A BOON TO FIREMEN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIIII, Issue 12123, 3 March 1896, Page 2

A BOON TO FIREMEN.

.. MB HAKWOOD'S CLEVER iNVfitT TION FOB TIMEKEEPING. An. official trial of the electrical timekeeping apparatus inventid by Mr P. G. Harwood, of Wanganui, for us 9 m Fire Brigide ooniDetitious was hold on tho local Brigade's now practico ground kt.t evoning. Mr B. C. Robbiu., of Hawora, president of tho New Z- aland Fire Brigades' Assooiation, Captain 0. V. Powall, Lieutenant T. H. Battle and Secretary T. D. Cummins, of the Wnnganui Fire Brigade, wore the officers in attendance. To twfc the accuracy of tho contrivauce a team from the Brigade held a IGO yards hoso and hydrant practice, tho men beiug started and timed by tho app .rains Mosvs Cummins and Chavannes Bho having tlieir stop watches on for tho occasion. Tho result was a triumph for tho invention, which was dubbed by all present aa porfoct. For the information of ; iitemen gon.rally it may bo mentioned that tlio apparatus is mounted on a polished woodou' base, about 2ft long by lft broad At ono ond i* the watch, the caso of wliich ia Eecurolv fastened in a suitable holder and rigidly attached to a strong brass pediota l . Immediately behind tho watch is the eloeli'i-mugnotie system which starts and st pi tho watch by means of a thalt and radial arm. In tho centre of the bas3 is /the relay which closob what is technically known as tho " local circuit " immediately the lover of the starting switch is pushed over. Behind tho ro.iiy aud at the other ond of the base is tho starting switch. This is in chargo of the _.tarlor who, when the t am arj on the mark, pushes over tin lover, TL i.i causes one beaton a large single-stroke cLct'ic eong and is tho sigtal for the man t> start. The watch start, at exactly the samo instant and keep* going till th*. two di-tc?, 150 yard-i aw.v, aro toic id fca.k by the two j 5 t» of wator. Pressing ou tin faro of th.se discs and following their motion, ato spring switches which a<*. (lpctiically cotim-ctad with the timing appata'us.aud which mako or brut,, contact; accirding to whether tho discs aro op?n or ulm . Thsse switches are sj atranged tbat tho watch keop3 going tiil both the discs ard blown bac'c, thus assuring I hat Ihey have boen struck by a fall jet of wate*. Tho discs are capable of adjustment by a spring which will not alow thorn to be forced back except by acerlain pro_siire which will bo decided by tbo committee of the association. Thsy are held b.ok in the p.s't ou the water forcos thorn by a ratchet and aro rolensod by pulling a cotd after the team bai finutn-td. Tho watch ha 3 been altered in such a way that it is impossible for it to bo ought ona'-diad .__!_.," and provided it is wouucl up it mus. start iminediatoly on tho gorg signal und st p instantly the work is finished. Briefly tho action is us follows:— The tmin being on the mark, the starter pusho-i over the lever. At thp samo iust-tit the gong sounds and the watch Btarls and keep., going till both discs aro blown btiik, when it itt.tu'tly stop*. Tbe time is then taken aid registered a.ainsttho tiam. the watch put back to _ero by pro.aing a knob, tho stait-ng levor pushed ovor and tho discs replaced. It is thoa riiuiy for the nixs loam a. soon as they liko to come up to the mark. 'I ho importance of Mr II _rwood's invention to nroinen will be fully appreciated when it is staled that the tiuuH can fco accurately recorded to tbo smallest fraction of a second — a fo.it that is practically impassible with tboordinary stop watch. Mr Hirwnod had tho idea worked out as far bick a. 1887, Mr T. D. Cummins having asked him whether he could devise such an instrument. Tho plans wero submitted to the mooting of , dolegatos held in Wanganui in 1833, and : r*. r<_ thon adopted, but owing t. the , fact that Mr Harwood was travelling about tho district he was unable until j Ust year to bring tie idea t) a practical . issue. Tho mattir ha_,liko a caie in ' Chancery, come up tor niaulioti ai each i . sittin_ of the delegatus— at Napier and . H.kiti-a respectively— since 1893, but it ' is more than probable that at the coming , Chrißtchurch gatheiing it will be us3il in i the competitions. The apparatus is t beautifully fiuiahed, both as regards tho ■ wood and tho motiil work, and is a credit not only to Mr Harwood's inventive t genius but to his practical skill.