US2163447A - Locomotive tender - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1939. 5. HOGG LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Original Filed March 3, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. I e fwjzcddz f ATTORNEY5 June 20, 1939. F. HOGG LOCOMOTIVE TENDER- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 driginal Fi led March s, 1936 IN VEN TOR. 6377477614 4 /0 ATTORNEYfi Patented June 20, 1939 PATENT orrics LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Francis Hogg,

Wesleyville, Pa.,

assignor, by

mesne assignments, to The Standard Stoker Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 3,

1936, Serial N0. 66,805

Renewed May 17, 1938 Claims.

This invention relates to locomotive tenders. It is the main object of this invention to improve locomotive tenders of conventional form ordinarily used with hand-fired locomotives by 5 equipping such tenders with fuel transferring means, the installation of the fuel transferring means being accomplished with a minimum of alteration in the existing structure of such tenders.

As a further object thereof, this invention contemplates the provision, in locomotive tenders of the above specified class, of fuel transferring I means including a screw conveyor in the fuel bin which urges fuel forwardly to a conveyor having its receiving end disposed on the tender below the forward end of said screw conveyor.

More specific objects of this invention reside in providing means for driving the screw conveyor from its forward end, and providing means for driving the subjacently disposed conveyor from its rearward end.

Another object of this invention is to provide selective operation of the ofliset conveyors and to provide improved means for the manual feed of fuel to one of said conveyors.

Other objects contemplate adapting the fuel transferring means tothe locomotive tender in a manner whereby inspection and maintenance of the transferring means is rendered convenient, and whereby the fuel transferring means occupies very little of the fuel and water space of the tender.

The advantages of the above features of construction will become apparent upon reading of the following description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which,

Fig. l is a central vertical section through the forward portion of a locomotive tender equipped with a stoker conveyor according to this invention, the adjacent portions of the locomotive and the fuel delivery conduit of the stoker being in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tender structure illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Figures 3, 4-, 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on the lines 3-3, #4, 5-5 and 66, respectively, of Fig. 1.

On these drawings, the locomotive is indicated by L and it is connected with a tender T by the coupling gear C. The tender T is of conventional form and includes an underframe iii which is preferably of the water-bottom type and supports the superstructure of the water tank W and the fuel bin F.

In the central forward portion of the tender T, this superstructure includes side plates ll, l2, the rear plate It and a horizontal plate M which extends between the vertical portions Ha, Hat and tea of the side plates ll, l2 and the rear plate i3, respectively, to form the floor of the fuel bin F. The forward extension lla of the horizontal bottom plate M constitutes the shovelling platform of the tender. From the upper end of their vertical portions, the side plates ii, 12 and the rear plate 13 are provided with upwardly sloping portions llb, l2?) and i317, respectively, whereby fuel will roll downwardly toward the fuel bin floor !4 as the supply of fuel is consumed. Usually, the floor I l is disposed in a plane which is at some distance below the lower edge of the sloping portions of the side and rear plates. The water tank W extends underneath the plate l4 and along the side plates ll, 92 toward the tender front wall l5. At its forward end, the fuel bin F is defined in part by the bulkheads 9 and the coal gate 8. The side wall 7 of each bulkhead extends inwardly of each side plate H, [2 and hingedly supports a respective section of the coal gate 8. The described construction is usual in many tenders which are not at the pres ent time equipped with fuel conveying and crushing means.

In equipping locomotives and tenders with stokers, it is highly desirable to install stokers with a minimum of alteration in the structure of either intercoupled vehicle. The present invention is concerned with this problem as it affects the 10- comotive tender only, and that portion of the stoker mechanism M forward of the tender is conventional in form, including a delivery conveyor it on the locomotive and an intermediate conveyor i1 extending between the locomotive L and the tender T. The intermediate conveyor comprises a conduit Ha, which is connected at its forward end by a universal joint it to the conduit section lfia of the delivery conveyor it. A screw conveyor I9 is rotatably mounted within the conduit We and receives fuel from the bin F and conveys it forwardly to the delivery conveyor iii.

