IMPROVE- MENTS IN FIRE ENGINES OR DOUBLE-ACTION PUMPS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Goode Messenger, of the Midland Steam
Works, Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Hydraulic
Engineer and Valve Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE ENGINES OR DOUBLE-ACTION PUMPS."
Scaled the 17th November 1868, and dated the 21st May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Goode
Messenger at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st May 1868.
I, THOMAS GOODE MESSENGER, of the Midland Steam Works,
Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Hydraulic Engineer and
Valve Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ENGINES OR DOUBLE-ACTION PUMPS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of an engine or pump in which there is a base
made of cast iron or other material having spaces in it which convey
the water or other liquid from valves to each end of a cylinder made
of brass or other material, and placed horizontally or perpendicularly,
in which cylinder works a solid plunger. When this plunger is moved

page_text: the water or other liquid is forced through other valves into an air vessel
and thence to a jet or spout. The four valves employed are accessible
by unscrewing one nut only without taking the engine or pump to
pieces. The plunger is acted upon by a rack and toothed quadrant
or equivalent contrivance, which when manual power is used is worked
by handspikes by one, two, or more men, according to the size of
cylinder used. There may be also a second motion employed whereby
one man alone can work it, the quantity of water or other liquid
discharged being in proportion to the power employed. The manner
in which the rack acts upon the piston is by its being attached to one
end of the piston rod, which rod works through a gland at one end of
the cylinder. The whole is mounted on wheels and the handspikes
serve for handles, so that the engine or pump may be removed to any
required situation and placed in any position, and it may be worked by
steam, horse, or other power.
Irrespectively of other advantages much saving is effected in this my
Invention over other fire engines or pumps now in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Goode Messenger in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GOODE MESSENGER, of the Midland Steam Works, Loughborough, in
the County of Leicester, Hydraulic Engineer and Valve Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Goode Messenger,
Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Goode Messenger, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Goode Messenger, 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

page_text: Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ENGINES OR DOUBLE-
ACTION PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Goode Messenger, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 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 Thomas Goode Messenger, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My Invention consists of an engine or pump in which there is a base
or body (made of cast iron or other material) having spaces in it which
convey the water or other liquid from valves to each end of a cylinder
made of brass or other malleable or suitable material, and placed
horizontally or perpendicularly, in which cylinder works a solid plunger.
When this plunger is moved the water or other liquid is forced through
other valves into an air vessel, and thence to a jet or spout. The four
valves employed are accessible by unscrewing one nut only without
taking the engine or pump to pieces. The plunger is acted upon by
a rack and toothed quadrant or equivalent contrivance, which when
manual power is used is worked by handspikes by one, two, or more
men, according to the size of cylinder used. There may be also a
second motion employed whereby one man alone can work it, the
quantity of water or other liquid discharged being in proportion to
the power employed. The manner in which the rack acts upon the
piston is by its being attached to one end of the piston rod, which
rod works through a gland at one end of the cylinder. The whole
is mounted on wheels and the handspikes serve for handles, so that
the engine or pump may be removed to any required situation, and
placed in any position, and it may be propelled by steam, horse, or other
power.
Irrespectively of other advantages much saving is effected in this my

page_text: Having thus set forth the nature of the said Invention, I now proceed
more particularly to describe the manner of performing the same, with
reference to the accompanying Drawings and to the figures and letters
marked thereon,
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a large fire engine con-
structed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a like view of a small
fire engine or garden engine constructed according to my Invention;
Figure 3 is a plan section shewing the inlet or suction pipe, the
delivery pipe, and the position of the four valves, the cylinder with
the air vessels and wheels; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section shewing
the water courses and the cylinder and plunger, also the rack quadrant
levers, the second motion, and the guide wheels in elevation; Figure 5
is a transverse section shewing the valves and valve lids, the nut and
bolt to secure the same with the water courses (both inlet and outlet),
the air vessel and cylinder, the quadrant and second motion, also the
wheels and rocking arms and bearers in elevation.
A, A, are the wheels; B, the axles; C, the rocking arm attached to
the axle; D, the bearer to receive the axle; E, the water courses; F,
are the valves, and G, the cylinder; H is the plunger; I, represents
the air vessel, and J, the piston rod; K is the gland, and L the rack;
M, the guide wheel, while N represents the cylinder covers; O is the
quadrant; P indicates the second motion, and R are the levers; S is
the standard to carry the quadrant, and T represents the valve covers;
U is the bolt with clamp to secure the covers; W, represents the inlet
and outlet pipes; X, indicates the couplings, and Y is the handle to
guide and propel the engine.
It should not be understood in this description of the Drawings that
where the same letter of reference occurs more than once it indicates
the same portion of the engine shewn in different positions.
It may here be mentioned that this double-action pump, suitable
with slight modifications to suit circumstances, may be employed as
a fire engine or manure pump or garden engine, or it may be used
as a domestic pump, or it may be employed for ordinary or deep
wells.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. The combination of rack toothed quadrant and plunger in
which one cylinder only is used, as herein-before described.
Second. The general arrangement and combination of parts herein-
before described constituting an improved pump or fire engine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Goode Messenger, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
THOMAS GOODE MESSENGER. (L.S.)