US1914645A

US1914645A - Valve for locomotive feed water heating systems

Info

Publication number: US1914645A
Application number: US398854A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Power; Alfred A Meister
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-10-11
Filing date: 1929-10-11
Publication date: 1933-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1950-06-20

Description

June 2@a 1933 J, A, FQWER ET AL,

VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Filed OCC. ll, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 2Q, 1933 J. A. Pom/ER ET AL.

VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. ll, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 20, 1933.

vALvE Eon LocoMoTIvE FEED WATER HEATING sYsTEMs Filed Oct. 11, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. A. POWERv ET AL 1,914,645 E June J, A POWER Er AL VALVE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Filed Oct. ll. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UNET-EE STATES JOHN A. :POWER AND ALFRED A.

MEISTER, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS VALVE FOR LOCOMOTTVE FEED WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Application filed October 11,

The hereinafter described invention re lates to the heating of the feed water as introduced into a locomotive boiler for generation int-o steam.

Among the objects of our invention is the provision of a system whereby the feed water heater pump on a locomotive can be used at all times while the boiler is under steam without causing injury to the boiler.

An object of our invention is the provision of an automatic steam feeding and controlling system whereby a determined quantity of live steam is automatically admitted into a locomotive feed water heater for the purpose of heating the boiler feed water when the locomotive is at rest or idling and not working steam, at which time no exhaust steam is available for heating the water passing through the heater and so that the feed water pump can be worked at all times while the boiler is under steam pressure and the water discharged into the boiler will be at a relatively high temperature instead of being discharged by the pump into the boiler at normal temperature or a relatively cold temperature as is the case when no exhaust steam is available from the locomotive cylinders, thereby eliminating injury to the boiler by reason of the wide variation `now existing between the temperature of the water introduced by the feed Water pump and the water already in the boiler, and preserving the integrity of the boiler plates, tubes, seams and stay-bolts against destructive strains of expansion and contraction.

An object of our invention is to provide a valve which will automatically open and admit live steam into the feed water heater for heating the water therein when the main locomotive throttle is closed and automatically close off the live steam supplywhen the locomotive throttle is opened and exhaust steam is again available to heat the feed water in the heater thereby insuring that the feed water discharged into the boiler by the feed water heater pump willbe heated at all times, whether the locomotive is working steam, idling or standing.

Another object of our invention is to provide a system so that simultaneously with 1929. Serial No. 398,354.

A further object of our invention is to provide an automatic steam introducing system for a locomotive boiler, in which the feed water is heated by the exhaust steam of the locomotive, so that the feed water discharged into the boiler by the feed water pump will be steam heated at all times whether the locomotive be running or standing and its temperature constantly maintained at such degree as to prevent injury to the boiler.

' To more fully comprehend our invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the embodiment of the invention as applied to a locomotive equipped with an open type of feed water heater.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing our invention as applied to a locomotive equipped with a closed type of feed water heater.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the automatic steam valve of our invention partly in section, with differential piston valve as situated within the valve body, shown in full.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the valve of Fig. 3 in reduced size taken on line 85 3 3, Fig. 3, the differential piston valve within the valve body being' shown in full as in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the differential piston valve as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Figure 6 denotes in sectional elevation the bushing as used in the body of the automatic steam valve in affording a wearing surface for the piston valve of Fig. 5, as well as for providing ported passages therethrough for the inlet and outlet of steam.

Our improvements as illustrated in the drawings comprise the use of. an automatic valveV 10, situated in the steam supply pipe 11 through which live steam is carried to run the feed water pump 12. In the case of the application of valve 10 to the open type of locomotive feed water heater, as shown in Fig. 1, connection of pipe 11 out of valve 10 is made to pump 12 at 13, while in the closed type of locomotive feed water heater as shown in installation Fig. 2 connection of the steam supply pipe 11 out of valve 10 is made to pump 12 through branch pipe connections at 14 and 14.-.

A pipe 15, connected to the top of the automatic valve 10, carries forward to a point 16 in t-he locomotive cylinder steam pipe thereby establishing high pressure steam communication between the steam supply of the locomotive cylinders and the interior of valve 10.

Numeral 17 denotes the pipe which carries the steam exhausted from the main locomotive cylinders into the heating chamber 18 of the feed water heater in the open type of feed water heater of Fig. 1, whereas numeral 19 denotes the exhaust steam pipe of the feed water heater pump 12, which leads into the closed heater chamber 20 at point 21 in the closed type of feed water heater, as depicted in Fig. 2.

