US1524270A - Coal feeder for gas producers and the like - Google Patents

Description

E. F. MILLER ET AL COAL FEEDER FOR GAS PRODUCERS AND THE LIKE Jan. 27, 1925.

- Filed July- 25, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. F. MILLER ET AL COAL FEEDER FOR GAS PRODUCERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1919 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN F. MILLER, OF INTERCI-Ellitlil'lVILLE NEW JERSEY, AND WILLIAM STEELL JACK- SON, OF BALA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED STATES CAST IRON PIPE & FOUNDRY COIVLPANY, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed July 25, 1919.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN F. MILLER and lViLLIAM STEELL JAcKsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Merchant-ville,

Camden County, New Jersey, and Bala,

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, respectively, have invented jointly a certain new and useful Coal Feeder for Gas Producers and the like, of which the following is a 10 specification.

Our invention relates to feeders for gas producers, kilns, furnaces and the like in which a charge of material, usually fuel and therefore here so considered, is inserted at the same time that the top of the producer or the like is sealed against escape of gas.

The purpose of our invention is to prevent stoppage of flow of fuel to be fed by permitting a. constant flow of fuel less than the amount required and to intermittently in crease the fuel flow to provide the desired quantity for the fuel feed.

A further purpose is to provide for a preferably uniform rate of rotation of a sealing spider and to vary the extent of feed by the extent to which a fuel-submerged cut off is lowered.

A further purpose is to water-cool a feeding rotor which is adapted to turn upon a horizontal aXis.

A further purpose is to supply fuel to a gas producer continuously, dropping it from above over a dam and into a rotor, controlling the rate of feed by the height of a dam or breaker in the path of fuel flow.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

lVe have preferred to illustrate our invention by but one general form, selecting therefor a form which is practical, eflicient and thoroughly reliable and which at the same time well illustrates the principles of our invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section thru the center of a spider feed showing our invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section correspond ing to Figure 1 except for a difference in position of the rotor vanes and the dam and the water cooling of the vanes.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section,

Serial No. 313,229.

Figure 3 is a broken longitudinal section of the modification seen in Figure 1, having the vanes hollow and water-cooled.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 ure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation right-side-left to Figure 1 showing the operating parts seen therein in the position of Figure 1.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

In feeding fuel thru various automatic forms of compartmentfeeders of whatever type considerable trouble has been experienced in keeping the fuel moving. Where but small quantity of fuel lies back of the feed and is replenished frequently by hand,

of Figdepending upon the feeding mechanism for T the regularity and control of the quantity of fuel fed there is little trouble; but Where any considerable fuel supply is furnished and attempt is made to obtain full benefit of the automatic character of the feed, the fuel not infrequently clogs or stops and must be loosened by a bar or other implement.

lVe have discovered that this difiiculty can be relieved by permitting a continuous flow of fuel, which has a tendency to keep the fuel moving but which is not sufiicient to furnish the entire quantity of fuel intended to be fed, and intermittently increasing the flow for a short time only for the double purpose of making up the difference in quantity of fuel fed and starting the fuel in case of stoppage of the regular flow provided for. Either the maintained flow or this special flow, preferably the latter, should be made adjustable to suit differing needs of the gas producer. The functions sought can best be accomplished by a dam or breaker over which the fuel is intended normally to flow and which is lowered for a short time at intervals to increase the quantity of fuel fed in proportion to the needs of the producer. We much prefer to have the fuel flow continuously because the extent of additional opening as well as the time during which there is additional opening may thus both be reduced. The stream of fuel and dam are desirably somewhat shorter axially of flu feed rotor than the length of the rotor compartment or compartments and may be made much shorter.

Supplying a rotor adapted to receive the maximum quantity of :fuel required we maintain constant speed "of rotation of the feed mg and sealing rotor and vary the quantity feed.

For the purpose of securing greater compactness and reducing the space required for the feeder and-connections wev supply the fuel to the rotor at the top, controlling the extent of flow by a dam or breaker whose maximum projection is desirably constant and which is dropped-tovarying positions d ep'ending upon theextent of f sudden flow which is to be'permitted. Thisgprinciple is applied to a-rotor preferably turning upon a horizontalaxis and which is most desirably "of spider form.

"We believe it to be new "also to directly water-cool a rotoroperatingabout a horizontalaxisyalso to use it'wit-h water-cooled Ill cooperating sealing surfaces so that the fuel in such a rotor is'supportedat all times upon water-cooled surfaces.