In carrying out the objects of this invention, the conveyor Zli which receives fuel from the bin F and conveys it to the receiving end of the intermediate conveyor If is novel in construction and in its relation with the tender T herein described. This conveyor 28 includes a conveyor screw 2! mounted within a trough conduit 22 which is disposed wholly above the bottom plate I i. Preferably, the trough conduit 22 is constructed by bending a steel plate into a V-shape,

the upper ends of which are arranged to terminate at the lower ends of the sloping portions lib, I21) of the side plates H, 52, respectively. Brackets 23 are secured at suitably spaced intervals to the vertical portions Ila, l2a of the side plates and the upper ends of the V-shaped trough conduit 22 are removably secured by bolts 24 to these brackets.

Forward of the coal gate 8, the V-shaped trough sheet terminates in a tail-piece 25 (Fig. 4) which is secured to a terminal member 25, the latter being a casting of substantial construction and serves to maintain the drive means for the screw conveyors l9 and 2! in operative relation. The terminal member 25 extends above and below the plane of the bottom plate i4 and includes an upper portion 2? which in transverse cross section conforms generally to the V-shaped trough conduit 22 and forms a forward extension thereof. Laterally, the upper portion 21 extends to each side wall I of the bulkheads 9 and opens upwardly as at 28 for substantially its entire width. A hinged door 29 normally closes the opening 28.

At the forward end of its upper portion 21, the terminal member is provided with a gear case 39 in which is journaled a shaft 3| having a polygonal portion 32 thereof received within a recess 33 formed in the forward end of the screw conveyor 2! to form a driving connection therefor. A worm gear 3.4 is keyed upon the shaft 3| and this worm gear is meshed by a worm 35 which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 36 operatively connected with the prime mover 31. Clutch teeth 38 are formed at one side of the worm 35 and they are adapted to be engaged by teeth 39 of a clutch member 49 which is keyed to the shaft 35 and slidable therealong by means of the pivoted shifting fork 4|. Thus, by shifting the clutch member 49 to the position shown in Fig. 6, it will be apparent that the worm gearing 34, 35 which is operatively connected to the screw conveyor M will become disengaged from its operative relation with the shaft 36 having an operative connection with the prime mover 31.

The rearward end of the screw conveyor 2| is provided with a journal 42 which is received in a bearing 43. Comprising the bearing 43 is a base member 44 secured to the rear plate I3 and a cap 45 which is removably secured to the base member 44 by bolts 46. Between the end of the screw conveyor journal 42 and the rear wall 41 of the base member 44, washers 48 of hardened steel are inserted for transmitting to the rear wall 41 the thrust of the screw conveyor 2| incident to the crushing and forward conveyance of fuel. The specific relation of parts at the journal 42 is also of particular importance in maintaining the screw conveyor 2! in a good state of repair, as will become apparent in the further description of this invention.

Immediately forward of the plane of the coal gate 8 and beneath the hinged door 29, a toothed crusher 49 arches over the screw conveyor 2| and it is removably secured by bolts 59 to the V-shaped upper portion 27 of the terminal member 26. Slightly in advance of the crusher 49 a pedestal is formed with the terminal member 26 and it is disposed at one side of the conveyor screw 2i and extends thereabove to form a support for the forward flange 52 of a beam 53. This beam 53 extends longitudinally of the fuel bin F above the screw conveyor 25 and is of sufficient rigidity to prevent fracture thereof by the fuel in the bin. At its rearward end the beam 53 is secured to the rear plate 53 while the forward flange 52 thereof is secured by a bolt 54 to the upper end of the pedestal 5|.

Along each of its opposite sides, the beam 53 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 55 into which is fitted one side of a plate 56, there being a plurality of such plates on each side of the beam. The opposite side of each plate 55 is received in a groove 51 formed in a guide rail 58 secured in any well known manner to each side of the V-shaped trough conduit 22. Each of the several plates 55 in the series is movable longitudinally of the fuel bin F for the purpose of controlling the flow of fuel into the trough conduit 22. When the plates 55 are moved to position whereby fuel may flow into the trough conduit 22, the beam 53 prevents the mass of fuel from falling directly upon the screw conveyor 2|. It is also apparent that by the use of the central beam 53 an adequate support is formed for the slidable plates 55 which insures the rigidity of structure necessary to sustain the weight of fuel in the bin F.

