US1351085A - Fibe-fighting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

l C WlTT FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS, "momma mm mm. n. ma.

PfltGIlfbd Aug. 31, 1920.

9 suns-sum l.

A NErs ya/w i J. C. WITT. FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS- APPLICATION FILED MAR. n, 1.9m.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A ITO/M578 Patented'Aug. 31, 1920.

J. C. WITT.

FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION mm MAR. I1, 1918.

1 ,35 1 ,085 Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nwmron JamesC. 7706b Maw 6 A TTORNE Y8 WITNESSES .l. C. WITT.

FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. ll. I9l8.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

9 SHEEIS-SHEET 4.

A TTORNE Y8 J. C. WITT.

FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION mm mm. n, 1918.

1 ,35 1 ,085, Patented-Aug. 31, 1920.

9 SHEEN-SHEET 5.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS J. cl wm.

FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1|. 19w.

1,35 1 ,085, Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

9 SHIE TFSHEET 6.

M g 4% wlrlvfssis e5 INVENTOII' b 5 :33 mmeSa n bfz A TTORNE V8 J. C. WITT. FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED mm. ll, ms.

2 r u m .N H QM m" illlrl m H 0Q U .llllllll mm m n a M H .fi NE 59k IMENTOR Ja mes C. Wtb.

A TTORIIEI'S J. C. WITT.

FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1|, I918- J. c. wm. FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAB.II.19I8.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

INVENTOI? (1. W066. 8V

ATTORNEYS JAMES C. WIT'I, OF CAIRO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-FIGHTING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Application filed March 11, 1918. Serial No. 221,744.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES (3. WIT'I', a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of Cairo, in the county of Alexander and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Fighting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire fighting apparatus, relating more particularly to fire shields, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable and collapsible fire shield to be used adjunctively with the usual fire fighting a paratus, the said shield being controlle in its erection and collapse, by the telescopic action of the truck upon which it is mounted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting truck having a second truck telescopically mounted thereupon, the second truck being arranged to erect a plurality of fire shields by the extension of said truck with respect to the supporting truck.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting truck and an extensible truck with wheels resting on the ground when said truck is extended, and lifted from the ground when said truck is telescoped on the supportin truck.

Another ob ect of the invention is to provide a supporting and a telescopic truck, the two having a spline and groove connection with each other, at an angle, to elevate the telescopic truck as it is telescoped upon said supporting truck.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a novel arrangement in the counterweights of certain of the shield standards, which coact with suitably formed portions of the supporting truck to tilt said standards and cause the shield carried thereby, to collapse, upon the operation of moving the telescopic truck into the supporting truck.

Another object of the invention is to provide quadrants on the shield standards of the supporting truck, arranged to be engaged by racks on the extensible truck, upon the telescoping of said trucks upon eac other and thus turn the quadrants and collapse the shields.

Another object of the invention is to provide the quadrants and racks for the purpose described, the coacting racks and quadrants being located in different planes, by which arrangement, the proper quadrants are operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide fire curtains at the sides of the supporting truck, with engine driven gear connections controlled by the operator, for raising and lowering said curtains to protect the working parts beneath said truck, upon reachin the scene of a fire.

Anot or object of the invention is to provide a fire curtain on the extensible truck, gears arranged to intermesh upon the com-, plete extension of said frame, being provided and arranged for mechanical operation to raise and lower said curtain at the will of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing it telescoped and the shields collapsed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the truck extended and the shields erected.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the parts on the other side.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the parts at the left of Fig. 2, showing the extensible truck member and the coacting parts.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation showing the arrangement of the weight-arm illustrated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views illustrating the manner in which theshield carried by the extensible member, is collapsed by the counter-weights upon telescoping the exten sible frame member.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 18.

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views showing how the shields on the relatively stationary truck member are collapsed by the telescopic action of the extensible truck member.

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing one of the adjustable bearings.

Figs. 12 and 13 are cross sections on the lines 12-12, and 13-13, respectively of Fig. 8.

Fig. 14 is a detail plan view illustrating the arrangement of the quadrants illustrated in Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a cross section on the line 15- 15 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 16 is a detail side elevation of the relatively stationary truck member illustrated in Fig. 2, parts being omitted.

Fig. 17 is a horizontal section on the line 17-17 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 19 is a detail gear connections for curtains.

Fi 20 and 21 are detail views illustrating t e gear connections for the curtain on the extensible truck member, and

Fig. 22 is a cross section taken substantially on the line 2222 of Fig. 20.

Thisdevice is a portable fire shield which is adapted to be used in connection with the usual fire fi hting apparatus. The device carries fire s ields which are normall colapsed when the extensible truck mem er is telescoped in the main truck member, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The fire shields are erected simultaneousl with the extension of the extensible mem r, upon reaching the scene of a fire, the erectible shields carried by the device, formin screens behind which the firemen stand an direct-the water upon the fire.

The main truck member 1 which is termed relatively fixed, for purposes of distinction between the extensible truck member 2 in portions of the description to follow, is mounted upon the front and rear wheels 3 and 4. The wheels 3 and 4 rotate upon the ends of axles 5 and 6 which are supported from the frame 7 of the truck member 1, by the brackets 8 and 9.

An engine 10 is supported on the truck frame 7 and beneath the floor 11 of the truck 1, in any suitable manner. The engine 10 is arranged to drive the rear wheels 4 in any suitable manner. The essence of the invention, however, lies in the manner'of extending and telescoping the extensible truck member 2, and erecting and collapsing th -v fire shields, and therefore, in the interest of simplicity, the driving connections for the said rear wheels 4 from the engine 10, are omitted.

