US334680A - Spark arrester and conductor - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) ssh etssheet 1.

T. J. SIMPSON.

SPARK ARRESTER-AND CONDUCTOR. No; 334,680. Patented Jan; 19, 1886;

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, T. J. SIMPSON.

SPARK ARRESTER AND CONDUCTOR.

v No. 334,680. Patented Jan. 1.9, 1886.

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(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 19, 1886.

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- being had to the accompanying drawings,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. SIMPSON, OF YVORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA.

SPARK ARRESTER AND CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION fcrming part ofLetters Patent No. 334,680, dated January 19, 188 5.

Application filed October 7, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs J. SrMPsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Worthington, in the county of Nobles and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Spark-Arresters and SmokeConductors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for arresting the sparks and conducting away the smoke, gas, soot, &c.,issuing through whereby the passengers andmerchandise in a train may be saved from the inconvenience and danger of injury or destruction by reason from the locomotive passing into or upon the cars or other railroad rolling-stock.

My invention also greatly aids to prevent local conflagrations caused by the ejection of incandescent particles from locomotives while passing through fields orland, or in'the neighborhood of houses or other buildings during the dry or heated season.

To these ends myinvention consists, broad l y, in first conducting the sparks, smoke, 850., from the smoke stack of the locomotive through a flue having a spark box or arrester of peculiar construction, in which the sparks are caught and retained, the smoke, gas, soot, &c., passing on through pipes extending on each side of the steam and sand domes of the locomotive to enter at each eye of a suction and forcing fan, located, preferably, on the rear portion of the locomotive, and preferably op- I erated by a small separate engine in the cab, which receives steam from the steam-dome of the engine proper or main engine. The smoke, gas, soot, &c., are then forced by the said fan through the conducting-tube, which is formed of sections connected by flexible or movable couplings of peculiar construction, over the top of the tender and the several cars, and are finally discharged at the rear end of the train, at which point the conducting-tube is pro- Serial No. 179,229. (No model.)

vided with a shield or protecting'cap of pe culiar construction, which serves to assist the draft'and at the same time protect the rear end of the said tube from the direct force of the wind,which might be blowing in the same direction or at an angle toward the direction in which the train is moving.

My invention further consists in surroundving the said smoke-conducting pipes with larger tubes having flaring forward ends, and arranged in winter to conduct pure vital air,

' which is heated by passing around the smoke- I conducting tubes, into the interior of the cars through avalve or duct opening from the said vital-air pipes into the cars'at points near the roof of the same. the smoke stack of railroad locomotives,

My invention further consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the re- Zversible damper, which will be hereinafter 1 described.

of the incandescent or other cinders and smoke l My invention likewise consists in utilizing the exhaust-steam by conveying it in suitable pipes to the smoke-conducting tube, which it enters immediately to the rear of the exhaust and forcing fan, thereby materially increasing couplings (which are shown as arranged in winter) being shown partly in elevation and partly in section, and parts of the outer casing of the cars and tender being broken away to illustrate the construction and arrangement of the several parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the couplings in summer. Fig. 3 is a perspective top view of the locomotive, showing 5 more clearly the arrangement of the double smoke-conducting pipes and the adjacent parts. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of the shield or protecting-cap, which is secured to the rear end of the smoke-conducting IOO tube; and Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional detail views of two of the couplings, which will be hereinafter described.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the locomotive, B the tender, and (J C the cars, of a train to which my invention is shown as applied. The smoke-stack D of the engine is formed near its lower end and at the point where it communicates with the forward portion of the smoke-conducting tube in which the spark-arrester is situated, with the circular chamber E, in which is centrally pivoted orhungthereversibledainperF. This curved or triangular damper is formed with the two wings G G, which connect at the center at an angle, as shown, the object of this peculiar construction being that when the damper is turned by means of the operatingrod f, running back to the cab, either to cut off exit into the smoke-stack proper and give free access into the smoke-conducting pipe or tube, as shown in full lines in the drawings, or else turned, shown in dotted lines, to close the access into the smoke-conducting tube and open the way to the smokestack of the locomotive, the pressure of the smoke, &c., against the outer convex side of the said damper will operate to force it and hold it more closely in its operative position, thereby giving it great efliciency in operation, as will be readily understood.