The V-shaped upper portion 2? of the terminal member 26 is provided with grooves 52a which are continuations of the guide rail grooves 5?, whereby the first plate 56 of each series may thus be moved to a position partly beneath the door 29. Each plate 56 when in this position rests partly on the upper portion of the crusher 49 and is also engaged by the grooves 51a of the terminal member 25 and by the grooves which are formed by the pedestal 5i and the forward flange 52 of the beam 53, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Upon further forward movement of each plate 55 a distance such that the rear end thereof clears the forward end of the flange 52 and the forward end of the slide plate 55 at the opposite side, they may then be moved inwardly to disengage groove 51a and thence lifted upwardly through the opening 28 when the door 29 is swung rearwardly above the hinges 29a. This is an important feature of the present invention and its utility will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Beneath the plane of the bottom plate l4 and forward of the transverse plane of the coal gate 8, an alcove 60 is formed by means which includes the top wall SI of the underframe Hi, the back plate 62, one side wall 7 of a bulkhead 9, and the plate structure 53 which is shaped to accommodate the prime mover 31.

The lower portion 65 of the terminal member 26 is provided with foot members 66 which rest upon the top wall 5| of the tender underframe and are firmly secured thereto by bolts 6?. A bracket 58 is formed with the lower portion 55 of the terminal member 26 for supporting the prime mover 31. A semi-spherical seat 69 is formed with the lower portion 65 and it opens forwardly to receive the spherical shell of the intermediate conduit I'm, the shell 79 being held in position by a clamp H which is secured to the flange 12 bounding the forward opening of the seat 69. Foot members 13 are formed with the clamp H for securing the latter to the top wall 6| of the underframe I 9 by means of bolts l4. By this construction, the clamp H not only retains the shell 19 in the seat 69 but also supports the rearward end of the intermediate conduit Ila upon the underframe l0.

On the rearward portion of the semi-spherical seat 69 a bearing'l5 is formed with its extended axis passing through the center of the seat 59. The bearing receives the journal 76 of a shaft ll upon which is mounted a worm gear i8 within the gear case 19. A worm 8B meshes with this worm gear 18 for driving the same. Power is supplied to the worm 80 by means of a coupling 8| which connects the engine crankshaft B2 and the worm shaft 80a. The crankshaft 82 carries a sprocket 83 for driving the shaft 3| by means of a chain 9|] passing around the sprocket 83 and a sprocket 84 on the shaft 36.

The spherical shell ill of the intermediate conduit Ila opens upwardly to receive fuel falling through the throat 85 between the upper and lower portions of the terminal member 26. A universal joint jaw 86 carried by the shaft 11 operatively connects the screw conveyor IS in the intermediate conduit Ila. If desired, a fuel impelling flight 81 may be formed on the joint jaw 86 to aid the advancement of fuel. In order to insure that the open end of the intermediate conduit maintains its communication with the throat 85, a circular lug 88 is cast on the bottom of the spherical shell 10 and it is received in longitudinal recess 89 formed in the adjacent portions of the spherical seat 69 and the clamp H.

To those familiar with the problems of the railroad and locomotive stoker industry, it will be apparent that by the present invention it is possible to install fuel crushing and conveying mechanism on a tender of conventional form with a minimum of alteration in the structure thereof. Furthermore, the fuel crushing and conveying mechanism is so related with the tender that the parts of said mechanism are conveniently accessible for purposes of inspection and repair. Of special importance in this connection is the relation of the conveyor screw 2| with the trough conduit 2!} and associated parts thereof.

Whenever it is necessary to remove the conveyor screw 2| from the tender, the hinged door 29 is swung open and the coal gate 8 swung inwardly into the fuel bin F. With door 29 in an open position, the crusher 49 may be removed by loosening the bolts 59. Then the slidable plates 56 on the left side of the beam 53 (Figures 3 and l) are successively moved forwardly to a position so as to be slightly ahead of the foremost plate 56 on the right side of the beam 53, whereupon, each slidable plate 56 on the left side of the beam may be moved inwardly to clear the grooves Ella in the upper portion 21 of the terminal member 26 and thus removed. With the plates 56 on the left side of the trough conduit 22 removed, it is possible to remove the cap 45 over the thrust washers 48, lift out the latter and then move the conveyor screw 2! rearwardly to permit disengagement of its recess 33 with the polygonal portion 32 of the drive shaft 3|. Thus, the conveyor screw 2| may be removed from the tender by rolling it laterally and upwardly. Upon removal, the conveyor screw may be mended to a good state of repair and replaced, or, a new conveyor screw may be substituted.

