US1420764A - Locomotive arch brick - Google Patents

Description

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LQCOMOTIVE A APPucATloN lfnzn Auma. 1917.

Patented June 27, 1922.

WILLIAM SCI-IUTTLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL ARCI-I COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

IOCOIVIOTIVE ARCI-I BRICK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paggnggd Jun@ 2*?, 1922 Application filed August 1,8, 1917. Serial No. 186,903.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, `W1LLIAM SCHTTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newA and useful Improvements in Locomotive Arch Bricks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a brick or1 refractory material intended for use in connection with locomotive tire-boxes tor the purpose of constituting a nre arch or baille therein. The specific type of arch to which the present invention relates is known as the two-tube arch, and the center bricks thereof, when assembled, are arranged in inverted V-formation between the water tubes.

The principal object of the present invention is to arrange an interlocking' connec tion between the abutting edges or the center or V-bricks, which will be flexible in its construction, allowing a secure and eiiicient interlocking connection between these bricks irrespective of the possible warped condition of the arch tube or variations in the size ot the bricks.

A further object of the invention is to arrange this interlocking connection so that the arch is capable or Vflexing under the inluence ot contraction and expansion or the parts within the lire-box without breakage.

A further object of the invention is to provide an interlocking connection which will have a substantial surface engagement between the parts forming the connection.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange this interlocking connection that the parts thereof will not readily become mutilated or broken in shipping or other handling of the bricks.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange this connection as to eliminate to a great extent the danger of its burning out and allowing the bricks to fall.

The invention further consists in the teatures ot construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section through a portion of a locomotive fire-box, showing the arch of the present invention in position;

Fig. 2, a plan view of a portion of said box, showing the arch in position; and

F ig. 3, a section lalong line 3 3 of Fig. 1, with the interlocking connection 0n the center bricks shown, in elevation.

In the art to which the present invention relates, there is now known a type of battle Y or arch used in conjunction with locomotive tire-boxes having two water tubes therein.

vrfhese arches are composed of center bricks The center bricks abut against one another and meet along the meand side bricks.

dial line or the tire-box and are arranged in inverted V-ormation. It is' necessary to have some interlocking means for holding these center bricks in abutting engagement, owing to the vibration of the locomotive when in operation and thev movements ofV is shown inconjunction with a locomotiveV tire-box, the inner walls 4: of which are illustrated diagrammatically. Secured within the tire-box, and extending therein in the usual manner, are water tubes 5. |The arch or battle is composed of side bricks 6 and center bricks 7. The side bricks, as shown, are of the inclined type and are each formed with a groove 8 along one edge, which rests against a water tube, and are formed at the opposite edge with a flat Jrace 9 adapted to abut against the side of the ire-boX` and have a full face engagement therewith.

The center bricks 7 are the portion of the structure to which the present invention relates. These bricks are similar in construction and each is formed along one edge Vwith a groove 10, which is adapted to engage with the outer periphery of a water tube. The opposite edge or the brick is formed with a hemispherical protuberance 11 adjacent one end of the edge 12 of the brick; and adjacent the other end of the edge 12 is formed a hemispherical depression 13.' As will be,v

brick abutting against the edge 12 ot thev other, and when so positioned, the protuberance 11 on onebrick will set into the de-- pression 13 on the other brick, and there is thus formed a Semi-ball and socket joint adjacent each end of the abutting edges of the bricks, making an interlocking connection between the bricks` lt is impossible inthe manufacture of a clay product such as these bricks are composed of, to maintain absolute accuracy in dimensions, and it is therefore necessary that some leeway be given for inaccuracies. By means of the ball and socket interlocking connection between the bricks, it is obvious that they can have considerable latitude as to dimensions and yet obtain a good interlocking engagement between the abutting edges ot' the bricks. rllhis is due to the rounded formation ot the protuberance and depression, which allows an easy and smooth movement between the bricks, and this 4feature is further carried out by making the depression larger than the protuberance to permit of play. v

lt also happens that the water tubes within the lire-box will in some cases become warped. Under such conditions the abutting edges ot the bricks will be placed in angular position to one another, as differentiated from extending parallel to one another and abutting close together, and when thrown thus out of parallel the abutting edges will become spaced apart for a portion of their distance which will weaken the interlocking engagement between the bricks. By means of the ball and socket joint of the present invention, the bricks are capable of adjusting themselves to such position as may be necessary owing to a warping of the tubes, and at the saine time maintainingarm and eilicient interlocking connection between the parts.

The present form of connection is an interchangeable one, allowing all bricks to be made of a single pattern and eliminating the use ot rights and letts. Y

Furthermore, these bricks, being made of clay or similar refractory material, are ot course more or less subject to breakage in shipping and other handling. ln the case of a tongue and groove formed along the abutting edges, the walls of the groove or the body oit the tongue are very liable to become chipped and broken in shipping or other handling. ln the present invention, the hemispherical proturberance will withstand a large amount of rough handling without becoming broken, and the walls of the socket, extending along only a very small portion of the length of the brick, are therefore unlikely to be broken out. The brick is thus made strong and durable from the shipping and handling standpoint.

l claim:

l. A locomotive fire arch construction comprising bricks, each brick being formed along one edge to rest against a water tube, said bricks when assembled having their opposite edges abutting against one another and forming an arch section ot inverted l!- iormation, means for interlocking said abutting edges comprising a single hemi-spherical protuberance adjacent one extremity of the abutting surface of each brick, and a single heini-spherical socket adjacent the opposite extremity of said surface, the size of said socket being relatively small compared to the area ot the surface on which it is disposed thereby avoiding the cutting away ot any substantial portion of the edge of the brick, the said protuberance on each brick fitting into the socket on the abut-ting brick whereby a joint ot a ball and vsocketnature is formed adjacent each end of the abutting edges of said bricks, and said sockets being oit greater size than the said protuberances to allow oi relative movement between the sections and permit tree compensation tor expansion and contraction, substantially as described.

2. ln an arch construction, the combination with a plurality ot supports of bricks the ends ot which are grooved to engage said supports. the adjacent ends oi which are in contact to Yform an arch, said bricks being of duplicate form and each of said ends being provided with a heini-spherical protuberance and a heini-spherical socket, the socket being ot a size materially largerl than the protuberance in order to provide for limited -freedom of movement ol the abutting ends ot the bricks, substantially as described.

3. ln an arch construction, the combination with a pair of arch tubes of two rows ot' bricks abutting in pairs, the bricks ot each row being grooved to engage an arch tube, the combined width ot the two rows of bricks being greater than the distance between the two tubes whereby the bricks comprising the row are held in position by gravity, the abutting surfaces ot' each pair ot bricks in said rows being provided each with a hemispherical projection, and a heini-spherical recess, the recess being ot greater diameter than the projection said projections` and recesses being adapted to cooperate when the bricks are placed in end to end relation, the greater size or the recesses permitting limited relative movement between cooperating bricks, substantially as described.

l. ln an arch construction, the combination with a plurality of supports, of bricks having ends formed to engage said supports and having adjacent ends in contact to form an arch, said bricks being duplicate in form and each ot said adjacent ends being provided with a hemispherical protuberanceand a hemispherical socket forming ball and socket joints between said adjacent ends, substantially as described.

l/VlLLlAll/l SCHUTTLER.

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