US1260056A - Fuel-underfeed. - Google Patents

Description

J. N. RICHARDSON.

FUEL UNDERFEED.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. l9l6.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

2 SHIEETSSHEETI.

WHM QM J. N. RICHARDSON.

FUEL UNDERFEED.

APPLICATION men APR. 11. me.

1,260,056. Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

wmamy tint s ES AENT FF JOHN N. RICHARDSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLIAM-SON HEATER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FUEL-UNDERFEED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed April 17, 1916. Serial No. 91,808.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN N. RICHARDSON, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fuel-Underfeeds, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

My invention relates to underfeed heating furnaces and is particularly directed to a class of furnaces in which an oscillatory fuel charging cylinder is rocked from a fuel receiving position to a fuel charging position in vertical alinement with a central fuel port in the grate, together with means for forcing the fuel upwardly in stepped movements through said port.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved fuel charging mechanism for forcing the charging plunger or fuel elevator upwardly in stepped movements while the cylinder is in alinement with the fuel port combined with means preventing retrograde movement of said plunger.

Another object is to provide an intermittently operated fuel charging mechanism consisting of a rack and pawl device and means functioned by a rocking of the fuel cylinder to receiving position, for disengaging the pawls to permit the charging plunger to drop, and a brake device for the rack to retard the dropping of the plunger.

In these and other features, the invention represents an improvement over the mechanism disclosed in the prior joint application of John N. Richardson and Edward A. Muller, Serial No. 846,486, filed June 22, 1914.

The features of my invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a section through the base of the furnace showing the fuel cylinder in charging position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cylinder in fuel receiving position, with the plunger and its operating rack at the limit of fuel charging position ready to be released to lower the plunger.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the rack and pawl mechanism in released position.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cylinder.

In the drawings, the combustion chamber 1 has a grate 2 formed with a central charging port 3 opening vertically into the ashpit 4c, and the front portion of the ash-pit is formed with an opening 5 through which the fuel may be shoveled into the upper end of the container. The floor line is indicated by the lines 6-6 and preferably the ash-pit has the deepened portion 7 below the floor line. The ash-pit fuel receiving opening 5 is normally closed by a suitable door which need not be shown or described for the purposes of this application.

Upon the inner wall of the ash-pit and upon opposite sides thereof are secured the brackets 8 having pivots 9, upon which the cylinder is rocked, this horizontal axis being preferably positioned just slightly above the floor line. The fuel container or cylinder 10 is formed with extensions 11 projecting radially downward from opposite sides of the bottom of the cylinder, in the lower ends of which the pivots 9 have bearings, thus enabling the cylinder to rock into alternate registry with the grate port and the fuel receiving opening. The upper and rear peripheral portion of the cylinder is formed with the curved or spherical contoured apron or follower 12, the rear end of which rests on lug 13, defining the vertical position of the cylinder and this apron functions to close the grate port when it is moved from the vertical position, shown in Fig. l, to the inclined position shown in Fig. 2.

Preferably, the apron 12 is additionally connected full length to the wall of the cylinder by the radial web 14 which also forms a convenient structure for pivotally supporting the lever mechanism which operates the piston.

The inner surface of the cylinder and its extensions 11 are formed with the key seats or guides 15 extending parallel with the axis of the cylinder, and also radially with rela tion to the horizontal axis on which'the cylinder rocks. The piston 16 is relatively thin, and its periphery is formed with the downwardly extending flanges 17, formed with the keys 18 extended below the piston and fitting into the key seats 15. This key seat arrangement preferably extends radially to the arc of cylinder swing. and holds the piston rigidly and accurately at right angles to the axis of the cylinder throughout the piston movement when the cylinder is moved to either of its alternate positions. Also, this axially extended key-- seat, provision enables the use of a relatively thin piston, which is desirable when. slack or pulverized coal is to be used, as a piston thick enough to prevent tilting would involve too great dimensions of bearing surfaces, and fine fuel working in between the peripheral portions of the piston and cylinder would cause binding.

