US1204631A - Feeding and burning fine fuel. - Google Patents

Description

w. 0. WO0D. FEEDING AND BURNING FINE FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. I9I4- I I 1,204,631 Patented Nov. 14,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. w. n. WOOD. FEEDING AND BURNING FINE FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 1914.

1,204,63 1 1 Patented N 0v. 14, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0000 00 00 k 0000 00 000 E 0000 000 z. 0000 000 a 0000 o o 00 000000 0-0 oo'ocPSo W. D. WOOD.

FEEDING AND BURNING FINE FUEL.

APPLICATION EILED MAR. 23, 19M v v Patented N 0v. 14, 1916.

4 SHIIETSSHEE'I' 3.

N p E:

Illllllllllllllllllllllll MK I *m k W. D. WOOD.

FEEDING AND BURNING FINE FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. I914.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

4 SHEEIS-SHEET 4- UNITED sTATEs FICE' WALTER n. woon, oF Nnw Yonx, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'ro FUEL SAVING comrANY, or ALLnN'rowN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

FEEDING BURNING FINE FUEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER D. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Port Richmond, Staten Island, in the borough of Richmond, city and State of New York,

stances, more particularly in the furnaces used in' connection with steam boilerses- -pecially locomotive boilersthe object be- I ing. to generate the maximum amount of heat from a'given quantity of fuel, dispense with the necessity of much of the superintendence required with furnaces as now constructed for the burning of fine fuel in suspension, and achieve many other desirable and useful results.

A leading feature of the invention consists in having the pressure in the fire box less than atmospheric at all times, and in causing the draft through the engine stack to do all the WOIk of combustion after the primary feed blast, by means of a carrying body of air, has delivered the fuel to the furnace.

The invention, therefore, consists essentially in the construction, arrangement, and

combination of parts, substantially as willbe hereinafter described and-then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention: Figure 1 is apartial side elevation in outline only of a locomotive and .its tender with my present improved apparatus for burning powdered fuel applied operatively thereto. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the same, the furnace of the locomotive-and a part of the tender being shown in vertical section. Fi 3 is a top plan view of my improved fine el burner, the same being portrayed on an enlarged scale. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line a, a of Fig. 3.

,Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the fire box on the line I), b of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section on the line 0, c of Fig. 3,

and shows the first auxiliary air inlet. Fig. 7 is a left-hand view in elevation of the delivery nozzle for the fuel and air and the second auxiliary airinlet with the side shutters therefor, which are depicted immediately adjacent to the fire box in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the conical mixing. chamber that receives the fuel from 'the feed screw and transfers it to the blast channel. Fig; 9 is a vertical section of the same with a modified form of air stirring device. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of another'forni of the air stirrer. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the parts represented in Fig. 10.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the differ ent figuresof the drawings.

In explaining how my improved means .for burning pulverized fuel is practically operated, I have preferred in the present embodiment of the invention torepresent it in connection with an ordinary steam locomotive; but, although this is a leading embodiment of the invention, yet I'do not wish to be restricted thereto, because the improvements may be employed in connection with any kind of a boiler or other furnace wherein it is found desirable to burn such fuel.

Hitherto it has been found diflicultto promote with entire success the combustion and consumption of granulated or powdered fuel carried to the furnaceunder an air or gas blast, for it has been found difiicult to properly distribute the heat and to prevent the destruction of the brickwork, inasmuch as the combustion point is very high and the flame isintensely hot. There have been various difiiculties also in securing'anadequate -and properly measured air supply which Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 14, 1916 i A Application filed March 23, 1914. Serial No. 826,641.

will automatically adjust itself to the requirements of the quantity and character of the fuel at. all times and will assist in the introduction of the requisite amountintothe fire box of the locomotive from time to time.

It is believed that with my novel arrangement of mechanism for creating a strong blast or air pressure for blowing the fuel into the furnace to be there burned in suspension and for automatically increasing and diminishing the blast, and also by so arranging its effect that the draft through the stack of the furnace will be utilized to the greatest possible extent in creating a' v complete combustion of the fuel, I have pro transferred vided a way of introducing and burning fuel which will prove far more eflicient than other apparatus now in common use.