The sparks, smoke, gas, &c., pass, when the reversible damper is in its normal position, as shown in full lines in the drawings, into that portion of the conductingtube immediately adjoining the said circular chamber, and in which the spark boX or arrester is located. This box H is of the peculiar form shown in the drawings, having the perpendicular front side and thesloping rear side. It will be seen that as the sparks, together with the smoke, &c., pass up through the circular chamber E they will strike against the top of the flue or tube nearly over the spark-box, and will be thrown either directly down into the said spark-box, or, striking against its perpendicular front side, will then fall to the bottom thereof.

Immediately in front of the spark-box the smoke-conducting tube is divided; or two tubes, K K, are employed, one extending on each side of the steam and sand domes, as shown in the perspective view, Fig. 3, of the drawings, the combined capacity of these two tubes being fully as great, or greater, than the capacity of the smoke-stack.

On the rear portion of the locomotive is situated a suction and forcing fan, I, turning in a suitable i'an-chamber, J, and receiving power, )rel'erably, from a small separate engine in the cab, which in turn receives steam from the steam dome of the engine. Ido not wish to confine myself to any particular method of operating the said fan, as such method forms no part of my invention. The rear inwardlycurved ends of the two conducting-tubes K K communicate directly with each eye of the fan,

as shown in the perspective view, each eye of 70 the fan being surrounded with the usual circular opening.

The exhaust-steam is led from each side of the locomotive through suitable pipes, L L, and admitted into the discharge-tube M of the fan on each side thereof, as shown, the said discharge-tube of the fan forming a part of the smokeconducting tube proper. It will be seen that by this arrangement I utilize the exhauststeam, the discharge of which through the corn ductingtube serves to materially increase the draft through the said tube, and would serve to create a certain amount of draft through the said tube even if the fan were not in motion.

The open end of the dischargetube M of the fan is flexibly or movably connected, by means of the peculiar coupling device, which will be now described, to the forward end of the first section of the Sll'lOkG-COlldllCilllg tube, the said tube being made in sections, one for each ear and for the tender, being supported on the tops thereof, as shown. Each end of each of the sections of the said smoke conducting tube is provided with an ontwardly-extendiug circular flange, N, which may be formed integral with the pipe, or may consist of a flaring collar. secured in position by suitable pins or screws, as shown in the detail view, Fig. 5, of the drawings. The adjacent flanged ends of twosections of the smoke conducting tube are moi-ably connected, yet in such a manner as to prevent any escape of smoke, &c., at the point of coupling, by means of the coupling device 0, which consists of a sleeve or short.

tube of such a diameter as to fit around the flanged ends of the tube sections and prevent the escape of smoke, 830., therefrom, being held in its operative position by the springcatchesl? P, which, while holding the coupling-sleeve in its operative position, and preventing the ends of the tubes from slipping or working out of the same, yet are so arranged as to permit of considerable movement of the ends of the sections inside of the couplingsleeve as the train rocks and swings from side to side when in motion. These spring catches P are preferably constructed ofa single springbar, Q, pivoted at its center upon the top of the coupling-sleeve, and provided, near each of its free ends, with a catch, It, which extends down through asuitable opening in the said sleeve near the end of the same, and there by prevents the flanged ends of the tube-sections from working out of the said coupling. The interior diameter of the coupling-sleeve being exactly equal to the diameter of the flanges on the ends of the tube-sections, it will be seen that no matter how much the ends of the tubesections may move in the couplings while the train is in motion, yet nosmoke, 820., will be able to escape. The coupling is surrounded and inclosed in a-sack, S, of asbestus or other non-combustible material, which is held in position at each end by the adjustable circularhoops or fastening devices T T, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be understood that the contiguous ends of all the sections of the smoke-conducting tubes are connected by the above-described coupling.

, Each sectionofthe smoke conducting tube which extends over a car is inclosed in atube, U, of larger diameter, which I prefer to denominate, for the sake of clcarness, as pureair or vital-air tubes,each of the said vitalair tubes being formed at its forward end with the flaring mouth-piece V, which serves to, in a manner, collect the pure vital air when the train is in motion. The rear end of each vital air tube is in winter closed byacap, W, which, as shown, fits closely around the smaller smoke-conducting tube, and also around the rear end of the vital-air pipe, thereby completely closing the rear end of the said pipe.

