US420132A - Steam-heating apparatus for railway-cars - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' a Sheets-Sheet 1.- G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr. STEAM HEATING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS. No. 420,132.

OI W 9 8 1 a: W 2 W a U d e t n m A a u w mww mm A X 2 t 8 8 h S .w e 8 h S 3 J B S U 0 H G N I T S W G M d 0 M O STEAM HEATING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY UARS;

Patented Jan. 28

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr.

' STEAM HEATING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 420,182. Patented Jan. 28, 1890.

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PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR., or rr'r'rsnune, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-HEATING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent NO. 420,132, dated January 28, 1890.

Application filed Novemberl 1886. Serial No. 2] 9,354. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W'ESTING- HOUSE, Jr., residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and uscfulImprovements in Steam-Heating Apparatus for Rail way-Oars, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The object of my invention, which is more particularly designed for application to railway-cars, is to provide a heating apparatus whereby any desired temperature within a wide range of variation may be maintained with substantial uniformity throughout the interior of a railway-oar or other closed space for the reception and accommodation of a number of persons, such apparatus being readily and conveniently applicable to the ordinary standard constructions, and having the capacity of speedily raising the temperature to the proper degree, and of automatic as well as hand regulation for the maintenance of a desired and determined temperature.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in certain novel devices and combinations including a steam-boiler of special construction located exterior to a railway-car or other compartment, a series of air-heating pipes receiving heat therefrom, a series of steam-heating pipes supplied with steam therefrom, mechanism for supplying fuel to the steam-generator, and a thermostatic device for regulating the supply of the steamheating pipes.

, The improvements claimed are hereinafter fully set forth.

The difficulty, if not the substantial impracticability, of maintaining a proper and desirable degree of heat in railway-cars with the devices heretofore employed is a matter of common knowledge and a continual source of discomfort and complaint with the large proportion of the community which constitutes the traveling public. Stoves or other heating devices placed in the inside of a car are objectionable, among other reasons, because of the space which they occupy and of the fact that they render the portion of the car adjacent to them unduly Warm if .the remaindcr is sufliciently heated; and the prominent objection which has obtained to carheating apparatus of all descriptions .is that if made of sufficient capacity to answer the ively to maintain lower degrees of temperature as from time to time are desired, and under all conditions of action can be regulated with practical accuracy to the service required.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a railway-car, illustrating the application of my invention, the car-body being shown in section; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same and plan view of the fioorwith the seats removed; Fig. 3, a sec tional view of the car-body illustrating more particularly the arrangement of the thermostatic devices; Fig. 4, a horizontal section through the same; Fig. 5, a longitudinal central section through one of the thermostats; Fig. 6, a similar section through the steamboiler and its accessories; Figs. 7 and 8, transverse sections through the same'atthe lines :0 a: and y 3 respectively, of Fig. 6; Fig. 9, a transverse section through one of the coal chutes, and Fig. 10 ahorizontal section through a portion of the same.

In the practice of my invention, which is herein shown as applied to a passenger-car of the construction which is standard on the railroads of the United States, the steamboilcr by which. heat is generated is located below the car-body l and in any convenient position between the trucks 2. The boiler 3, which is properly secured to the sills 4 of the car, is preferably of cylindrical form, and is provided with a fire'pot or furnace 5, which is substantially similar to that set forth in Letters Patent No. 914,522, granted to W. C. Baker July 19, 1881, and does not of itself constitute part of my present invention. The fire-pot 5,. which is fitted witha proper grate 6, incloses the lower half of the boiler 3 for the major portion of its length, and the products of combustion pass from the fire-pot thrmgh'a watebh-eati n g fine 7, extending horn zontali'y through the boiler below its cen- The air required to supply the car is admitted through openings in the lower end of the casing 9, and passes upwardly around the 'tubes of the preliminary air-heater S, into and through a supplemental air-heater 11, which consists of a series of tubes passing through the steam-space of the boiler and serves toimpart heat to the air by what is commonly called indirect heating. Instead of taking in air directly at the bottom of. the casing 9, as shown, a pipe-connection maybe made to the casing and airbe admitted thereto from the roof orot-her preferred location, suitable screens or filtering devices being provided for the exclusion of dust and cinders. From the tubes of the heater 8 the air passes'int-o a box or case 12, communicating with their delivery ends, and thence passes in to the car by an upwardly-extcnding low the seats governed by suitable doors or valves 14.

The boiler 3 is provided with a safety-valve 1, loaded to a determined safe pressure, andis supplied with water through a lateral filling-tube lei, having a screw-cap 15 on its outer end, and a water-cock 16, which is opened when the boiler is being filled, is'located at or slightly below the center line of'the boiler, it-being desirable that water should not be carried above that level in order to obviate liability to damage from freezin The pressure of steam is indicated by a gage placed in any convenient position in the car.

The grate 6, which may be of any suitable and preferred construction, is adapted to be rocked or shaken by arod 17, extending to the interior of the car, andis located above a closed ash-pan 18, having hinged doors 19- for the admission of air and removal of ashes.

