US1005462A

US1005462A - Track-sander.

Info

Publication number: US1005462A
Application number: US58664510A
Authority: US
Inventors: James Franklin Pearce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-10-12
Filing date: 1910-10-12
Publication date: 1911-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1928-10-10

Description

' 1.3. PBARGB.

TRACK SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED 0UT.12, 1910.

1,005,462. Patented 001.1111911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l2.

JAMES FRANKLIN PEARCE, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

TRACK-SANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

Application led'October 12, 1910. Serial No. 586,645. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. PEARCE, citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track- Sanders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for sanding tracks, the object of the invention being to provide means for controlling the passage of sand from the usual sand box, whereby sand may be ejected by an air blast either into the front or rear sand pipes, or may be allowed to flow by gravity, either to the front or rear sand pipes as desired, thus doing away with the necessity of using` the air blast for ejecting the sand when it is necessary to economize in the use of air, as is often the case. The mechanism devised for this purpose includes a valve casing and a valve therein, the valve being so constructed that when shifted into one position it will close the outlet ports through which the sand flows by gravity, but when shifted to certain other positions will open these outlets and direct the flow of the sand, either in front of or behind the driving wheels of the locomotive, or when shifted into certain other positions it will close the outlet ports through which the sand flows by gravity but will open the outlet port through which sand is ejected by compressed air and direct the sand either to the front or rear of the track.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive showing the position of the sand box and of the sand pipes leading therefrom. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the sand box on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the sand box on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the rotatable valve being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing the valve turned so as to direct the flow of sand to the rear sand pipes. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the same line as. Fig. 4 but illustrating the position of the valve turned so as to direct the flow to the front or forward sand pipes. Fig. 6 is a like section to Fig. 5 but taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2 and showing the valve so turned as to direct the sand by gravity through the rear sand pipes. Fig. 7 is a like view to Fig. 6 but showing the valve turned so as to direct the sand by gravity through the forward sand pipes. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rotatable valve. Fig. 9 is a sectional perspective view of the valve casing to show the position of the ports. Fig. 10 is an end view of the valve casing, thev valve being removed, the view showing the flared terminations 10.

In the drawings 2 designates a sand box of any suitable character and which as illustrated in Fig. l is mounted upon the boiler A of a locomotive, this being the usual position in which the sand box is carried. From the sand box extend the oppositely disposed pairs of pipes 3 and 4, the pipes 3 extending downward and forward and terminating in front of the forward driving wheels of the locomotive, the pipes4 extending rearward and downward and terminating behind the rearmost pair of driving wheels. This construction is practically the same as that usually adopted in sanding devices.

In sanding devices, as at present in use on railroads, the sand is ejected from the sand box by means of a blast of compressed air and not by gravity. It is oftentimes the case that it is not desirable to use the compressed air for the purpose of ejecting the sand, it being necessary to economize the air. It is sometimes the case, also, that the compressed air has been exhausted, and in both these cases it is desirable that some means should be provided .whereby the sand may be allowed to iiow down on to the track by gravity. It is necessary lalso that means be provided whereby the sand may be directed, either through the forward pair of sand pipes or through the rear pair of sand pipes at will.

As a means of accomplishing the' results above stated, I mount in the interior of the v sand box 2 the valve casing 5 which is preferably in the form of a solid casting, though it may be constructed in any suitable manner and which fills up the entire lower portion of the sand box, the casting 5 being circular in plan. The interior of the casting is bored out as at 6, the passage so formed extending transversely entirely across the casing or casting 5 and being open at its ends. The upper face of the Casting 5 is formed with a central opening or port 7 and is also formed at its opposite ends with the ports 8. The central port 7 is the port through which sand is ejected by means of an air blast, while the ports 8 are for the purpose of allowing the sand to flow from the sand box by gravity. Extending parallel with the central bore or passage 6 are the passages 9. These passages at their ends are flared and outwardly curved as at 10 and are connected to the sand pipes 3 and et respectively. Themiddle portion of each of the passages 9 opens into the central passage 6 or valve bearing, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The ends of the passage 9 also open into the passage 6, as at 11.

Mounted within the passage 6 and rotatable therein is the oscillating valve 12 which is shown in detail in Fig. 8. This valve is cylindrical in form and at its middle is circumferentially grooved as at 13. rlhe groove 13 only extends partly around the valve, as illustrated in said Fig. 9, so that an abutment 14 is left, separating the ends of the groove from each other. The opposite ends of the valve 12 are channeled as at 15, the channels being diametrieally opposite to each other and being separated from each other by the solid portion 16 of the valve, the space between the ends of the channels 15 being greater than the diameter of the ports 8. It will thus be seen that when the rotatable valve 12 is turned so that the portions 16 are immediately beneath the ports 8 that the ports 8 will be closed, but that when in this position the port 7 will open into the channel or groove 13 formed at the middle of the valve. It will also be seen that sand passing into the port 7 will be directed into the channel 13 and carried partially around the passage or bore 6 and directed into either one of the passages 9,depending upon the angular position of the valve 12. Thus as shown in Fig. 4L, when the abutment 14 is turned so as to be in front of the port 7, the sand will enter the port 7 and be directed into the rear sand pipes 4t, while when the valve is rot-ated in the position shown in Fig. 5 the abutment 14 will be moved to a position rearward of the opening of the port and the sand will be directed into the pipes 3.

