US2440373A - Supplementary exhaust port for steam locomotives - Google Patents

Description

April 27, 1948. w. w. KNIGHT 7 SUPPLEMENTARY EXHAUST PORT FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Filed Nov. 20, 1 946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

P Z 1948- w. w. KNIGHT 2,440,373

SUPPLEMENTARY EXHAUST PORT FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Filed Nov. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT or-me SUPPLEMENTARY EXHAUST PORT FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES William W. Knight, Birmingham, Ala. A

" Application November 20, 1946, Serial No. L153, v

This invention relates to a locomotive supplementary exhaust and has for its object to provide means for passing automatically, progressively, and proportionately that volume of exhaust steam not required to pass through exhaust nozzle of the conventional steam locomotive for its necessary forced draft for the maintenance of steam at all points of valve travel regulating the admission of steam from the boiler. A further object is to provide means to maintain the more uniform pulsations of the exhaust within the smoke stack automatically to the minimum requirements for the necessary forced draft to maintain service of making steam. A further object is to provide means for automatically eliminating the disastrous violent blasts of the exhaust that cause p ticles of unconsumed fuel to be broadcast over the right ofway to the discomfort of the public as well as a fire hazard. A further object is to provide means to enable the fireman to maintain the minimum thickness of fire bed without distortion from violent exhaust blasts thereby permitting freer and more uniform flow of air throughthe grates and fire bed, to obtain a more perfect combustion of fuel and contributing to the abatement of smoke. A still further object is to provide means for the better clearance of exhaust steam from the main cylinder to thus insure more power gained by the reduction of back pressure. Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawings and description.

By referring to the drawings, part of this application, it will be observed that Fig. 1 is a center sectional View of a locomotive cylinder and valve therefor and the supplementary exhaust valve of this invention in its forward position; Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 except the supplementary exhaust valve is in its rear position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the front end of a locomotive boiler and cylinders showing the supplementary exhaust parts attached to the front ends of the cylinders and exhaust pipes leading therefrom; and Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the front of a locomotive boiler and cylinders showing the supplementary exhaust covers and pipes of slightly different design adjacent the smoke stack.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the supplementary exhaust valve I is mounted within its case 2 that is attached by bolts (not shown) to the front end. of the main cylinder valve housing 3 after the end cover (not shown) of the housing is removed. The regular valve piston rod 4 is extended to include the por- 3 Claims. (01. 121- 136) tion 5 to the end of which the supplementary exhaust valve I is attached. The valve I is provided with spokes so that exhaust steam can pass therethrough and go out through the uncovered valve slot 6 as shown by the arrows 'ainFig. 2. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the exhaust steam passes out as indicated by arrows 1). If the valve I is moved to its half way position of travel it cuts off all exhaust through the supplementary outlet slot 6. The main valve assembly I of the cylinder 8 is of the regular conventional locomotive type and is adapted to use its full stroke under control of the engineer through the mechanism for that purpose which is no part of this invention. But the piston rod 4 that controls the sliding movement of the main valve assembly I with the extended portion 5 moves the supplementary exhaust valve I in unison with the main valve 1. When the locomotive is operating with its main valve making use of only part of its stroke to reduce steam flow into the main cylinder, the escape port or slot 6 of the supplementary exhaust is closed by its valve I or may be slightly open. As the main cylinder valve is given longer strokes to allow more steam to enter the cylinder, the supplementary valve also moves and uncovers the escape port or slot 6 to allow part of the exhaust steam to escape therethrough and thus relieve the main exhaust of the cylinder from part of its load. The supplementary exhaust pipes 9 lead up to near the smoke stack Ill. The main exhaust passes out in the conventional way through the smoke stack.

- From the foregoing it will appear that in order to attach the supplementary exhaust assembly to a regular locomotive cylinder it is only necessary to remove the standard front cover from the cylinder valve housing, substitute a longer valve piston rod, bolt on the supplementary assembly, and the conversion is complete.

The parts of the device are made with material generally used for locomotive cylinders and parts and connections therefor. The sizes are governed by the sizes of the locomotive cylinders.

The invention resides in the combination and arrangement of the parts and the functions thereof, not in the material of which they are made.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit same to the exact and precise details of structure, but reserve the right to make all modifications and changes so long as they remain within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention I claim:

1, A supplementary exhaust for use on steam locomotives of the class described comprising; a slide valve adapted to be attached to the regular steam valve of a locomotive cylinder as a supplementary valve, a case for the said supplementary valve, the case attached to the front end of the case of the main steam valve, an extension integral with the front end of the main valve piston rod, the supplementary valve attached to the end of said extension, an exhaust port adapted to be opened and closed by the movement of the supplementary valve, an independent exhaust pipe leading from the exhaust port of the supplementary valve.

2. A supplementary exhaust for use on steam locomotives of the class described comprising; a slide valve, a case for the slide valve to operate therein, a piston rod attached to the valve, an -ex-' tached to the front end of the housing of the main steam valve of the locomotive cylinder in lieu of the regular end cover of the housing, a piston rod attached to the valve member, said piston being an extension of the main valve piston rod, a port in the supplementary valve case, said port adapted to be opened and closed by the valve member attached to the said rod extension, an independent exhaust pipe leading from the supplementary exhaust port; said supplementary valve member adapted to operate in unison with the main steam valve of the locomotive cylinder.

WILLIAM W. KNIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,032,039 Allfree Jul 9, 1912 1,376,093 Holmes Apr. 26, 1921 1,835,773 Griffin Dec. 8, 1931

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