The front and rear wheels 3 and 4 are also capable of being steered by the steering wheels 12 and 13, shown more clearly in Fig. 3. These steering wheels have the proper connections with the axles of the respective wheels, so that both sets of wheels may be operated in turning a corner, in the manner well known in fire fighting apparatus.

The engine 10 is adapted to drive a rack gear 14 journaled upon the rear end of the truck 1. The rack ear 14 may be rotated in either direction y the. employment of the gear and chain mechanism illustrated in Fig. 16. The rack gear 14 is normally idle, that is to say, it is not operated until the plan view showing the operating the various fire fi hting device reaches the scene of a fire. he gear 14 engages a rack 15 secured beneath the extensible truck member 2, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

The truck member 2 is extended from the telescoped position indicated in Fig. 1 to the extended position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by movin a lever 16 pivoted on the front of the true 1, rearwardly. The lever has an extension 18 beyond the pivotal point 17 to which a shifting rod 19 is connected. The other end of the shifting rod 19 is connected to a shifting post 20. A gear shaft 21 is journaled .in the shifting post 20 in any suitable manner, the arrangement of the gear devices for extending the.

truck member 2, which will presently be ex lained, bein best shown in Fig. 16.

he gear shaf t 21 has a sprocket 22 on the end, to which a chain 23 is applied. The chain 23 is also ap lied to a sprocket 24 on a counter-shaft 25 diiven from the engine 10 by any suitable connection. The gear shaft 1 may or may not be constantly driven, it being obvious that a clutch mechanism may be arranged in the counter-shaft 25 so that the gear shaft 21 may be rotated or stopped, at will.

A gear 26 is also mounted upon the gear shaft 21. The car 26 may be moved mto enga ement with an extending gear 27 10- cats at one side of the gear 26, or with a telescopring gear 28 at the other side of said gear. he post 20 is shiftably or slidably mounted on the truck frame 7 beneath the floor 11 so that thegear 26 may be shifted as described, upon operating the lever 16.

The shifting post 20 has a base 29 provided with slots 30 through which bolts 31 pass. The base 29 is slidable upon these bolts which move in the slots 30 when the post 20 is acted upon. The gear shaft 21 normally rotates in a clockwise direction and when moved toward the extending gear 27 which is mounted upon a shaft 32, the gear 26 engages the extending gear 27 and rotates it in a contra-clockwise direction. 7 The contra-clockwise rotation of the gear 27 is transmitted through a sprocket 33 on the shaft 32, and a chain 34 applied to said sprocket, to a sprocket 35 on a counter-shaft 36 located beneath the frame 7 near the rear wheel 4. The contra-clockwise rotation of the shaft 36 is transmitted to a sprocket 37 on the rack gear shaft 38 upon which the rack gear 14 is mounted, through the sprocket chain 39. The rack gear shaft 38 as well as the rack ear 14, now rotates in a contra-clockwise direction with the result that the truck member 2 is extended from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2.

The reverse movement of the parts just described is obtained by shifting the car 26 from engagement with the exten ing gear 27, to the telescoping gear 28. The gear 28 is mounted upon a shaft 40 suitably supported beneath the frame 7. A sprocket 41 is mounted upon the shaft 40, and a chain 42 is applied at one side to the sprocket 41 and at the other side to a sprocket 43 on the counter-shaft 36. The chain 42 is crossed as indicated in Fi 16, so that the motion of the counter-she 36 is properly reversed to telescope the truck member 2 when the shifting gear 26 is moved into engagement with the gear 28, as just explained.

When the gear 26 is thus shifted, which of course, is done by pulling the lever 16 on the front of the truck 1 in a forward direction, the clockwise rotation of the shifting gear shaft 21 is transmitted in a contraclockwise direction to the telescoping gear shaft 40, whereu on the counter-shaft 36 is rotated in a cloc ise direction, due to the crossed chain 42. The clockwise rotation of the shaft 36 causes the clockwise rotation of the rack gear shaft 38 so that the rack gear 14 acts upon the rack 15 to telescope the truck member 2 in the main truck 1.

The extensible truck member 2 has a pair of wheels 44 on the rear end, which engage the ground when the truck member is extended, and are raised from the ground when the truck member is telescoped in the main truck 1. The function of raising the wheels 44 from the ground when the truck member 2 is telescoped, is obtained by the engagement of a pair of splines 45 disposed at a slight angle on the truck member 2, with spllned grooves 46 formed in the sides of a slot 47 in portions of the truck frame 7. The angular disposition of the s lines 45 with respect to the horizontal truck rame 7, is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. The truck member 2 is supported by the angled splines 45 in the grooves 46, and when the truck member 2 is either extended or telescoped, the splines 45 ride in these rooves and lower or elevate the truck mem er accordingl Therefore, as before stated, when the true member 2 is telescoped as shown in Fig. 1, the wheels 44 are clear of the ground, while when the truck member 2 is extended, the wheels 44 en age the ground and support the rear en member.

A plurality of fire shields 48, 49, and 50 are erected almost simultaneously with the extension of the-truck member 2. That is to say, the erection of the fire shields begins as soon as the extension of the truck member 2 be ins. The fire shield 48 is carried by stan ards 51, 52, and 53, on the extensible truck member 2. The fire shields 49 and 50 are carried by standards 54 and 55, respectively, on the main truck member 1.

Each of the standards of the extensible shield 48, has a counter-weight 56, 57 and 58, respectively. The respective counterof said truck' weights are mounted upon outwardly bent portions of the standards and secured in place thereon by set screws 59. The counterweights may be adjusted either radially or laterally, as may be found necessary to obtain the proper action of the weights and the proper engagement with stops arranged to limit the movements of the standards by contacting the counter-weights.