Each vital-air pipe communicates through a small duct or flue, near its rear end, with the interior of the car, each of the said ducts or flues being controlled by a valve, X,. which is adapted to be opened inwinter and closed in summer. It will be seen that when the train is inmotion the pure vital air will enter the flaring mouth of each vital-air pipe, and passing through the same through the space between the said outer pipe and the inclosed smoke-conducting pipe or tube will become heated by contact with the said inclosed smoke-pipe, and this pure heated air will be then discharged through the flues Y into the interior of the car, thereby effectually venti lating the cars and furnishing them in winter with much needed pure, vital, and warmed air. 1

To the rear end of the rear section of the smoke-conducting tube is secured the shield or protecting-cap Z, as shown, having the straight sides and the upward and outwardly slanting back, the top or upper edge of which extends somewhat above the mouth ofthe rear tube-section. The object of this protectioncap is to prevent the wind from blowing into the end of the smoke-conducting tube, which would prevent or obstruct the, draft, and also to give an upward direction to the smoke, which is accomplished by the slanting back of the said cap. The arrow, which I have numbered lin Fig. l of the drawings, shows how the air would pass down the rearv slanting end of the said cap. Arrow No. 2 shows how the packed air would be drawn up through the said cap, and arrow No. 3 shows the direct-ion taken bythe smoke and steam when issuing from the conductor-tube, from which it will be seen that the air passing up through the eap,asjust described, (owing to the peculiar construction of the said cap,) will materially assist in directing the course taken by the Smoke and steam on its exit from the conveyer or conductor tube.

The caps which in winter serve to close the rear ends of the vital-air pipes arein summer removed, and a flaring mouthpiece, A, is secured to the rear end of each of the said pipes, the valves X of the dues Y being closed to prevent the heated air from entering the cars, which,of course, is undesirable in summer. This arrangement is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings- It will be seen that by this arrangement the air passing in summer rapidly through the entire space between the two pipes and escaping at the rear end of the pure-air pipe will operate to cool the exterior of the smoke and gas tube, and thereby prevent it from heating the upper portion of the cars.

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the smoke-conducting tube is provided immediately above the spark box with a port or opening, B, which is normally closed by a slide-valve, O, operated by means of a rod, D, from the cab of the 10- comotive. The object of this arrangement is as follows: When the train nears a station and begins to slow up, the engineer reverses the damper, (which has been previously described,) so as to cause the smoke, &c., to

- pass up through and out of the smoke-stack, and at the same time pulls the rod D to open the slide-valve C. The pure air then rushes in through the-port or opening B,and through the influence of the suction and forcing fan and the exhaust-steam passes entirely through the smoke-conducting tube, so as to effectually clear the same from all smoke, gas, soot, &c., as will be readily understood.

The spark-box, previously described, is formed with an opening at its bottom, which is normally closed by a slide, E, so that by opening the said slide the cinders are permitted to roll down into any suitable receptacle.

The smoke-conducting tube by its peculiar construction .and its air tight flexible couplings becomes an air-tight tub,e,with no outside air-currents entering therein, and when smoke inside of this air-tight tube are made to move in the opposite direction to that in which the train is going, by reactive force, which will cause a direct air-draft from the furnace, this draft being assisted by the combined suction and forcing fan, and, further, by the exhaust-steam, this construction of the smoke-conducting tube producing a smooth strong draft, without any of that objectionable jerking motion which would be caused by the exhaust steam if the smoke-conducting tube were not so constructed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, arrangement of parts, and operation of my invention will be readily understood without requiring further explana tion. The advantages of my invention are obvious. It will be seen that by constructing the train is moving forward the air, gas, and

the reversibly-angnlar damper of the form shown and described, the pressure of the currentof smoke, &c., will operate to press and hold the damper more firmly in its adjusted position. By constructing the spark-box of the peculiar shape shown and described, and locating it at the particular point specified, the sparks and cindcrs will be effectually arrested and prevented from being sucked through the smoke-conducting flue. By conveying the exhaust-steam through suitable pipes into the smoke-conducting tube, as described and shown, I succeed in utilizing the exhaust-steam and cause it to materially assist the draft through the smoke-conducting tube. By employing the combined suction and forcing fan andarranging it in the smokeconducting tube in the manner shown and described, with the double or diverging forward portion of the said tube communicating with the eyes of the fan box or chamber, 1 secure a perfect draft entirely independent of the direction which the wind may be blowing, as no wind enters the smoke conducting tube, as is usually the case. The pcculiarcoupling devices shown for connecting the flanged ends of the smoke-conducting tube-sections allow for all the jar and movement caused by the train when in motion, and at the same time effectually prevent the escape of any smoke, gas, &c., at the points where the sections are coupled together. The peculiarly-arranged vital-air pipes encircling the smoke-conducting tube sections convey pure warmed vital air into the interior of the several cars in winter, thereby assisting in ventilating the same at a season when this pure air is especially needed, all of the doors and windows of the cars being at this season normally closed. The peculiar protecting-cap at the rear end of the smokeconducting tube materially assists the draft or exit of the smoke, 850., and at the same time prevents the wind from blowing into the end of the said tube, as before stated; and, finally,

by constructing the port or opening in the smoke-conducting tubejust above the sparkbox, and providing the said opening with the slide-valve, the smoke-conducting tube may be effectually cleaned by the outer cold air when the train arrives at a station, as previously described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with the locomotive provided with the circular chamber communicating both with the smoke-stack and with the smoke-conducting tube, of the herein-described angular damper, formed of the two wings meeting at an angle to adapt it to be held more firmly in its adjusted position by the pressure of the current of smoke. &c., as the latter enters either the smokestaek or the smoke-conducting tube, substantially as shown and set forth.

,2. The combination, with the smoke-conducting tube for railroad-locomotives and the combined suction and forcing'fan arranged to create or assist the draft through the said tube, of the exhaust-steam pipes arranged to convey the exhaust-steam into the said smokeconducting tube, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the smoke-con ducting tube for railroad-locomotives, of the exhaust-steam pipes arranged to convey-the exhaust-steam into the said smoke-conducting tube, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the smoke-conducting tube for railroad-locomotives and the combined suction and forcing fan arranged to create or assist the draft through the said tube, of the exhauststeam pipes arranged to convey the exhaust-steam from each side of the locomotive and discharge it into the said smoke-conducting tube to the rear of the said fan, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the smoke-stack, of the smoke conducting tube communicating therewith and formed at a point immediately to the rear of its curved forward end with the herein described spark box or arrester having the perpendicular rear side, and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose shown and set forth.

6. The combination of the combined suction and forcing fan located on the rear portion of the locomotive, the double smokeconducting tubes arranged to conduct the smoke, gas, 830., from the smoke-stack of the locomotive and discharge the same into each eye or central end opening of the fan'chamher or casing, and the single smoke-conducting tube extending rearwardly from the said fan, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with the tube-sections having the flanged ends, of the hereindescribed coupling devices, consisting each of a coupling-sleeve of suitable length having its interior diameter exactly equal to the exterior diameter of the said flanged ends of the IIC tubesections, and provided with the springcatches arranged to operate as described, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the tube-sections having the flanged ends and the couplingsleeves having the retaining spring-catches, of the herein-described non-combustible sack or envelope, adapted to be secured in its operative position by the spring hoops or catches secured adjustably around each end of the same, as and for the purpose shown and described.

9. The combination, with the smoke conducting tube, of the herein-described proteeting-cap,secured to the rear open end thereof, and having the slanting back and the open front and top portions, and adapted to operate in the manner and for the purpose shown and set forth.

10. The combination, with the smoke-conducting tube having the spark-box at its forward end and the combined suction and tube to assist the draft, and the exhaust-steam forcing fan arranged, as described, in the said pipes arranged to convey the exhaust-steam tube to create or assist the draft, of the valveinto the said smoke conducting tube, as and 1 controlled port or opening formed immedifor the purpose shown and set forth.

5 ately above the said spark-box in the side of In testimony that I claim the foregoing as the smoke-conducting tube, for the purpose 1 my own I have hereunto affixed my signature set forth. in presence of two witnesses.

11. Thecombinationof thehere'in-described T air-tight smokeconducting tube,communicat- THOMAS SIMPSOI 1o ing at its forward end only with the furnace Witnesses:

of the locomotive, the combined suction and L. B. BENNETT, forcing fan arranged, as described, in the said B. H. BENNETT.

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