1 denotes a locomotive; 2, the tender which carries the fuel; and 3, the bin or receptacle on the tender for holding a large quantity of powdered or pulverized fuel which is supplied thereto through a suitablev provided on its under side near the forward end with a short depending spout 8, which delivers into the upper flaring end of a conical hopper 9, serving as an agitating chamber, that is supportedon an air blast pipe 10, coupled to the discharge or air inlet pipe 11 of a centrifugal blower or air pump 12, which is mounted on the tender 2, alongside and preferably in front of the fuel bin 3. The revolution of the screw conveyer 6 draws the fuel out of the receptacle 3 and carries it along through the housing 7 until it reaches the spout 8 and is allowed to drop into the hopper 9, through which it gravitates into the air pipe 10 and is caught by the stream of air issuing with greater or less pressure from the outlet 11 of the centrifugal blower 12.

Closely ad acent to the blower 12 is a steam turbine or other suitable motor 13 which is driven preferably by steam supplied thereto through the pipe 14 from the boiler of the locomotive 1, the exhaust taking place through another pipe15 running to the stack of the locomotive. The turbine 13 applies its power to a central shaft 16, which serves as a shaft for the blower 12, as well as a shaft for the engine 13. This shaft extends sufficiently far beyond the blower 12 to enable it to be furnished for a certain distance with a worm 17, and beyond the worm to carry an ordinary centrifugal governor 18'. The worm 17 meshes with a worm gear wheel l8, fixed upon a horizontal shaft 19, that is suitably supported in bearings on the tender 2 in front of the fuel compartment 3; and this shaft 19 is provided on its front end with a pinion 20 that engages and drives a gear wheel 21 securely fastened on the outer end of the shaft of the screw conveyer 6, where the said' shaft of said-conveyer projects through the end of the horizontal housing 7. Thus, it will be seen that the revolution of the rotary blower under the actuating power of the enginc or turbine 13, will serve to operate the feeding mechanism whereby the fine fuel is automatically and regularly from its receptacle 3 to a point in the pipe,

channel. or other conduit immediately in advance of the air blast which is issuing with greater or less intensity fromthe discharge 11 of the blower 12. The fuel is caught up by this stream of air and the fuel-laden air is passed onward into the fire box of the locomotive through a nozzle having various mechanical features, and constructed and applied for efficient service in the manner to be presently explained.

The fire box 22 of locomotive 1 is constructed in a peculiar and novel manner for the purpose of enabling my invention to be applied thereto. The space ordinarily occupied by the grates, ash pan, etc., is replaced by an auxiliary chamber 23, depressed quite a little below the usual level of the bottom of the fire box (see Fig. 2), and this chamber is sheathed'with fire brick. The sides 24 (see Fig. 5) slope toward the bottom 25, and said bottom itself slopes to ward an opening 26 at some particular point, say, the forward end, below which opening 26 hangs a slag pan 27, that contains water or some other fluid, acting both as a seal to maintain a. vacuum in the fire box 22 when the engine or apparatus is in operation, and also to receive and retain any slag or other foreign matter formed in the process of combustion. Within the fire box 22 is an inclined arch 28 supported by water tubes 29,

I and having at one end, say, the rear end, an

opening 30 therein, through which the flame passes to the space above the arch 29 after being deflected rearwardly and upwardly by the arch through said opening 30 by means of the powerful draft from the stack, and the flame also passes through the openings 90 of which there are usually several arranged in any desired manner.