The counter-weight 56 engages a stop 60 on the extremity of the truck member 2 in the position shown in Fig. 4, and the counter-weight 57 engages a stop 61 on a slot board 62, at the same time. The counterweight 58 is cut away at 63 to form a shoulder for en agin the end of the floor 11 of the truck rame l.

The slot board 62 which is substantially an inte 2.] part of the extensible truck member 2, as a slot 64 in which the bent end of the standard 53 rides. The bent end of the middle standard 52 is 'ournaled in a solid part of the slot boar 62. ,The extremity of the bent portion of thestandard 53 rides in a complemental slot 65 ina relatively fixed slot board 66, fixed upon the main truck frame 7 A collar 67 is clamped upon said extreme end of the standard 53, as shown in Fi 5.

The bent end of the standard 53 occupies the right and left extremities of the slots in the slot boards 66 and 62, respectively, when the parts are telescoped, as in Fig. 1. Upon extending the extensible truck member 2, the counter-weight 58 remains stationarily in the position indicated in Fig. 1, while the counter-weights 56 and 57 being positively connected to the truck member 2, begin to act upon the standards 51 and 52 to elevate or erect the fire shield 48. The counter-weights 56 and 57 act in succession, and to this end, a weight-arm 68 with a beveled end 69 is rovided, over which the weights 56 and 57 slide in succession and assume the substantially vertical position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

The weight 56 is controlled to collapse and erect the standard 51, solely by the weight-arm 68. The weight 57 is also controlled to collapse and erect the standard 52 by the weight-arm 68, but is adapted to engage a weight board 70 with a beveled a proach 71, fixed upon the floor 11. T e weight board 70 is so arranged that the wei ht 57 may slide thereupon. When the true member 2 is extended as just explained, the weight 57 begins to slide off of the weight board 70 almost as soon as the weight 56 slides off of the beveled end 69 of the weight-arm 68. Thus it will be understood, that the weight 56 acts first to erect the standard 51, and the weight 57 acts next to erect the standard 52.

The third weight 58 also slides upon the weight board 70, but is adapted to act last of all so that not until the standards 51 and 52 are nearly erect, does the weight 58 act to erect the standard 53 and draw the fire shield 48 taut.

It has been stated that the Weight 58 remains stationary at the beginning of the extension of the truck member 2. This is accomplished by the movement of the slot of the relatively fixed slot board 66, over the inner portion of the bent member of the standard 53. The slot 65 is of such a length that the right extremity of said slot will engage the bent portion of the standard 53 at just the right time to begin moving the 'weight 58 when the functions of the weights 56 and 57 are about completed. The right extremity of the slot 65 aving e age the bent end of the standard 53, t e weight 58 is slid or moved upon the weight board from the position indicated in 1 to the position indicated in Fig. 4. As the weight 58'moves down the beveled approach 71, it will begin to turn so that at the completion of the turning movement of the weight 58, the shoulder 63 will engage the end of the floor 11. The turning movement of the weight 58 is also partly assisted by the erection of the standard 52 which exerts some tension upon the fire shield 48 and accordingly assists in pulling the standard 53 to the erect position.

The fire shields 49 and 50 are operated by quadrant and rack devices-as distinguished from the fire shield 48 which is operated by the counter-weights just described. It should be understood that the adjacent portions of the various fire screens overlap somewhat as indicated more par ticularly in Figs. 8 and 18 of the drawings, so that there may be no breach in the screen. Reference is now directed to Fig. 8. The standards 54 carrying the fire shield 49, are bent outwardly to form axles 72 which are journaled in adjustable bearings 73. Quadrants 74 and 75 are fixed upon the respective axles 72 of the standards 54, and are disposed in the same angular positions as indicated in Fig. 8.

An upper rack bar 76 carries a pair of racks 74 and 75 The rack 74 cofiperates with a quadrant 74, and the rack 75 coiipcrates with the quadrant 75. The foremost rack 75 is made to avoid the rear quadrant 74, by properly lowering the bearing members of the rearmost quadrant 74. The quadrant 74 therefore occupies a slightly lower plane than the quadrant 75, the obvious purpose bein the simultaneous operation of the quad r racks 74 and 75. When the truck member 2 is telescoped, the racks 74* and 7 5 will have moved into engagement with their respective quadrants ants 74 and 75 by the 4 and 75 and rotated them in a clockwise direction as indicated by the dotted "arrows in Fig. 8, and have moved the standards 54 in a similar direction to collapse the fire shield 49. The engagement of the respective racks with their quadrants, also forms a key as it were, for holding the standards 54 in the collapsed position.

The standards 55 of the fire screen 50 have outwardly bent portions forming axles 77 which are 1ournaled in adjustable bear ings 78. The axles 77 have quadrants 79 and 80 which are fixed upon the axles in the same angular positions as indicated in Fig. 8. Racks 79" and 80 mounted upon the truck member 2, are adapted to enga e and coact with the respective uadrants 79 and 80. When the truck mem er 2 is telescoped, the racks 79 and 80 will have moved into en agement with the quadrants 79 and 80 an rotated them in a contraclockwise direction as indicated by the dotted arrows in Fig. 8, to have moved the standards 55 in a similar direction and collapsed the fire screen 50 upon the fire screen 49. The distances between .the res ective racks and qluadrants just described is substantially t e same so that the co a se of the fire screens 49 and 50 is accomp ished almost at once.

