US2472176A

US2472176A - Throttle control device for steam locomotives

Info

Publication number: US2472176A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stern Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-04-16
Filing date: 1945-04-16
Publication date: 1949-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 1966-06-07

Description

June 7, 1949. c. STERN 2,472,176

THROTTLE CONTROL DEVICE FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Filed April 16, 1945 '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Char/es Jzfern June 7, c STERN THROTTLE CONTROL DEVICE FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Filed April 16, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 O o o INVENTQR O Clvavles Jzfem ATTORNEY June 7, 1949.

C. STERN THROTTLE CONTROL DEVICE FOR STEAM Loc MoTIv s Filed April 16,. 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v QV 0 INVENTOR Char/es Jiern BY 1 ATTORNEY FigJO 1 al-Ullsuu null; I ld-IU UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THROTTLE CONTROL DEVICE FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Charles Stern, Jersey City, N. J.

Application April 16, 1945, Serial No. 588,670

9 Claims.

This invention relates to throttle control devices for steam locomotives.

It is well known to be desirable to permit some steam to the cylinders and valve chambers of steam locomotives when the locomotive is coasting or drifting. There is now in use drifting valves or other systems which provide for supply of some steam to the steam cylinders and valve chambers while drifting. $uc'h devices are usually expensive and complicated, and difiicult to install and maintain. Instead of using a drifting valve, the throttle could be cracked to allow a small supply of steam to enter the steam cylinders, valve chambers and superheater units. Cracking of the throttle may be accomplished by not fully closing the throttle but leaving it slightly open.- Thus if the locomotive engineer when moving the throttle lever toward closing position were to stop the closing movement just before the fully closed position, some steam would get into the cylinders and valve chambers to prevent carbonization of oil and to cushion the pistons as the locomotive drifts. Many locomotive engineers either forget to crack the throttle or have diniculty in gauging the exact point where the throttle should be cracked, thereby admitting too little or too much steam. In some instances the engineers or operators will close the throttle entirely and then open it a little. This practice is bad because air and gases are sucked in through the exhaust intothe cylinders and valve chambers doing the damage in the instant of closure. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device or the character described havin means to momentarily stop the closing movement of the throttle lever just before full closing position and means to permit full closure of the throttle just after the lever is stopped. It is the stopping of the lever which reminds the engineer to hold the lever at that point to permit the locomotive to drift. After the locomotive has drifted, the lever can be fully closed to shut off all supply of steam. In fact, the lever can. be shut offat any time after it is stopped, but the momentary stopping of the lever indicates to the engineer the exact point Where the throttle is tobe cracked, and. also forcibl'y reminds him to crack the throttle.

Another object of this invention is to provide adevi'ce of the character described which may be applied either to a. horizontal throttle lever or a vertical throttle lever, and means being further provided to adjust the point at which the lever is momentarily stopped.

Another object of this invention is to provide 2 a device of the character described automatically controlled by air pressure which is available in locomotives,

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable device of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install on a locomotive, which shall be smooth and positive in operation, and yet practical and eflicientto a high degree in use.-

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out;

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exem= plified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indi eated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which shown one or the various possible illustrative em bodiments of this invention,

Fig.- 1 is aqiront elevatiorial view of a device embodying the invention with parts broken away and in crossseoti0n;

Fig. 2 is a ciosssectional' view taken on line 2- -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4- is a top plan view showing the application of the control to a horizontal throttle lever as sembly;

Fig; 5 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the parts in the position when the throttle is open;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing the device applied to a vertical throttle lever assembly;

Fig. 8 is apartial side elevational view illustrating a modified construction;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 101s a side elevational view oi the structure shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken online H--H of Fig, 8;

Fig. 12 1's across-sectional view taken on line l-2--l2 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a partial, vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the adjusting means.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, to designates a horizontal throttle lever assembly for alocomotive. The same comprises: a bracket H carrying avertical pivot pin l2. Fixed to pivot pin [-2 is a throttle lever 13 There is also fixed to pivot pin l2, an arm l4 connected by link l5 to a rod I6 connected to the throttle. Lever |3 is provided with a usual ratchet release mechanism Upon swinging lever |3 in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 4, the rod I6 is pulled to open the throttle. When lever I3 is returned toward its normal position by swinging the same in a counterclockwise direction, rod l6 closes the throttle.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a device to momentarily stop the lever l3 just before it is fully closed so that the engineer may stop further movement of the lever to permit some steam to pass from the throttle to the steam cylinders, valve chambers and superheater units, while the train is drifting into the station or at any other point. The device 29 comprises a bracket 2| which may be attached to an arm 22 fixed to the usual guide arm 23 which supports the lever l3. Obviously the bracket 2| may be fixed to any suitable support on the locomotive. The position of the bracket 2| relative to the lever arm I3 is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing and will be explained hereinafter.