The air and powdered fuel that are mixed in the mixing chamber in the conical hopper 9 and pipe 10, are forced into the fire box 22 through a rear opening 31, into which is fitted, with an air-tight joint, a cylinder 32 having its rear end closed. except for a central opening through which passes a pipe 33 concentric with cvlinder 32, that connects with the mixing chamber by means of an intermediate couplin 34, which is preferably of some thin fiexib e material, as thin metal, or leather. or canvas tubing. The end of the pipe 33 within the pipe 32 is flared so as to provide an enlarged discharge mouth 35. and this pipe 33 and its flaring month are considerably less in diameter than the cylinder 32, the proportion of the diameters of the two parts being determined in any suitable manner. The coupling 34 is flared at one end at 36 to inclose the contracted end 37 of the pipe 10, and a pair'of curved annular members 38 are riveted to each other and respectively to the ends 36 and 37 in order to form a tight and yet flexible joint: while the other end of the coupling 34 is contracted at 3 a to be received within the slightly flared adjacent end 40 of the pipe 33, while another pair of curved metallic annular members 41 are riveted to each other and respectively to the pipe ends 39 and 40,

so as to provide at this point a similar flexible connection. Thus it will be seen that the pipes 10 and 33, with their intermediate coupling 34, provide a continuous'conduit,

from the mixing chamber to the fire box,'

through which .the air and fine coal dust, or pulverized fuel, are quickly carried by the pressure of the blast generated by the fan 12, the speed and quantity of the dust-laden air being dependent, of course, upon well known conditions, and the proper proportions of the air and the coal being maintained, it being remembered in this connection that the pressure within the fire box is at all times less than atmospheric. Thus the cylinder 32' and the pipe 33 which enters the same form together a duplex nozzle through which air and powdered coal are supplied to the fire box to be therein flashed into an intense flame. Of course, it is evi-' dent that this channel leading from the mixing chamber to the fire box may be varied -1s substantially above the ordinary car buffers and couplings which are indicated at 42.

The purpose of. generating a stream of air to carry forward the pulverized fuel into the furnace of the locomotive is merely to properly complete the delivery ofthe fuel into the fire box and not to force it through the latter, because the moment the fuel reaches the fire, it is acted upon by the partial vacuum which is created 'by the draft through the stack of the locomotive or other en e, the pressure of the air within the fire ox being thus always less than atmos-' pheric pressure. Consequently it is to be borne in mind at all times that the draft from the stack acts on the burning'material from the moment of its introduction into the fire box until after the combustion is fin-. ished, or to put it perhaps more properly,

the vacuum effect of the draft through the stack causes the fuel and air mixture to burst into a fierce flame which leaps with above the arch 28, passing likewise through.

the openings 90 in the arch, and thence onward through the fire tubes 43 to thoroughly heat the latter and boil the water within the water space. In actual practice, however, 1t 1s found that often a single nozzle section like the flaring-ended section 33 will not carry suflicient air for the quantity of fuel needed for a fire in the fire box to create and maintain the proper steam pressure,

without making the velocity of the mixture so great as to be destructive of the entire structure of the fire box, and without making the fan excessively large; and asall of this fuel must becarried into the fire box through the nozzle section 33, it becomes necessary to provide automatic means for admitting additional amounts of air into the cylinder 32 where it will meet and be combined with the coal-dust vehicle discharging fromthe flaring mouth 35;therefore, I provide the cylinder 32- with several lateral openings, preferably of circular form,'as shown at 44. Around the openings 44 and outside of the cylinder 32, I constru'ct integral with or securely fastened to said cylinder 32 a rectangular boxing 45 (see Fig. 6), said boxing being open at the ends 46, and in these open ends are pivoted vertical blinds or shutters 47 that are movable back and forth on journal pins 48, said shutters being capable of being opened to a greater 'or less extent in order to admit more or less. air, and also to be entirely. closed when desired in order to shut ofl' the entrance of any air through the openings 46.

