US670804A - Driving mechanism for mechanical stokers. - Google Patents

Description

No. 670,804. Patented Mar. 26, 190i. H. R. NELSON.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL STUKERS.

(Application filed Aug. 23, 1900.1 (N0 Mqdal.) 3 Shoals-Shea! I.

WITNESSES.

INVENTOR HENRY FLNELSQN G MW g Hl3 ATTORNEYS w: "cams PEYEHS cu. Pmvvnnwq, msmNowu, u rv H. R. NELSON.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL SIOKERS. (Application filed Aug. 23. 1900.;

. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 670,804. Patented Mar. 26, l90l.

(No Mode'l.)

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INvENTon HENRY R. NELEON mp M E Hi5 ATTORNEYS No. 670,804. .-Pafented marlzs, |9o|' H. a. ason. V h

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL STUKERS.

7 (Application filed Aug. 23, 1900. 480 Model. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' )NvENToR WITNESSES HENRY R. NELSON m: Norms PETERS 00., PNDTO-LI'TNO. wlsmuorom a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY R. NELSON, OF GALES, MINNESOTA.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL STOKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,804, dated March 26, 1901.

Application filed August 23, 1900. Serial No. 27,758. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. NELSON, of

Gales, Minnesota, have invented certain new,

618,717 and 648,777.

One object of my invention is to provide means for preventing the stoker from being driven backward when the engine or other driving apparatus to which the stoker may be attached is reversed.

A further object is to prevent the stoker from choking or overloading the fire-box with fuel.

The invention consists generally in providing means connecting the engine and stoker, whereby the forward movement of the latter will not be affected when the engine is reversed.

Further, the invention consists in providing means for automatically starting and stopping the stoker when the fuel in the fire-box has fallen below or risen above a certain predetermined point.

Further-,the invention consists in providing means whereby the speed of the mechanism for driving the stoker may be changed and the feed of the fuel increased or diminished.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a traction-engine with my improved Stoker-driving mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of an engine fire-box and boiler with the driving mechanism for the stoker mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a detail of the shifting mechanism. Fig. 5 is a section on the line a; a; of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are details of the starting and stopping mechanism and of the speed-changing mechanism.

In the drawings, 2 represents the boiler of a traction-engine, 3 the fire-box whereon the mechanical stoker apparatus is supported,

and 4 the fuel-hopper or fire-chute, into which the fuel usually straw, is fed by the mech-' anism of the stoker. The portion of the stoker which I have shown herein is similar to the mechanism described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 648,777, referred to above, and need not be described in detail in this application, it being sufficient to state that the stoker is connected to the fire-box in substantially the same manner as in the patent referred to and operates in substantially the same way, my invention lying in the driving mechanism that connects the stoker with the driving parts of the engine.

5 is the fly-wheel of the engine, and 6 the di'ivingshaft whereon I arrange a sprocketwheel 7. Secured to the engine-boiler, near the driving-shaft 6, is a base 8, whereon a shaft 9 is mounted in bearings 10. Beveled gears 11 and 12 are loosely mounted on said shaft, and between said gears, supported in bearings 13 on said base, is a short stub-shaft 14, substantially at right angles to the shaft 9 and having a beveled gear secured to its inner end in position to engage the teeth of the gears 11 and 12. On the outer end of the shaft 14 I provide a sprocket 16, connected with the sprocket on the driving-shaft by a chain 17, whereby the shaft 14 and the gear 15 are driven when the engine is operated in either direction.

