US2226219A - Steam locomotive - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Thomas 2.600%: H zgry K. Pa? ens Dec. 24, 194-0. 'r. R. COOK ETAL STEAM LOCOMOTIVE Filed Nov. 2, 19:56

ll Ll llrllllilllll Dec. 24, 1940.

T. R. COOK ETAL STEAM LOCOMOTIVE Filed Nov. 2, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Thomas [2.Cook

ry Kpaflens T. R. COOK ETI'AL Dec. 24, 1940.

STEAM LOCOMOTIVE Filed Nov 2, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wmm a y .n

Gil

Gil

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES STEAM LOCOMOTIVE Thomas R. Cook, Springfield, and Henry K. Patjens, Yeadon, Pa.

Application November 2, 1936, Serial No. 108,859

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to oil fired steam locomotives and more particularly to improved apparatus for automatically controlling the oil flame in accordance with operating conditions of the locomotive.

The invention disclosed herein is particularly adapted to locomotives for switching service which requires highly variable operation both in the amount of load to be moved and in the frequency of operation. A switching locomotive may stand by idly for an appreciable period of time and then suddenly he called upon to move a maximum load or it may move only a minimum load of one or two cars. Various types of locomotives have been employed for such switching service, but those of the steam engine type have necessarily employed a fireman and engineer, thereby increasing the cost of operation.

It is one of the objects to provide an improved apparatus and system for controlling and interrelating various fuel consumption factors in such a manner with respect to the actual operation of the locomotive that it is economical in operation and maintenance and is thoroughly reliable at all times to generate a completely adequate steam supply at any moment of a highly variable load demand while at the same time avoiding wastage of steam or fuel when the locomotive is standing by or is operating at a low load.

Another object is to provide an improved apparatus and control system so coordinated with the operation of. the locomotive that a smokebox draft is maintained at all times with minimum fuel and steam consumption.

A still further object is to provide improved control apparatus thatis relatively simple in construction, maintenance and operation, which is relatively free from possibility of trouble and which will require minimum space and attention.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of locomotive among possible others in which my improved apparatus and control system are embodied;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the blower pipe control valve;

t Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of the control sys- Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a locomotive such as disclosed inFig. 1 but employing a mechan- .ically controlled system instead of the electrical control shown in the preferred form;

Fig. 5 is a view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 but with many parts omitted for sake of clarity, this view showing the manner in which steam is taken from the boiler to operate a servo-motor of the control system shown in the Fig. 4 modification;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the servo-motor and pressure responsive apparatus embodied in the Fig. 4 modification;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substar'cially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the right end of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a suitable type of valve such as is employed in both modifications, the view being taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 9 looked at from the left side thereof with the valve lever omitted and a portion of the valve casing broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 11" is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially on the line ll-ll of Fig. 5.

In the particular embodiments of the invention which are shown herein merely for the purpose of illustrating certain specific forms among possible others that the invention might take in practice, we have disclosed the invention in connection with a conventional type locomotive diagrammatically indicated as having a boiler l, a smokebox 2 with its usual Smokestack 3 and a firebox indicated at 4. Inasmuch as the above elements as well as the engine cylinder 5, valve mechanism and linkages and all other usual loco-- motive elements are well-known in the art, it will not be necessary to describe or refer to the same.

Any suitable and usual type of oil burner generally indicated at 6 may be used in connection with the firebox 4, fuel oil being supplied to the burner from any suitable tank 1 through pipes 8 and 9. Inasmuch .as the burner construction per so does not form part of my present invention and also because burner constructions are well known in the art, it will suflice to point out that the usual atomizing steam is supplied to the burner 6 from the boiler I through pipes ll, l2 and I3.

To provide proper draft particularly when the locomotive is standing still, there is provided in the smokebox a blower pipe l4 adapted to discharge upwardly into the Smokestack 3 to induce a draft, all of which is well known in the art.

The steam is supplied to the blower pipe from pipe l2 thence through pipe I5. This usual form of blower pipe as embodied in my improved automatic system is coordinated in a very effective manner with the automatic control apparatus 5 to be presently described whereby maximum cooperation is obtained at all times to produce efll cient generation of the steam and minimum wastage thereof To control and coordinate the blower valve and the supply of fuelto the burner .and the atomizing steam therefor, I have provided the fuel pipe 8, atomizing steam pipe l3 and blower pipe IS with valves l8, l9 and 23', Fig. 1. These valves may-be of any usual or suitable type having oper- I ating arms 2|, 22 and 23, but for purposes of simplicity and convenience of control there may be employed aso-called disc type of valve such as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 wherein a partition 24 has a pair of circular ports 25 while a disc 23 yieldably held against the surface of partition 24 is provided with accurately tapered passages 21, Fig. 10, whereby various angular positions of the valve disc will eflect varying degrees of flow pas- .sage through the ports 25.

