casings J and K. The water from the hydrant enters
the pump at L, and is forced by the rotation of the pistons, which are caused to
revolve by the notor A. into the water-chest E and through the opening at M
whereat the fire-hose may be attached. Uniformity of pressure is maintained as
usual, by the air chamber N and the quantity of water discharged is regulated by
the valve O or in any other suitable manner.
P is the gearing or mechanical connection between the armature shaft A' of the
motor and the main shaft E of the pump, and Q is the gearing or mechanical
connection between the said motor and the axle C.
In the said connection to, and upon the axle, I preferably place a well known
compensating gear c to facilitate in turning corners or to allow the relative move-
ment of the wheels, carried by the driving axle, but do not limit myself to any
particular form of mechanical connection either between the motor and axle or
between the motor and pump. The said compensating gear is shown clearly in
Fig. 6 of the drawings. One wheel W shown in dotted lines may be sleeved upon,
to turn freely on the axle C while the other driving wheel is keyed fast. The
latter is not shown in the figure. A bevel gear is fixed to the hub of the wheel W
and a similar gear is keyed to the driving axle. Between these revolves a spur
or worm gears which is driven by the motor A and which carries two small bevel-
pinions tt, the latter engaging both bevel-wheels and, their axles being in the
plane of the revolution of the large gears.
It will be obvious that resistances
being equal on both wheels, if the spur gear s be turned, it will carry with it both
driving wheels at the same time with equal angular velocities, the effort exerted by
the motor being equal at both wheels at all times. If the engine be turning a
corner, however, the greater resistance on the inside wheel retards that, while the
outer wheel necessarily moves more rapidly over its longer path, and, while the
motor still exerts the same force on both wheels, the work done is distributed
unequally between them through the then revolving bevel pinions, without loss and
without either wheel being necessarily slipped or disengaged.
When the compensating gear is at or near the centre of the axle, the said axle
may be divided at u as shown in Figure 6, the bevel gears r and keyed to their
respective parts of the axle, and the driving wheels also keyed to the parts of the
axle to rotate with it and with relation to each other.
When the motor shaft is extended at right angles to the driving axle, I preferably
provide it with a worm or screw a which may directly operate the compensating
gear, or operate the same through an intermediate shaft having a pinion to work
in mesh with the spur gear of the compensating gear, and a worm wheel a¹ to be
rotated by the worm on the motor shaft as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Should it be desired, however, the said worm may rotate a worm wheel a¹ keyed
directly to the driving axle C without a compensating gear, as shown in Fig. 4 of
the drawings.
If desired, and in order to make the vehicle shorter, the motor A may be placed
beneath the rear axle C, and in some cases suspended from the same as shown in
Figure 3.
R is a lever to operate the clutch mechanism & on the motor shaft to disconnect
the motor A from the axle, and R' is a lever to operate the clutch mechanism ¹ on
the opposite end of the motor shaft to connect the motor with the pump, or vice
versa, when desired.
C is the front axle of the engine, U is a fifth
flexibly secured to said axle and having a rack
wheel having a circle rigidly or
thereon for a gear wheel to

page_text: work in. is an upright shaft extending upward from the said gear wheel to a
large hand wheel directly in front of the steersman's seat S.
The engine may be provided with the usual braking apparatus and a gong in a
convenient position to be operated by the steersman while steering the vehicle.
It is preferred to keep two sets of batteries charged at the engine house, one
being in the receptacle D on the engine and the other reserved for use when the
former is discharged, the reserved battery to be sent for and brought to the engine
at the fire by the supply wagon when required.
If
The battery on the engine may be of any suitable size, is preferably divided in
two equal parts, and one part placed above the other in the receptacle or cab D.
desired a shelf may be placed in the cab as indicated by the dotted line
Figure 1, to support the upper part of the said battery.
in
The connection of the circuit with respect to the motor A, the parts of the
battery, etc., and the switching apparatus T T and T is shown in Fig. 5. The
switch T consists of a series of fixed contact points connected to different points in
the series of cells. The extreme terminals are connected to the opposite ends of
the entire series of cells, respectively, by wires 1 and 2.
The divided terminals
The
are connected to the next two adjacent fixed terminals pl by wires 3 and 4.
two central fixed terminals are connected to opposite ends of the motor circuit 5-
and 6.
The cylindrical rotating surface of the switch T is shown produced and bears
three rows of contacts e ele. When the row of contacts è is in contact with
terminals
When
the motor is connected with the entire number of cells in series.
the row of contacts e' is in contact with terminals p the motor is connected with
one-half the entire number of cells in series. When the row of contacts e¹¹ is in
contact with terminals p, the motor is connected with two parallel series of cells,
each series being one-half the entire series. The motor is preferably series wound
and the armature coils are connected in the circuit through a current reversing
switch T. By operating switch T the current flowing in the circuit has its
direction reversed through that portion of the circuit containing the armature coils,
This switch is
whereby the direction of movement of the motor is reversed.
operated by rotating the shaft which is connected to one of the levers of the
switch through a crank and connecting rod g. The velocity of the motor may not
only be regulated by the switch T, but if desired by rotating the brushes of the
commutator more or less around the shaft of the armature.
The switch T is an adjustable resistance in the circuit to control the speed of
the motor, and is placed on the front part of the engine in a convenient position to
be operated by the foot of the steersman. This switch consists of a series of
contacts with resistances between, connected to one terminal of the circuit, and a
lever & pivoted at one end and adapted to have its free end moved over the said
series of contacts, and connected to the other terminal of the circuit. A foot-
piece is fixed to a spindle which extends down through the footboard to and near
the pivoted end of the lever to operate the latter. A spring is suitably arranged
to hold the lever in a position wherein the resistance is cut out of circuit and by
the pressure applied with the foot the lever is moved to include more or less
resistance in the circuit to reduce the speed of the motor.
I do not limit myself to the switching apparatus shown and described as any
suitable and well known devices may be used instead.
is a lamp circuit or circuit containing suitable electric translating devices for
any purpose, bare lamps connected in parallel, is an adjustable resistance to
regulate the current in the circuit and 6 is a current indicator.
If it is desired to utilize when at a fire a convenient source of electricity to
operate the motor A, terminals y y may be provided to be connected with the
terminals of such a source by suitable electric connections y'y'. The secondary
battery or a part thereof may also be charged by the source, and to accomplish
this, electric connections V may extend as shown from the poles of the battery to
contacts of a switch X connected to the terminals y y which switch may be

