BOSTON AND ITS SELF-PROPELLING FIRE ENGINE.
波士顿的自我宣传蒸汽消防车是在曼彻斯特曼彻斯特市曼彻斯特市建造的，是北卡罗来纳州的曼彻斯特，是一款双重额外的一流发动机，容量为每分钟1,850加仑。从地面到发动机的顶部是十英尺；它的长度在整个上为16英尺，宽度为七英尺，三英寸。两名工程师推动了这款引擎。首席工程师骑在火箱上，直接在他的手下，杠杆和车轮开始，停止和调节机器。助理工程师骑着在普通引擎中的驾驶员座椅上。水平轮就在他面前，其轴通过脚踏板向下穿过，并牢固地位于前桥。该车轮以与长钩和梯子卡车的后轮完全相同的方式引擎。从主曲柄的一端施加道路驾驶功率，穿过均衡的化合物和两个无尽的链，这些链条绕过后轮轮毂的内部边缘。轮毂边缘装有齿轮，使它们实际上是链轮车轮，因此它们在转弯时可以以不同的速度行驶。 The driving power is made reversible, and thus the engine can be driven forwards or backwards at will. On arriving at a fire, by the simple removal of a key the driving power is disconnected from the road driving gear, and the entire force and power of the engine is devoted to the pumps. An extra water tank is carried at the rear to supply the boiler till connection is made with a hydrant. The engine has been severely tested in Boston’s narrowest and busiest streets, and at all rates of speed. In the most crowded streets it can easily turn in its own length, it runs very smoothly and does not frighten horses. During a recent test it threw without any difficulty a stream of forty feet in the air above the Chase candy factory, using a one and one half-inch nozzle siamesed. A two-inch one and three-quarter-inch and five-eighth-inch nozzle were tried in turn—all siamesed, using 150 feet of hose for each. A stream at least 200 feet was thrown. Two lines were then taken with a one and one-half inch nozzle each and the same length of hose; a good strong stream wus obtained from each line. The back-water pressure was exceedingly small— registering only 120 pounds. The boilers of the engine are forty inches in diameter and seventy-five inches long—double steam cylinders, each nine and one-half inches in diameter, eight inches stroke; double pumps, each five and three-quarter inches in diameter, eight inches stroke. The engine has not yet been tested at a fire,as it responds only to second and third alarms. Its location is in one of the most congested districts in Boston, in the midst of the majority of the great business houses. So thoroughly satisfied is Fire Commissioner Russell with the working of the machine that it will be duplicated before long