In order to force the sand downward into the pipes 9 and laterally through the pipes 9 so that the sand may pass out through the pipes?) or Ll, there is provided the compressed air inlet pipe 17 which extends into the sand box 2 and has a depending branch 18 which extends downward and opens just above the port 7. The force of this blast passing down through the port 7 will carry the san with it and4 will positively `force the sand into the passages 9 and laterally out through said passages into the'sand pipes. It is to be noted in this connection that the port 7 by which the sand is ejected by means of the compressed air is located at the middle of the casting 5. As a consequence when there is no compressed air turned on, the sand, though it may pass down through the channel 13 of the valve 12 and into one or the other of the passages 9, yet will not pass out through the pipes 3 or 4, for the reason that the straight passages 9 will not permit the flow of sand under the force oi gravity. The sand will simply bank up in these passages 9 and cannot be forced through except under the impulsion of a blast of air from the pipe 18. Therefore, by turning oit' the air in the pipe 17 it is possible to preventthe ejection of sand through the port 7.

Then it is desired to allow the sand to flow upon the tracks by the torce of gravity and thus economize the air, the valve 12 is rotated to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Then the 'valve is rotated in one direction, one of the channels 15 will be brought into register at its ends with the port 8 and with the passage 11, this passage 11 being downwardly and outwardly inclined. Hence the sand will flow by gravity down through the duct thus formed and on to the rear of the track. When it is desired that the sand shall be directed to the front of the track, the valve is turned, as shown in Fig. 7, the channel 15 registering with the passage 8 and with the passage 11 leading to the pipes 3, and the sand will tlow by gravity through the pipes 3 and on to the track. When the valve is turned so that the portion 16 is in alinement with the port 8, then no sand can pass. I may use any desired means for operating this valve and I do not wish to be limited to any special means to this end. I have shown, however, for this purpose the valve 12 as being extended through the side walls ot the sand box, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and as having attached thereto the projecting arm 20, which in turn is connected by a rod 21 to any suitable operating lever 22 in the eab. By shifting this lever 22 it is possible to rock the valve 12 and thus bring its channels into register with the various ports 7 and 8.

My invention is very simple, can be easily applied to the ordinary locomotive without any essential change therein, or in the sand box thereof:l and, as will be seen, is adapted to direct the sand either by compressed air or by gravity upon the tracks, either in front of the driving wheels or to the rear thereof.

IVhile I have shown what I believe to be a very practical and eiiicient form of my de-` vice, I do not wish to be limited thereto as it is obvious that many changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

liVhat I claim is:

1. In a track sanding apparatus, the combination of a sand box having an air blast outlet opening and a gravity flow opening, a sanding pipe leading from the sand box, an air blast pipe entering the sand box and discharging immediately adjacent to the air blast opening of the same, and a shiftable valve movable into one position to establish communication between the air blast opening and the sanding pipe or into another position to establish communication between the gravity flow opening and the sanding pipe.

2. In a track sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand box, of front and rear sanding pipes leading therefrom, a valve casing in the sand box having passages leading to said pipes and provided with an air blast port and a gravity flow port, an air blast pipe entering the sand box and discharging immediately above the air blast port of the valve casing, and a sliiftable valve in said casing adapted when in one position to establish communication between either one or both of the sanding pipes and the air blast port, or when moved into another position to connect the gravity flow port with either one or both of said sanding pipes.

3. In a track sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand box having gravity flow discharge openings at opposite ends thereof and an air blast discharge opening placed between the gravity flow discharge openings, of oppositely disposed pairs of sanding pipes, each pair comprising a front and rear sanding pipe, an air blast pipe entering the sand box and discharging immediately above the air blast opening thereof, and a valve movable into position to establish communication between said air blast opening and either the front or rear sanding pipes or into position to establish communication between the gravity flow discharge openings and either pair of front or rear sanding pipes.

4L. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand box, of a sanding pipe leading therefrom, a valve casing in the sand box having a passage leading to said pipe and provided with an air blast port and a gravity flow port, a shiftable valve movable into one position to connect said air blast port with said passage or into another position to connect the gravity flow port with said passage, and an air blast pipe entering the sand box and discharging immediately above the air blast port of the valve casing.

5. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand box, of a sanding pipe leading therefrom, a casing in the sand box having a passage leading to said pipe and provided with an air blast port and a gravity flow port opening into the interior of the sand box, and a shiftable valve movable into one position to connect said air blast port with said passage and in this position to cut off communication between the gravity flow port and said passage and movable to another position to connect said gravity flow port with the passage.

6. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with a sand box, of a front and rear sanding pipe leading therefrom, an air blast pipe entering the sand box and having a downwardly extending branch, a valve casing in the bottom of the box having oppositely disposed parallel passages leading each to one of said pipes, said valve casing having an air blast port disposed immediately beneath the branch from the air blast pipe, and an oscillatable valve rotatably mounted in the valve casing midway between and parallel to the said passages and immediately beneath said ports, said passages having each ports opening against the face of the valve, one of said ports being in alinement with the air blast port of the air tlow port casing and the other with the gravity flow port thereof, said valve having a circumferential channel in alinement with the air blast port and the corresponding ports leading into the passages, and also having oppositely disposed channels spaced from each other and located in the same plane, and alining with the gravity flow ports in the casing and with the corresponding ports leading into said passages, and means for rotating said valve in one direction or the other to bring one or the other of said oppositely disposed channels into register with the gravity flow port in the casing and the corresponding port leading into one or the other of said passages.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES FRANKLIN PEARCE. [1.. S.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.