US1212339A

US1212339A - Water-softening apparatus for locomotives.

Info

Publication number: US1212339A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank C Fosdick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-09-08
Filing date: 1916-09-08
Publication date: 1917-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1934-01-16

Description

F. C. FOSDICK. WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

- APPLICATION F-ILED SEPT.8 19x6. 1,212,339. Patented Jan.16,1917.

' 2 SHEET$-SHEET lli? (/6 72 f0 7":

F. C. FOSDICK.

WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS FOR LOCOMOTIVES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s. 1916.

1,212,339, Patented Ja11.16,1917.

2 $HEETS'SHEET 2.

' @FFIQR- FRANK C. FOSIDICK. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-SOFTENING APPARATUS FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Application filed September 8, 1916.

T 0 all whom 2'1- may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. FOSDIGK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Softening Apparatus for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

Aside from the large stationary Watersoftening plants in use by some of the railroads, the usual practice in softening water for use in locomotives is to deposit a quantity ofthe desired chemicals in the tender at the railway division point, the amount being sufficient to soften the water placed in the tender at the division point and the water taken en route. As a result, the water at first is over-supplied with chemicals, the latter causing the water to foam in the boiler. Moreover, when the supply of water in the tender is replenished en route, the dissolved or undissolved chemicals remaining in the tender may be insuflicient for the proper softening of the added water. It also sometimes happens that a'man who has just come on duty will place chemicals in a tender which has already been supplied with chemicals by the man whom he has relieved. When an engineer discovers that the water in the boiler is foaming, he may discharge more or less of the water in the boiler and the tender, and take on a fresh supply en route, thus defeating the objects of the water-softening system established by the railroad. Foaming in a locomotive 'boiler is so objectionable to engine crews that they cannot be depended upon to place the chemicals in the tender, if such oper ation be intrusted to them.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the chemicals will be automatically fed to the tender Whenever water is supplied to the tender, the quantity of chemicals fed being proportionate to the quantity of water taken into the tender.

A further object of the invention is to preclude errors in the feeding'of the chemicals and to prevent engine crews from frustrating the prescribed water-softening system.

In the accompanying drawings Figurel is a fragmental side elevation of a locomotive tender embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the chemical-supplying apparatus, the view being taken in the plane of line Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Serial No. 118,958.

22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa detail view of a certain sprocket and the ratchet drive therefor. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a plate for reducing the rate at which the chemicals are fed.

Referring to the drawings: 1 represents a locomotive tender of any suitable form, said tender comprising a water tankor space 2, said tank being provided with a filling opening or manhole 2*. The chemical-supplying apparatus is located at any suitable point on the tank. Said apparatus comprises a hopper 3 to contain a quantity of powdered or granular chemicals, a device 4. to feed or control the feed of chemicals from the hopper, a chute 5 through which the chemicals are conducted to the tank, and a float-actuated means for driving the feeding device 4.

The hopper 3 may be of any desired size. It may be large enough to contain a supply sufficient for only a single run, thus necessitating replenishment, with the inspection consequent thereon, at each division point; or it may be of such capacity as to hold a supply suflicient for a considerably longer period. The hopper has a cover 6 of any suitable character, the cover being provided with a lock 7. In practice the keys for this look would be in the possession only of the employees charged with the duty of replenishing the hopper.

In the lower end of the hopper is an outlet 8 below which is located a suitable device for controlling the discharge of the chemicals or for positively discharging the chemicals. Herein is shown a rotary device 4: journaled in the supporting structure and provided with peripheral ribs 9 extending longitudinally of said device. If desired, the ribs 9 may be wavy in formso as to have a draw-shearing action upon any lumps that may be found in the materials being discharged. Preferably the device 4 is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections by means of disks or flanges 10. The discharge from the hopper 3 maybe regulated by obstructing the outlet 8 to a greater or less degree, as by placing over said outlet one or more plates 11. Each of these plates 1s preferably equal in length to the distance between two disks 10.

It will be seen that the ribs 9 and disks form a plurality of peripheral cups or pockets into which the chemicals gravitate through the outlet 8 and which pockets carry the material to the lower side of the device 4: where the material falls into a chute 5. Said chute may be secured to the tank in any suitable manner and is continued in a spout 12 that extends to a suitable depth in the tank 2. To provide an outlet for air that may be trapped in the spout 12 and the chute 5 as water rises in the tank 2, a suitable number of openings 13 may be formed in said chute, said openings being preferably provided with hoods 14 to prevent the insertion of an instrument designed to render the feeding device inoperative.