Though we have shown drawings disclosing the bestform, of our invention known to-us, complyingith" the statute, these are for purposes nf-illustration only and will now be described;

Thebase of the frame'llis adaptedto rest upon the top of any gas producer, kiln, furnace or other such structure and-carries its 'arcuate side-sealing'membcrs 13 and 1% to cooperate with a rotor 15.

The arcuate construction is indicated as open. at the ends, at which however, thematerial of the frame is extended circumferentially to form annular sealsfor'the-ends of thegspider. or drum throughout the complete circumference. They alsoformbearings 16 tor the support'of the spider or drum'ends 17"17';.

A simple formof centering. forithe spider or drum to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof is shown in the grooves 18, 18 and the pins 19 preferably screwed to, place and best seen in Figure 2. i

The water supply for the 'arcuate water chambers 20, 20' may be furnished thru inlet and outlet pipes indicated at 21, 22.

The bearing of the drum heads is .ad-

1 'vantageous in simplifying the construction,

reducing the parts to be finished and utilizing the. engagement previously sought at the ends for sealing purposes as a means of support for the spider or drum.

. The spider or .drum may be drivenby a ratchet wheel 23 -and connections as is well known in the art, and this wheel may be mounted upon the head 17. In the illustration the body of the rotor is secured to the heads by a shaft 24.

he rotor 15 or 15 is preferably watercooled and this may be accomplished ly forming water spaces 25-within the blades Water to these 26 thercof and supplying) y means of sealthruhollow shaft ends 27 l .ing connections 28 without interfering with fed by vane-tron 1n the;.extent of fillingeof lhe compartment or compartment-sof the upontheihubs of the rotor heads.

As thus-indicated not only thescaling surfaces ofthe-casing-but the-surfaces of the rotor itself are water-cooled, completely protecting againstexcesshe temperature of the fuel and the consequent stoppage from cok- The advantages which we thus secure are independent of the character ofsealbetwecn the. vanes of-the spider orthe surface of the drum, asthe case I may be, and the adjacent casing. lV'e showslots 29 which have a sealing-functionbecause of the accumulation of-dust and dirt therein. However,-there is not-the same need of any of these construct-ions as in other rotary-feeders because of the reduction in expansion of the parts effected by water-cooling, maintaining the spideror drunrin substantially its initial diameter and length.

Whether intermittent rotation of the spider-ordrum bethe same at all times as planned. or be capable of variation as lS permissible-or the rotation be continuous (uniform or variable), it is dcsirableitokeep the fuel moving toward the compartments of the spider. To accomplish this \ve use a sloping inlet 30, whose bottom 31 is steeper than'the angleof repose of the fuel u )on such a surface. The fuel column will ow in its upper surface 9 at a slightly steeper angle than the 'angle of repose to which it would come when flow is stopped. This upper surface is maintained free by forming theupper wall 32 of the channel within which itflow's higher at the section in question as at thanthe normal upper surface of the flowing column.

This construction provides a gravity fuel supply inlet in which the upper surface of theffuel is constantly free and in which the amount of slope of this free upper surface will vary slightly according to whether the fuel: is" flowing rapidly or slowly or, as is permissible but not preferred, stopped.

Access to the inlet is provided by a cover 34, shown as hinged at 35 in an ear secured to the inlet or adjoining structure. In, order to greatly reduce the flow of fuel during most of the movement of the spider, we provide a movable dam or breaker 36, shorter thanthc length of the rotor so that, with a reasonable size of spider, the flow during the dipping of the dam will not unduly fill the compartment of the spider, and. supported in arms 37 to swine about shaft 38. It has no crushing function but serves only to block the passageway to the extent that it is raised above the plane of surface 31. The dam drops into space 39 when it is dipped or depressed.

We lift the dam or breaker from below to the extent desired and find it most convenient to lift it by a cam and lever connection, rocking the shaft 38 by a lever d0 adjustable angularly about shaft 38 by a set screw 40' and having a series of points of openings 4L1, to any one of which an operating arm or red 42 may be connected, affording different possible extents of throw. The rod 42 carries a roller 43 for engagement with a suitable cam face 44 upon cam 45. The rod is guided by a yoke 46 which is secured to a supporting strap 47 by bolt 48. hen the bolt is loosened the yoke can be turned about the bolt as an axis so as to accomn'iodate different directions in which the bar must be placed when its upper end coincideswith different openings 41. The strap is secured to the frame of the feed at points on oppositesides of the rod.