Between the geaiwheels l1 and 12 on the shaft 9 I provide a block 18, secured on the shaft by a pin 19 and having a socket 20 to receive a short stud 21, on which a double catch or pawl 22 is secured by a pin 23. The upper end of the stud 21 is supported within a socket in a bracket 24, secured to the block 18. The pawl 22 is provided with a notch 25, within which I provide a pin 26, having its lower end secured in the block and its upper end fitting in the socket in the bracket 24. A spring 27 has one end inserted within a socket in the stud 21 and its opposite end coiled about and secured to the pin 26. This spring tends to hold the double pawl in such a position that the pin 26 will be midway of the notch in the edge of the pawl, and movement of the pawl in either direction will put the spring under tension to return the pawl then be locked on its shaft and power will be,

transmitted tothe mechanism, hereinafter described, to operate the stoker. When the engine is driven in the opposite direction, the pin 29 will engage the opposite end of the pawl and move the same to the limit of its stroke, when the Wheel 12 will be locked on its shaft and the shaft driven in the same direction as before to drive the stoker mechanism forward while the engine is being reversed. With this construction it is immaterial whether the engine be driven forward or backward, as far as the operation of the stoker mechanism is concerned, as the mechanism above described will cause the stoker to be driven forward regardless of the direction that the engine or other apparatus to which the stoker may be attached is being driven.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 9 is a coneshaped gear-wheel 30, having gears 31 and 32 of different size to permit variation in the speed of the mechanism. On the flat face of the gear-wheel I pivot a trip-lever or dog 33, and a spring 34, mounted on said wheel and connected with said trip-lever, normally holds the same in position,-so that a lug 35 thereon will be engaged by one of the rollers 36, mounted on the ends of a cross-head 37, that is keyed on the shaft 9. A lever 38 is pivoted on a bracket 39, mounted on thebase 8, and a lug 39 is provided on said lever in position to engage the trip-lever 33 when the lever 38 is moved forward. Mounted in bearings on the top of the fire-box is a rock-shaft 40, having an eyelet 41 at one end and a crankarm 42 at the other. A pin 43 fits within said eyelet and is adapted to project down through a hole 44 in the top of the fire-box, so that the pin will be engaged by the fuel as it is advanced-into the box. The crank-arm 42 is pivotally connected with the lever 38 by a rod'45, so that when the shaft is rocked by the movement of the pin 43 the lever 38 will be operated to swing the trip-lever 33 out of engagement with the cross-head rollers or to release said trip-lever and permit it to return to its normal position. A spring 46 connects the lever 38 with the bracket 39 and returns said lever and the rock-shaft 40 to their nor dotted lines in Fig. 3, rocking the shaft 40 and operating the lever 38 against the tension of its spring. A pivoted dog 38 engaging a notch in the rim of the wheel 30 prevents it from turning backward when out of gear. This forward movement of the lever 38 will throw the trip-lever 33 to the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 6, where its lug 35 will be out of engagement with the cross-head and the gear-wheel 30 will be free to turn on its shaft and the stoker mechanism connected therewith be stopped. 4

Any suitable means may be provided for driving the stoker mechanism from the gearwheel 30; but I prefer to provide the devices shown herein, which consist in a rod or shaft 47,"having its lower end supported in a bearing48,which permits its upper end to be raised slightly, and provided with a beveled pinion 49 to engage the correspondi ugly-shaped teeth of a gear-wheel 50, from which the stoker mechanism is operated. Opposite the upper end of the shaft 47 I provide arms or brackets 51 and 52, having bearings for a rocking arm 53, provided with a handle portion 54. Short parallel arms 55 and 56 are provided on the rocking arm 53, and said short arms have bearings in their outer ends for the shaft 47. Between the arms 55 and 56 on the shaft 47 I provide a gear-wheel 57, held against rotation on said shaft by a feather 58, which permits the free sliding movement of said gearwheel on said shaft and the convenient adjustment of said wheel to engage either the 1 gear 31 or 32, according to the speed desired. Between the arms 51 and 52 I provide a bar 59, having notches 60 and 61 to receive the arm 56 when the gear-wheel 57 is in engagement with one of the gears 31 and 32. Aspring 62 normally holds the arm 56 in one of said notches until disengaged therefrom by the rocking of the arm 53. When the operator desires to change the speed of the stoker mechanism, he grasps the handle 54 and rocks the arm 53, lifting the arms 55 and 56 and the shaft 47 and disengaging the gear-wheel 57 from either of the gears 31 or 32 with which it may be in engagement. The gear-wheel 57 is then moved along the shaft 47 until it is in proper position to engage the teeth of the other gear, when the rocking arm is returned to its normal position, throwing the gears into mesh and continuing the operation of the stoker. The stoker having been set in operation, it will gradually fill the fire-chute and force, the fuel back into the fire-box, and when the space above the grate has been filled up to a certain predetermined point, depending upon the length of the pin 43, the fuel will engage the lower end of said pin and tilt the same to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This movement, as heretofore described, will operate the lever 38, release the gear-wheel 30, and permit the stoker mechanism'to stop. When the pin returns to its normal position after the fuel has become low in the fire-box, the stoking mechanism will be set in motion automatically and fuel again fed into the fire-box. The operation of feeding fuel to the engine is thus automatically controlled by a mechanism that is both positive and accurate in its operation. If during the operation of the stoker the attendant desires to reverse the engine, he can do so without in any way afiecting the stoker mechanism, and should he at anytime desire to change the speed of the stoker he can readily do so by the mechanism heretofore described.