lVhen the turbine or motor 13 runs at such speed as to cause the ball governor 18 to throw its arms outwardly and pull the collar 49 along on the shaft 16 against the governor spring', it will cause a vibra tion of the .bell crank lever 50, which is suitably pivoted at 51, and this will draw on a link 52 which is connected to a slotted a link 55 is in the end designated by a of the cam groove 56, the effect of pulling upon the disk 53 and revolving it on its centralpin 57 will be to transmit motion to the link 55 and open the shutters 47 to a greater or p less extent, it being seen that the shutters are provided with arms 58 connected by a link 59, and, hence, operate in unison whenever the link 55, which is pivoted to the arm 60 attached to one of the shutter journals 48, moves said arm 60. Thus, an increase in the supply of coal beyond a point where there is enough air pressure transmitted for Said coal through the nozzle section 33, and its discharge mouth "35 will cause an action of the lever and other parts which will admit air through the lateral openings 44 to whatever'extentmay be required for combustion within the cylinder 32. It furthermore happens oftentimes that even this additional supply of air may not be suflicient to meet the full requirements within the fire box 22 where the mixture that is fed into'the fire box must be instantaneously converted into gas that is to burn with the necessary heat, for there must be within the fire box enough air for the quantity of coal therein, and therefore I construct the front of the fire box 22 with openings 61 at the opposite sides of the nozzle cylinder 32, and immediately in front of these openings 61, I place boxes 62, which are fitted tightlv and neatly against the outer wall of the cylinder 32, and which have openings 63 in front (see Fig. 7) that are provided with blinds or shutters 64, there being preferably two of these shutters 64 in each of the openings 63, and said shutters overlapping eachother when closed, as shoWn in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to -make a perfectly tight joint. These shutters are provided with suitable pins or pivots at top and bottom so that they can swing in a vertical plane and open the 25 boxes 62 to a greater or less extent in order to permit air to pass through the boxes 62 and through the openings 61 into the fire box 22 to perform the required service there.

- These shutters 64 are operated automatically by the governor 18 in the same manner as are the shutters 47 belonging to the auxiliary air inlets 46, and through the medium of similar levers working in conjunction with the same disk 53, but with another cam groove 65 cut in disk 53, as shown in Fig.3. A rod 66 has at one end thereof a pin 67' which slides in this cam groove 65. When the disk 53 is rotating in the direction shown by the arrow and is causing the rod 55 to transfer its pin 54 from the end a of the groove 56 to a position where the shutters 47 have opened, the rod 66 will remain at rest since its pin 67 is lying all this while in the concentric portion (1 of the cam groove 65, but if the disk 53 continues to rotate after the shutters or blinds 47 have been opened, then the pin 54 will lie in the part b of the cam groove 56, which is a concentric'part, and the rod 55 will remain at rest, but while this is occurring, the rod 66 will have had ,its pin 67 placed in the part c of the cam groove 65, which part is not concentric like the part d of said cam groove, but on the other hand is eccentric, and the result whereof will be topush on the rod 66 and actuate the arms 68 and connecting links 69 and 70, whereby the pivoted blinds or shutters 64 are enabled to move in unison and simultaneously unclose the openings 63 into the boxes 62, whereby an additional quantity of air is admitted directly from the atmosphere through the openings 61 into the fire box 22, and thus whatever additional air'is needed for properly combining with the coal for proper combustion.

dust in the fire box is furnished; in fact, it

is customary to supply more air than is really needed in the combustion, this access of supply being for the purpose of keeping down the temperature below what is injum rious. It will thus be understood that the fan generates a blast of carrying airWhich transports the fuel from the agitating or mixing chamber, or in other words, the air is loaded up by the fuel as it falls out of the conical hopper, Said fuel being thus carried forward.

The first auxiliary inlet consisting of the lateral ports or openings in the nozzle section 32 furnishes a volume of air which may be termed combustion air for it is principally intended to be super-added to the carrying air so as to provide suficient air Then the openings Which supply the second quantity of auxil-- iary air directly to the fire box may be said to furnish. an additional volume of coinbustion air for the purposealready specified. The carrying air would, of course,

under ordinary circumstances not only be so sufiicient to be a transporting vehicle for the fuel, but would also permit some combustion though not a complete and satisfactory burning and moreover while the supply of combustion air will make a very satisfactory fiame in the furnace for a'certain quantity of material, it is obvious that when the quantity is increased and the feeding augmented to a high degree, additional combustion air supplied directly to the furnace,

' as explained, is found to be a-necessary factor in successful operation.

