US278612A

US278612A - Flue-plugging device

Info

Publication number: US278612A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1900-05-29

Description

. UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

' FRANK SHARP, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FLl JlE-PLUGGING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,612, dated May 29, 1883.' Application filed March 8,1883. (Modem 5Z0 all whom t'tmay concern:

, Be it known that I, FRANK SHARP, of Los .Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a newand useful Improvementin Flue-PluggingDevices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved implement or device'for plugging the fines of locomotive-engine and other boilers when said fiues burst or are ruptured, and while the boilers are at work or in use. An ordinary device used for this purpose consists of a round bar having a rigid socket. at its one end for holding the plug to be inserted in the ruptured tube, while the opposite end of the bar is struck to drive the plug home into said tube. This causes the plug to be tightened also in the socket of the bar, so that when the bar is attempted to be removed from the plug the two ,usually come out together, and, if striking the lug with the bar that has nothing toguide it,

theadjoining flue is apt to be struck, which sometimes causes leakage and serious damage. My invention consists in a plugging device of novel construction in various respects, including an extension-handle,whereby the implement may be lengthened or shortenech as required, and said extension portion made to 30 drive the plug into the ruptured flue, and

whereby the implement is made to firmly hold and drive different-sized plugs; also, the plug lwereadily fitted to its holder, and only the plug which is required to be inserted can be struck by the driver, and the implement is easily detached from the plug after insertion,

. substantially as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a broken longitudinal view of afiue-plugging device, with a plugv as held by it and in position for being inserted within a boiler-flue, which is shown in section. Fig. 2 is a mainly sectional longitudinal view of the same in part. of the implement, and Fig. 4 a side view of the front portion of the same.

A in the drawings is atubular guide or stock,

on the front portion of which is fitted a springclamp or plug-holder, B, having sidejaws, b b,

Fig. 3 is a front end view which projectin front of the forward end of said guide and have flanges c e, that prevent the Y clamp from entering the line 0 and getting wedged between the plug D and inside of the flue. The hollow guide or stock A forms only one portion ofwhatis usually termed the han-t.

dle of the implement.

In the ordinary plugging-bar, what is called the handle is generally too short, inasmuch as it gives the operatorbut little to hold on to when the plug is in proximity to the flue, the usual distance the bar is required to be projected in a locomotive-boiler being from six to nine feet, and'the handle of the bar is limited in length to admit of itstloeing carried crosswise on the back end of the tender of the engine without projecting over the sides thereof, that exposes it to striking elose-passin g trains on side tracks. This difficulty is entirely overcome in my improvement by making the bana long working bar or handle may be obtained,

and yet thesame be contracted within a short length or compass when required, and a good substantial handle, of any desired length, is or may be produced to project the plug into the flue, after which the th um b-screw d is loosened and the operator slides the driving-barA to strike and force the plug D to its place in the flue O. The hollow stock portion A of the handle also acts as a guide and causes the plug to hestruck fair and square by the driver A. Said driver or driving-bar A should be tipped with steel for a certain distance at its forward end and said end cupped, as at e, and tempered to keep it from burring up, and so that it will slide freely through the tubular or guiding portion A'fof the handle. By the cup 6, in the front end of the driving-bar A, said bar is kept from glanciu g from the plugwhen being driven at an angle. The driving-bar A is constructed at its outer end with a swell or head,f, so that when workingthe implement at an angle said driving-bar will have additional weight, and theimplement may either be worked as a whole by tightening the bar A through the screw din a fixed position,or said screw be loosened and the driving-bar be slid'or worked to reach where the whole instrument cannot.

The spring-clamp B, which will fit differentsized plugs, is form ed or provided with asleeve, g, by which it is secured onto the guide A, and the spring-jaws b b, which are to be made of spring-steel and are concave at their outer ends to hold the plug, are attached to said sleeve. Said spring-clamp not only firmly holds the plug, but, after insertion of the plug, admits of the implement being readily drawn back or removed without carrying the plug along with it, and without straining on the flue-sheet.

The thumb-screw (1 serves to hold the driving-bar in place both when the implement is in use and when it is notin use; or it may be loosened as hereiubefore described, when using the instrument.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a device for plugging boiler-fines, the combination ofa tubular stock or guide having an attached plug holder or clamp, a drivingbar fitted to work longitudinally within said the tubular guide or stock A and driving-bar A, substantially as specified.

4. In a plugging device for boiler-fines, the driving-bar A, having a cup, 0, at its forward end, in combination with the tubular guide or stock A, having an attached plug holder or clamp, essentially as described.

5. In a plugging device for boiler'flues, the

combination of the tubular guide or stock A,

the spring plug-holding clamp B, the cupped driving-bar A, and the thumb-screw 01, substantially as specified.

' FRANK SHARP. Witnesses:

JOHN D. MURPHY,

CHARLES S. SELLS.