US1396139A - Locomotive washout and refilling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. NEIKIRK, OF LOMBARD, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application filed March 24, 1920. Serial No. 368,263.

To all whom 2'2. may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN O. NEIKIRK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lombard, in the county of Du Page and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loco-motive VVashout and Refilling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to apparatus for washing out and refilling locomotive boilers.

The objects of the invention are to provide; an improved system in which the temperature of the entire blow-off (steam and water) is reduced to approximately the boiling point while it is being discharged from the boiler; an improved system in which the blow-0tl is used to furnish l1otwater for re filling and washing out without separating the consstituents (steam and water) of the blow-oil; improved means for cleaning the blow-off for re-use in refilling or washing out the boiler; improved means for keeping up the desired temperature in the washout and refilling mains; and an improved apparatus for washing out and refilling locomotive boilers.

In the drawings: Figure l is a diagram of an apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the cleaner torthe blow-off products.

The apparatus usually comprises a blowofi main 1, a washout main 5, and a refilling main 6, which extend around the roundhouse in which the locomotives are restored to service condition. These mains are provided respectively with drop-pipes l 5 and 6 in desired number for connection to the blow-oil" cocks 7 of the locomotives in the several stalls of the roundhouse. As well undertsood in the art, the locomotive may be connected to one of the drop pipes 4 of the blow-off line by a hose 8 to discharge the entire blow-oil (steam and water) from the lecomotive-boiler when it is to be refilled with fresh water or washed out. A similar hose may be used to connect the blow-oil cocks to one of the drop pipes 6 of the refilling line to deliver hot, clean water into the boiler. A hose provided with a suitable nozzle for directing water into the boiler to wash it out, may be connected to the drop-pipes 5 of the refilling line.

The invention belongs to that class of washout and refilling apparatus in which the heat units of the blow-off are conserved and transferred to a body of fresh water for refilling the boiler and to a body of water for washing out the locomotive. It is desirable to refill the boiler with clean water at substantially boiling temperature and to use water as hot as it can be conveniently used in a hose (approximately 130) for washing out the boiler and to prevent loss of the heat units of the blow-off so that an extraneous source of heat-supply will be unnecessary. In furtherance of this purpose, the blow-oft main 4 is connected to a separating tank 9 into which the blow-oil will be discharged under its own pressure.

To efiect a more thorough separation of the solids in suspension in, or to clean the blow-off, the terminal 10 t the pipe 1 is e bowed to discharge the water tangentially into a cylindrical tank 9 which serves as a purifier or cleaner. The swirling movement of the blow-off products caused by this tangential delivery causes the solids in suspension, which are of greater specific gravity than the liquid, to be thrown to the outer wall of the tank 9. The blow-off is usually under high pressure when the locomotive enters the roundhouse and it is desirable to conserve, to the fullest extent, the heat units in the blow-oif, to heat the refilling and washout water. A more thorough cleaning, or purification of the blow-oil water can be effected when the blow-off is not under very high pressure, and to reduce the temperature of the blow-oil", a cold water supply-pipe 11 is connected to deliver water into the blowotf line in transit to the tank 9 under control of a thermostatic regulator 12. The cold water is heated by the blow-off and this precipitatesalso the lime and other solids it may contain, lthus purifying all water subsequently used for refilling. This regulator is of usual construction and adapted to automatically control the supply of cold water so that the temperature of the blow-oil. will be reduced to approximately 212 F ahr. which is the desired refilling temperature. This regulator may be of any desired construction, such as is shown for example in the patent to Gale No. 831,337, September 18, 1906, to which reference is made for a complete description. In view of the fact that such regulators are well known in the art and the specific construction thereof forms no part of my present invention, I have deemed further illustration unnecessary. One feature of the invention consists in reducing the temperature of the blow-off so that when 1t reaches the separator it will be approximately 212 Fahr. This feature avoids the separation of the blow-off steam and blowoff water for separate use and refilling and washing out, and effects a more efficient saving of the heat units in the blow-off.

A conical baffle 13, with an opening 14 in its apex, is disposed in the tank 9. A conical deflector 15 is provided at the bottom of the tank to direct the solids to the channel between the tank side and said deflector so the sediment willbe collected therein and may be cleaned out through a discharge pipe 16 which is connected to said channel by a seriesof clean-out pipes 17 Purified water or clean water which does not contain solids in suspension flows upwardly through the opening 1 1 in the apex of the bafiie 13 and is thence directed outwardly and downwardly by a supplemental conical baflie 19, so that any impurities in suspension which pass through the opening 1 1 will be deposited between the bafile 13 and the wall of tank 9. The impurities there collected may be cleaned out or discharged through a pipe 20. The purified water reaching the top of the separator 9 flows through a pipe 21 which is connected to deliver hot water at substantially 212 Fahr. through a branch pipe 22 into a tank 23 for containing a supply of clean water of the proper temperature for refilling the boiler. Pipe 21 is also connected to deliver water through a branch 24 into a tank 25 for containing a supply of water for washing out the boiler. The water delivered through branch 24 into the tank 25 being at substantially boiling temperature is too hot to be handled in a washout hose. A pipe 26 is connected to deliver cold water from the supply 11 into the stream of water passing throughthe branch pipe 21 under control of an automatic thermostic regulator 27 which is usually set to reduce the temperature of water delivered to the tank 25 to approximately 130 or that temperature desired for washing out the boiler.

A pump 28 receive water force it through a pipe 30 to the refilling main 6. This pump is under control of an automatic pressure governor 31, as well understood in the art. A pump 32 is connected to receive water from the tank 25 through pipe 33 and to force it through a pipe 34 to and through the washout main 5. This pump is under control of an automatic pressure governor 35.