25 All of the valve handles 2|, 22 and 23 are commonly connected together by a series of links 23 and 23 pivotally connected to a master valve operating lever 33 pivoted at 3|. The valves l3, I9 and 23 and the connecting links therefor as just described are so arranged that for any given position of master lever 33 all of the valves are relatively opened or closed to the extent desired or necessary for proper combustion and control.v

The relative positions of the valve may be varied by lengthening or shortening the links between the respective valves as by substituting links of different length or by the use of turn buckles such as is diagrammatically indicated at 32 in- 53 valves are approximately half open to give what-" may be termed the normal flame position, whereas upon counterclockwise rotation 01' worm wheel 34 through one quarter turn from its present position in Fig. 3 the valves will be only 55 slightly open to give a "low flame position. For a quarter turn of the worm wheel in a clockwise rotation from the position shown in Fig. 3, the control valves will be fully open to give a high flame position. To control operation of motor 0 33 in accordance with the demand for steam, I

employ any suitable type of fluid pressure responsive means such as a diaphragm or Sylphon bellows diagrammatically indicated at 35 which is connected by a pipe 31 to pipe II and thence to 65 the boiler whereby variations in boiler pressure will cause a stem 38, Fig. 3, to operate a pressure responsive control mechanism generally indicated at 39 and specifically shown in the preferred form of the invention as a switch mechanism.

70 Operation-Assuming that the control valves are in their normal flame position so that steam pressure is being built up, then when full pressure is reached it will cause diaphragm 35 to move stem 38 upwardly against the action of an 75 adjustable compression spring 43, the stem 3.3 a d spring 43 acting on opposite sides of one arm of a bellcrank lever 4| which is suitably pivoted in the frame of control box 33. Clockwise rotation of said bellcrank 4| causes its link 42 to pull a switch arm 43 to the right and engage a contact 5 44. Upon closure of said contact, current flows from any suitable electrical source as a turbogenerator 45 through a wire 43, across closed contacts 41 to wire 43, contact 44, a wire 49, through a pivotal switch arm 53 and contact 5| 10 to wire 52 and thence through the motor and back to generator 45 through a common terminal 53. The motor thus rotates worm wheel 34 in a counterclockwise direction to swing master lever 33 and accordingly move control valves l3, l3 and 15 23 to their low flame position. Simultaneously a pivoted arm 54 is moved to the right by a link 55 connected to master lever 33. Said link and arm are of such dimensions that when worm gear 34 has rotated one quarter turn, contact 5| is broken 20 due to engagement of arm 54 with an adjustable screw 55 carried by the lower end of pivotal con- ,tact arm 53. Upon opening of contact 5|, motor 33 will stop, thereby maintaining the burner in its low flame position. 25

If the boiler pressure should now drop several pounds or below some predetermined value, diaphragm 33 and spring 43 will cause bellcrank 4| to move switch arm and thereby close contact 51, whereupon current from generator 45 is again 33 supplied through wires 45 and 43 to contact 51 and thence through wire 53, arm 54, and a flexible switch arm "and contact 53 (which has been previously closed upon counterclockwise rotation of worm gear 34) and thence through wire 3| to 85 motor 33 and back through the common wire 53 t6 generator 45. It will be understood that arm 59 has sufllcient flexibility that its contact may close while still permitting movement of arm 54 to operate switch arm 53 as previously described in the first step of the operation. The motor thus rotates in the reverse direction to move worm gear-34 in a clockwise direction and thus restore master arm 33 to its normal position (vertical in Fig. 3 diagram). 'I'hereupon contact 33 is opened to break the motor circuit which leaves the control valves in their normal flame position. This particular setting of the valves and control apparatus will remain fixed so long as the locomotive demands only the amount of steam generated under such normal flame. If the locomotive should stop so that the. steam pressure increases, then diaphragm 33 will cause the motor 33 to reset the control valves in their low flame position as previously described. After such low flame position is reached and should the steam pressure fall below. a predetermined value, then diaphragm 33 will again respond to cause motor 33 to restore the control valves to their normal flame setting as just described. In the 60 operation above described the control apparatus cycles between low and normal flame. Hence it is seen that the limit switch mechanism including contacts 5|, 33 and 13, lever 54 and associated elements, generally indicated at L, broadly constitute an automatic limit control means for time positions.