The conical hopper 9 into which the powdered fuel falls. from the spout 8 below screw 6- is supplied with one or more air blasts for the purpose of creating in the falling coal dust a whirling or rotary motion in order that any lumps, aggregations or damp portions may be thoroughly broken up and distributed throughout the interior of "the lllltl hopper 9, to the end that the material may pass from said hopper into the pipe 10 and on to the duplex nozzle and the fire box in as disintegrated and fine a stateas possible, thoroughly and completely suspended i151 throughout the stream of air which is carrying the particles forward, and in fact presenting acomplete union of air and dust particles, The means for supplying currents of air to the conical hopper 9 may vary because it. is evident a great multiplicity of different devices 'may be employed. a

In Figs. 3, 4 and 8, ll show a pipe 71 leading from some source of air suppl as for example, the air brake reservoir. aid pipe 71 enters the wall of the hopper 9, at a conple of oppositely-located points contiguous to the spout 8, so that from the mner pointed nozzles 7 2, with which the pipe 71 is prothe hopper 9 and is furnished centrally with a downward projecting pointed-nozzle 72 which directs its blast of air against an inverted cup 73 held. within the hopper 9 by means of a horizontal frame 7 4 consisting of cross pieces. Another formof air inlet is represented in Fig. 10 where a pipe 71 passes through the wall of the hopper 9 and has its inner end upturned at right angles to provide a central nozzle 72 which directs its air blast against an angular disk or plate 5, which is 'held centrally in the hop-' per 9 by means of cross braces 76. The

- blowing of the air strongly against the angular disk 75 or the inverted-cup 73 pro-i duces results with the .fine fuel similar. to that produced by the nozzles 72; but it-is quite evident that a great number ofdifi 'erent means may be devised for accomplishing the same results, the chief idea of which is to introduce one or more blasts of air into the hopper so as to evenly distribute throughout the same the powdered; fuel which is beingdelivered into the upper end. The operation of my improved device for igniting and burning powdered fuel in 10 comotives and other engines, will be clearly understood from the foregoing description of the construction and arrangement of the various parts. In starting the fire after the fuel has begun to feed into the furnace. no kindling will be needed, since the fuel can be easily ignited by means of an oily waste or some rags on a stick or rod. The'separate air inlets allow air for combustion to be added to the coal dust between the blower and the firebox, and there is, therefore, an automatic control of air and coal at all speeds. There is no necessity for the use of stokers. The flues of the boiler are kept clean and there is little liability of leaky flues, as the fire door is kept closed. Many advantages will be found to accrue from the use of mechanism of this character, besides the great saving in the cost of the fuel with a corresponding increase in the efficiency of the engine. There is no manual labor on the part of the firemen, so that the largest engine can be fired with perfect ease, doing away with the extra fireman often required with engines now in use, and it will be found that the fireman can spend avery large part of his time in-watching signals, thereby promoting safety in the operation of the train.

Although I have primarily described the o invention in its relation to a locomotive, yet

- it will be understood that it can be, applied to other engines, stationary andotherwise.

Many modifications may be made in the exact construction and arrangement of the various parts in their relative locations, and in the several connections and intermediate elements, the method and plan ofmounting and sustaining the-mechanical features, etc., without exceeding the scope of the invention as it is outlined in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is v 1. In an apparatus for feeding and burning powderedfuel, the combination with a firing chamber, of a nozzle device for in- Y troducing fuel and air into the furnace,

said nozzle delivering fuel-carrying air and also combustion air, and consisting essentially ofa pipe having a flaring mouth, to-

gether with another pipe surrounding said flaring mouth and of greater diameter and into which the flaring mo uth discharges, said second pipe communicating with the furnace, means for creating and supplying the dust-laden current to said nozzle, and automatically controlled valve means for separately supplying combustion air thereto and controlling the amount of said combustion air.