The foremost rack 80' avoids the madrent 79 by the previous elevation o the axle 77 in the ad1ustable bearings 78. The foremost rack 80 is also illustrated as being a little lower than the rack 79. The same is true of the racks 7 5 and 74 on the upper rack bar 76. It is, however immaterial whether one or the other of the racks is made lower or certain ones of the quadrants are adjusted higher to avoid the foremost racks, the proper positioning of the respective racks and quadrants being readily done by either method.

It will be observed in Fig. 18 that the quadrants 79 and 80 and the coacting racks 7 9 and 80 are situated in one longitudinal plane, while the quadrants 74 and 75 and the coacting racks 74 and 75 are situated in another longitudinal plane. It will thus be understood that the sets of racks and quadrants for operating the separate fire shields 49 and 50, work independently of each other and do not interfere in their operations. Each of the pairs of axles 72 and 77 is provided with a counter-weight 81 and 82, respectively. The middle set of counterweights 81 and 82 in Fig. 8, is but half the size of the end counter-weights. These counter-weights may thus pass each other as indicated in Fig. 18. i

The upper rack bar 76 is movable in a groove 83 of a guide frame 84 which includes the supports 85 and the truss members 86.

ceive a spline 88 fixed upon the rack bar 76.

. The guide groove 83 is rabbeted at 87 to reframe The spline 88 moves in the rabbet 87 and prevents the displacement of the upper rack bar 7 6 from the guide groove 83.

The machinery beneath the extensible truck member 2 as well as beneath the main truck member 1, is'protected by an arrangement of curtains which are adapted to be lowered after the truck member 2 is extended. Side curtains 89 and 90 are rolled upon shafts 91 sup orted in bearings 92 on the truck frame 7 o the main truck 1. Each shaft 91 has a bevel gear 93 at the front end, with which, similar bevel gears 94 on a shaft 95 mesh. One of the curtain shafts 91 is provided with a second bevel pinion 96, this pinion being located on the rear end as shown in Fig. 19.

The bevel pinion 96 meshes with a bevel pinion 97 on a counter-shaft 98 mounted on bearings 99 on the rear end of the truck The counter-shaft 98 has a sprocket 100 to which a chain 101 is applied. The chain 101 passes over a larger sprocket 102 on the rack gear shaft 38.

The counter-shaft 98 is rotated at the same time that the truck member 2 is being extended through the operation of the rack gear 14. Thus, when the shifting gear 26 is moved into engagement with the extending gear 27 and the rack gear shaft 38 is rotated in a contra-clockwise direction to extend the truck member 2, the shaft 91 of the side curtains 89 and 90, are also rotated to lower the side curtains.

The extensible truck member 2 has a single curtain 103 which is wound upon a shaft 104 supported in bearings 105 beneath the extensible truck. The curtain 103 is, however, adapted not to be unwound until the extensible truck member 2 is completely extended. The shaft 104 carries a bevel pinion 106 which is arranged to inter-mesh with a bevel pinion 107 on a stud shaft 108 mounted beneath the truck frame 7. The stud shaft 108 is adapted to be driven from a shifting stud shaft 109.

The shifting stud shaft 109 is mounted on a shifting post 110 similar in all respects to the shifting post 20 of the shifting gear 26 illustrated in Fig. 16. The shaft 109 has a sprocket 111 to which a sprocket chain 112 is applied. The other end of the chain 112 is applied to a sprocket 113 on the stud shaft 108. The shifting stud shaft 109 is adapted to be shifted by a shifting rod 114 which is pivoted to the extension of a shifting lever 115 mounted on the front end of the truck 1 and beneath the hood 116.

The shifting post 110 may be shifted by operating the hand lever 115, to move a gear 117 on-the shifting stud shaft 109, into engagement with either the telescoping gear 28 or the shifting gear 26, according to the motion it is desired to impart to the curtain shaft 104. By reference to Figs. 20 and 1 .11,

it will be understood that the curtain shaft 104 cannot be operated until the truck member 2 is completely extended. The curtain shaft 104 is carried by the truck member 2, and when said truck member is completely bevel gears 106 and 107 come mto engagement, whereupon they maybe rotated to operate the shaft 104 to unwind or wind the curtain 103.

The curtains 90 and 103 in conjunction with the fire shields 48, 49 and 50, form a complete wall or screen from behind which the firemen may combat the fire. To this end, the upper fire shields may be provided with portholes 118 through which streams of water may be directed upon the fire. It is also desirable to protect the set of wheels 44 of the extensible truck member 2.

A curtain 119 which normall assumes the position indicated in Fig. 1 w en the truck member 2 is telescoped, is adapted to be dropped completely around the rear wheels 44 when the truck member 2 is extended.

The curtain 119 is mounted upon ame members 120 at the top and bottom. The top frame member 120 has an arm 121 with a bent end 122 which is adapted to ride into a slot 123 in the weight-arm 68. It will be understood that the bent end 122 rides on the incline of the slot 123, to the base of the slot when the truck member 2 is telescoped. Similarly, when the truck member 2 is extended, the bent end 122 will ride out of the slot 123 and permit the curtain 119 to lower to the position indicated in Fig. 2.

Ordinarily the friction between the rack gear 14 and the rack 15, and the other contacting parts between the extensible truck member 2 and the main truck member 1, would be sufiicient to prevent the extension of the truck member 2 when the device is propelled over a roadway. To overcome any accidental extension of the truck member 2, a latch 124 is provided on the front end of the truck 1, as shown in Fig. 1. The latch 124'is spring pressed in one direction, and has a treadle portion on which the operator may step to release the latch from a suitably arranged keeper on the extensible truck 2.