Bracket 2| comprises a bottom wall 25 having an upstanding wall 26 at one end, and an upstanding wall 21 at its other end. At one side of bottom wall 25 is an upstanding ear 28. The ear 28 is formed with a screw threaded opening 29. Screwed thereto is a shaft 39. Shaft 39 comprises a cylindrical portion 3| having a reduced screw threaded portion 32 at one end screwed within the opening 29. At the opposite end of cylindrical portion 3| is an enlarged flange 33. The shaft 39 is also formed with a hexagonal head 34 to facilitate rotation of the shaft with a wrench.

Mounted on the cylindrical portion 3| of shaft are a Pair of

annular cam rings

35 and 36 and a fork 31 interposed therebetween. The fork 31 has a central annular portion 38 journalled on shaft portion 3|, a downwardly extending arm 39 and a pair of upwardly diverging fingers 49, 4|. It will be noted that when the throttle lever I3 is closed, the lever is disposed between the fingers 40, 4| and in contact with finger 4|. When the throttle lever is moved to open position as shown in Fig. 5, lever 3 will contact finger 40 to rotate the fork in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 5, thereby permitting the lever to move beyond finger 40. As the lever I3 is again moved toward closing position it will pass finger 4|] and engage finger 4| to rotate the fork in a clockwise direction. The annular cam rings 35, 36 as well as annular portion of the fork are formed with aligned through openings to receive pins 44 to attach the cam rings to the fork. Cam ring 36 is formed in its outer surface with a cam groove 36a; whereas the cam ring 35 is formed at its outer surface with a cam groove 35a, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The

grooves

35a, 36a. are offset from each other as shown in the drawing. The cam ring 35 is an intake cam and cam ring 35 is an exhaust cam.

Fixed to wall 21 is a valve 50. Valve 55 comprises a body 5| formed with a flange 52 contacting wall 21 and bolted thereto. Body5| is furthermore formed with a transverse chamber 53 and with a smaller chamber 54 aligned with one end of chamber 53. Between

chambers

53, 54 is a wall 55 formed with a through opening 56. At opening 56 is a valve seat 51 facing towards chamber 54. The body 5| is formed with an end wall 58 forming one end for chamber 54. The

' can pass to chamber 53.

end wall 58 is formed with a screw threaded opening 53 to receive a plug 60. The body is furthermore formed with an end wall 6| forming one end of chamber 53 and with an end wall 62 aligned with wall 55. Walls 55, 52 form a wall for chamber 53 opposite to wall 5|. Wall 5| is formed with a through opening 65 aligned with opening 55. Extending through openings 55 and 56 is a valve pin 61. Valve pin 6'! is formed with a head 59 adapted to be seated on the seat 57. Interposed between the head 63 and plug 50 is a spring I5 normally urging the head 69 into seated position on the seat 57. In opening 55 is a stuffing box gland The forward end of pin 5'! contacts intake cam 35. When the throttle lever l3 is pulled to open the throttle, pin 5'! rides on cam 36 to open the passage 56.

Wall 6| is formed with a through opening having a. valve seat 15 facing towards chamber 53. Wall 52 is formed with a screw threaded opening closed by a screw plug TI. Extending through the opening 15 is a valve pin I8 formed with a valve seat portion 19 adapted to be seated on the valve seat 16. Interposed between the head 19 and the plug 1'! is an annular compressed spring 39 which normally urges the pin 18 towards seated position. When the valve 57 is open, pin 18 rides in the groove 35a of the exhaust cam 35 and is closed by spring 89.

The top wall 8| of the valve body 5| is formed with an opening communicating with chamber 54 to which is connected a pipe or conduit 82. Said wall is furthermore formed with an opening communicating with chamber 53 to which is attached a pipe or conduit 83. Air under pressure is supplied to pipe 82. When the valve 61 is closed as shown in Fig. 2, no air under pressure However, when the valve 5'! is open, air under pressure passes from chamber 5 through opening 56 to chamber 53. When the valve 18 is open, air pressure in chamber 53 dissipates through opening 15 to the atmosphere.