As the openings lie in a curved line about the guide 46, the highest point of dam or barrier travel will not be affected by connection of the rod with the arm 40 at different leverages, but will remain fixed until reset.

The cam is shaped and timed to suit the size of the compartments and may be shifted or replaced readily.

In the illustration the cam is provided with four like cam surfaces in agreement with the four compartments 49 of the spider, and with intervening peripheral portions of uniform height which are here called dwells 50 and which corresponds to the intended barrier height. I

The adjustment of the yoke guide accommodates different points of attachment of the rod along the length of lever arm 40 without ebjec-tionably affecting the cooperation of the roller with the cam.

In the case of a drum, the cam will carry but a single cam surface and a much longer uninterrupted dwell.

In this case also the normal height of the barrier will more nearly cut-off the entire flow of fuel and relatively a greater percent age of the total flow should take place during the dip of the dam or barrier than in the use of a dam with the spider form. It will be evident that the same construction with a sufficiently long barrier surface may be adjusted with either form to cut off any percentage or all of the fuel flow in the normal high position of the breaker.

The surface of the dam or breaker is desirably a part of the surface of a cylinder in close engagement with the lower edge 31 of the surface 31 and the space 39 should be open at the lower limit to avoid blocking by dust and dirt. The breaker may be made wide enough (circumferentially) to effec tively close the passage in fully raised position (as at top in Figure l) and can be lifted when the device is not in use and be held in raised position by any suitable fastening, to completely block all fuel flow.

During normal operation it is preferred to have the fuel flow over the top of the dam moderately, in some such position of the parts as shown in Figure 1, at a rate too low to supply the desired quantity of fuel for the producer but with the object of keeping part at least of the fuel supply in movement and avoiding stagnation or blocking of the flow. (See dotted intermediate position.) The upper surface of the fuel will lie at an angle approximating its angle of repose as seen at 9, Figure l By reason of the space between its upper limit and the top of the inlet at this point, lifting of the barrier or dam will not crowd the fuel against the top and cannot jam.

The fuel which falls over the top of the dam will strike the arc of movement of the spider or drum at some such point as 51, falling into the compartment which is then open.

As soon as the trailing blade of this com partment passes this point, fuel entry is cut off from this pocket and the fuel falls into the next pocket following avoiding the accidental catching of the fuel between this trailing edge and the sealing edge 52. As the dam is dropped the point at which fuel falls into the compartment is moved still farther to the left in Figure 1.

There will be a continual moderate flow of fuel over the top edge of the dam or breaker into the compartment directly beneath the dam while the dam is up (not usually as high as at top in dotted lines) but of less extent than the requirement for the furnace even under minimum supply.

When the cam roller l3 is free to drop to the position shown in Figure l, the weight of the moving parts of the dam, deliberately over-weighted if necessary, over comes the frictional resistance of the coal bearing against it and the dam drops to a position which may be designed to be as low as shown in Figure 1, or to lie at any intermediate position, allowing a greater rate of flow of fuel into the compartment during the short time the dam is depressed.

The com iartments of the spider or the capacity of the drum are made large enough to hold the maximum flow of fuel past the dam with a maximum depression of the dam for the full estimated length of time, readily accommodating all intermediate rates of fuel feed without necessity for speeding up the spider or drum. though permitting this additional means of taking care of inireased fuel flow without undue filling of the compartments.

The cam is designed in depth and angular extent to provide just the rate and time of additional fuel flow and range of adjustment :(by setxscrew, and changeof .lever arm) desirable to relieve any stagnation which may have occurred in .the normal .rate of flow overthedam, and to provide the variations of fuel feed adapted to different producerneeds. Theexternal. form of cam shownis prefenred by us..to acam groove or. other positively double-acting cam, becauseof the simplicity-of the single-acting form andin view ofthefact that the weight of the dam. parts. ma y ordinarily .be made sufficient to .cause reliable .downwardmovement .without becoming itself objectionable.

,Having thus .described our. invention, what .we. claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is .1..A feeding rotoradaptedto turnabout a horizontal axis and having water-Cooled fuel-supportingrotor vanes movable with the rotor-and providing fuelscari-ryingpocketssbetweenthem in combination with waternsupply. and exhaust through therotor shaft for the water.

