Ca. 1930 American La France Foamite Chemical Cart.  During the 1920's the Foamite Corporation developed an extinguishing agent using water, sodium bicarbonate, an aluminum compoud, and a patented chemical that created a foam that worked welll to extinguish petroleum fires by covering the burning materials and depriving them of oxygen.  Foamite merged with American La France in 1926.  The new company manufactured a wide line of portable foam extinguishers.  This cart was a popular part of this line.

The cart has two concentric chambers.  One chamber contained a solution of water, aluminum sulphate and the special Foamite chemical.  At the fire the stopper of the inner chamber was lifted and the cart was tipped on its side.  The two chambers mixed their contents, geneating carbon dioxide gas, used to expel a large quantity of foam.

This cart contained 40 gallons of solution and generated 300 gallons of foam.  The foam was propelled from the 50 foot hose for about 50 feet, and provide about 3 minutes of foam.   It was used by the Wisconsin Electric Power Comapny at its Milwaukee division from 1930 until 1967, when it was donated to the Hall of Flame.  Modern fire engines use a similar product called Class B foam because it is useful on class B (petroleum) fires.

On display at the Hall of Flame museum in Arizona.