Pivotally mounted on the web. 14 is. a rocking lever-type piston rod comprising. a. rock shaft 19 to which is fixed a lever 20 extending radially toward the piston center, the inner end being pivotedto link 21, which in turn, has its upper end hinged centrally to the under side of the piston.

Fixed to a portion of the rock shaft 19. is a rock arm 23 the lower end of which is carried to one side of the eylinder,.thelowerend of the arm 23 being pivoted to the operating link or bar 24 extending horizontally out through the ash-pit, the position of this bar 24 relative to the cylinder 1 when rocked to its forward position, is 25 shown in Fig. 2. The cylinder is rocked by means of a link 25, also extending horizontally out through the ash-pit, on the same side of the cylinder as bar 24, in order that theouter ends may be so adjacently disposed as tobe compactly connected with the operating mechanism in front of the ash-pit and preferably to one side of the ash-pit opening. The tilting link 25 is pivotally connected to the cylinder. and to a rocker element or tilting plate 26. Said plate is pivoted at 27, on a base extension 28, and is provided with a handle socket for receiving the tilting handle 29. 31 represents a fulcrum pin which is secured in the tilting plate and projects through an elongated slot 30 in the toothed ratchet bar 24, thereby serving as a supportand guide for the outer end thereof.

' Loosely pivotedv on the fulcrum pin 31, be-

tween the tilting plate and the ratchet bar is an oscillatory actuator member or pawl carrying plate 32, which is provided with a socket receiving a charging handle 22. Pivoted on this plate above and belowv the ratchet bar are a pair of actuating p awls or ratchet elements 33, 34, which engage the upper-and lower toothed edges 35, 36 of said bar. The pawl 33 is a gravitypawl and the pawl 34 is provided with a pin 38, which projects through a slot 39 formedin the forward arm of a release lever 37. Said release lever is pivoted on the pin 31 and has a weighted arrn 56'extending to therear of its pivotal point.

This construction, in fact, makes the pawl 34 also a gravitypawl through a seeond element, (the weighted release lever). The pawl 33 has a downwardly projecting arm 42, carrying a pin 41, which is in the path of movement of shoulder 40 of the "release 43 at its forward end and by an examination of Fig. 3, it will beseen that a downward pressure on the foot plate 43 will rock the release lever 37 and disengage both pawls from their respective toothed edges 35, 36, of the charging bar 24. Such disengagement will permit the charger 16 to drop by gravity. To prevent the charger from dropping too rapidly, a retarding device has been incorporated in connection with the release lever and consists in a brake arm 44, which is secured to the weight arm 56 of the release lever 37 and has an inturned lower end projecting beneath the ratchet bar. The lower edge of the ratchet bar adjacent the teeth is undulated and when the release'lever is rocked, (see Fig. 3), the inturned end of the brake arm 44 enga'ges'these undulations, with the effect of retarding the lateral movement of the ratchet bar.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the release lever is inoperative to trip the pawls, because as soon as it is rocked slightly, its forward end will contact with the-floorplate 50. This would partly'withdraw the pawl 34, but such movement is not sufficient to bring the shoulder 42 of therelease lever into contact with the pin 41 of, the pawl 30 to rock said pawl unless there is sufiicient free play in the parts to permit the charging handle 22 to rock backward beyond its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the normal distance between theshoulder 42 and pin 41 would be lessened. To guard against this possible condition, I provide a latch lever 51, which is'loosely pivoted on the base plate extension 28, at 52, and is limited in its downward movement by a pin 53, engaging "the rearwardly projecting arm thereof. The forward hooked end engages over'a' pin 54 on the pawl carrying plate 32 and retains'it in its normal position. lVhen the tilting plate-'26 is rocked, the pin 54 rises into a notch 55 in the latch plate 51, which prevents the charging handle dropping. forward when the pIawls are tripped.