A pipe 22 connected to the bottom of automatic steam valve 10 leads into the exhaust steam pipe 17, Fig. 1, at point 23, and into the exhaust steam pipe 19, F ig. 2, at point M, thereby establishing low pressure or exhaust steam communication between the interior of valve 10 and the interior of the open heating chamber 18, as illustrated in Fig. l, and the interior of closed heating chamber 20, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Water from the heating chamber 18 of open feed water pump 12, Fig. 1, is discharged through pipe 25 and check valve 26 into the locomotive boiler while water in the closed type feed water heater, Fig. 2, is discharged by pump 12 through pipe 27 into heating chamber 20 and out of heating chamber 20 into the locomotive boiler through pipe 28 and check valve 29. Steam exhausted from the steam end of the feed water pump 12 of open heat system, Fig. 1 is carried by pipe 30 into the main exhaust steam pipe 17 at any convenient point 31.

lVith the foregoing description of the general piping arrangement between the related parts a detailed description of the automatic steam valve 10 will make clear Aits construction and functioning.

Valve 10 comprises a body 10a with two cylinders therein, as noted at 10c and 10b. The bore of cylinder 10b is of larger diameter than the bore of cylinder 10c', and is made in the body proper while the smaller diameter boreof cylinder 10c is formed in led bushing 10d, as pressed Iinto the body Body 10a has a steam inlet and with threaded pipe connection 10e, and a steam outlet end with threaded pipe connection 10f. Inlet 10e and outlet 10f are connected together by cored passage in the body 10a so as to provide for the free passage of steam through the valve from one endto the other. Communicating with the cored inlet and outlet openings 10e and 10], respectively, is the cored pocket 10g surrounding the bushing 10d, while cored in the body of valve 10a and surrounding the bushing 10d is pocket 10h. Pocket 107i is shaped substantially like pocket 10g and terminates in a threaded pipe outlet 102'. The bushing 10d provides a distinct separation between the pockets 10g and 10h in its Contact with the metal of valve body 10a.

The cylindrical bores 10b and 10c of body 10aare fitted with differential piston valve 10j, comprising in the present showing four separate pistons 107'1, 10j2, 10j3 and 107'4; mounted securely together by through bolt 107l and adapted to fit the cylindrical bores 10b and 10c with usual tolerance, the tolerance of the piston fit being made up in the cylindrical bore 10b my snap rings 10Z and in the cylindrical bore 100 by snap rings 10m.

It will be noted that the pistons 10j2 and 10j3 as fitted to the bore 100 are recessed a distance back from their inner ends to clear the

ports

10a and 100 as provided between the pistons 10,7'1 and 10,7'2 and the pistons 10,7'3 and 10y`11, respectively, so that an annular space 10p is formed between the piston holding bolt 1070 and the recessed piston ends in the provision of a communicating

passage bctween ports

10a and 100. Other equivalent means maybe provided between the respective pistons to establish communication between the ports 10u and 100, the arrangement herewith shown and described being that adapted particularly to the present embodiment of automatic steam valve 10.

Referring to bushing 10d housing the smaller diameter pistons 10,7'2, 10]'3 and 1074, it will be noted that openings 10g have been provided to pass therethrough so as to lead Ainto the steam space 10g, while openings 101` pass through bushing 10d so as to communicate with the steam space 1071.

The top of cylinder 10?) is provided with steam tight cover 10s made with oint face in the present instance against valve body 10a by cap screws 10i. A tapped opening 10u in cover 10s provides for the inlet of high pressure steam against piston 107'1 from the main steam inlet into the locomotive cylinder.

The bottom of the cylinder 10c is closed by cover 10o made up in tight joint formation against valve body 10a by cap screws 10w in like manner as cover 10S.

Numeral 1002 denotes projecting lugs at the bottom of the chamber of cylinder 10?) which act as stops for the inner end of piston 10.7'1, while lugs 10?/ on the outer end of piston ilo 10j1 act as stops against cover 10s so that the ports 10u and 100 will always be in open communication with the steam chamber 10h and insure the bleeding o of any live steam which might leak through the snap rings 10Z of piston 10,7'1 and reside between the pistons 10,7'1 and 10y'2.

By keeping the piston 10j1 with a clearance underneath it any leakage of high pressure steam past its snap rings 10]/ will have a free drainage by way of the

ports

10a and 100 to waste through the outlet 102', into the exhaust steam carrying pipe 22 without building up underneath piston 107s to imbalance it and defeat the functioning of valve 10 as intended.

The cover 10'v of cylinder 10c is provided with a. chamber 10e while the valve body 10a is provided with a port 11a. An opening 11?) is made in the bottom of bushing 10d so as to provide open communication between chamber 10e and the interior of steam chamber 10g, thereby always providing that live steam will be supplied to chamber 10e and against the end of piston 10y'11.

1n assembled relation as shown in Figs. 3 and Ll., the valve 10 is in closed position, that is, the ports 10Q through bushing 10d into steam chamber 10g are blanked off by piston 10,?'2 and 10,7'8, live steam for running feed water pump 12 being free to pass through the valve body 10a at all times as well as against the end of the piston 10%. Closed position of the valve 10 means when the locomotive is working steam at which time there is no necessity of introducing steam into the feed water heater for heating' the water bein g pumped therethrough.

