Improvements in Water Towers for Fire Extinguishing Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct.. 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Towers for Fire Extinguishing
Purposes.
I, ERNST FREDERIC STECK, of 225 South Desplainés Street, Chicago, in the
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Fame is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in portable water towers of the class
ordinarily employed in extinguishing fires.
One of the objects of my invention is to be able to incline the stand pipe in the
direction of the discharge from the nozzle, and to alter the direction of such
inclination of said pipe simultaneously with any change in the direction of
discharge; whereby the recoil of the discharge will at all times be counteracted or
resisted whatever be the direction of such discharge.
A further object of my invention is to so dispose and arrange the tower frame
and its stand pipe with reference to the turn table hereinafter described, that the
centre of gravity of such frame and pipe will fall more nearly over the centre of the
turn table than heretofore, when the said tower frame and pipe are inclined;
whereby the liability to capsize will be reduced to a minimum..
My invention consists in certain features of novelty by which the said objects
and certain other objects hereinafter described are attained, as fully explained with
reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the
claims.
In the said drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tower and its truck or carriage, the
upper part of the tower being broken away, and
Figure 1ª is a side view of such upper portion.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the lower end of the tower and the
truck on a larger scale, showing the tower erect:
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 Figure 4, of the box at
the upper end of the tower frame showing a part of the stand-pipe therein:
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same taken on the line 4-4, Figure 3:
Figure 5 is a plan section taken on the line 5-5, Figure 2:
Figure 6 is a detail transverse sectional view of the turn-table hereinafter
described and carriage frame taken on the line 6-6, Figure 5, drawn to a larger
scale, and
Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view of the truck frame taken on the line 7-7,
Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.
In carrying out my invention I provide the side members 1 of the truck or
carriage frame with a counter sink or drop 2 which is formed between the front and
rear wheels of the truck preferably forward of the centre or mid-length of the
frame and as near to the front wheels as possible without getting over the axle or
other part of the running gear, so that the space below the counter sink will be
entirely unobstructed, to permit of the free movement of the engine lose, and at
the same time the tower frame whose base is situated in this counter sink as herein-
after described, will over-lie a maximum portion of the length of the truck when in
its lowered position.
Mounted upon the truck frame in this countersunk portion 2 is a turn table. 3
which preferably consists of a cog ring 4 secured to a similar ring 5 whose inner
edge is bevelled and engages under a bevelled ring 6 secured to the portions 2 of the
truck frame by suitable brackets or angle irons 7 as shown in Figure 6. This cog

page_text: .
ring is engaged by pinions 8 journalled in boxes 9 secured to one of the cross
members 10 on each side of the truck. The lower end of the shaft of each of the
pinions 8 is provided with a bevelled gear 11 which engages with a similar gear 12
mounted on the inner end of a turning stem 13 journalled in the side portion 2
of the truck frame and being adapted for the application of any suitable crank
(not shown) whereby the turn table may be revolved from either side of the
apparatus.
The tower proper consists of a hinged or pivoted frame and an extensible stand
pipe arranged therein as herein described. The said tower frame is designated by
the numeral 14, and is hinged or pivoted at its base by means of short standards 15
to the turn table, and when in its lowered position as shown in Figure 1, it rests
between the rear portions of the frame 1, or more accurately speaking, between the
running boards or seats 16 which extend along the inner edges of the truck frame
with a space between them for the reception of the tower frame, the cross
member 17 of the truck frame, upon which the forward ends of the boards 16 are
supported, being curved downwardly between the boards 16 so as not to obstruct
the descent of the tower frame. By this arrangement and construction I am
enabled to get the turn table and base of the tower very near to the ground and at
the same time have the tower frame 14 nearer the horizontal when in its lowered
position, than heretofore, and I attain a further advantage in that the tower frame
while resting between the boards 16 during the run, is securely braced and held
against side flection, and the hinge or pivot of the tower frame and its other
connections thus spared the severe strain which they might otherwise receive from
this cause.
Arranged within the tower frame 14 is the extensible stand pipe 18 to whose
lower end may be secured the engine hose 19 which is ordinarily carried in a
basket 20 under the truck and is adapted to be drawn up through the tower frame
by the stand pipe as the latter rises therefrom.