The operation of the device is as follows. The extensible truck member 2 is telescoped in the main truck member 1 as shown in Fig. 1, when the portable fire shield is in readiness to be called out. The fire shields 48, 49, and 50, which are preferably made of asbestos fabric, are collapsed upon the main truck, and the curtain for the rear wheels 44 is elevated. The curtain 103 of the extensible truck member 2 is rolled upon the shaft 104 and telescoped beneath the main truck 1 with the extensible truck member 2 by which it is carried. The side curtains 89 and 90 are also rolled up as shown in Fig. 1.

The counter-weights 56, 57, and 58, which act to erect the standards 51, 52, and 53 which support the fire shield 48, rest upon the weight-arm 68 and the weight board coacting racks 74*, and 80, of t e upper rack bar 76 and the extensible truc member 2, respectively, being thus held and locked in the position wherein the shields 49 and 50 are collapsed.

he splines 4 of the extensible truck the main truck 1. e inclination of the splines and the grooves attains the elevation of the wheels 44 of the extensible truck mem- 2 from the ground, when the member 2 is telescoped. When the member 2 is ex tended, the splines surfaces of th rest upon the ground and support said member, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The truck member 2 is ing the lever the shifting gear 26 engages the extending gear 27 and imparts a contra-clockwise motion thereto. The shifting gear 26 rotates in a clockwise direction and is driven from the s rocket 24 on the engine counter-shaft 25.

nection 39, and th fixed to the extensible truck member 2 and which is in engagement with the rack gear 14, is operated to extend said truck member from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2.

hen this action takes place, ards of the fire shield 48 move to succession. Each standard has a portion or an axle which has a pivotal portion 0 the extensible the action of gravity, assumes the osition illustrated in Fig. 4 when the stan ard 51 carried thereby, assumes the vertical position.

The weight 57 follows. The bent ends or axles of the weights 56 and 57 have positive solid portions of the truck The bent end of standard 52 is journaled in the slot board The positive mountings ust referred to The weight 58 follows last of a k 1, so that the standard 52 is moved to erection almost as soon as the standard 51 assumes its vertical position.

It should be understood that the Wei ht 56 coacts with the weight-arm 68. The weight 57 simply slides ofl of the floor 11 and does not en ge the weight-arm. To facilitate the slidlng off of the weight 57, the adjacent edge of the floor 11 me; be beveled.

ll. The bent end or axle of the standard 53 carried by the weight 58, has no positive connection with either the main truck member or the extensible truck member. This axle passes through the slots 64 and 65 of the slot board 2 carried by the extensible truck 2, and the slot board 66 carried by the main truck member 1, respectively.

As soon as the truck 2 commences its extension, the slot board 62, of course, moves with respect to the axle of the standard 53, the slot 64 of the slot board 62, simply moving over the adjacent portion of said axle. his continues, until the ri ht end of the slot 64 engages the axle. 'l he axle together with the weight 58, is then carried rearwardly, the outer part of said axle then sliding in the slot 65 of the relatively fixed slot board 66. Th end of the axle of the standard 53 will ultimately engage ft end of the slot 65.

The weight 58 in the meantime passes through various stages positely to those depicted in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, and finally assumes the erected, the truck member 2 is yet in the telesooped position, the various racks carried b the upper rack bar 76 and the truck mem er 2, are in engagement with their coasting The he bar 76 will then e in engagement with the quadrants 74 and 75, as may be best understood from Fig. 9. Similarly. the racks 79 and 80 will be in engagement with the quadrants 79 and 80, as ma be best understood from Fig. 10. Now, 0 viousl upon the extension of the truck mem er 2, the various racks will be moved toward the left or rearwardly, and the quadrants of the shields 49 and 50 will be rotated in contra-clockwise and clockwise directions respectively, until they assume the vertical or erect positions indicated in Figs. 8 and 2.

During the operation of extending the truck member 2, the side curtains 89 and 90 are unrolled from their shafts 91, until the weighted edges of the curtains reach the ground. The speed ratios of the shafts 91 and the rack gear shaft 38, are so roportioned that the side curtains 89 an 90 will be full unwound when the truck 1116111- ber 2 is fu ly extended. The shafts 91 of the curtains are rotated from the rack gear shaft 38 through the chain and sprocket connections 101, 100, which drive the counter-shaft 98 from which the curtain shafts 91 are driven.

The curtain 103 of the extensible truck member 2, is not unwound, however, until the truck member 2 is fully extended and the pinion 106 on the shaft 104 of said ourtain 103, engages the bevel pinion 107 on the stud shaft 108. The stud shaft 108 is rotated by the gear connections from the shifting stud shaft 109 shown in Fig. 16. The stud shaft 109 is mounted u on the shifting post 110 which is operate by the lever 115 beneath the hood 116 at the front of the truck 1. The shaft 109 is shifted either toward the right or toward the left, and the gear 117 carried thereby, will engage either the telescoping gear 28 or the shifting gear 26, when the counter-shaft 108 will be properly rotated to unwind the curtain 103 from the shaft 104.