2. In an apparatus for feeding and burning powdered fuel, the combination with a furnace, of a nozzle device for introducing fuel and air into the furnace, said nozzle delivering fuel-carrying air and also combustion air and consisting essentially of a pipehaving a flaring mouth, together with another pipe surrounding said flaring mouth and of greater diameter and into which the flaring mouth discharges, said second pipe communicating with the furnace, means for creating and supplying the dust-laden current to said nozzle, separate means for supplying and controlling the amount of combustion air thereto, and

means for delivering and controlling the amount of additional combustion air directly to the furnace.

3,. In an apparatus for feeding and burning powdered fuel, the combination with a steam boiler'and its furnace, in which the pressure is at all times less than atmos pheric, ofa nozzle for delivering the fuel into said furnace and consisting essentially of'a flaring discharge member and a member of larger diameter into which said flaring discharge member delivers, said member of larger diameter communicating with the furnace, and said nozzle introducing dustladen air and also an additional supply of auxiliary air to promote combustion, a fan for creating the dust-laden current and supplying it to the nozzle, separate means for supplying and controlling the amount of combustion air to said nozzle, and means for admitting and controlling the atmospheric air to serve as additional combustion air directly into the furnace.

4. In an apparatus for feeding and burning powdered fuel, the combination with a steam boiler furnace having a depressed auxiliary chamber to enlarge the space within the furnace, of means for introducing into said chamber a properly measured supply of fuel-laden air, said means including a nozzle consisting essentially of a pipe having aflaring mouth, together with a chamber of larger diameter surrounding said flaring mouth and communicating with the furnace, the current of air which is demeet the combustion requirements.

5. In an apparatus for feeding and burning powdered fuel, the combination with a firing chamber, of means for introducing a current of fuel-laden air, said means including a nozzle consisting of a flaring discharge mouth and a larger chamber surrounding the same and communicating with the firing chamber, a fan for creating the' fuel-laden current, separate means for mixing combustion air with the fuel-laden air before the latter reaches the firing chamber,

means for admitting combustion air directly to the firing chamber, and a mixing chamber receiving air and fuel wherein a thorough intermixing of air and fuel dust takes place-to form the dust-laden air current.

6. In an apparatusfor feeding and burning powdered fuel, the combination with a firing chamber, of a nozzle for introducing air and fuel thereinto, said nozzle delivering. a fuel laden stream of air and also a combustion supply and consisting essentially of a chamber-communicating with the firing chamber and a flaring discharge mouth delivering into said chamber, a mixing chamber wherein the fuel-laden stream is formed by a thorough commingling of air and fuel dust fed thereto, a rotary fan fordirecting an air blast with relation to said mixing chamber and propelling thefuel-laden stream onward to the firing chamber.

7 In an apparatus for feeding and burning fine fuel in suspension, the combination with a firing chamber, of a duplex nozzle consisting of a flaring discharge mouth and a chamber surrounding the same and communlcatlng wlth the firing chamber, said duplex nozzle delivering a dust-laden stream of air and also combustion air into said firing chamber, a mixing chamber for thoroughly commingling the powdered fuel and air to form said dust-laden stream, a fan for supplying air beneath the mixing chamber, means for carrying fuel to said chamber, and means for feeding air to the mixing chamber.

8. In an apparatus for feeding and burning powdered fuel in suspension, the combination with a firing chamber, of a mixing chamber receiving fine fuel and also air and commingling the fuel and air therein, a duplex nozzle for admitting fuel and air into said firing chamber, said nozzle having means for carrying and delivering dustladen air and also separate means for admitting atmospheric air to mix with the dustladen air for combustion purposes, means for admitting to the firing chamber separately from the nozzle currents of air, additional air directly from the atmosphere for combustion purposes, a fan for propelling the dust-laden current of air to the nozzle and firing chamber, means for operating the fan, and a 'mechanism whereby the fan operating ineans likewise controls the admitting and the cutting off of the combustion air.