2..A rotorwfor fuel feeding adapted to rotate about ahorizontal axis and having a .water-cooled'rotor surfa e supporting the fuel .in vcombination.with a water-cooled sealing. surface cooperating therewith .and water. .supply for'cooling the same.

3. A rotor forfuel feeding adaptedto rotate about a horizontal axis. and having a water-cooled rotor surface. supporting the fuel-in combination with a water-cooled sealing: surface against which the fuel. rests duringrotation ofthe rotor.

l. A feeding rotor for vgasproducers ,in combination with a gravity fuel inlet hav- .iIi.g-,.the .up-pergssurface of the .fuel. free and means beneath. thefree surface for. interrupting theflow to varying. extents, providing a continuousflow.ofdifferent depths.

5.. In a feeder .forgas producers, a feeding-rotor adapted to.turn on. a horizontal axis .in combination with a gravity fuel inlet providing afree upper surface for the f.i.1el,a.-movable dam for thefuel supply located beneath .the free surface and automatic means. for .varying the-height of the dam during the rotation of the rotor. 1 .6. Ina feederforgas producers, a feeding rotor adapted to turn on a horizontal axis in. combination with a gravity fuel in- :let' providing freeupper surface for the fuel, aniovable dam for thefuel supply located.beneatlrthe free surface and automatic. means for varying the height of the dam during the rotationof: the rotor, timed with respect to movement of the. rotor.

.7, .In a feeder for. gas prodiuers, a feed- .ing rotor. .aclapted. .to.turn on a horizontal axis in combination. with an inlet provid ingsloping gravity fuel supply therefor, a

dam for the supply movable across the fuel column from beneath and shifting mechanism for the dam, timed to the movement of seesaw therotor and varying its height \vitlulifierent rotor positions.

8. In a .gas producer feeder, an automatic sealingfeed in combinationwith an inlet providing slopinggravity fuel supply therefor, a barrier,mov'ablev into and-out .-.of but not completely throughihe path of movement'of the supply to the feed coincidently with the .movement of the feed to vary thesupply .thereto in timing .with the feed.

9. In a feeding devicefor gasproducers, an automatic sealing feeder. in combination with gravity inlet therefor, providing a free upper surfacehaving a stream of fuel passing therethrough ,and a barrier .movableinto and out of the path of flow of the fuel roincidently with movements of the feeder ,to vary the-supply in timing with the feeder.

10. In a feeder for gas producers, a rotor feeder upon a horizontal axis and having an inlet opening, a casing having scaling surfaces therefor, a sloping inlet for furnishing gravity supply of fuel above the feeder, a barrier movable upwardl thru the fuel into the path .of travel of t e fuel to.-the rotor and mechanisn'i connected to operate in timed relation with the rotor and adapted automatically to.lowerthe barrier in predeterminedrelation to the position of the inlet opening.

11. In a feeder forges producers, a rotor. aicasing there-about providing sealing surfaces thereforand inlet and discharge fuel openings between the sealing sur faces, in combination with a sloping inlet providing a fuel supply for the rotor and. a barrier below the fuel surface for checking the passage of said fuel supplyto the rotor, occupying different heights below the surface of the .column of fuel at different positions of, the rotor.

'12. In a feeder for gas producers, a feeding-rotor, a casing providing sealing sun faces therefor and having top inlet and discharge passages, in combination with gravity fuel feeding devices above the rotor inletand affording a' free upper surface for the fuel feed, and a movable barrier in said feeding devices having its .top normally below the angle of repose of the fuel in the supply column.

13. In a feeder for gas producers, a feed ing rotor having a horizontal axis, a casing providing sealing surfaces therefor and having top, and bottom inlet and discharge passages, in'combination. with a sloaing inlet forfurnishing gravity-fuel supply for the rotor, so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface, and. a barrier in the column of supply, continuously extending to the bottom thereof and lifting means timed with respect to the positions of the rotor to give variant heights to the barrier.