If the locomotive should be called upon to pull an excessive load above normal, the engineer will foresee this and thereupon effect a suitable adjustment so as to provide for a high flame whereby steam will be generated at a rate faster than normal. The apparatus will thereupon cycle between high and low flame. To accomplish this the engineer manually adjusts a flame cycle concontact, the motor 33 stops.

trol means, generally indicated at C, as by moving a pivotal switch lever 64, Fig. 3, in a counterclockwise direction to close contacts 65 and may if desired either personally hold the switch in such position or latch the same by any suitable latchmechanism diagrammatically indicated at 56. In this position, current flows from generator 45 through wire 46, contacts 41, wires 48 and contacts 51 (assuming that the boiler pressure has dropped below normal so that contact 51 is closed) and thence through wires 58, 61, contact 65, wire 68, pivotal contact arm 69, contact I0, wire 6|, motor 33, and wire 53 to the generator 45. Motor 33 thereupon rotates worm'gear 34 in a clockwise direction until master lever 30 moves the control valves l9, l9 and 20 to their. full open position. When this occurs, arm 54 has moved sufliciently in a clockwise direction to engage an adjustable screw II and thereby swing contact arm 69 to open contact 10. Upon opening of this Screw II is so adjusted that the motor stops when links 35 and 55 are in their maximum left hand position. The high flame will now generate steam ata rate faster than normal, thereby adequately taking care of the heavier load to be pulled by the locomotive. As soon as the steam supply again builds up to normal, diaphragm 36 and spring 40 will be compressed so as to throw switch arm 44 to the right and accordingly close contact 44 whereupon the control valves are returned to their low flame position by reason of closing a circuit from wire 48 through wire 49, contact wire 52, motor 33 and wire 53 to the generator. This circuit causes reverse operation of the'motcr'so that worm gear 34 rotates in a counterclockwise direction until arm 54 engages screw 56 to break contact 5|. If the pressure again drops below normal, contact 51 is again closed by action of diaphragm 36 and spring 40 to thereby reestablish the high flame position of the valves. Hence it is seen that in this phase of operation the control valves cycle between high and low flame. By merely releasing latch 66 so that it returns to normal, thenv the control equipment will cycle between normal and low flame in the manner as heretofore described.

If it is intended to allow the locomotive to stand by for an appreciable period of time and thereby not necessitate that normal pressure he maintained, or if the locomotive is to be started up cold after being completely shut down, then in either case it is desirable to have the control apparatus held in only a low flame position without any possibility of automatic shifting to the normal or high flame position. This is accomplished by manually shifting switch 64 in a clockwise direction and holding the same by. a latch 14. Thus contacts 15 are closed so that current is supplied through wire 46, contacts 15, wires 16. 49, contact 5|, Wire 52, motor 33 and wire 53 to the generator. Thus worm gear 34 will be rotated counterclockwise to its extreme right position until arm 54 engages screw 56 to open contact 5|. Hence it is seen thatregardless of the steam pressure at the time switch 64 is moved to this new position, a circuit is either established or made available for compelling operation of motor 33 so as to return the control valves to and maintain the same in their low flame position. To reestablish either of the two main operating cycles heretofore described, it is only necessary to disengage latch 14 to return switch 64 to its normal position or to shift the switch to its high flame position.

trol valve 20 will effect a variable supply of steam through pipe l5 to blower pipe l4 automatically in accordance with the intensity of the flame.

However, when the locomotive is running, then a draft is created by the exhaust steam discharging from cylinder 5 into stack 3 in a manner well known in the art. To avoid superimposing the actions of the cylinder exhaust and blower pipe upon each other and thereby cause an unnecessary waste of steam and fuel, we have provided improved means for coordinating the operation of the automatic control equipment with the running of the locomotive whereby when the locomotive is running and accordingly using steam, the blower pipe will be inoperative but immediately when the engine cylinders are not using steam, then the blower pipe becomes operative and in addition this automatic control the blower pipe is at all times subject to the piistion of the automatic control valve 29. Hence by arrangement to be described, the varying flame positions and cycles of the control apparatus will affect the amount of steam supplied to the blower pipe and the discharge of such steam therefrom will be controlled automatically in accordance with running of the locomotive. Hence at all times the operation of the blower pipe and of the steamsupply therefor is subject to a nicety of control while at the same time a sufilciently complete draft is always insured. This is accomplished by providinga valve 18 in blower supply pipe l5, Fig. 1, the valve being normally yieldabiy urged to an open position by a spring 19, Fig. 2, while a pressure responsive piston 80 is adapted to be moved downwardly by steam supplied through a pipe 8| from the engine cylinder 5. Thus when steam is supplied from the boilerto the engine cylinder 5 in a manner well known in the art, this engine cylinder steam will flow through pipe ill to move piston 80 downwardly and close the valve 18. The exhaust steam from the engine cylinders will discharge into stack 3 and thus create the necesasry draft for the burner flame. If the steam supplied to the engine cylinders is shut off, then valve 18 will immediately open and steam will be supplied from the boiler through pipe l5 to the blower pipe l4 which discharges into stack 3 to maintain a draft for the burner flame.