The stoker mechanism is designed particularly for use with traction-engines using straw for fuel; but it will be understood that the apparatus may be attached to the boilers of stationary engines or furnaces and adapted to feed various kinds of fuel thereto.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stokersecured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected with said drivingshaft, a gear on said driven shaft, a second driven shaft, gears loosely mounted thereon and meshin g with the gear on said first-nam ed driven shaft, operating means connecting said second driven shaft with said stoker, and a double spring-pawl provided between said loosely-mounted gears for alternately locking them on said second driven shaft, whereby said stoker will be driven forward when said first-named driven shaft is driven forward or backward, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, a beveled gear secured on said driven shaft, a second driven shaft, gears loosely mounted thereon and engaging the gear on said first driven shaft, lugs provided on said loosely-mounted gears, a double pawl provided between said gears in position to be engaged bysaid lugs,a spring for normally holding said pawl in a central position, means for limiting the movement of said pawl, whereby said loosely-mounted gears will be locked on their shaft alternately as said driven shaft is driven forward or reversed, and operative means connecting said second driven shaft with said stoker, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a drivingeshaft, of a driven shaft connected therewith, abeveled pinion mounted on said driven shaft, a second driven shaft, beveled pinions loosely mounted thereon in position to mesh with the pinion on said first driven shaft, lugs or pins provided on said looselymounted pinions and extending into the space between the same, a double spring-pawl provided between said loosely-mounted pinions and having a limited swinging movement and adapted to be engaged by said lugs to alternately lock said loosely-mounted gears and operate said second driven shaft, when said driving-shaft is driven forward or reversed, substantially as described.

at. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stokersecured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, adriving-shaft, asuitable driven mechanism connected With said stoker, means operatively connecting said driving-shaft and said driven mechanism, and means operated by the contact of fuel in the fire-box for actuating said connecting means to release said driven mechanism, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven mechanism connected therewith and with said stoker, whereby the latter is operated, and means provided in connection with said driven mechanism and projecting through the wall of saidfire-box to be operated by the pressure of the fuel therein to stop said mechanism and said stoker, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a fixed fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed loose straw thereto, a drivingshaft, asuitable driven mechanism interposed between said driving-shaft and said stoker and whereby the latter is operated, a rocking device provided in. connection with said tirebox and operated by the pressure of the loose straw within the same, for disconnecting said driving mechanism from said shaft and arresting the operation of said stoker and the advance of st raw into said fire-box, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a traction-engine, with a fixed fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed loose straw thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected with said driving-shaft, operative connections provided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, a lockingdevice for normally securing said gear on said driven shaft, and means provided on said fire-box and connected with said locking device and operated by the pressure of straw within said boxfor releasing said gear and stopping said stoker when the straw in said box has risen above a certain predetermined point.

8. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stok er secured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving'shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, operative means connecting said driven shaft with said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, a locking device for normally locking said gear on said shaft, and means adapted to be actuated by the contact of fuel in said fi rebox for automatically operating said locking device to release said gear and stop said stoker, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, operative means provided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, a locking device for normally locking said gear on said shaft, a rockshaft mounted on said fire-box, a pin sup ported by said rock-shaft and projecting through the wall of said fire-box into position to be engaged by the fuel therein, suitable connections provided between said rock-shaft and said locking device whereby when said pin is operated by the pressure of fuel within said box, said locking device will be disengaged from said gear-wheel, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, operative connections provided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a gear loosely mounted on said driven shaft, a locking device for normally locking said gear on said shaft, a lever adapted to engage said locking device and release said gear, means providedon said firebox and projecting into the same and connected with said lever and operated by the pressure of the fuel in said box to operate said lever and release said gear and stop said stoker, and means for returning said lever and fuel-operated means to their normal posit-ion to permit said gear to be locked on its shaft and said stoker started when the fuel'in said box falls below a certain predetermined point.

11. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, a gearwheel 30 loosely mounted on said driven shaft and having gears 31 and 32, means for normally locking said gear-wheel on said shaft, a shaft 47 provided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a gear-wheel 57 slidably arranged thereon and means for moving said gear-wheel 57 back and forth on said shaft 47 to alternately engage said gears 31 and 32 to change the speed of said stoker, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a driving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, a gearwheel having gears 31 and 32 mounted on said driven shaft, a shaft 47 provided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a gearwhee157 slidably mounted on said shaft 47 and adapted to mesh with either of said gears 31 and 32, a rocking arln supported near said shaft 47, arms 55 and 56 provided on said rocking arm and supporting said shaft 47 upon each side of the hub of said wheel 57, means for locking said arm 56 to prevent accidental sliding of said gear-wheel 57 on its shaft, and means for tilting said rocking arm to release said arm 56 and permit said gear= wheel to be moved on said shaft 47 to vary the speed of said stoker, substantially as described.

13. The combination, in a traction-engine, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker secured thereon and adapted to feed straw thereto, adriving-shaft, a driven shaft connected therewith, operative means provided between said driven shaft and said stoker, a pin provided on said fire-box and projecting through the wallof the same into position to be engaged by the straw therein, and suitable connections provided between said pin and said driven shaft, whereby when the straw rises to a certain predetermined height in the fire-box and said pin is operated by the pressure of the same said driven shaft will be disconnected from said stoker, for the purpose specified.

14. The combination, with a fire-box, of a mechanical stoker adapted to feed fuel thereto, a suitable mechanism wherefrom said stoker is operated, a pin provided on said firebox and projecting through the wall of the same in position to be engaged and actuated by the pressure of the fuel therein, and operative means connecting said pin and the driving mechanism for said stoker, whereby said. stoker will be stopped when the fuel in the fire-box rises above a certain predetermined point.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a driven shaft, of a gear loosely mounted therein, a dog 33, a crosshead 37 secured on said shaft and normally engaging said dog, a lever 38 adapted when operated to engage said dog, a pin projecting through the wall of the fire-box and adapted to be operated by the pressure of the fuel therein, and means connecting said pin and said lever, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with a fire-box and means for automatically feeding fuel thereto, of a pin extending through the wall of said box, and operative connections provided between said pin and said feeding means, for the purpose specified.

17. The combination, with a fire-box, and

means for automatically feeding straw thereto, of means provided in the wall of said box and operated by the contact of fuel therein, and operative connections provided between said operated means and said feeding means, whereby the operation of the latter will be arrested when the fuel rises above a certain predetermined point in the fire-box.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of August, 1900.

HENRY R. NELSON.

In presence of W. O. GILRUTH, LIZZIE HOUSTON.

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