In its operation, the fuel transferring and crushing means is efficient and adaptable to the various conditions existing in locomotive stoker operation. With the clutch member 40 in a position to engage the clutch teeth 38 of the worm 35, the prime mover 31 will transmit power for operating the conveyor screws 2| and E9. Fuel entering the trough conduit 22 is urged forwardly by the conveyor screw 2| toward the crusher 49 which cooperates with the screw for reducing the over-sized lumps of fuel. The crushed fuel then drops through the throat 85 into the spherical shell It! for conveyance toward the locomotive by the conveyor screw l9.

Occasionally, extraneous material in the fuel will become lodged between the flights of the conveyor screw 2| and the teeth of the crusher 49. This will stall the entire conveying mechanism. By raising the door 29, the crusher 49 is uncovered and becomes readily accessible for removing the extraneous material. If necessary, the crusher may be removed in order to free the foreign material lodged therein. Should it not be possible for any reasons to release the clog, the stoker operator may introduce manually a supply of fuel into the spherical shell HI, and move the clutch member 40 to the position shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the conveyor screw 2| will be disconnected from its operative relation with the prime mover 3! whereby the latter will be free to drive the screw conveyor l9 for conveying fuel to the locomotive. It will be observed from Fig. 5 that the terminal member 26 is provided with a hopper 4 which extends from its lower portion 65 to the upper portion 21, the construction being such that the hopper 4 has a large storage capacity. This insures a steady delivery of fuel to the locomotive by the screw conveyor l9 during times when the screw conveyor 2| is inoperative, such steady delivery of fuel being maintained with less frequent interruptions in the other duties of the stoker operator than would be the case if the hopper 4 were of lesser capacity.

Having described my invention in detail, I claim the following:

1. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates above said frame separating the fuel and water compartments including a pair of side partition plates and a fuel bin fioor, fuel transferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substantially all of the fuel in said fuel compartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, said trough having diverging side walls extending laterally to said side partition plates, and a conveyor below the level of said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor.

2. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates above said frame separating the fuel and water compartments including a pair of side partition plates and a fuel bin floor, fuel transferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substantially all of the fuel in said fuel compartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, said trough having diverging side walls extending laterally to said side partition plates, a crusher cooperating with said screw conveyor for reducing lump fuel, and a conveyor below the level of said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor.

3. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates above said frame separating the fuel and water compartments including a pair of side partition plates and a fuel bin floor, fuel transferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substantially all of the fuel in said fuel compartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, said trough having diverging side walls extending laterally to said side partition plates, an alcove at the front end of said tender wholly below the level of said fuel bin floor, and a conveyor in said alcove receiving fuel from said screw conveyor.

4. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates above said frame separating the fuel and water compartments including a pair of side partition plates and a fuel bin floor, fuel transferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substan tially all of the fuel in said fuel compartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, an alcove at the front end of said tender wholly below the level of said fuel bin floor, a crusher cooperating with said screw conveyor for reducing lump fuel, and a conveyor below the level of said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor.

5. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates separating the fuel and water compartments including a pair of side partition plates and a fuel bin floor, fuel transferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said 'fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substantially all of the fuel in said fuel compartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, said trough having diverging side walls extending laterally to said side partition plates, a conveyor below the level of said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor, drive mechanism for said conveyors, said screw conveyor being normally in operative relation with said drive mechanism, and means for selectively disengaging said screw conveyor from its operative relation with said drive mechanism.

6. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates separating the fuel and water compartments including a fuel bin floor, fuel trans ferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substantially all of the fuel in said fuel oompartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, a conveyor below said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor, drive mechanism for said conveyors, said screw conveyor being normally in operative relation with said drive mechanism, and means for selectively disengaging said screw conveyor from its operative relation with said drive mechanism, said second named conveyor being arranged to receive fuel supplied manually thereto.