The bent end 122 of the arm 121 of the curtain 119, also moves out of the slot 123 in the weight-arm 68 at the propertime, to permit the curtain 119 to drop in osition about the wheels 44. It will be un' erstood that the weights 56, 57 and 58' are limited in their movements to erect the various standards, by enga ing the stops located adjacent thereto. he various weights are susceptible to adjustment, as previously explained. V

The use of the portable fire screen is not limited to any particular field. It may be used to equal advantage in cities as well as rural communities. When the fire shield is used in rural communities, it is drawn up between the house which is afire and the adjoining house which is not. The houses in rural communities are usually detached, and the spreading of a fire from a burning house to another by the leaping across of the flames and scattering of sparks, is not an infrequent occurrence. In actual practice, the portable fire screen will be in the neighdrawing borhood of seventy-five feet lon when extended, and in the neighborhood 0 thirty (30) feet high when erected. The ereetible fire shields and the side curtains are made of asbestos fabric. The parts of the truck itself are all made of metal, so that there is nothing about the device which may burn. It may thus be easily understood that by the device between two buildin under t e conditions described, the fire Wlll. not only be prevented from spreading, but may be combatted by directing streams of water upon the flames through the portholes 118.

The fire shield protects the firemen who stand behind the shield and direct the streams of water. The device may, of course, not be drawn up between houses in the case where it is used in cities, because houses in cities are usually built in rows. But the device may be drawn up in the street in front of the house and the firemen may direct their work from behind the shield, similarly as in the former instance. It is also conceivable that the various standards of the fire shields may be reinforced and braced in such a manner that the various fire shields will support ladders when placed thereagainst. If this can be done, the firemen may climb up to near the top of the fire shields and thus direct the streams of water into the upper stories of the building, to better advantage than when" they stand upon the ground and use the porthole 18 exclusively.

While the construction and arrangement of the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the see e of the claims claim:

1.- A fire fighting device, consisting of a collapsed shield section, a telescopic truck including a fixed truck member, and an extensible truck member carrying said shield section, and rockable standards pivoted on the extensible truck member and adapted to engage the fixed truck member upon telescoping the truck, to rock said standards.

2. A fire fighting device, consisting of a telescopic truck including a fixed member, and an extensible member, a shield section carried by and collapsed upon the extensible member when the truck members are telescoped, shield supporting standards pivoted on the extensible member and swung over thereupon when said extensible member is telescoped, and means arranged on said standards and engaging the fixed member, adapted to erect the standards and shield section automatically upon relative extension of the extensible member to said fixed member.

3. A fire fighting device, consisting of a relatively fixed truck member and an extensible truck member, shield standards pivoted upon the extensible member, a flexible shield section attached to said standards, and a counter-poising means on the standards, engageable with the relatively fixed truck member, for rocking the pivoted standards.

4. A fire fighting device, consisting of a relatively fixed truck member and an ex tensible truck member erectible shield standards pivoted upon the extensible memher, and counter-weights carried by said standards slidably engaging the relatively fixed truck member to lower said standards upon telescoping the truck members.

5. A fire fighting device, consisting of a relatively fixed truck member and an extensible truck member, shield standards lowered when the truck members are telescoped, and counter-weights on the standards engaging the relatively fixed truck member, said counter-weights erecting the standards on disengagement of the weights with said truck member, upon extending the extensible member.

6. A fire fighting device, consisting of an extensible truck member and a relatively fixed truck member having an inclined portion, shield supporting standards pivotally mounted upon the extensible truck member, and counter-weights on the standards, slidable upon the inclined portion when the truck members are telescoped.

7. A fire fighting device, consisting of an extensible truck member and a relativel fixed truck member, shield bearing stand ards carried by the extensible truck member, counter-Weights carried by said standards engaging the relatively fixed truck member when telescoped, said counter-weights sliding ofl" upon extension of the extensible truck member and erecting the shield bearing standards, and stops on the extensible member limiting the movement of the countor-weights.

8. A fire fighting device, including an extensible truck member, a shield bearing standard ivotall mounted for erection on said mem er, and a counter-weight adjustable on a portion of said standard for varying the position of said weight and changing the per endicularity of said standard.

9. A fire ghtin device, including an extensible truck mem er, a plurality of shield bearing standards pivoted on said member, counter-weights ada ted to erect said standards, a relatively xed truck member, a weight board with an inclined portion on said truck member, engageable by a pair of said counter-weights, and a separate weightarm having an inclined portion engageable by another of said counter-weights.

10. A fire fighting device, including an extended truck member and a relatively fixed truck member, a plurality of shield carrying standards pivoted on the extended truck member, a flexible shield stretched between said standards, counter-weights carried by said standards holding them erect and the shield taut, and conjunctively operating means for telescoping the extended truck member and turning said standards down one after the other, to collapse the shield.

11. A fire fighting device, including an extended truck member and a relatively fixed truck member, a plurality of shield carrying standards pivoted on the extended truck member, a flexible shield stretched between said standards, counter-weights carried by said standards holding them erect and the shield taut, mechanically operated means for telescoping the extended truck member, and means acting conjunctively to fold the standards down in succession, to collapse the shield, as said truck member is telescoped.

12. A fire fighting device, including an extended truck member and a relatively fixed truck member, said member having a partly projecting bed, a shield supportlng standard carried by the extended truck member, and a counter-weight carried by said standard, said counter-weight having a portion cut away to receive the partial projection.

13. A fire fighting device, including a relatively fixed truck member and an extensible truck member telescoped thereupon, shield supporting standards pivoted on the extensible member, counter-weights on the said standards, engaging the relatively fixed member, a rack on the extensible member, and gear and driving connections with said rack for extending the extensible member, permitting the counter-weights to act and erect said standards.

14. A fire fighting device, including a relatively fixed truck member and an extensible truck member telescoped thereupon, shield 1 supporting standards pivoted on the extensible member engaging the relatively fixed member on the said standards, a rack on the extensible member, gear and driving connections with said rack for extending the 115 extensible member, causing the erection of said standards through the action of the counter-weights, and a reversing mechanism combined in the driving connections, operative to re-telescope the extended truck member.

15. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, an extensible truck member, a fire shield carried by the extensible member, including supporting standards 125 having portions engaging the relatively fixed member and holding said standards and shield collapsed, and means for extending the extensible truck member whereupon said engaging portions disengage the rela- 180 tively fixed truck member and move said standards to erection in succession.

16. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, an extensible truck member slidable upon the relatively fixed truck member, wheels carried by the extensible truck member for contacting the ground when said truck member is extended, and. inter-engaging means arranged u on the relatively fixed and extensible mem ers for elevating the wheels from the ground as the extensible member is moved inwardly upon the relativel fixed member.

17. In a re fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member, an extensible trucfi member telescoped in the relatively fixed truck member, and means inter-connecting said members arranged to lower the extensible truck member upon extension.

18. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member having a floor with a slot and inclined grooves formed in the sides of the slot, an extensible truckmember telescoped on the relatively fixed truck member and having splines engaging said grooves, wheels carried by the extensible member out of contact with the ground when the extensible m mber is telescoped on the relatively fixed member, and mechanical operating means for extending the extensible member, whereupon the splines ride upon the inclined grooves and radually lower the Wheels into contact with the ground when the extensible member is fully extended.

19. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, a weight-arm projecting from said truck member, an extensible truck member normally telescoped in the relativel fixed truck member, a plurality of shiel standards carried by the extensible member, and counter-weights carried by said standards, one of said counter-weights engaging the Weight-arm when the extensie truck memoer is telescoped, to collapse the standard carried by the weight.

20. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member having a floor, a weight board secured to the floor and forming a track, an extensible truck member telescoped in said relatively fixed truck member, and shield standard operating weights carried by the extensible truck member and riding upon the track provided by the weight board.

21. In a fire fighting device, a relative] fixed truck member, an extensible truclZ member telescoped in the relatively fixed member, and a plurality of shield standard operating weights carried by the extensible member, certain of the weights moving with the extensible member upon extension, and one of said weights remaining stationary until a predetermined time.

22. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, an extensible truck member telescoped in the relatively fixed truck member, a plurality of weights carried by the extensible member and movable upon extension of said member, one of said Weights remaining stationary until a predetermined time, and an engaging portion on the extensible member arranged to contact the stationary weight at the end of. said predetermined time.

23. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, an extensible truck member adapted to be extended from the relatively fixed truck member, a pluralit of weights carried by the extensible truc member, certain of the weights moving with said member, and one of the wei hts rewith the relative y fixed maining stationar truck member, an a slot board mounted on the extensible member, said board having a slot, one extremity of the slot being adapted to engage a portion of the stationary weight after a pre-determined extension of the extensible member, to carry said Wei ht'therewith through the remamder of t e movement of the extensible member.

24. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member and an extensible truc member, slot boards having slots, each being mounted upon one of said members, an erectible standard having a bent portion forming an axle disposed in the slots, and a weight mounted upon the axle between the slot boards.

25. In a fire fightin device, a relatively fixed truck member aving a slot board with a slot, an extensible truck member having a slot board spaced from the relatively fixed slot board and having a slot, and a pair of Weights located between the slot oards when the extensible member is telescoped in the relatively fixed member, one of said weights bein carried by the extensible member, and t e other weight being adapted to be acted on by a portion of said extensible member.

26. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member having a slot board with a slot, an extensible truck member telesco ed in the relatively fixed truck member an having a slot board with a slot, said slot boards being spaced apart and forming walls, and a pair of weights disposed between the walls when the extensible member is telescoped, one of the Weights having a positive connection with the extensible member, the other weight having a loose connection with both slot boards in the slot.

27. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, a slot board with a slot, mounted on said truck member, an extensible truck member telescoped 1n the relatively fixed truck member and having a slot board with a slot mounted thereon, the slot boards being spaced apart to provide a board with a slot, mounted u on the floor, an

extensible truck member to escoped in the relatively fixed truck member and having a slot board with a slot, said slot boards being spaced apart to provide a weight channel, a weight board secured to the floor in the channel, and a pair of weights controlled by, and arranged to be drawn over, the weight board upon the extension of the extensible member.

29. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed slot board and an extensible slot boar said boards having coinciding slots, :1. standard having a bent portion for-min an axle disposed in the coinciding slots, and a weight mounted upon the axle between the slot boards.

30. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member having a weight board, a slot board with a slot, fixed on one side of the weight board, an extensible truck member telescoped in the relatively fixed member, havi a slot board with a slot, said slot board ing disposed on the other side of the weight board and extending in an opposite direction to the relatively fixed slot board, a weight resting upon the weight board between the slot boards, and an axial portion passing through the weight and the slots, the extreme end of the extensible board slot being engageable with the associated portion of the axle upon the extension of the extensible truck member.

31. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member having a slot board with a slot, an extensible truck member having a slot board with a slot, normally telescoped in the fixed truck member, a weight located between the slot boards, and a standard having a bent end forming an axle fixed in the weight and passing through the slots of the slot boards, said axle normally reclining in the extremities of said slots,

32. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member having a slot board with a slot, a weight, an axle passing through the weight at both sides, one end of the axle normally reclining in one extremit of the relatively fixed slot board slot, an an extensible truck member having a slot board with a slot, the other end of said axle reclining in the extremity of said slot opposite to that of the relatively fixed slot board slot.

33. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed and an extensible truck member, a slot board on each truck member, each having a slot, said slots extending in opposite directions when the truck members are telescoped, a weight located between the slot boards, and a supporting axle for the weight extending at each side of the weight and located in engagement with the adjacent bases of the oppositely extending slots when the truck members are telescoped.

34. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member having a slot board with a slot, a weight having an axle with por tions projecting on each side, one of the pro- 'ections reclining in one extremity of said slot, and an extensible truck member having a slot board with a slot, the other axle projection reclining in the extremity of said slot.

opposite to that of the relatively fixed slot board slot holding the other axle projection, and means for extending the extensible truck member whereupon the 'slot board carried thereby rides over the axle projection until the associated slot base engages the axle projection and moves the weight upon continued motion of the extensible member.

35. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed slot board having a slot, a weight having an axle projectingat the sides of the weight, one axle projection normally resting in t e base of sai slot, and an extensible slot board having a slot, the other projection normall resting at the head of said s ot, said extensi 1e slot board being movable with respect to the weight until the base of the extensible slot board slot enga es the axle projection, whereupon the weig t is moved and the other axle projection is advanced in the relatively fixed slot board slot.

36. In a firefighting device,-a relatively fixed slot board having a slot, an extensible slot board havin a slot, a weight disposed between the slot hoards and having an axle with projections at each side of the weight, one axle projection normally resting at the base of the relatively fixed slot board slot, the other axle projection normally resting at the head of the extensible slot board slot, and a second weight carried by the extensible slot board, adapted to move independently of the other weight, upon the extension of the extensible slot board, said other weight being movable upon the engagement of the base of the extensible slot board slot with the companion axle projection.

37. In a fire fightin device, a relatively fixed truck mem er aving a slot board with a slot, an extensible truck member telescoped in the relatively fixed truck member, a weight slidable beside the slot board, an axle in the weight having projections on each side, one projection being movable in said slot, and means carried by the extensible truck member engaging the other axle projection after a pro-determined extent of movement of the extensible member, for moving the weight longitudinally of said slot board.

38. In a fire fi hting device, a relatively fixed truck memfier having a floor, a slot board havin a slot, a weight movable beside the slot oard and having a cut-out portion, an axle in the weight with a projection normally resting in the base of said slot, an extensible truck member, and means carried by said truck member engageable with a portion of the weight for sliding the weight beside the slot board, said weig t revolving upon the engagement of the axle projection with the other end of said slot, whereupon I the cut-out ortion of said weight engages the ed e of t e truck floor.

39. n a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member, an extensible trucl i member normall telescoped in the relatively fixed trucli member, standards pivoted upon the extensible member, a fire shield carried by said standards, and means for turning the standards to an erect position to stretch the shield upon the extension of the extensible member.

40. In a fire fi' hting device, a relativel 26 fixed truck mem ber, an extensible trucfi member telescoped in the relatively fixed truck member, standards pivoted upon the extensible member,-a fire shield carried by i the standards, said standards and shield be- 80 ing in a collapsed position when the extensible truck member is telescoped in the relatively fixed truck member and means for raising the standards and stretching the shield upon the extension of the extensible 3B truck member.

41. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member, an extensible truc member, a air of fire shields carried by the relativel fixed truck member, and means 40 carried y the extensible member arranged to act upon and raise the fire shield upon the extension of the extensible member.

42. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member, an extensible truclz member normally telescoped in said relatively fixed truck member, a plurality of fire shields mounted upon the relatively fixed truck member and collapsed when the extensible member is telescoped, and means carried b the extensible member for raising said re shields simultaneously with the extension of the extensible member.

43. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member, an extensible true member normally telescoped in said relatively fixed truck member, a plurality of fire shields having supports pivoted upon the relatively fixed truck member, and means coacting with said supports and carried by so the extensible member, to raise said supports and the fire shields upon the extension of the extensible member.

44. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck' member, an extensible true member normally telescoped in said relatively fixed truck member, a plurality of fire shields carried by the relatively fixed member, supports for said fire shields pivoted upon said relatively fixed truck member, and means carried by the extensible member engageable with portions of said supports for acting upon said supports to collapse and erect the fire shields during portions of the movements of the extensible member. 76

45. In a fire fi hting device, a relatively fixed truck memger, an extensible and retractible truck member, a plurality of fire shields having pivoted supports with engageable ortlons carried by the relatively xed truc member, and means carried by the extensible member for engaging said engageable portions during portions of the extending and retracting movements of said extensible member, to act upon the fire shields.

46. In a fire fi hting device, a relatively fixed truck mem er an extensible and retractible truck member, fire shields carried by standards mounted upon the relatively fixed truck member, quadrants carried by the standards, and racks carried by the extensible member engageable with the quadrants upon the retractlon of said member, to collapse the standards and fire shields. 96

47. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, an extenslble and telescopic truck member, fire shields carried by standards pivoted upon the relatively fixed truck member, quadrants mounted on the 100 standards, and racks carried by the extensible truck member, engageable with the quadrants upon telescoping said extensible member, to revolve and lpck the standard to the collapsed position.

48. In a fire fighting device, a relativel fixed truck member, an extensible truc member normall telescoped in said relatively fixed truc member, a plurality of standards having bent portions formin axles journaled upon the relatively fixed truck member, quadrants mounted upon the axles, fire shields carried by the standards, and racks carried by the extensible truck member engageable with the quadrants at the end of the telescoping movement of the extensible member to turn the axles in their journals.

49. In a fire fighting device, a relatively fixed truck member, an extensible truck member normallly telescoped in said relatively fixed truc member, standards journaled on the relatively fixed truck member, fire shields carried by the standards,'quadrants mounted upon the lower portions of said standards, and racks carried by the extensible member engageable with the quadrants when the extensible member is telescoped, certain of said racks coiiperating with certain of the quadrants, and acting 13'0

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