Royal Fire Extinguisher.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7958, 15 April 1904, Page 3

Royal Fire Extinguisher.

To be able to successfully cope with a fire in its incipient stage is half the battle, and an ingenious invention is now put on the local market whereby this can be done. Yesterday afternoon and evening a demonstration of the Boyal Fire Extinguisher was given by the U.F.C.A., who are agents in Palmersten for the invention. The exhibition was held on a vacant section opposite the Catholic Church. Here a pile of inflammable debris, which was rendered more so by a plentiful spnnking of kerosene was ignited, and when fanned into a big blaze by the raging gale the contents of the small cylinder, which forma the apparatus, weie directed against it, and with surprising effect. Two or three seconds in fact sufficed to quite subdue the flames. The principle of the extinguisher, briefly stated, is the ejectment of water by means of carbonic acid gas. The small copper bulletshaded cylinder, of about a two-gallon capacity, is filled with water in which is dissolved bi-carbonatc of soda. In one end is imprisoned liquid sulphuric acid, and when the apparatus is required for use a sharp dumping on the ground of a spring cap releases the acid, which, mixing with the soda water, immediately form the fire extinguishing carbonic acid gas. The pressure expels the water through a tube and the two agents, water and gas, do their effective work. A large crowd witnessed the exhibition and gave genuine praise to the results achieved.