9. In an apparatus for feeding and burning fine fuel in suspension, the combination with a firing chamber, of a duplex nozzle for admitting fuel and air thereinto, said nozzle having means for carrying the dustladen vehicle to the firing chamber and also for admitting combustion air directly from the atmosphere, a mixing chamber in which fine fuel and air are thoroughly commingled, a fan for propelling the dust-laden vehicle onward to the nozzle and firing chamber, a motor for actuating the fan, feeding means operated by the same motor for carrying the finev fuel into the mixing chamber, and an automatic mechanism actuated likewise by said motor for controlling the admission and cutting off the atmospheric air supplied to the nozzle.

10. In an apparatus for feeding and burning fine fuel in suspension, the combination with a locomotive boiler and its furnace, of a duplex nozzle for introducing to said furnace dust-laden'air and combustion air, a fan for creating and propelling the blast Whichtransports the fuel, a steam turbine actuating said fan and driven by steam from the locomotive, and an automatic mechanism likewise operated by the steam turbine for controlling the admission of the combustion air to the nozzle.

11. In an apparatus for feeding and burning finefuel in suspension, the combination with a locomotive boiler and its furnace, of a duplex nozzle fol-introducing to said furnace dust-laden air and also combustion air,

- supply.

ing an enlarged depressed chamber to pro' vide additional space, of a nozzle which introduces dust-laden air and also separately combustion air, said combustion air coming from the atmosphere, a fan for creating and driving the dust-laden stream; a steam turbine for actuating the fan, a mixing chamber havin means for feeding air thereto and wherein the air so fed and the fuel are thoroughly commingled, means for carrying fuel into the mixing chamber, said means being operated by the same steam turbine, anda mechanism likewise operated by the turbine for controlling the atmospheric air 13. In a fine fuel burner for locomotives,

- the combination with a locomotive boiler and its furnace, of an auxiliary firing chamber to provide additional furnace space, a nozzle for introducing dust-laden air and separate combustion air, said combustion air coming from the atmosphere, means for introducing atmospheric air directly into the fire box without passing through the nozzle, a fan, a steam turbine for driving the fan, a mixing chamber wherein air and fuel are thoroughly commingled, means for supplying air to said mixing chamber, means for carrying fuel into the mix'ingchamber, said means being operated by the same steam turbine, an automatic governor on the turbine shaft, -and means. actuated by the governor for opening and closing the combus: tion. air inlets on the nozzle, and also opening and closing the direct atmospheric air inlets to the fire box.

14. In a fine fuel burner for locomotives, the combination with a locomotive boiler and its furnace, of an auxiliary firing chamber to provide additional furnace space, a nozzle for introducing dust-laden air and separate combustion air, said combustion air coming from the atmosphere means for introducing atmospheric air directly into the fire box without passing through the nozzle, a fan for driving the dust-laden air, a steam turbine for driving the fan, a mixing chamber wherein air and fuel are thoroughly commingled, means for supplying air to said mixing chamber, means for carrying fuel into the mixing chamber, said means being operated by the same steam turbine, an automatic governor on theturbine shaft, and

the governor andbetween the cam an means actuated by the governor for opening and closing the combustion air inlets and also openihg and closing the direct fire box atmospheric air inlets, saidmeans including among its essential parts a rotary camand leverage connections between the cam'and the means for opening and closing the air inlets on the nozzle and the fire box;

15. In an apparatus for-' feeding and burning powdered fuel, the combination of a furnace, a nozzle for delivering a stream W of fine fuel under an air blast to the fur- 'nace, said nozzle including a pipe having a flaring discharge mouth and a chamber surrounding said pipe and into which the flaring mouth delivers,,said chamber entering the furnace, a fan for generating the air blast, a conical hopper for' delivering.

'fuel to the air blast, means for feedingair into said hopper to agitate the fuel beforeit is delivered to the air blast, a bin for containing a mass of fine fuel and means for feeding the fuel from the bin to the.

hopper. v Y 16. In a fine fuel burner, the combination ofa furnace, means for delivering a stream of fuel thereinto under the actlon of an air blast, said means including a duplex nozzle having av flaring discharge mouth and a chamber surrounding the latter in which the velocity of the dust-laden current is reduced, means for supplying combustion air which may commingle with the dustladen stream, a fan for creating the air blast, amotor for driving the fan, a hopper for delivering the fuel to apoint in advance 'of the fan where the air and coal may be thoroughly mixed, means for delivering a'ir into'the hopper to agitate the fuel, a fuel bin, and a feed screw leading fromthe fuel bin "to the hopper.