'7. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates separating the fuel and water compartments including a pair of side partition plates and a fuel bin floor, fuel transferring means comprising a trough conduit mounted within said fuel compartment and immediately above said fuel bin floor for receiving substantially all of the fuel within said fuel compartment, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit arranged to ad- Vance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, said trough having diverging side walls extending laterally to said side partition plates, a conveyor below the level of said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor, drive mechanism for said conveyors, said screw conveyor at its forward end being normally in operative relation with said drive mechanism, and means for selectively disengaging said screw conveyor from its operative relation with said drive mechanism.

8. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates separating the fuel and water compartments including a fuel bin floor, fuel transferring means comprising a screw conveyor mounted wholly above said fuel bin floor and arranged to advance fuel toward the forward end of said tender, a conveyor below the level of said fuel bin floor receiving fuel from said screw conveyor, drive mechanism for said conveyors, said screw conveyor at its forward end being normally in operative relation with said drive mechanism, and means for selectively disengaging said screw conveyor from its operative relation with said drive mechanism, said second named conveyor being arranged to receive fuel supplied manually thereto.

9. A tender construction comprising a fuel bin, a beam in the lower portion of said fuel bin eX- tending longitudinally thereof, a conveyor below said beam, guide elements at opposite sides of said beam, and a plurality of slidable plates at each side of said beam, the outer ends of said slidable plates being received in said guide elements, said beam being provided with guide elements arranged to receive the inner ends of said slidable plates.

10. A tender construction comprising a fuel bin, a beam in the lower portion of said fuel bin extending longitudinally thereof, a conveyor below said beam, guide elements at opposite sides of said beam above said conveyor, and a plurality of slidable plates at each side of said beam, the outer ends of said slidable plates being received in said guide elements, said beam being provided with guide elements arranged to receive the inner ends of said slidable plates.

11. A tender construction comprising a fuel bin, a beam in the lower portion of said fuel bin extending longitudinally thereof, a screw conveyor beneath said beam, guide elements at opposite sides of said beam, and a plurality of slidable plates at each side of said beam, the outer ends of said slidable plates being received in said guide members, said beam being provided with guide elements arranged to receive the inner ends of said slidable plates.

12. A tender construction comprising a fuel bin, a beam in the lower portion of said fuel bin extending longitudinally thereof, a screw conveyor beneath said beam, guide elements at opposite sides of said beam above said screw conveyor, and a plurality of slidable plates at each side of said beam, the outer ends of said slidable plates being received in said guide members, said beam being provided with guide elements arranged to receive the inner ends of said slidable plates.

13. A tender construction comprising a. frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates above said frame separating the fuel and water compartments including a fuel bin floor, means for urging fuel forwardly from said bin including an upwardly opening trough conduit above said fuel bin floor, a. screw conveyor in said trough conduit substantially coextensive with said trough conduit, a crusher secured to said trough conduit, said crusher being spaced rearward of the forward end of said screw conveyor, and a cover for the forward portion of said upwardly opening trough conduit, said cover extending from a point forward of said crusher and being disposed thereabove.

14. A tender construction comprising a frame, fuel and water compartments, and partition plates above said frame separating the fuel and water compartments including a fuel bin floor, means for urging fuel forwardly from said bin including an upwardly opening trough conduit above said fuel bin floor, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit substantially coextensive with said trough conduit, a crusher secured to said trough conduit, said crusher being spaced rearward of the forward end of said screw conveyor, said trough conduit immediately forward of said crusher being provided with a fuel discharge throat, and a cover over said crusher and said discharge throat.

15. A tender construction comprising a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel forwardly from said bin including an upwardly opening trough conduit, a screw conveyor in said trough conduit, a drive shaft at the forward end of said trough conduit, said drive shaft being engaged with the forward end of said screw conveyor for driving the same, the rearward end of said screw conveyor being provided with a journal, a bearing for said journal, the rearward end of said journal being spaced from the rearward end of said bearing a distance which is at least equal to the engagement of said drive shaft with the forward end of said screw conveyor, and removable thrust transmitting means in the space between the rearward end of said journal and the rearward end of said bearing.

FRANCIS HOGG.

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