From the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as heretofore described, it is seen that we have provided an extremely effective and highly coordinated control system for insuring maximum efliciency with minimum attention, it being understood, however, thatin stead of actuating the blower pipe valve 18 in ac cordance with the supply of steam in the steam chest 5 that this broad principle of operation may be mechanically effected by providing as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 11 avalve 96 for controlling flow of operating fluid through a pipe 9'! connected to any suitable fluid source such as steam or air and thence through a pipe 8| connected to valve 18 in place of pipe 8|. When valve 96' is open, fluid pressure will cause piston 80 to close valve 18, whereas upon closing of valve 96 fluid pressure acting on top of piston 80. will leak past the same and permit spring 19 to open the valve, whereupon boiler steam is supplied to the blower pipe l4 in a manner as previously described. To control valve 96 in accordance with operation of the locomotive, I have provided a cam 98, Fig. 11, welded or otherwise suitably secured to a suitable hand throttle lever 99 which is supported upon a usual bracket I88. As the throttle lever 88 is initially pulled out (toward the left, Fig. 11) to start operation of the locomotive, cam 88 will open valve 88 due to the 5 valve stem engaging said cam. This will cause blower valve. 18 to close, whereupon exhaust steam from the engine will create a draft as above explained. It will be noted that the surface of cam 88 is somewhat elongated so that a limited amount of movement of throttle lever 88 can take place before valve 88 is opened. This will insure that all lost motion in the linkage connections can be taken up and steam actually supplied to the engine cylinders before valve 88 is opened. Hence a draft will be maintained at all times while the burner is in operation without any thought or attention on the part of the engine man. Conversely when the throttle lever 88 is moved to its closed position, cam 88 will permit valve 86 to close as the throttle lever nears its final closed position, thereby opening blower valve 18 to maintain a draft.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 to 10, the master lever 88 is operated by a cylinder and piston type servo-motor. Lever 38 is connected by a crosshead connection 84 to a piston rod 85 which carries differential pistons 88 and 81in cylinders 88 and 88. A spring 80 normally urges the pistons toward the high flame position while a hydraulic dashpot generally indicated at 8| is operatively connected to the servo-motor pistons to insure smooth operation. This dashpot is provided with a suitable adjustable bypass 8| a and an adjustable screw plug 82b adapted to be screwed inwardly upon occurrence of leakage from the cylinder thereby insuring that the cylinder will always be completely filled with oil.

Steam from the boiler is supplied through a pipe 82 to cylinder 88 while constant pressure 40 steam is supplied to cylinder 88 from pipe 82 through any suitable and well known form of constant pressure outlet valve 88 in pipe 84. For purposes of simplicity the control valves and all other remaining elements are given the identical 45 reference numbers as the corresponding parts of the preferred form. It will be noted, however, that the control valves in Fig. 6 are arranged in a very compact and simple manner with respect to the servo-motor and hydraulic dashpot by 50 being mounted directly thereon through suitably bolted ears and 11185 85.

In operation of the modified form of the invention, it is seen that the constant pressure in cylinder 88 plus the force of spring 88 will move 55 the servo-motor toward the left (high flame position) as the boiler pressure in the small cylinder 88 decreases until finally the burner is operating under a full flame. As the boiler pressure approaches normal, the force acting on piston 86. 60 will move the same toward the right (low flame position) against the constant force exerted by the combined action of the spring 88 and the constant steam pressure in cylinder 88 until finally the burner is operatingunder a low flame. Hence 65 it is seen that a very satisfactory and uniform burner control is effected through the full range of the apparatus, the full flame position being taken care of automatically without the necessity of the engineer operating any mechanism such as 70 switch 88 in the preferred form. Combined with this control is the blower valve arrangement as previously described in the preferred form, it being noted that this blower valve has the same coordinated operation with the operation of the 75 burner as in the preferred form.

Hence it is seen from the disclosure of the two modifications herein that a locomotive, especially of the switcher type, may be eifectively operated by one man while at the same time insuring a full supply of steam with maximum efficiency in fuel consumption and steam generation whether the locomotive is standing still or running.

