IMPROVEMENTTS IN FIRE ENGINES AND PUMPS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer, of Chancery Lane, London.
"IMPROVEMENTTS IN FIRE ENGINES AND PUMPS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by Gerard Eugene Biard, of
Paris, France.
Sealed the 23rd March 1877, and dated the 28th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th September 1876.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of Chancery Lane, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE ENGINES AND PUMPS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A com-
munication from abroad by Gerard Eugene Biard, of Paris, France.
These improvements are applicable to pumps in general, but the Invention is
more particularly applicable to pumps used in connection with fire engines.
First. By increasing the number of force producing agents, substantially as here-
after described.
Second. In the arrangement and construction of the pump barrel, whereby the
delivery is increased.
Third. In a particular arrangement for coupling together the dams or cisterns
quickly, and affording great strength.
I will describe the Invention with reference to fire engine pumps. In pumps of
this class, as heretofore constructed, there have not been employed more than two
rocking shafts, and although they operate simultaneously in such manner that if
there are eight men, for example, at the pump the real work of four is only
obtained.
In the following description two different arrangements or examples with four
motors are given, so that if we suppose four men to be at work at each motor a
real force or power of sixteen men is produced.
According to one arrangement the power is produced by levers, that is, by a
reciprocating movement.
According to another arrangement described the power is produced by a circular
or rotary motion.
In the first arrangement the body or barrel of the pump is mounted on a car-
riage composed of a platform supported on wheels to render it portable. At the
[Price Gd I

page_text: upper portion of the body there are links, uprights, or bars, which are jointed at
their lower ends; and to the upper part the rocking levers are united by pins or
otherwise. The rocking levers are united centrally to a double cross head, and to
which the piston rod of the pump is fixed; and in this way through the links or
uprights being jointed at their lower ends a parallel motion is obtained, thus causing
the piston rod to work vertically, and by this means a tight joint or stuffing box
can be made.
In the second arrangement, before referred to, the body of the pump is similar to
that before described. On the cover there are, say, four uprights or standards,
which may also be partially supported by framework. There are shafts carried by
these standards, each provided with winch handles or fly wheels and cranks; theɛe
cranks are provided with friction rollers, which work in slots formed in the sides of
the frame, so that when the winch handles or fly wheels are turned the cranks in
revolving communicate a reciprocating movement to the frame, to the centre of
which the piston rod is attached.
The cranks being all coupled at the same angle the working of the pump is very
regular, because the four sides of the frame will be always supported in their cor-
responding places. The valves and other working parts are arranged in such
manner that if the pump is worked by inexperienced workmen it will not get out
of order.
Another improvement is applied to the body or barrel of the pump itself, as it is
to be understood that with a pump barrel made according to this Invention of a
given or fixed size a larger delivery is obtained by this Invention than in ordinary
pumps it is necessary that the suction and delivery valves be in proportion, or
correspondingly large, without increasing the size of the pump barrel for this
purpose. The body or barrel is made larger at its lower part than its upper,
whereby a larger diameter may be given to the suction valve, and to the delivery
pipe. To obtain a uniform movement between the workmen who operate the pump
the bars may be removed, and a ring substituted uniting the rocking levers.
delivery pipe which is shown placed on the line of the axis of the valves may be
placed at any other convenient position.
The
Another part of these improvements refers to the dams or cisterns used with fire
engines according to this Invention; they are made of some coarse textile or other
suitable material, which can be taken down and put up quickly, and at the same
time being strong it (the framework) is composed of bars which may be round or
square. Two of these bars are provided with sockets or joints, into which the
plain bars are placed; the sheet is hooked on by means of hooks.
It will be understood that the greater the weight on the sheet so the greater will
be the force exercised on the bars, and consequently the solidity or stiffness of the
frame the greater.
The shape and dimensions of the parts described may be varied, as well as the
modes of attachment as experience may dictate.
The Invention is applicable to all kinds of pumps, and those described are only
very simple arrangements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
Baid Edward Griffith Brewer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th March
1877.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of Chancery Lane, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE ENGINES AND PUMPS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
munication from abroad by Gerard Eugene Biard, of Paris, France.
A com-
These improvements are applicable to pumps in general, but the Invention is
more particularly applicable to pumps used in connection with fire engines.

