TURNTABLE LADDER AND FIRE PUMP IN ONE.
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A Number of Noteworthy Features Included in the Construction of the Latest Acquisition of the Leicester Fire Brigade, WE think it can safely be said that the fire-brigade services of the country have reached their present high degree of efficiency largely as the direct result of the advent of power-propelled appliances. There is little doubt that such machines have revolutionized the work of fire-fighting organ izations. The design and con
struction of motor pumps, turntable ladders and other fire appliances have improved to a marked extent during the past two decades, with the ' result that nowadays the risk of a fire in a populous area assuming big proportions is remote, particularly as special machines are now al.ailable for dealing with conflagrations in which chemicals, oils and other highly inflammable materials are involved.
• Some idea of the progress which has been made in the construction of fire-fight • big equipment is to be gathered from the features incorporated in the new combination turntable-ladder and fire pump which has recently been delivered to the fire brigade department of the city of Leicester. This machine incorporates several novel features which have been included at the suggestion of Mr. Henry Neal, A.M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Pire E., the chief officer of the brigade. Notable amongst these is the provision of a fire pump on the same chassis as the ladder, and c36 the installation of a telephone for the use of the ladder men.
The machine has been constructed by Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., Greenwich Road, London, S.E.10. The chassis is equipped with a six-cylindered engine, having a bore of 100 mm. and Chief Officer Neal, of the Leicester Fire Brigade, who was responsible for the incorporation of several of the novel features in the latest Merryweather appliance supplied for use in the city. The ladder telephone and searchlight are to be seen in use.
a stroke of 140 ram., which is capable of developing 60 b.h.p. The unit incorporates in its construction a detachable cylinder head of Ricardo design. The lubrication of the engine is carried out on the force-feed system, a large oil pump, which is located in the sump, being driven by spiral gearing.
T w o independent ignitions areprovided, and separate sets of el:larking Dings are fitted. Roth ignition systems are coupled to one operating lever and are controlled by a three-way switch on the dashboard. Two ca rburetters also form part of the engine auxiliaries. The gearbox gives three speeds forward and a reverse, and the brakes, which are duplicated, have been specially designed for fi rebrigade work.
There are four sections of the fire-escape ladder, an d these, when fully extended, reach to a height of 85 'ft. The ladder sides are constructed of selected Oregon pine, the detachable rungs being of oak. Each section is trussed with steel tension rods to give greater strength, and the top ladder is fixed with a tubular truss of solid-drawn -weldless steel. The type of trussing used is similar to that employed on airship ladders used in connection with the building of airships 1t33 and R100.
The framework supporting the ladder is entirely of steel, and the turntable is arranged to rotate the ladder on. two heavy forged rings one revolving on the other: The ladder mechanism is operated by the power unit of the chassis, the power ' being applied through the medium of friction clutches which enable the mechanism to work smoothly aud effectively.
The gears for raising, extending, revolving and lowering the ladder are controlled' by three hand levsirs, and a throttle. control lever is fitted at the rear of the frame adjacent to them.
A special speed-reducing gear is incorporated for effecting fine adjustments should this be found necessary after , the ladder has been placed in approximately the most qonvenient ponition. By this means if can be eately adjusted for either elevation or extension when a fireman is at the top.
Auxiliary gearing is provided for effecting the various movements of the ladder by hand if necessary, and an indicator records automatically the amount of extension of the. ladder. A graduated quadrant on a swinging pointer shows the angle of elevation and the safe degree of extension at any angle, a bell being provided to indicate that the rungs are in position for the ladder sections to be raised or lowered.
Each. section of the ladder is equipped with automatic safety pawls, and other safety devices include automatic cut-outs which make it impossible either to over-extend or over-elevate the es'cape, and a safety stop which prevents the ladder being over-extepded when worked by hand. Four jackingup screws are fixed to the . chassis frame, so that the weight can be taken off the eprings. Plumbing gear is provided to enable the escape to be adjusted to a considerable angle on either side of the machine by means of a screw and hand wheel at the base of the main ladder.
Suitable telephonic arrangements are Provided so that it is possible to communicate from the ground level with the fireman at the top of the ladder. At the head of the top section es doubleswivelling Monitor nozzle is mounted for use as a water tower. The Merryweather patent Hatfield reciprocating pump is mounted in the centre of the chassis, and is capable of delivering 250 gallons of water per minute. On the top of the pump a Monitor nozzle is mounted. As is customary, a capacious box for carrying fire-brigade gear is fitted at each side of the chassis, and this provides standing accommodation for the firemen.