II. COUPLINGS.—The principal advantage claimed for the Silsby coupling (Fig. 15) is that, it fur nishes a clear and unobstructed passage-way for the water the full size of the hose. It will be no ticed that the inside of the shank of the coupling is beaded, and that the internal metal ring is ex panded in slight corrugations, thus attaching the coupling to the hose securely. By the same means the end of the hose is protected from the water, thereby preventing mildew and rot.
The construction of the Morse coupling will readily be understood from Fig. 16. The hose here is held between a flanged inner ring and an outer ring having its inner surface corrugated, the inner ring being expanded.
III. CONNECTIONS.—To successfully cope with a large fire a powerful stream is indispensa ble; this can be produced by concentrating, through use of a " Siamese" (Fig. 17), the streams of three or more steamers into one of suitable size and force, which pours such volumes of water• into the fire that it is actually drowned out. A peculiar advantage of this concen trated stream is, that it has sufficient force and quantity to reach the fire itself and not turn to steam in the intense heat, thus destroying its efficiency, as is the case with an ordinary single stream in a hot fire.
A distinguishing feature of the "Siamese," made by Messrs. A. J. Morse & Son, of Boston, Mass., and represented in Fig. 17, is that the pipe is attached directly to the "Siamese" itself, which causes it to stand steady under any pressure, the Men being required simply to direct the stream, and not hold the pipe. By the use of adjustable screw-valves it is possible par tially or fully to close either line, as desired. The three
way --Siamese" connection is shown separately in Fig. 18.
I V. llosE-itEentuixo DEVICE.—For repairing bursted hose quickly and without delay various devices are provided. The ordinary hose-jacket is simply a wrapping of leather or other material applied to the hose by straps and buckles. Allen's hose-jacket, after passing around the hose has its edges brought together by a clamping-screw. Neely's leak stop (Pig. 10) has two semi-cylindr•ical portions hinged to gether and lined with rubber, which receive the body of the hose between theta. Hinged to one portion are swinging rack-bars, the teeth of which engage with fixed corrugations in the other portion, and which thus bind and hold both parts together.
1•'ittE:Tool.s.—A variety of the latest improved fire-tools and appliances are illustrated in hilts. 20 to 25. Fig. 20 is a tool for taking off the iron shutters of windows. The over extremity is placed over the edge of the shutter, and, by pulling on a rope attached to the tool, the shutter is torn from its hinges. Fig. 21 is a " fireman's jimmy," or claw-bar, used for opening doors, gratings, etc. Fig. 22 is a tin-roof cutter. The beak of the instru ment is inserted through a hole made in the tin. and the user walking backward drags the implement after him, the rotary knife rapidly and cleanly cutting the roofing. Fig. 23 is a simple arrangement of levers used for breaking open doors. Fig. 24 is a rotary cutting in strument provided with insulated handles, and used for• cutting live electric-light wires without danger to the person handling it. Fig. 25 is a device for cutting iron bars com monly used as window-guards.