page_text: I will describe the Invention with reference to fire engine pumps. In pumps of
this class, as heretofore constructed, there have not been employed more than two
rocking shafts, and although they operate alternately in such manner that if there
are eight men, for example, at the pump the real work of four only is obtained.
In the following description different arrangements or examples with four motors
are given, so that if we suppose four men to be at work at each motor a real force
or power of sixteen men is produced.
According to one arrangemement (see Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings) the power is produced by levers, that is, by a reciprocating movement.
According to another arrangement described, and shown at Figures 3 and 4, the
power is produced by a circular or rotary motion.
In the first arrangement, Figures 1 and 2, the body or barrel of the pump a is
mounted on a carriage b composed of a platform 6¹ supported on wheels 62 to render
it portable; it may however be mounted on any suitable carriage or other suitable
frame. At the upper portion of the body there are links, uprights, or bars c jointed
at c¹ at their lower ends, and to the upper part the rocking lovers d are united
by pins d' or otherwise; the rocking levers d are united centrally to a double
cross head e¹, shown in detail, Figures 5 and 6, and to which the piston rod f
of the pump is fixed, and in this way through the links or uprights c being
jointed at their lower ends a parallel motion is obtained, thus causing the
piston rod to work vertically, and by this means a tight joint or stuffing box
can be made.
In the second arrangement before referred to and illustrated at Figures 3 and 4,
the body of the pump is similar to that before described. On the cover there are,
say, four uprights or standards g, which may also be partially supported by frame-
work, as, for example, is shown in dotted lines at Figure 11.
There are shafts h carried by these standards, each provided with a fly wheel j
and handle j, or other suitable means of operating the same. The cranks i are
provided with friction rollers k, which work in slots formed in the sides of the
frame m, so that when the winch handles or fly wheels j are turned the cranks i in
revolving communicate a reciprocating movement to the frame m, to the centre of
which the piston rod is attached in the manner shewn at Figure 7.
The cranks being all coupled at the same angle the working of the pump is
very regular, because the four sides of the frame m will be always equally and
unitedly acted upon. The valves and other working parts are arranged in such
manner that if the pump is worked by inexperienced workmen it will not get
out of order.
To obtain a uniform movement between the workmen who operate the pump
the bars may be removed, and a ring substituted, uniting the rocking levers, as
shewn at Figure 8.
In Figures 3 and 4 four fly wheels are shown actuating the rollers k, but this
arrangement may be modified by using instead the combination shewn at Figure 13.
Here each shaft h carries a bevil wheel a, the said wheels gearing in pairs as shown,
and thus the combined forces employed operate unitedly upon the shaft b. Two
motors only however may be used, as, for example, as illustrated at Figure 14.
Another part of these improvements is represented at Figures 9 and 10, and
refers to the dams or cisterns used with fire engines.
According to this Invention they are made of some coarse textile or other
suitable material, which can be taken down and put up quickly, and at the same
time being of sufficient strength.
The framework is composed of bars 8, which may be round or square. Two of
these bars are provided with sockets or joints t, into which the end of the bars 8
are placed. The sheet is hooked by means of hooks u.
It will be understood that the greater the weight on the sheet so the greater
will be the strain exercised on the bars, and consequently the solidity or stiffness of
the frame is increased.

page_text: The Invention is applicable to all kinds of pumps, and those described are only
very simple arrangements.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that without limiting the Invention to the shape
and dimensions of the parts described or to the mode of attachment, which may be
varied as experience may dictate without departing from the Invention, I declare
that I claim as the "Improvements in Pumps and in Apparatus connected there-
with,"
First. Increasing the number of force producing agents, substantially as before
described, by employing a number of motors, whether reciprocating or rotary, and
the application of two fly wheels acting on a single piston concentric with the air
receiver.
Second. In the particular mode of coupling together the dams or cisterns used
in connection with fire engines, substantially in manner and for the purposes before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
E. G. BREWER. (LS.)