page_text: connected with the poles of either part of the battery, as desired.
Y is a suitable
meter or current indicator in the circuit between the switch and one of the
terminals y.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :---
1-In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a
frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving shaft for said pump
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft lower than the driving shaft of the pump, and gearing
between the said shafts.
2-In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a
frame, a rotary pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving shaft for said pump
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle and parallel but
lower than the driving shaft of the pump, and gearing between the said shafts.
3-In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a
frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving shaft for said pump
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft below the plane of the axis of the rear axle of the vehicle
and lower than the driving shaft of the pump, and gearing between the said shafts.
4-In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a
frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame having its driving shaft
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
and connected with the pump, and means for connecting said motor with the rear
axle or the wheels thereof to drive the vehicle.
5 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a pump
fixed to the front part of the frame, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft disposed eccentrically in relation to the axis of the pump
shaft, and suitable gearing between the two shafts.
6 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a pump
fixed to the front part of the frame, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft disposed eccentrically in relation to the axis of the pump
shaft, suitable gearing between the two shafts, and means for connecting said motor
with the rear axle or the wheels thereof to drive the vehicle.
7-In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a
frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving shaft for said pump
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft below the plane of the axis of the rear axle of the vehicle,
gearing between the said shafts, and means for connecting said motor with the rear
axle or the wheels thereof to drive the vehicle.
8-The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor
mounted thereon, a mechanical connection between said motor and the axle of the
vehicle containing a compensating gear to permit the relative movement of the
wheels, and a screw mounted directly on an extension of the armature shaft to
operate said gear.
9-The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor
mounted thereon having its armature shaft at right angles to the driving axle and a
mechanical connection between the motor shaft and the axle and containing a
compensating gear mounted upon the central part of said axle to permit of the
relative movement of the wheels carried by the said axle.
10 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a
pump fixed to the front part of the frame, and an electric motor suspended below
the rear axle of the vehicle and connected to the pump.
11 The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor
mounted thereon having its armature shaft at right angles to the driving axle and

page_text: a mechanical connection between the motor shaft and the axle and containing a
compensating gear to permit of the relative movement of the wheels carried by the
said axle, a battery on the vehicle above the rear axle, and electric connections
between the battery and motor.
12 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and
a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving shaft for said pump
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
having its armature shaft lower than the driving shaft of the pump and gearing
between the said shafts, a battery on the vehicle above the rear axle, and electric
connections between the battery and motor.
13 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a
pump fixed to the front part of the frame, an electric motor supported upon the
vehicle having its armature shaft disposed eccentrically in relation to the axis of
the pump shaft, suitable gearing between the two shafts, a battery on the vehicle
and electric connections between the battery and motor.
14-In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and
a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame and having its driving shaft
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
and connected to the pump, means for connecting the said motor with an axle of
the vehicle to drive the same, a battery on the vehicle and electric connections
between the battery and the motor.
15-In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and
a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame and having its driving shaft
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
with its armature shaft below the plane of the axis of the rear axle and connected
to the pump, means for connecting the said motor with an axle of the vehicle to
drive the same, a battery on the vehicle above the said axle and electric
connections between the battery and motor.
16 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a
rotary pump fixed upon the front part of the frame and having its driving shaft
extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle
nearer the rear axle, means to connect said motor either with the wheels of the
vehicle to propel the same, or with the pump, as desired.
17 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor
mounted upon the vehicle having its armature shaft below the plane of the axis of
the wheels of the vehicle, and a suitable pump on the vehicle connected with the
said motor to be driven thereby.
18 In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor
mounted upon the vehicle having its armature shaft below the plane of the axis of
the wheels of the vehicle, and a pump mounted on the frame of the vehicle above
the plane of the axis of the wheels and connected to the said motor to be driven
thereby.
1001
MARK WESLEY DEWEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.