US1363269A - Skimmer for boilers - Google Patents

Description

E. RANKIN.

SKIMNIER FOR BOILERS.

APPLlcATloN FILED mac. 19. 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.l

E. RANKIN. y SKIMMER FOR'BOILERS.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 19, 19|9.

55 tubes thereof.

UNITED sra'ras lA'lNT QFFICE.

EDMUND RANKIN, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

SKIMMER FOR BOILERS.

Application ler December 19, 1919.

ing olf or removing scum, dirt, foam and sediment which rise to the surface of the water in steam boilers, and its object is to provide a novel and improved device of this kind which can be applied to locomotive and stationary bodies with equal facility, which has a large effective working area and in which the skimmer-tubes are so mounted that it remains perfectly level with the surface of the water in all positions of the boiler.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a plurality of independent skimmer-tubes, each of which is automatically controlled by a separate float and has 2,5 a plurality of skimmer-nozzles extending in "opposite directions relative to the float.

lVith the herein stated objects in view and others hereinafter set forth, the invention consists in a combination and arrange 3g ment of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one ar rangement of the improved skimming de- 35 vice mounted within a boiler;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view detached from the boiler;

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing a side elevation of one of the independent skimmers;

F ig. 4 is an end view of one of the skimmers and showing its normal position relative to the level of the water and also showing the circle of travel in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one of the skimmers and its float;

Fig.` 6 is a sectional view showing a modified manner of constructing the skimmers; F ig. 7 is a detail view showing one of the clamping sockets on the end of the pipe 5o frame.

Similar reference numerals in all of the figures of the drawings designate like parts. Referring to the drawings, 10 designates an ordinary steam boiler, and 11 the lire- Mounted within the boiler' is the skimming apparatus, which comprises Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920. serial No. 345,999. l

vin the present instance, the supporting frame 12 embodies a longitudinal central section 1l, oppositely extending forward sections 15 projecting at right-angles to said central section 1-1, and parallel arranged branch sections 1G extending from the rear end of the central section and parallel therewith. At its forward end, said pipe frame is connected to the top wall of the boiler by a vertical pipe 17 which extends through the boiler wall to the outside of the boiler andhas connected toit an outlet-extension 1S that is provided with a suitable blowoff-valve 19.

As shown in the drawings, each of the pipe sections 14C, 15 and 16 is provided with a skimmer device preferably formed of an integral casting having a hollow hub 20, two downwardly-extending and oppositelycurved pipe-arms 21 connecting with the hollow hub, and an outwardly-extending nozzle 22 projecting from the lower eX- tremity of each of the pipe-arms 21. Said hollow hub is pivotally mounted on a nipple 23 forming part of the supporting pipeframe and said nipple is provided with apertures 2Licommunicating with the pocket or hollow formed in the hub, and said hub is retained in position by collar socket members 25 which are movably secured to nipple 23 in any suitable manner and the socket portion of which engages around short tubular extension 26 formed on oppoR` utween the axis of the hub and the axis of thenozzles, and can move in a complete circle about the axis of the hub.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the hub 28 is cast with Aa central socket 29 to which the float-ball is secured, and two side sockets 30 in which pipe-arms 31 are secured.

In operation, when the blow-off-valve 19 is opened, the pressure within the boiler will force the scum, dirt or foam into the nozzles 22 through the pipe-arms 21 into the hubs 20; then through apertures 24 into the pipe-frame; and through the pipe-frame and pipe 17 Vto'pipe 18 and out of the discharge-end.

The free ends Vof each of the skimmer supporting sections 15 and 16 are closed by a cap 32, each of said caps beingprovided with a blow-out orifice 33, so that, when valve 19 is opened, the steam pressure will enter the pipe-frame through the openings 33 and force out any sediment which might accumulate in the terminals of the pipeframe `beyond the outlet apertures 2d. thus avoiding any dead ends in the apparatus.

One advantage of using a plurality of separate and independently-pivoted skimmers is that the skimmers can be made relatively small and of light weight, thereby requiring relatively small floats which will allow the skimmer-nozzles to skim close to the lire-tubes, or to the bottom of the drums in water-tube boilers, and the water in the boiler will not have the same force on theV small/float as on a large one, nor will the pressure crunch themas easily as it would a large one.

By forming the pipe-frame of connected sections of pipe, it is possible to form as many skimmer supporting branches as is necessary to cover the water-surface area of any design of boiler. In a large boiler, the

-skimmers should be widely scattered. 1n

a small boiler, they could be radially arranged around 'an outlet-pipe similar to pipe 17 5 and in a locomotive boiler they should be placed on each side of the dry-pipe, the

number of skimmers to be used depending upon the size of the boiler.

lt will be observed .that the skimmers can be mounted to swing transversely or longitudinally of the boiler, and are as effective inV one position as in the other position.

The skimmers being independent of each other, `they are not affected generally when the water is boiling high under one or more of them and are free to drop in the low eddies formed by accumulated dirt and foam and will not be raised together with those which are being affected by the high boiling water. A further advantage is the submergence of the nozzles or intake-tubes.

' This locates them in clear water and consequently prevents the nozzles being clogged with dirt, and when the blow-off-valve is opened the pressure of steam seeking to escape through the nozzles creates an inrush or funnel-shaped suction which will rapidly clear the surface of the water of the dirt and foam and with the use of less steam than usual.

rlhe nature and scope of the invention having been thus indicated and its preferred embodiment having been specifically described, what is claimedas new is: Y

l. A boiler cleaner comprising a pipeframe rigidly supported in the boiler and forming a discharge-conduit, a blow-oli@` valve for said discharge-conduit, and a plurality of float-controlled skimmers pivoted axially and separately on said pipe-frame and mounted in communication therewith,

whereby they can operate independently ofV each other.

2. A boiler cleaner comprising a pipeframe rigidly supported in the boiler and forming a discharge-conduit, a blow-Offvalre for said discharge-conduit. and a plurality of float-controlled skimmers pivoted separately on said pipe-frame and mounted in communication therewith, each of said skimmers being formed with a'hollow hub in communication with the pipe-frame, pipearms extending from said hub, and provided with laterally-projecting nozzles, and a float mounted between the pipe-arms.

3. A boiler cleaner comprising a pipeframe forming a discharge-conduit, means for removably and rigidly supporting it upon the tubes within a boiler, a blow-offvalve for said discharge-conduit, a plurality of skimmers in communication with said discharge-conduit and pivoted axially and sep-l ico conduit formed of sections of pipe, elbow and l"joir1`ts detachably connected together, whereby said discharge-,pipe can be formed with numerous branch conduit extensions projecting laterally therefrom at dierent angles, and a float-controlled skimmer pivoted axially on each of said branch extensions and communicating therewith.

6. ln a boiler cleaner, a fixed 'dischargeconduit supported in the steam space of a boiler, a float-controlled skimmer pivoted adjacent the end of said conduit, said skimmer being,` provided with afhollow hub com the eXtreme end of the discharge-conduit is l0 municating With said discharge-conduit and eliminated.

which forms the pivoting means for the In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my skimmer, a closing-cap for the end of the signature. dischargeconduit7 said cap being provided with a relatively small aperture forming a blow-hole between the steam space of the Witnesses: boiler and the interior of the discharge- ROBERT R. HUMPHREY, conduit, whereby accumulation of dirt in CHARLES J. GEHLBACH.

EDMUND RANKIN.

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