14. In a feeder for gas producers, a rotor lilo tlli

and a casing providing sealing surfaces therefor and having top and bottom inletand discharge passages, a sloping inlet for furnishing gravity fuel supply for the rotor, so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface, in combination with a barrier in the column of supply continuously extending to the bottom thereof and having variant heights at different times, timed with respect to the positions of the rotor and at all said heights below the angle of repose of the column of supply fuel;

15. In a feeder for gas producers, a rotor and a casing providing sealing surfaces therefor and having top and bottom inlet and discharge passages, in combination with a sloping inlet providing a column of fuel supply for the rotor so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface lying at the angle of repose of the material handled, and adapted to flow normally into the rotor at a rate less than the average feed thru the rotor.

16. In a feeder for gas producers, a rotor and a casing providing sealing surfaces therefor and having top and bottom inlet and discharge passages, in combination with a sloping inlet providing a column of fuel supply for the rotor so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface lying at the angle of repose of the material handled, adapted to flow normally into the rotor at a rate less than the capacity of the rotor and means for intermittently increas ing the rate of flow.

17. In a feeder for gas producers, a spider or drum and a casing providing sealing surfaces therefor and having top and bottom inlet and discharge passages, in combination with a sloping inlet providing a column of fuel supply for the spider or drum having a free upper surface lying at the angle of repose of the material handled, adapted to flow normally into the spider or drum at a rate less than its capacity, a barrier in the path of movement of the supply extending to the bottom thereof and normally maintained below the sur face of the supply, and means for dipping the barrier intermittently to increase the flow' 18. In a feeder for gas producers, a spider or drum and a casing providing sealing surfaces therefor and having top and bottom inlet and discharge passages, in combination with provisions for a column of fuel supply for the spider or drum so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface lying at the angle of repose of the column of supply fuel, a barrier in the column normally below its surface and cam actuation for shifting the height of the barrier.

19. In a feeder for gas producers, a sloping inlet for furnishing gravity supply so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface, a barrier normally below the surface of said supply, movable from below into and out of the line of travel of said supply, a gassealing feed for the fuel so fed and automatic means, timed with respect to the passage of fuel thru said sealing feed, determining the time and extent of movement of said barrier.

20. In a feeder for gas producers and the like, a sloping inlet for furnishing gravity supply so constituted as to provide a free upper fuel surface, a barrier movable from below into and out of the line of travel of said supply, a gas-sealing feeder for the fuel so fed, automatic means timed with respect to the passage of the fuel thru said seal determining the time and extentof movement of said barrier and an adjustment for the maximum height of said barrier.

21. A rotary fuel feeder for gas producers in combination with a fuel inlet hav ing a sloping bottom and providing free upper surface of the fuel flowing therethrough, a movable barrier movable perpendicularly to the line of fuel flow and automatic means for varying the barrier position during rotation of the feed.

22. The method of controlling the quantity of fuel fed by gravity for a gas producer which consists in damming the bulk of the fuel while permitting continued flow of fuel and varying the height of the column dammed intermittently at regular intervals during the feeding operation.

23. The method of controlling the rate of feed thru a sealing gas producer feeder which consists in retarding it to varying extents and intermittently controlling the supply of said fuel from below across the thickness of the column during the How of fuel to provide continual supply thereto at successively repeated variant rates.

24. The method of controlling the rate of gravity flow of fuel to a sealing feeder o a gas producer which consists in providing a sloping column of fuel having a free upper surface and interrupting flow of fuel from the bottom to extents varying with the positions of the feeder parts while permitting continued flow of fuel along the upper surface of the column.

25. The method of controlling the rate o fuel fed to a gas producer through a sealing feed device which consists in providing a constant path for part of a gravity column of fuel near the surface and passing over a retarding barrier and intermittently increasing and decreasing the cross section of the path to provide for variation of the flow with a greater depth of column flowing by alterii'ig the position of the barrier.

26. The method of controlling the rate of fuel fed to a gas producer thru a sealing feedenwliieh' consist'sfin providingn 0011- stant "path forthe upper part of the ,qravity flow colninn and an intermittent sudden enlarged path for a larger depth of flow'ytimedwi'th reference to the movements of the sealing feeder.

271 The method of controlling the'quantray of fuel fed to a gas producer horizontally-rotatable sealing feeder which con- SlStS inove'rfiowing the'lfuel directly above the compartment of the feeder being supplied, at a point in the rotation of'sa'ul Ieeder' backof the sealing edge to avoid catching and crushing the falling fuel between the rotor and thesealing edge and inc-reasingthe'rate of fiow at the same time that the mean path'of flow is shifted farther from the sealing edge.

VVILLI'AM STEELL JACKSON.

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