The piston operating mechanism within the ash-pit is. pivotallyconnected to the under side ofthe piston and to an exterior portion ofthe cylinder so that it is operatively disposed between the upper'end of the cyl inder and'the horizontal axis of the cylinder, and as the" horizontal axis is closeto the ground line this provision and disposition enable the piston operating and cylinder rocking mechanisms'to be placed just above'the floor in front of and'to one side of the ash-pit opening. This isnot only a very compact and convenient arrangement adapted for applicationto household furnacesof ordinary size and structure, but it also enables all these organized operating parts to be disposed in a 'vertical'space'replever 37. The release lever has a foot-plate I 7 resented by the distance between the grate and the ground or floor line.

It will thus be seen that-the invention comprises a cylinder or fuel container pivoted in the ash-pit for alternate registration with the grate port, and the fuel receiving opening through the ash-pit, that there is a piston or fuel charger reciprocal in the container with lever mechanism in the ashpit forming part of the piston elevating means. Exterior of the ash-pit is a main rocking element having a link connection with the container for rocking it. All of the exterior portion of the piston operating means is mounted on this main rocker element 26 which operates the container. The link bar 24, connected to the piston lever mechanism within the ash-pit, has its forward ratchet end slotted and guidably supported by the fulcrum pin 31, on this main rocker element 26, so that this ratchet bar 24: is movable with and slidable on the main rocker element. Substantially all of the actuating mechanism for this ratchet bar operates on this pin 31 as a center, so that pin 31 constitutes, as it were, a floating pivot. This ratchet bar actuatin mechanism comprises a double pawl lever and a gravity pawl release fulcrumed on pin 31. The rocker element 26 swings upwardly to raise this pivot point 31. when the container is moved to fuel receiving position, and is swung downwardly close to the floor when the container is moved into registry with the grate port. By reason of the formation of the floor plate 50, and its correlation to the main rocker element. the pawl release mechanism is inop ative when the pin 31 is in its lower position. that is. when the container is in registry with the grate port. because in this position it is desirable to positively prevent the pos-ibilitv of tripping or lowering the elevator, while the movement of the container to receiving position raises this pin 31 and the pawl relea e o s ch a o i ion abo e the floor that said release lever 37 may function for lowering the elevator. withcut being lim ted by abutment with the floor plate 50.

However. to prevent the main actuator or double pawl lever 20 from loosely wabbling during the rocking and tripping movements, the latch element 40 is provided and pivotally supported on the extension 15 and arranged to automatically operate in the cycle of swing of the main rocker element, to engage and hold the double pawl lever, rendering it substantially inoperative except when the container is alined with the grate port, in which position mainlyit is desirable to elevate the piston.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a very complete and easily operated control for the container and elevator compactly organized and disposed in front of the ashpit and operative upon mechanical principles effectually preventing the malfunctioning of the cylinder and piston.

This invention is susceptible, of course, to many different embodiments within the basic principles of the invention. Certain features of the invention disclosed herein are not claimed but constitute the subject-matter of a separate application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 91,807.

I claim 1. In an underfeed for furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, the combination comprising a fuel container pivotally mounted in the ash-pit, means for rocking said container into alternate registration with said port and opening, a fuel charger in the container, a charger operating lever mechanism pivotally mounted in the ash-pit to rock with the container, a link pivoted to said lever mechanism and extending exterior of the ash-pit, a reciprocating lever mechanism pivoted exterior of the ash-pit, and adapted to be operatively connected with or disconnected from said link, and means whereby said lever mechanism can be released from operative connection with said link only when the container is moved toward fuel receiving position.

2. In an underfeed for furnaces having a grate formed with a-fuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, a container pivotally mounted in the ash-pit for alternate registration with said port and opening, a' charger reciprocally mounted in said container, a rocking member pivoted exteriorly of the ash-pit, a link connecting said member to the container, said member being rocked upwardly to move the con tainer to fuel receiving position, and being rocked downwardly to aline the container with the grate port, a double tooth ratchet bar movable with and slidable on said memher. a double pawl lever pivoted on said member for operating said ratchet bar, a pawl release mechanism also mounted on said member, means rendering said pawl release inoperative when said rocking member is in its lower position, and means within the ash-pit operated by the inner end of said ratchet bar for operating the charger.