Near the upper end of the frame 14 is jourualled a sheave 21 and at its lower end
a drum 22; and 23 is a cable which passes over the sheave and takes one or more
turns around the drum and has both ends secured to the stand pipe by means of a
suitable lug 24 arranged at or near the base thereof. The inner sides of the
peripheries of the said drum and sheave are so disposed with reference to the lug 24
that they will be substantially in a straight line with the point of attachment
between the cable and lug, whereby the pull will be substantially parallel with the
stand pipe, and the base of the latter thus held away from the sides of the frame
when being extended or withdrawn. A further advantage in connecting both ends
of the cable to the stand pipe is that the latter may be withdrawn while at an
angle, without depending upon the force of gravity for causing it to recede into the
frame. The drum 22 may be provided with suitable gear connection with ratchet
wheel 25 having a winding stein 26 for the application of a hand crank.
As a means for erecting and lowering the tower proper, I employ a pair of screw
rods 27 which engage in boxes or nuts 28 swivelled to the sides of the frame 14,
while the lower ends of such rods are rotatably held in boxes 29 pivoted to the
turn table on the opposite side thereof to that on which the tower frame is
hinged.
These screw rods 27 may be actuated simultaneously by means of a suitable
hand crank applied to either of two winding stems 30 on the extremities of a
horizontal shaft 31 journalled in suitable bearings on the turn table, the shaft 31
being provided with mitre gear connection 32 with each of the screw rods; and in
order that such screw rods may be simultaneously actuated and the angle of
inclination of the tower varied when the table is turned so as to render the
stems 30 inaccessible, I provide the shaft 31 at an intermediate point with mitre
gear connection 33 with a supplemental winding stem 34 journalled in a box 35 on
the turn table about midway between the stems 30.
The upper extremity of the stand pipe 18 is provided with a discharge
nozzle 36 which may be of the usual form having a flexible connection 37 with the

page_text: said pipe and being provided with a controlling cord 38 extending to a point of
convenience at the base of the tower frame. The flection of this nozzle however is
restricted to an upright plane by means of the side plates 39 each having a slot 40
in which a pin on a part of the nozzle plays. In this manner the nozzle is fixed
with reference to the stand pipe, save for the movement permitted by the slots 40;
the stand pipe itself is fixed against rotation independently of the turn table in any
suitable way, but preferably by means of a spline or feather 41 formed along the
pipe and working in grooves 42 formed in one roller 43-44 respectively of each of
two series of rollers 45-46 journalled in a box-like portion 47 of the tower
frame 14 on the upper end thereof. There are preferably four rollers in each of
these series, having peripheries complementary in shape to and fitted snugly against
the pipe 18, and the two series are arranged at such distance apart as to hold the
pipe firmly, and prevent it from jostling the sides of the tower frame, the lower end
of the pipe being supported by a bracket 48 when in its retracted and reclined
position.
It will thus be seen that the lateral discharging direction of the nozzle is
controlled or changed entirely by the bodily rotation of the turn table, and that
such discharging direction of the nozzle never changes but is fixed with relation to
the turn table, and is always in a direction away from the side of the table to that
on which the tower frame is hinged, and lengthwise of the lifting rods 27. Hence
the strain resulting from the recoil of the discharge, which when multiplied by the
great leverage afforded by the tall stand pipe, is very great, is invariably brought
lengthwise of the lifting rods and transversely of the axis of the hinge; and serious
strain to these parts thereby avoided; and a further important advantage of this
fixed relation between the nozzle and the turn table, is that no matter in what
direction the nozzle is turned, the rotation of the screw rods 27 in the proper
direction, will invariably tile the tower in the same direction as the nozzle
discharges, and thus resist the recoil and prevent the capsizing of the apparatus if
its position be such that the force of the recoil destroys its equilibrium which is
often the case when directing the stream from the side of the apparatus while
standing on sloping or irregular ground. Furthermore such fixed relation between
the nozzle and table, combined with the hinged tower causes the direction of
inclination of the tower to simultaneously change with any change however sudden
in the direction of the discharge, and thus avoid the necessity of shutting off the
water from the stand pipe cr else running the risk of capsizing the apparatus while
the nozzle and inclination of the tower are being adjusted to another position.