The feeding device is rotated only while the tank is being filled with water. Upon one journal of the feeding device is rotatably mounted a sprocket wheel 15, said.

wheel being arranged to drive the feeding device through a suitable one-way clutch, as, for example, a pawl 16 carried by the wheel and engaging a ratchet wheel 17 rigidly connected to the device 1. In the lower portion of the tank is a sprocket wheel 18. Around the wheels 15 and 18 runs a chain .19 to which is fixed a float 20. Preferably the wheel 18, the float 20 and that portion of the chain 19 which is within the tank 2 are inclosed in a casing 21 to protect said parts against tampering and to limit lateral displacement of the float 20 due to starting and stopping of the locomotive and surging of the water. The rise and fall of the float are limited by

stops

22 and 23. In the bottom of the casing 21 is a water inlet and outlet opening 24. The upper end of the casing 21 communicates with the interior of the tank in a suitable way, as by terminating short of the top wall of the tank, thereby providing air and water openings 25. The sprocket wheel 15 and the portion of the chain 19 above the tank are inclosed in a protective casing 26. Tubes 27 extend upwardly from the tank within the casing 26 and inclose the chains, thus preventing water from being splashed up into said casing. These tubes extend below the upper end of the casing 21 in order to prevent tampering with the chain by means of an implement inserted through the openings 25.

In practice, a suitable quantity of chemicals is placed in the hopper 3. When the tank 2 is filled, whether at the division point or en route, the float 20 rises, thereby rotating the device 4 and thus causing chemicals to be discharged into the tank 2 through the chute 5 and the spout 12. The chemicals pass into solution and become distributed throughout the entire body of water. It will be evident that the number of revolutions of the device 4: depends upon the length of the upward movement of the float, and that this in turn depends upon the volume of water admitted to the tank. Thus insuring effective treatment for the precipitation of water-borne minerals in the tender. Moreover the apparatus is of such'character that it cannot be rendered inoperative by the engine crews.

At convenient intervals, the supply of \fivvr chemicals in the hopper 3 is replenished by the employee intrusted with this duty, such replenishment affording opportunity to observe whether there has been any accidental failure to feed the previous supply of chem 0 icals.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a locomotive tender having a water tank, a chemical hopper mounted on the tank and communicating therewith, a rotary device to control the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, a sprocket wheel having a one-way driving connection with said device, a sprocket wheel within the tank, a chain extending around said sprocket wheels, a float attached to the chain, and a tube inclosing a portion of said chain, said tube extending above the tank.

2. The combination of a locomotive tender having a water tank, a chemical hopper mounted on the tank and communicating therewith, a device to control the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, a wheel, a one-way clutch between the wheel and the said device, and a float arrangedto rotate the wheel, said float being located in the tank.

3. The combination of a locomotivetender having a water tank, a chemical-supplying means on the tender and communicating with the tank, a float within the tank operated by the rise of water in the tank to actuate the chemical-supplying means, and a casing within the tank, said casing inclosing and guiding the float, said casing c0m-- municating with the interior of the tank.

4:. The combination of a locomotive tender having a water tank, chemical-supplying means on the tender and communicating with the tank, a float within the tank and 11 means operated by the rise of the float to actuate the chemical-supplying means during the period of such rise.

5. The combination of a locomotive tender having a water tank, a chemical hopper mounted on the tank and communicating therewith, a device to control the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, two sprocket wheels arranged one above the other, one of said wheels being supported in the lower portion of the tank, a one-way clutch between the other wheel and the said device, an endless chain extending around said wheels, and a float attached to the chain,

said float being located in the tank, said clutch being arranged to actuate said device in the upward movement of the float.

6. The combination of a water tank, a chemical hopper communicating with the tank, a device to control the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, a wheel, a one-way clutch between the wheel and the said device, and a float arranged to rotate the wheel, said float being located in the tank.

7. The combination of a water tank, a chemical. hopper communicating therewith, a device to control the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, two sprocket wheels arranged one above the other, one of said wheels being supported in the lower portion of the tank, a one-way clutch between the other wheel and the said device, an endless chain extending around said wheels, and a float attached to the chain, said float being located in the tank.

8. The combination of a water tank, a

chemical hopper communicating therewith, a rotary device located at the mouth of the hopper for controlling the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, a sprocket wheel having a one-way driving connection with said device, a sprocket wheel within the tank, a chain extending around said sprocket wheels and a float attached to the chain.

9. The combination of a locomotive tender having a Water tank, a chemical hopper mounted on the tank and communicating therewith, a device to control the feed of chemicals from the hopper to the tank, and means actuated by the rise of Water level in the tank for operating said device to feed chemicals to the tank during the period of such rise.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK O. FOSDICK.

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

Washington, D. C.