As the throttle lever I3 is moved to the right towards closing position, it will engage finger ii to rotate the fork and the cam rings clockwise, thereby permitting spring 10 to close valve pin 51 and open valve pin 18. Such position is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

For the purpose hereinafter appearing, there is mounted on the bottom wall 25 of bracket 2|, a cylinder 90. The bottom wall 25 may be formed with a pair of longitudinal slots 9|. Cylinder has a flat bottom surface 92 formed with threaded openings to receive studs 93 projecting through the opening 9|. The cylinder 90 may thus be adjusted longitudinally of the bracket. Said cylinder 90 has an end wall 95 at one end formed with a through opening 96. At the other end of the cylinder 90 is a screw threaded opening 91. Screwed thereto is a plug or cover 98. The pipe 83 is connected to the cylinder 90 and communicates with the interior thereof adjacent its end 98. Within the cylinder is an internal shoulder 99. Slidably mounted within the cylin der is a piston I09 provided with a piston rod |9| projecting through the opening 96. The piston rod ||l| is formed with an internal screw threaded opening in which is screwed an adjusting stud I52. The stud I92 has a head I03 adapted to engage the finger or arm 39 of the fork. Within the cylinder and surrounding the piston rod H is a coil compression spring I95 which urges the piston to the left, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The operation ofthe device will now be described. The fork 31 and lever I3 are normally in the position shown in Fig. 1. In such position, valve pin 61 is closed, and valve pin I8 is open. Thus the spring I 05 moves the piston to the left as the pressure from the cylinder BDis exhausted through conduit 83, chamber 53, and passage I5. Pressure from conduit 82 passes to chamber 54 but since valve pin 61 is closed, air under pressure cannot pass to chamber 53. When the lever is moved to open the throttle, the fork moves to the position shown in Fig. 5 thereby opening valve pin 61 and closing valve pin I8. Air under pressure then passes to chamber 53, through conduit B3, to the cylinder 90 to move the piston I to the right against the pressure of spring I05. When the lever I3 is again moved toward closing position, it will engage finger 4| to rotate the fork in a clockwise direction, but before the throttle is fully closed, finger 39 strikes the stud I03 which momentarily stops further movement of the lever. In this position, however, valve pin 6'! closes, and valve pin I8 opens so that the supply of pressure to the cylinder is shut, and the compressed air therein escapes through conduit 83 and passage I5 thereby permitting the spring I05 to move the piston I00 to the left. The throttle lever may then be moved further toward fully closing position at any time after it is stopped.

In Figs. 8 to 12 there is shown a modified form of the fork and cams. In said fingers, bracket 2I is illustrated, and the same is shown provided with an upstanding car 28 formed with a screw threaded opening 29. Screwed thereto is a shaft larged flange I I3 formed with a polygonal knob or head I I 4. Rotatably mounted on the cylindrical portion III is a fork H5. said fork comprises a sleeve IIG rotatably mounted on the shaft portion II I. The sleeve II6 extends from the flange I I3 to car 28. Integrally formed with said sleeve is a downwardly projecting finger II'I disposed centrally of the sleeve. There also extends upwardly from the central portion of the sleeve, a pair of diverging fingers H8 and H9. The finger I I9 may extend upwardly above finger II8. Between the fingers IIS and III] is a web portion I formed with a rectangular recess or slot I2I. The slot I2I has a bottom wall or surface I 22. transverse angular groove I26. The web is furthermore formed with a central blind opening I21 communicating with the midportion of the groove I26, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Said bottom surface I22 is furthermore formed on opposite sides of the opening I21 with a pair of parallel screw threaded openings I28. Rotatably mounted on sleeve I I6 and on opposite sides of the fingers is a pair of cams I30, I3I. Cam I is an intake cam, whereas cam I3I is an exhaust cam. They are formed with grooves similar to grooves 36a, a. of the

cams

36, 35. Said cams are furthermore formed at part of their outer surfaces, with ratchet teeth I30a, I3Ia, respectively. Mounted in the groove I26 is a pawl I35 adapted to engage the teeth of the cams I30, I3I.