3. In an underfeed for furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, a container pivotally mounted in the ashpit for alternateregistration with said port and opening, a charger reciprocally mounted in said container, a rocking member pivoted exteriorly of the ash-pit, a link connecting said member to the container, said member being rocked upwardly to move the container to fuel receiving position, and being rocked downwardly to aline the container with the grate port, a double tooth said member, a double pawl lever pivoted on said member for operating said ratchet bar, a pawl release mechanism also mounted 'onsaid member-,means rendering said pawl release inoperative when said rocking member is in its lower position, means operating during the rocking of said member to hold said pawl lever in position, and means within the ash-pit operated by. the inner end-of said ratchet bar for operating the charger.

I 4r. In anunderfeed" for furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit having'a fuel receivingopening, a container pivotally mounted in the ashpit for alternate registration with said port and opening, a charger reciprocally mounted in said container, a rocking member pivoted exteriorly of the ash-pit, a link connecting said member to-the container, said member being rocked upwardly to move the container to fuel receiving position, and being rocked downwardly to aline the container with the grate port, a'double. tooth ratchet bar movable with and slidable on said member, a double pawl lever pivoted on said member for operating said ratchet bar, a pawl release mechanism also mounted on said member, means rendering said pawl release inoperative when said rocking member is in its lower position, means actuated by said pawl release to friction brake the forward movement of the ratchet bar as the elevator descends, and means within the ashpit operated by the inner end of said ratchet 7 bar for operating the charger.

5. In an underfe'ed for furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, the combination comprising a fuel container pivotally mounted in the ash-pit for alternate registrationwith said port and opening,'a fuel charger slidably mounted in said container, a rocker element pivoted exteriorly of the ash-pit, a link connecting said element to the container, means within the ash-pit for operating the fuel charger, a double toothed ratchet bar connected to said means and extended exteriorly of the ash pit, the outer end of said bar being m0v ablewith and slidable on the rocker element, an oscillatory actuator member pivoted on the rocker element, a pair of ratchet elements mounted on the actuator member adjac ent the opposing toothed edges of the ratchet bar, and a gravity trip lever normally engaging one of said ratchet elements to urge'it into engagement with the ratchet bar teeth and operative to disengage both of said ratchet elements when the fuel container is rocked out of registry with the grate port.

6.'1n an underfeedfor furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, ithexcombination comprising a fuel container pivotally mounted in the ash-pit for alter-- nate registration with said port and open- 'ing, a fuel charger slidably mounted in said double toothed ratchet bar connected to saidmeans, and extended exteriorly of the ashpit, the outer end of said bar being movable with and slidable on the rocker element, an

oscillatory actuator member pivoted on the rocker element, a pair of ratchet elements mounted on the actuator memberadjacent the opposite toothed edges of the ratchet bar, a gravity trip lever normally engaging one of said ratchet'elements to urge it into engagement with theratchet bar teeth and -operative to disengage both of said ratchet elements when the fuel container is rocked out of registry with the rate port, and means operative during the'rocking of the fuel container to'hold the actuator member against independent movement.

7 In an underfeed for furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, the combination comprising a fuel container pivotally mounted in the ash-pit for alternate registration with said port and opening, a fuel charger slidably mounted in said container, a rocker element, pivoted exteriorly of the ash-pit. a link connecting said element to the container, means within the ash-pit for operating the fuel charger, a double toothed ratchet bar connected to said means, extended exteriorly of the ash-pit, the outer end of said bar being movable with andslidable on the-rocker element, an oscillatory actuator member pivoted on the rocker element, a pair of ratchet elements mounted on the actuator member adjacent the opposing toothed edges of the ratchet bar, a gravity trip lever normally engaging one of said ratchet elements to urge it into engagement with the ratchet *bar teeth and operative to disengage both of said ratchet elements when the fuel container is rocked out of registry with the grate port, and means actuated by the trip lever to friction brake the forward movement of the ratchet bar as the charger descends.

8. In an underfeed for furnaces having a grate formed with afuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, the combinationcomprising an oscillatory fuel container within the ashpit, a fuel charger slidably mounted therein, a rocker element exterior of the ash-pit, a motion transmitting link connecting said element to the fuel container, a floating pivot carried by said element, lever mechanism within the ash-pit for moving the fuel charger, a charging bar connected to said mechanism and supported and guided at its outer end on the floating pivot, means for intermittently translating said bar, devices for rendering said means inoperative, said devices and means being entirely supported by said pivot and oscillated about the pivotal axis of the rocker element.

9. In an underfeed for furnaces having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit having a fuel receiving opening, the combination comprising a fuel container pivotally mounted in the ash-pit, a fuel charger in the container, operating devices exterior of the ash-pit for unitarily rocking the fuel container and charger into alternate registration with said port and open ing and for independently raising the fuel charger in the container through motion transmitting members extending into the ash-pit, said devices consisting of a rocker element for rocking the fuel container, a ratchet feed bar guidingly supported thereon, an oscillatory actuator member journaled onthe rocker element, ratchet elements supported on the actuator member on opposite sides of its pivotal support for alternately engaging the opposing toothed edges of the feed bar to intermittently translate said bar to raise the fuel charger, a trip device for disengaging the ratchet elements enabling a reverse movement of the feed bar and fuel charger when the fuel container is moved out of registry with the grate port, and means for locking the actuator member against independent move- I ment during the rocking and tripping operations, said means automatically releasing the actuator member when the container is moved into registry with the grate port.

10. In an underfeed for furnaces comprising a rocking container and reciprocating charger mounted in the ash-pit, means for independently operating the container and charger comprising a main rocking element pivoted exterior of the ash-pit and operatively connected to the container, a bar, the outer end of which is mounted to move with and slide on said main rocking element, and the inner end of which is operatively connected to said charger, actuating mechanism for said bar mounted on said rocker element and comprising means for moving said bar forward intermittently to step raise the charger, means enabling said bar to be returned, said means being rendered inoperative when the container is in fuel charging position, and means operating automatically to position the bar actuating means when the main rocking element is functioned.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor 11. In a fuel underfeed having a grate formed with a fuel charging port, a container pivotally mounted under the grate and movable into registry with said port or into fuel receiving position, a reciprocal charger in the container, a lever operatively connected to the charger, a rocking actuator, parallel links, having their inner ends connected to said container and to said lever, and their outer ends connected to said rocking actuator, means on the actuator for independently operating the charger link, operative for raising the charger when alined with the grate port and rendered 0perative for dropping the charger when the rocking actuator is moved to fuel receiving position.

12. In a fuel underfeed having a grate formed with a fuel charging port, a container pivotally mounted under the grate and movable into registry with said port or into fuel receiving position, a reciprocal charger in the container, a lever operatively connected to the charger, a rocking actuator, parallel links having their inner ends connected to said container and to said lever, and their outer ends connected to said rocking actuator. means on the actuator for operating the charger link to raise the charger in step movements when the container is in registry with the grate port, and to drop the charger when the container is in fuel receiving position, and means controlled by said rocking actuator preventing the charger from being dropped when the container is not in fuel receiving position.

13. In a fuel underfeed having a grate formed with a fuel charging port and an ash-pit wall formed with a fuel receiving opening, a container in the ash-pit movable into alternate registration with said port and opening, a reciprocal charger in the container, means for shifting the container, charger operating mechanism having an actuator movable in short, reciprocal, pumplike strokes to raise the charger in definite steps, and means for disconnecting said actuator for dropping the charger, said disconnecting means being rendered operative only when the container is in fuel receiving position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses. 7

JOHN N. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

EMMA SPENER, L. A. BECK.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. Q.

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