US170198A - Improvement in hydrocarbon-furnaces - Google Patents

Description

H. M. SMITH.

HYDROCARBON FURNACE. No.170,198, Patented Nov. 23, 1875.

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Witnesses: Inventor r' {2 f; .Ml nu/tei 54 v/ we N.PETERS, PHOTQ-LITHDGRAPMER, WASHINGTON, I) (2y UNITED ST TE PATENT CFFICE.

HORATIO M. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILL.,

ASSIGNOR or rwo-trrunns Hrs RIGHT TO MOSES W.- LESTER AND FRANKLIN'LESTER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDLROCARBON-FURNACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l"70,l98, dated November 23, 1875 application filed April 1, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORATIO M. SMITH, of

- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Furnaces for Burning Liquid Fuel, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an apparatus which may be applied to or used in conjunction with 7 any ordinary furnace for burning coal-oil and i of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive-engine fire-box, fitted with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the same upon a larger comparative scale.

Like letters in said figures indicate like parts.

A short distance above the grate-surface I pierce any ordinary coal-burning furnace or fire-box with one or morepreferably severalapertures, a, filling them with thimbles b of refractory material, which'extend a little way into the combustion'chamber. In case of a locomotive, which is the instance illustrated in the drawing, I make the apertures a by inserting a hollow cylinder, a, through the double wall, within which is placed the refractory air-tube or thimble b. At some convenient place-on the tender, in the case of a locomotive-is placed a tank, B, suitable for holding the liquid fuel. From this tank a close tube or tubes, 0, conveys the liquid fuel to short discharge-tubes d, which branch off from the main tube 0 at each aperture a, and enter centrally the thimbles b. Being much less in diameter than said thimbles, an ample airspace is left surrounding. To avoid the destructive effect of the excessive heat, and to procure a better vaporizing action, the tubes at are caused to terminate a little distance short of the inner mouth of the thimble. A dead plate, E, at the furnace side, at a level with the grate-bars F, is placed below the embouchure of the tubes, to check any drip of oil which may take place, and to create a slight change in the draft at this point. The apparatus, consisting of the tubes for oil, surrounded eachby an ample air-thimble, is located so near the grate-surface, as shown, that when an ordinary charge of coal or coke shall be below the surface of the solid fuel, or at least upon a level therewith. This feature is very important, as upon the heat generated by the bed of fuel I depend for the vaporization of the liquid fuel.

The operation is briefly as follows: The furnace being ignited, is charged with fuel, preferably coke, to a point above the mouths of thimbles b. The oil is now admitted into short tubes from the tank, in any desired regulated quantity, by turning the cock G. The heat of the thimble, and the fuel near it, and at the branch or short pipes 01, converts the liquid into a vapor, which, by the draft, is drawn into the bed of incandescent fuel, together with the unoccupied annular space of the thimble. A thorough combustion of the liquid fuel is thus caused.

The bed of coke will burn, under these circumstances, a long time without being consumed, as the hydrocarbon gas generated by the vaporization of the oil seems to seize the oxygen entering through the thimbles and grate more eagerly than the coke does, thus ing through it.

Goal may be used in the same manner as coke, and with good effect, but not with so good effect as coke. Coal and coke may be mingled together, and burned in connection with oil in this way or coal and brickbats may be employed, in which case the brickbats, after becoming heated, remain so by reason of the oil-fire, and serve to vaporize the liquid fuel 5 or, in lieu of brickbats or broken bricks, a large number of refractory balls may be placed in the furnace and heated at first by a coal-fire, and afterward by the oil.

The chief point to be kept in mind with the various expedients mentioned, is tq keep the is placed upon the bars the ends of the tubes a supply of air, which latter enters through retarding the consumption of the latter while, nevertheless, the very hottest of fires is rag- I 'and any ordinary 2' wales mouths of the tubes surrounded by the fuel or heated substitutes. For this purpose said tubes are placed low d0wn,'near the grate, charge will, therefore, accomplish the object.

'lhe tubes may be located at both sides of the furnace, as shown in the drawing, or they may be in front and at the rear, or on all sides, and of any number desired, preserving the conditions herein before specified. It is better that there should, however, be a number of tubes rather than a single one, as the flame within the chamber, being thus-spread over a larger space, is more uniform, and a greater heat may be obtained by the more rapid combustion;

The apparatus is very simple and efficient,

and may, as will be readily'understood, be

easily, and at slight expense, applied to any of the ordinary kinds of furnace Having thus described my invention, that which I claim as new, and desire to secure HORATIO M. SMITH.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. MUNDAY, EDW KS. EVARTS.

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