Mr. D.
Miles, of Boston, purchased the American patent, and subsequently sold
the territory, exclusive of New England, to the Babcock Co., who, at the
time, had a crude apparatus of their own. The first machines sold under
the new patent were filled with water and loaded with cartridges of dry
acid and bicarbonate of soda--the cap screwed down hastily, and, as the
chemicals dissolved, the gas was generated, the pressure raised, and
the water charged by absorption. The pressure of some 80 pounds was
sufficient to project a stream 50 feet or more, and the machine was set
upon the shelf so as to be ready for any fire that might occur. In many
cases, however, the pressure escaped after a short time, and the machine
when needed was found to be useless.
The most important step in the evolution of the modern extinguisher was
the adoption of a device for mixing liquid acid with the soda solution,
by the turning of a handle or screw, _after_ the alarm was given. This
was a practical machine, and proved of such value that an immense
business was built up. The result of this prosperity was the development
of new companies with new devices for accomplishing the same result,
which were successfully offered to the public with varying success.
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