In locomotive boiler practice, it is imporisconnected by a pipe 29 to from the refilling-tank 23 and tant to prevent water in the washout and refilling lines from becoming cool so that a boiler may be refilled or washed out without waiting for it to cool down and without danger of fracturing the boiler. For this purpose, a leak or circulation pipe 35 adapted for the passage of a small volume of water is provided between the end of the washout main 5 and the blow-off main & and a similar pipe 36 is provided between the refilling main 6 and the blow-olf main 4:. This construction utilizes the blow-01f main as a return conductor for the water from the leak-pipes to the tank 9. A characteristic of this construction is that when the blow-ofi', which is usually under high pressure, passes through the blow-ofl main 1 A it will create a suction in the leak pipes and temporarily accelerate the flow therethrough to increase circulation in the washout and refilling means while the boiler is being emptied and in readiness for refilling or washing out the boiler. To adapt the blow-off main for this purpose, check valves 37 are provided so that the water from the leak pipes will not escape through the drop pipes 6". In practice, the mains are usually overhead and it is desirable to avoid any possibility of cold water in the drop pipes of the refilling and washout lines, and for this purpose valves 6 for controlling the supply of refilling water are disposed adjacent the refilling main and are each operable through suitable gearing by a rod 6 which is extended downwardly to a point within convenient reach of an operator between the engine stalls. For the same purpose, valves 5 for controlling the supply of washout water are located adjacent the washout main 5 and are each operable through suitable gearing by a rod 5 which is also extended to a point within convenient reach of the operator between the stalls.

The operation of the improved apparatus will be as follows 2 A locomotive, reaching the roundhouse under its own steam for the purpose of being restored to service condition, will be run into one of the stalls and the contents of the boiler will be blown off through a hose-connection 8 between its blow-01f cock 7 and one of the drop pipes 4 of main 4. This blow-0E is usually of considerably higher temperature than the boiling point, depending upon the steam pressure in .the locomotive boiler. In transit to the tank 9, and at the junction of the cold 7 water supply 11 and main 4, and before the blow-off enters the tank 9, cold water will be mixed with the blow-off to reduce its temperature to approximately 212 Fahr. The automatic regulator 12 will regulate the supply of cold water to the blow-off for this purpose. This operation avoids the separation of the steam and water of the blow-ofi and consequent heat losses. From the blowoil main 4, the tempered blow-oif will be discharged in a tangential direction in the tank 9, to produce a swirling or rotary motion which will cause the solids to be thrown to the outside of tank 9 and deposited in the channel between the deflector 15 and the outer wall of said tank. The cleaned water will flow upwardly through the opening 14 into the chamber above the channel 18 and again directed outwardly by the baffle 19 where the water will be again cleaned. The clean water will pass from tank 9 through pipe 21. From said pipe, sufiicient Water will be directed into the tank 23. This water will be clean and will be at substantial boiling temperature to adapt it for use in refilling the boiler. Refilling will be effected by the pump 28 which will force the water from the tank 23 through pipe and main 6 and one of the drop-pipes 6 and through a hose-connection 8 into the boiler. This refilling operation may be effected as soon as the blow-off operation has been completed.

In some instances, it is necessary to wash out the boiler before refilling it with hot water at substantially 130 Fahn, as well understood in the art. Some of the water flowing through pipe 21 passes through pipe 24 into tank 25 and sufiicient cold water is mixed with this clean water at the junction of pipes 26 and 24 to reduce its temperature to approximately 130, the cold water supply being automatically controlled vby the regulator 27 for that purpose. lVhen the boiler is to be washed out, a suitable connection will be made with one of the drop pipes 5 and the valve 5 at the upper end of said drop pipe will be opened, so that the pump 32 will force the water from the tank 25 through the washout connection. When the boiler is blown oil, which is done under pressure, the suction created by the flow of the blow-off through main t will tend to accelerate the flow of water through the leak pipes 35 and 36 so that there will be an increased circulation of water through the refilling and washout mains, preceding the refilling and washing operations.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since tl cse may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a line connected to re ceive and for conducting the entire blow-01f of water and steam from a boiler, means for delivering cold water to said blow-off to reduce its temperature before the water and steam have been separated, and means to receive and store the entire tempered blowoff and means for discharging said tempered blow-off for re-use in a boiler.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a line connected to receive and for conducting the entire blow-01f of water and steam from a boiler, means for delivering cold water to said blow-oft" to reduce its temperature to substantially the boiling-point before the steam and water of the blowoff become separated, and means -for receiving and storing the entire tempered blow-oil for re-use in the boiler.

In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a line connected to receive and for conducting the entire blow-oft of water and steam from a boiler, automatically controlled means for delivering cold water to said blow-off to reduce its temperature to substantially the boiling point before the steam and water of the blow-off become separated, and means for receiving and storing the tempered water for reuse in a boiler.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a line for receiving and conducting the entire blow-off of water and steam from a boiler, a cleaner into which the entire blow-off is discharged, means for mixing cold water with the blow-oil water and steam to reduce its temperature before the blow off steam and water are separated, and means to receive and store the entire tempered blow-off from the cleaner for re-use in a boiler.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a line for receiving and conducting the entire blow-oil of water and steam from a boiler, a cleaner into which the entire blow-off is discharged, means for mixing cold water with the blow-oil water and steam to reduce its temperature in transit to the cleaner, and means to receive the entire tempered blow-oil from the cleaner and store it for re-use in a boiler.

JOHN O. NEIKIRK.

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