28 
FIRE ENGINES ADAPTED FOR HOT CLIMATES. 
Sir, — After witnessing the introduction of 
boats, bridges, and churches of cast-iron, with 
many other extraordinary a[)plications of this 
higlily -nseful material, your readers will not be 
much surprised at the introduction of cast-iron 
fire-engines, and this material enters pretty 
largely into the machine Tam about to describe. 
It is well known that hot climates exercise 
a most injurious eftect upon all things con- 
structed of wood, especially if occasional mois- 
ture assists the operation of the heat. Among 
other machines wliich manifest the existence 
of this destructive influence, fire-engines are 
particularly liable to dilapidation : sometimes 
satured with water, and then exposed to 
parching dryness — laid by unheeded until 
required for use — no wonder they are so often 
found unserviceable. To obviate the serious 
inconvenience arising from this cause, and to 
render the fire engine, as far as possible, proof 
against the effects of climate, Mr. W, J. Til- 
ley, engine-maker, Blackfriars-road, London, 
has constructed afire-engine entirely of metal, 
of which fig. 1 is a side, and fig. 2 an end- 
view. The same letters of reference apply to 
both drawings. 
a a a are three cast iron standards, fixed 
upon a quadrangular floor or framework 6 h, of 
the same material, cc is the main axis walk- 
ing in brass bushes on the tops of a a. dd are 
the two brass cylinders or pumps, e is the air- 
vessel, of copper ; / is the suction-pipe ; and 
g the delivery pipe. A chamber h contains 
the suction-valves, the delivery-valves being 
placed in a similar chamber i in front of the 
cylinders, k k are the handles, made of sheet- 
iron rolled up, which, by means of the cross- 
levers, impart alternate motions to the pistons. 
The pistons are attached by slings to a pro- 
jecting-arm on the axis c, the parallelism of 
the pistons being preserved by guide-rods in 
the usual manner. I is the fore-carriage. 
The whole is mounted on four cast iron 
wheels, and has rather a light and elegant 
appearance. 
In the construction of his engine not a par- 
ticle of wood is employed ; the valves, the 
pistons, and, in fact, every part is of metal. 
This ensine exhibits, in a very pleasing 
manner, the situation of all the working parts 
which, in fire engines of the ordinary kind, 
are enclosed from view ; but a most important 
advantage consists in the facility with which 
any little derangement in the machine^ can be 
seen and remerlied. The valves, which are 
almost (he only parts liable to get out of order 
can he got at immediately, as it is only ne- 
cessary to unscrew and remove the cover of 
the valve chambers, to examine and repair 
any obstruction in this part of the tnachine. 
The durability of this description of fire- 
engine, and its fitness for all foreign stations, 
especially in hot climates, must be so great, 
that for such services 1 have no doubt they 
will in time supersede all other engines con- 
structed of so perishable and uncertain a 
material as wood. 
I remain. Sir, 
Yours respectfully, 
Wm. Baddeley. 