We claim:

1. The combination in an oil fired steam locomotive having engine cylinders and a boiler and Smokestack, an oil burner and a blower pipe discharging into the stack to create a draft for the fire, comprising passages and control valves therefor for supplying oil fuel and fuel atomizing steam to the burner, a valve controlled passage discharging steam into said blower pipe whenever steam is not supplied to said engine cylinders from said boiler, means operatively interconnecting all of said valves, power means adapted at all times to actuate said burner and blower control valves to effect varying flame positions and draft control therefor, and means whereby said power means is controlled automatically in accordance with the boiler pressure.

2. The-combination in an oil fired steam locomotive having engine cylinders and a boiler and smokestack, an oil burner and a blower pipe discharging into the stack to create a draft for the fire, comprising. passages and control valves therefor for supplying oil fuel and fuel atomizing steam to the burner, a valve controlled passage discharging steam into said blower pipe whenever steam is not supplied to said engine cylinders from said boiler, means operatively interconnecting all of said valves, power means adapted at all times to actuate said burner and blower control valves to effect varying flame positions and draft control therefor, and means including a pressure responsive switch mechanism for effecting varying positions of said power means automatically in accordance with boiler pressure.

3. The combination in an oil fired steam locomotive having a boiler and smokestack, an oil burner and a blower pipe discharging into the stack to create a draft for the fire, comprising passages and control valves therefor for supplying oil fuel and fuel atomizing steam to the burner, a'valve controlled passage for supplying steam to said blower pipe, power means for actuating said burner and blower control valves to effect varying flame positions and draft control therefor, means automatically responsive to boiler pressure for variably controlling said power means to efiect different flame positions thereof in accordance with a predetermined cycle of positions, and means for effecting a different cycle of flame positions while maintaining the cycle automatically operative in accordance with boiler pressure.

4. The combination in an oil fired steam locomotive having a boiler and smokestack, an oil burner and ablower pipe discharging into the stack to create a draft for the fire, comprising passages and control valves therefor for supplying oil fuel and fuel atomizing steam to the bumer, a valve controlled passage for supplying steam to said blower pipe, power means for actuating said burner and blower control valves to effect varying flame positions and draft control therefor, means automatically responsive to boiler pressure for variably controlling said power means to effect a cycle of flame positions between low and normal flame, and means for changing the flame cycle so that it operates automatically 1 between low and high flame positions.

5. The combination in an oil fired steam locomotive having a boiler and smokestack, an oil burner and a blower pipe discharging into the stack to create a draft for the fire, comprising passages and control valves therefor for supply: ing oil fuel and fuel atomizing steam to the burner, a valve controlled passage for supplying steam to said blower pipe, power means for actuating said burner and blower control valves to effect varying flame positions and draft control therefor, means automatically responsive to boiler pressure for variably controlling said power means to effect a cycle of flame positions between low and normal flame, and means for restraining said flame cycle so as to maintain the low flame position of the control valves regardless of boiler pressure.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means comprises a fluid operated servo-motor, and the means for controlling the same in accordance with boiler pressure includes means for effecting a variable diflerential fluid pressure force to operate said servo-motor.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means comprises a fluid operated servo-motor, and the meansfor controlling the same in accordance with boiler pressure includes means for eflecting a variable difierential fluid pressure force to operate said servo-motor, and a hydraulic dashpot for controlling movement of said servomotor.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means comprises a fluid operated servo-motor, and the means for controlling the same in accordance with boiler pressure includes means for effecting a variable difierential fluid pressure force to operate said servo-motor, and a hydraulic dashpot for controlling movement of said servomotor including a follow-up device for maintaining the dashpot completely fllled with liquid at all times.

9. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means comprises a fluid operated servo-motor, and the means for controlling the same in accordance with boiler pressure includes means for efiecting a variable differential fluid pressure force to operate said servo-motor, and means for supporting said control valves directly on said servo-motor.

- 10. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means comprises a double acting differential piston and cylinder type servo-motor, and the means for controlling said power means includes means for supplying boiler steam under variable pressure to the smaller one of said differential pistons and for supplying a substantially constant pressure to the larger one of said pistons.

11. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said power means comprises a double acting differential piston and cylinder type servo-motor, and the means for controlling said power means includes means for supplying boiler steam to the smaller one of said diiferential pistons and for supplying a substantially constant pressure to the larger one of said pistons, a spring for urging said differential piston against the boiler pressure which acts on the smaller area of said difierential piston whereby the combined force of the spring and the pressure acting on the larger area of the difierential piston is adapted to balance a variable boiler pressure acting on said smaller differential piston area thereby causing the piston and flame control valves to be adjusted in accordance with varying boiler pressure.

THOMAS R. COOK.

HENRY K. PATJENS.

Images