Within the recess or slot |2I is a block I36 attached to the fork by screws I31 engaging the threads of the openings I28. The block I36 is Said bottom Wall I22 is formed with a formed with an angular transverse groove I33 to receive the pawl I35. Within the opening I21 is a coil compression spring I contacting the underside of the pawl I35. Said pawl may be formed with a central flat to be engaged by the spring M0. The position of the cams may be adjusted by loosening screws I31 to permit lifting of pawl I35 and block I36 by spring I40. After the cams are rotated to the desired angle, the screws may again be tightened so that the pawl may engage the teeth of said cams. The position of the

cam grooves

36a, 35a, may thus be properly adjusted.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a vertical type throttle lever assembly well known in the art. This assembly includes a lever I4I pivoted as at I42. Connected to the lever is a rod I43 which is connected to the throttle. Fixed to the bracket I 44 is an arcuate plate I45 and attached thereto is a bracket I46 to which the bracket 2| may be fixed in the position shown in Fig. 7 with the lever I M between the fingers of the fork.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be 'made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a rotatably mounted fork having a pair of diverging fingers, an arm on said fork, a cylinder, a piston within the cylinder, means on the piston to engage said arm, means to supply compressed air to one end of the cylinder to move the piston in one direction to a predetermined position in the path of movement of said arm, spring means to urge the piston in an opposite direction, and means actuated by the fork to control the supply of compressed air to the cylinder.

2. In combination, a rotatably mounted fork having a pair of diverging fingers, an arm on said fork, acylinder, a piston within the cylinder, means on the piston to engage said arm, means to supply compressed air to one end of the cylinder to move the piston in one direction to a predetermined position in the path of movement of said arm, spring means to urge the piston in an opposite direction, and means actuated by the fork to control the supply of compressed air to the cylinder, and means actuated by said fork to permit the exhaust of compressed air from said cylinder.

3. In combination, a bracket, a shaft on the bracket, a fork rotatably mounted on the shaft, said fork having a pair of diverging fingers, and an arm, a cylinder on said bracket, a piston in the cylinder, means on the piston to engage said arm, an air valve on said bracket, said air valve said fork having a pair of diverging fingers, and an arm, a cylinder on said bracket, a piston in the cylinder, means on the piston to engage said arm, an air valve on said bracket, said air valve comprising a pair of chambers, means to supply compressed air to one chamber, a conduit connecting one end of the cylinder to the other chamber, a valve pin controlling the passage of air from the first chamber to the second chamber, a valve pin controlling the exhaust of air from said second chamber, means on said fork to control said valve pins, and means to adjust the positions of said controlling means relative to said fork.

5. In a combination, a bracket having an ear, a shaft mounted on the ear, afork comprisingasleeve rotatably mounted on the shaft, a pair of diverging fingers projecting upwardly from said sleeve, an arm projecting downwardly from the sleeve, a pair of cam rings rotatably mounted on the sleeve, means to fix said cam rings to said sleeve in various adjusted positions, means to engage said arm, and means controlled by said cam rings to release said engaging means.

6. In combination with the throttle lever of a steam locomotive, a member adapted to engage opposite sides of the lever, and to be moved in one direction upon moving the lever towards one position, and in an opposite direction upon moving the throttle lever to a second position, means to abut said member when it is moved by the lever as said lever is moved toward said first position, at a point just short of said first position, compressed air means to retain the abutting means in abutting position, means controlled by said member to supply compressed air to the compressed air means, and further to shut ofi supply of compressed air to said compressed air means.

7. In combination with the throttle lever of a steam locomotive, a member adapted to engage opposite sides of the lever, and to be moved in one direction upon moving the lever towards one position, and in an opposite direction upon moving the throttle lever to a second position, means to abut said member when it is moved by the lever as said lever is moved toward said first position, at a point just short of said first position, compressed air means to retain the abutting means in abutting position, means controlled by said member to supply compressed air to the compressed air means, and further to shut off supply of compressed air to said compressed air means, and means controlled by said member to exhaust air under pressure from said compressed air means.

8. Incombinationwith a throttlelever of asteam locomotive, means for stopping the lever, as the lever is moved towards one position, at a point somewhat short of said position, and means controlled by the stopping means to automatically release said stopping means to permit the lever to be thereafter moved to said position, and means to regulate the stopping point for said lever.

9. In combination with a movable member, means for stopping said member, as the member is moved towards one position, at a point somewhat short of said position, and means controlled by the stopping means to automatically release said stopping means to permit the member to be thereafter moved to said position, and means to regulate the stopping point for said member.

CHARLES STERN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the (.le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS