US1276140A - Stump-burner. - Google Patents

Description

A WATTSL STUMP BURNER.

APPLICATION man NOV. 12, \sn-z.

1,276,140. Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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ATTORNEY.

ARTHUR WATTS, OF IBE'LLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

STUMP-BURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed November 12, 1917. Serial No. 201,482.

citizen of the United States, residing at Bellingham, in the county of VVhatcom and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Stump-Burner, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stump-burning apparatus, and the objects ofmy invention are, 1st to produce an apparatus which when applied to a stump, log or tree, will reduce it, bydestructive distillation, and by using well known distilling devices, preserve the charcoal and other products of said distillation, 2d: to use the stump, log, or etc, as a part of the apparatus required to properly perform the work, and 3d: to protect those parts of the apparatus exposed to the intense heat, accompanying the burning, from injury by said heat.

l'. accomplish these objects by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation view of my apparatus in operative position with the stump in vertical cross section and with a portion of the distilling apparatus broken away, Fig. 2 is'an elevation view of the distilling apparatus not shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an elevation view of one of the similar water-jacketed tubes, and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 3.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several views.

Certain parts are broken away in order to show others hidden thereby.

More particularly: A. is a stump in vertical cross section. A A A are roots of said stump in ground C. 1 and 2 are transverse holes in stump A bored near the ground and intersecting near the center of the stump. similar construction inserted or driven tightly in said holes and having their inner ends near each other in the interior of the stump. Air inlet tube 3 comprises inner shell 3, outer shell 3, sealed at the ends and inclosing annular chamber 3. Both ends of shell 3- are open. A pipe 5 is connected with outer shell 3 near its outer end to establish communication with chamber 3. Pipe 5 connects chamber 3 with four-way fitting 5. Pipe 6 connects fitting 5 with water tank 7. Filling pipe 7", having valve 3 and 4 are jacketed tubes of I 7 is connected into the closed top of tank 7 and its upper end terminates in filling funnel 7. Pipe 5 connects the upper branch of fitting 5 with steam drum 8. Into the upper end of drum 8 is connected pipe 8 having four-way fitting 8 and valve With one branch of fitting 8 is connected safety valve 12. Outlet tube 4 is preferably similar to inlet tube 3 and comprises inner shell 4, opened at both ends and covered by outer shell or jacket 4 the ends of which are sealed to the ends of the inner shell forming the annular chamber 4. Pipe 6 is connected to the outer shell 4 near its outerend and communicates with chamber 4. The other end of pipe 6- is connected to one of the branches of fitting 5 thus forming communication between water barrel 7 and said chamber 4. Thus chambers 3 and 4 are filled with water from tank? and serve as water jackets for tubes 3 and 4. Four-way fitting 4 is connected to the outer end of tube 4. The lower branch of fitting 4 is closed with plug 4. Pipe 4 having valve 4, is connected to one of the branches of fitting 4. The upper branch of said fitting has the stand pipe, or smoke pipe, 4 connected therewith. The top of said smoke pipe is closed with cap 4 Pipe 9 leads from smoke pipe 4 to one of the branches of fitting 8 and has the valve 9. Condenser tank 10, which is drawn relatively smaller for lack of space, is entered near its top by pipe 4 from fitting 4". In side of said tank, which is closed, pipe 4 bends downward terminating in pipe 4 which enters water 10 in tank 10. Filling pipe 10 enters the top of tank 10 and has valve 10 and funnel 10. Exhaust pipe 10 enters the top of tank 10 and its other end is connected to the intake of power exhauster 11. Exhauster 11 has outlet 11' and pulley 11".

In operation: Fire is started at the inter section of holes 1 and 2 in stump A. Burning of the interior is aided by removing cap 4 plug 4, building a fire under fitting 4 and also at the inlet of tube 3. When fire is well started in said interior the water in water jackets 3 and 4 is converted into steam and collects in drum 8. The said burning can be further accelerated by opening valve 9 when said steam will exhaust through the top of stack 4 and increase the volume of air entering inlet 3. To save the products oi the combustion, started as stated,

cap 4! and plug 4 are replaced and valve 4.

opened and exhanster 11 started. The operation of the exhauster tends to create a vacuum in tank 10 and the products of combustion from the conflagration within stump A are drawn down into water 10 in said tank. The water retains said products wit-h .is closed and water is again put in tank 10 and the saving process continued. In addi tion to the gaseous products of the combustion that pass out through pipe 4 the stump is gradually charred. This charring progresses from the intersection of holes 1 and 2 as a center in all directions; upward until the top of the stump is reached, laterally until the shell is penetrated and downward until the ground is reached. Said charring also penetrates the roots. hen the charring penetrates the exterior of the stump above ground the opening must be closed to prevent combustion of charcoal B. This closure is ordinarily effected by covering the opening with earth. The interior, slow combustion is allowed to proceed until the shell is so nearly burned-oil that it may readily be chopped through. This is done and the stump overturned and the charcoal removed after the fire in the same has been extinguished. The burnin'gbegun in roots A A etc, will often continue after the stump is removed until'they are burned away well below plow depth.

When not saving the gaseous products of combustion, cap 4 is permanently removed from the top of smoke pipe 4 and the operation proceeds in the simplest way. In this case, however, the charcoal can be saved.

In addition to the use of the steam that collects in drum 8 above referred to it can be used for any other desired purpose for which it' is suited at the place where the distillation is being performed. It a greater quantity of steam is desired, it can be obtained by increasing the numbers of the burners employed.

Attention is called to the fact that in my apparatus, as described, stump A serves the purpose of a retort. Hence the water around tubes 3 and 4 not only protects said burners from injury by the heat of the burning butalso serves the more important purpose of preventing said burners from becoming hot enough to loosen themselves in holes 1 and 2 and thus cause admission of air at those places which would prevent proper control of the interior burning.

My apparatus is also well suited for distilling logs, and can be used to burn down trees.

I am aware that it is not new to combine distilling apparatus with burning means in the art of the destructive distillation of wood. a

- Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a device for burning stumps, the combination of two tubes each provided with water jackets. adapted to be fitted into holes in a stump, one of said tubes providing an air inlet and the other tube an outlet for the products of combustion, a water tank, and pipes in communication with said jackets and said tank.

- ARTHUR WATTS.

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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