New that the construction of the automatic steam valve of our invention has been described, we will proceed with a description of the operation of the valve and the system of our invention wherein it is applied.

1n operation there are two distinct functionings of our steaming feeding system, one when the locomotive is working steam as in regular road duty or switching, and the other when the locomotive is standing or idling.

1n road duty when the engine is working steam, there is a sufficient amount of exhaust steam to heat the feed water forced through the heating chamber by the feed water pump 12 so that the delivery of heated water into the boiler through pump discharge pipe 25 and boiler check valve 26 is assured, but as the engineer shuts ofi his throttle for the exclusion of steam into the main locomotive cylinders, there is no longer exhaust steam available to heat the water and it is the purpose of our invention to make up adequate heat from live steam of the locomotive at this time, feeding high pressure steam into the heating chamber 18 of open type feed water heater, Fig. 1, or into the heating chamber 20 of closed ytype feed water heater, Fig. 2, as the case may be, through a system which is automatic in its working and as such is without the jurisdiction of the engineer and fireman in its functioning.

Prior to the advent of our improved system, the duty of the fireman or engineer when not working steam was to shut off the feed water heater pump. This, however, was not done by press ofother duties or carelessness with the result that the operation of the feed water heater pump 12 continued and cold water was pumped directly through the heater into the boiler with very injurious results. The remedy for overcoming the introduction of cold water into the boiler was by means of a standard form of steam injector which was to be used at the time the locomotive was not working and no exhaust steam available, but this facility we find is not used as instructed and we have, therefore, provided an automatic system to take care of the conditions, as outlined, which positively assures the feeding of steam as required for heating the water when no exhaust steam is available from the locomotive cylinders and the shutting off of the steam feed when steam from the locomotive exhaust is again available, this being accomplished entirely without manual operation.

Our invention does away with the necessity of an extra steam injector for feeding the boiler with water when the locomotive is standing, saving this expense.

In practical service the inlet and outlet passages 10e and 10] of automatic steam valve 10, in providing for the through passage of steam around the valve body 10a, keep the feed water pump 12 continuously running as long as the manually operated cab valve 32, in pipe line 11, as leading from steam turret 33 is open. When the engine is working steam the steam pipe 15 is filled with high pressure steam from the main steam supply pipe of the locomotive cylinders and this steam is transmitted through the connection of pipe 15 at 10u in valve cover 108 to the top of piston 10]'1, exerting a downward pressure against same. The area of piston 10j1 being greater than the area of piston 10y'4, which also has high pressure admitted against its end from the steam inlet 10e by way of port 11a, holds the pistons 10y'3 and 10y' in position so that the high pressure steam ports 10Q of the bushing 10d are blanked off.

With the engineer shuts off steam the steam pressure on top of piston 10]'1 is released through the line 15 into the locomotive cylinder main steam pipe, permitting the boiler' pressure as continuously exerted against the end of piston 10j4 to move the latter upward together with the piston 10y'1 until the ends of the stops 10?/ of piston 10y'1 strike the underside of cover plate 10s, at which time the steam ports 10g through the bushing 10d are uncovered by the piston 10]'3 permitting live steam from the boilerl to pass from the steam chamber 10g surrounding these ports through the bushing 10d and out of the ports 1071 into the steam chamber 1O1J surrounding bushing 10d in the path as indicated by arrows AB-CD, Fig. 3, thereby establishing a free passage for the feeding of steam from pipe 11 through the ported passages of the valve body 10a by way of pipe 22 connected to outlet 10i, directly into the heating chamber 18 of open type feed water heater, F ig. 1, and into the heating chamber 2O of closed type feed water heater, Fig. 2, when the locomotive is not working steam.

The system of our invention and its valve thus provides protection at all times against the introduction of cold water into the boiler through check valve 29, whether locomotive be working or standing.

l/Ve do not desire to restrict ourselves to the actual location of the automatic steam feeding valve 10 into the feed water heater system, the illustrations covering which as herewith shown are typical, and wish it to be understood that it is within the scope of our invention to make such modifications in the piping arrangement as well as the construction of the automatic steam feeding valve as will best meet local conditions of application on different classes of locomotives where installed and to suit different types of feed Water heaters whether fitted with rotary or reciprocating feed water pumps, our invention being limited only by the extent of the claim as appended.

lVhat we claim is A valve comprising ain combination a body having an inlet and an outlet, a second outlet, cored pockets in the valve body separated by a cylindrical bushing, one of said pockets communicating with the valve inlet and the other of said pockets communicating with said second outlet, orifices through said bush ing into said pockets, and a differential piston fitting said'busliing and valve body for opening and closing said orifices.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Houston, Texas, this 25th day of September, 1929.

yJOHN A, POWER.

ALFRED A. MEISTER.