The tower frame is hinged to the turn table at its extreme outer edge as shown,
in order that the centre of gravity thereof may be brought more nearly over the
centre of the turn table when the tower is inclined for the purpose of getting the
nozzle in a more advantageous position or for other reasons; and in order that this
eccentric relation of the tower frame to the turn table may exist without causing
any interference from the engine, hose, the latter is open in its centre beneath the
.stand pipe as shown in Figure 5, so that the engine lose may pass through, and the
cross members 10 of the truck frame are curved outwardly as indicated in
Figures 6 and 7 and as appears in Figure 5, so that the space below the turn table
in the path of the engine hose will be unobstructed and such hose permitted, if
necessary, to describe a complete circle when the turn table is rotated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mauner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a carriage and a turn table mounted thereon and
having means for turning it, of a tower frame hinged to said turn table at its outer
edge, rods for bracing and lifting said frame, mounted on said turn-table and
engaging with said frame, an extensible pipe mounted in said frame and having a
nozzle fixed with relation to and adapted to turn with said turn-table and being
permanently confined to oscillate or bend in an upright plaue extending transversely

page_text: of the hinge at the base of the tower frame and lengthwise of said brace and lifting
rods, whereby the tower frame may be inclined in any direction to resist the recoil,
and the strain resulting from the weight of the frame and such recoil will
invariably be exerted lengthwise of said brace and lifting rods, substantially as set
forth.
2. The combination with a turn-table and a tower frame hinged thereon, and
having means for raising it, of an extensible stand-pipe mounted in said frame and
having a spline or feather, rollers mounted in said frame for holding and guiding
said pipe, one of said rollers being provided with a groove for receiving said spline,
and a nozzle fixed on said pipe against independent rotation, substantially as set
forth.
3. The combination with a turn-table and a tower frame hinged thereon, of
an extensible stand pipe arranged in said frame and being provided with a spline
or feather, two series of rollers mounted in said frame near the upper end thereof
and having peripheries complementary in shape to and fitting against said pipe, a
number of said rollers being provided with grooves for the reception of said spline,
and the two series being arranged at such a distance apart as to hold the pipe
rigidly within the tower frame and away from the sides thereof, and a nozzle fixed
to said pipe against independent rotation, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with the carriage and a turn-table having means for
turning it, mounted on said carriage, of a tower frame hinged to said turn-table
at its outer edge or perimeter at a point remote from the centre thereof, a stand-
pipe in said frame, adapted to be attached to a hose and being fixed against
independent rotation, a flexible nozzle on said stand-pipe fixed against independent
rotation, means for erecting said tower frame, mounted upon the opposite side
of said turn-table, said turn-table being open under the base of said stand-pipe,
and the space beneath the turn-table being unobstructed whereby the hose
depending from said stand-pipe may describe a complete circle when the turn-table
is rotated, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of the carriage frame having the cross members 10" turned
outwardly or away from each other, an annular turn-table mounted upon said
frame and cross members and being open or unobstructed underneath, a tower
frame hinged to said turn-table at its outer edge, a stand-pipe in said frame,
adapted to be attached to a hose, means for raising said tower frame mounted
upon the opposite side of said turn-table, said cross members being turned
outwardly or away from one another under the line of movement of the base
of said stand-pipe, and the base of the stand-pipe being arranged directly over
the opening under the turn-table whereby the hose may pass up through the
turn-table and revolve therewith without obstruction, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with the truck, of a turn-table mounted thereon and having
a cog ring, a tower hinged to said turn-table, a shaft journalled on said turn-table
and having winding stems projecting from both sides thercof, screw rods pivoted on
said turn-table and being geared to said shaft and having connection with said
tower, a supplemental winding stem journalled on said turn-table intermediate of
said first winding stems and being geared to said shaft and adapted to turn said
screw rods simultaneously, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of Orhan 1804
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.