17. In an apparatus for burning fine fuel, the combination with a fuel bin, of a conical hopper, a feed screw for feeding fuel. from the bin to the hopper, means for'introducing air into the hopper for the purpose of breaking up lumps in the coal dust, a fan for creating anair blast which receives the coal issuing from the bottom of the conical hopper and forms a dust-laden current'whichis propelled forward under the action of the air blast, a nozzle for delivering the air blast into thefurnace, shutter mechanism for admitting and regulating a supply of combustion air to said nozzle,

1 and additional shutter mechanism for regulating a supply of air directly to the furnace.

1E3. In a fine fuel burner, the combination of a conical hopper,'air jets entering the same for introducing currents of air to break up aggregations of coal .dust and allow it to resume its fine or comminuted condition, a fuel bin, means for carrying the I fuel from the bin to the'hopper consisting of a feed screw, a fan for creating a blast 'of'air which receives the coal from the bota motor for driving the fan, a shaft for said motor, gearing connections between said shaft and the feed screw, all substantially as described.

19. In a fine fuel burner, the combination of a conical hopper, means for introducing air thereinto to break up any lumps of coal, means for feeding fine fuel into the hopper consisting of a feed screw and its housing, a fan for causing a blast of air to pass beneath the hopper and receive the dust falling therefrom, a motor for driving the fan, the shaft of the motor being the same "as that of the fan, a second shaft having a Worm wheel actuated by a worm on the motor shaft, means for gearing the latter shaft to the feed screw shaft, all arranged so that the speed of the fan may control the quantity of coal fed to the hopper and to the air blast.

20. In a fine fuel burner, the combination of a hopper, means for feeding air thereto to agitate'the fuel-dust therein, a fan for generating a current of air which passes beneath the hopper and receives the contents thereof as they fall from the hopper, a feeding mechanism for delivering fuel to thehopper, a} motor for driving the fan, the shaft of the motor being the same as that of the fan, means for connecting the shaft of the motor with the aforesaid feeding mechanism in order that the quantity fed by the latter may be regulated to correspond with the speed of the fan, and thus the quantity of air which carries the fine fuel may be made to correspond with the quantity of fuel fed thereto, all. substantially as described, a nozzle for delivering the dust-laden current to the furnace, means for admitting combustion air from the at- 'mosphere to the dust-laden current in the also for admitting combustion air directly from the atmosphere, a mixing chamber in which fine fuel and air are thoroughly commingled, a fan for propelling the dust-laden vehicle onward to the nozzle and firing chamber, a motor for actuating the fan, and feeding means operated by the same motor for carrying the fine fuel into the mixing chamber.

23. In a powdered fuel burner for locomotives, the combination with a locomotive boiler and its furnace, the latter having an enlarged depressed chamber to provide additional space, of a nozzle which introduces dust-laden air and also separately combustion air, said combustion air coming from the atmosphere, a fan for creating and driving the dust-laden stream, a steam turbine for actuating the fan, a mixing chamber having means for feeding air thereto and wherein the air so fed and the fuel are thoroughly commingled, and means for carrying fuel into the mixing chamber, said means being operated by the same steam turbine.

24. In a fine fuel burner for locomotives, the combination with a locomotive boiler and its furnace, of an auxiliary firing chamber to provide additional furnace space, a

nozzle for introducing dust laden air and separate combustion air, said combustion air comin from the atmosphere, means for introducmg atmospheric air directly into the fire box without passing through the nozzle, a fan, a steam turbine for driving the fan, a mixing chamber wherein air and the fuel are thoroughly commingled, means for supplying air to said mixing chamber, and means for carrying fuel into the mixing chamber, said means being operated by the same steam turbine.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER njwoon.

ESTELLE M. BRYMAN.

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