The fire-pot and boiler are inclosed in a suitable non-conducting casing 20, to prevent radiation of heat, and the supply .of fuel to the fire-pot is effected through apair of inclined coal-chutes 21, leading from the firepot to the sides of the car and'provided with doors 22 at their outer and upper ends. A sliding plate or frame 23 rests upon the bottom of each of the coal-chutes 2 l, and partly supports the fuel which is placed therein, said plate or frame being adapted to be ation of steam.

line or lines 1 3, having discharge-openin gs be-' shaken or moved back and forth, to feed coal into the fire-pot as required, by a rod 24, extending into the car and operated by a handle or wrench. The rod 2; is coupled by links 25 26 to the plate or frameflll, as shown in Fig. 10, or in any similar manner. A corrugated plate 27 is titted against the inside of the top of each coal-chute, the corrugations of the plate providing passages from the. outer ends of the chutes to the 'fire-pot, through which air may be admitted above the body of coal in the chutes when their outer end doors are opened. A damper-regulator 28 of any'suitable construction is connected by a pipe with the steam-space of the boiler, and the weighted arm of said regulator is coupled by a cord 0. chain 29 to one of the doors 10 of the ashpan 18. It isalso connected by, a cord or chain 30, passing around a guide-pulley, or by a rod mechanism to the door 22 of one of the coal-chutes 21. As the steam-pressure in the boiler 3 rises or falls, as the case may be, above or below a determined point, the weighted regulator-arm closes or opens the ash pan door to shut off or admit air below the grate and the coal-chute door t( shut ofi or admit air above the fire, and correspondingly varies as required the degree of combustion and consequent gener- The standard pressure carried in the boiler, may be varied, as from time to time desired, by proper adjustments of the weight on the arm of the regulator, said weight acting in opposite direction to the pressure of the steam upon the piston or diaphragm of the regulator. Instead of the ash-pan door, other suitable openings may be governed by the damper-regulator.

The steam generated in the boiler passes therefrom by a steam-supply pipe 31, leading outof the steam-space of the boiler through the casing 9 into transverse-pi; es 32, connected to the pipe 3l'and extending across the car below its bottom, said pipes being turned upwardly at their outer ends and entering the car adjacent to its sides, where they are connected each to a longitudinal steam-heating pipe 33, extending the entire lengthof the car a short distance above the floor. The connection of the supply-pipes and heating-pipes is preferably effected, as shown, by means of stop-valves 34, each having a lower opcningin its case com- 32,.and two lateral openings, each connnunieating with a section of one of the heating-pipcs 33. Steam maybe shut off from either or both, of the heating-pipes by the stop-valves whenever desired. A T-piece 35, into which a section-of heating-pipe 3G is se cured, maybe connected to each of the heatingpipcs below each seat of the car in order to increase, as far as practicable, t-hcarea of heating-surface. The supply and heating pipes are all arranged to drain in the direc- IXO '120 municating with one of the supply-pipes the preliminary and supplemental air-heat ers. In moderate weather, when the heated air admitted through the air-flue is found to be sufiicient to warm the car, the stop-valves of the steam-heating pipes maybe closed,thereby eliminating the heating action of the steam. Instead of one stop-valve on each side of the car, as shown, two may be employed, so that one-quarter only of the entire area of steam-heating surface may be rendered operative, as at the front end of the car, which is ordinarily the coldest portion.

The application of my improvements embodies the advantages of utilizing the direct calorific action of the products of. combustion in the manner of a common hot-air heater with a regulated admission of heat, the re- (luetion of the temperature of the waste pro-. ducts greatly lessening danger from fire, and of also equally heating all portions of the car by means of steam, which, as is well known, can be readily distributed throughout every portion of a car or apartment. Provision is made for utilizing all or a desired portion or portions of the steam-heating surface, and the action of the heating appliances may be automatically regulated by the temperature of the ear, and is also subject to regulation by hand whenever and to such extent as may be deemed necessary or desirable. Theboiler, fire-pot, and preliminary air-heater should be thoroughly protected against loss of heat by radiation by non-conducting coverings as commonly employed for that purpose, and the smoke-pipe 10, which, for convenience of illustration is shown as a single pipe, is ordinarily made double with an air-space, and is then thoroughly protected by a fire-proof covering. It has been found in practice that by reason of the thorough utilization of the calorific power of the fuel a very low rate of combustion and small consumption of fuel suliiee to warm a-car on the coldest day. The pressure carried in the boiler may be a comparatively high and constant onesay from twenty to thirty poundsand this may be maintained even in the, most moderate weather without causing the temperature of the car to be in excess of the required degree.

In the application ofthe apparatus to hotel and buitet cars, a separate steam-pipe is connected'below the stop'valves 3i for the purpose of enabling the cooking, roasting, &c.,'to be done by steam heat, as is now commonly practiced, such auxiliary pipe and the cooking devices being arranged to return the water of condensation to the boiler, and as all the steam devices can be thoroughly protected against loss from radiation there will be no undue heat in the car even in summer.

The filling-pipe 14: maybe provided with a branch, whereby the boiler can be filled from the inside of the ear, and a hand-pump may be used for filling, or water may be forced into the boiler under pressure when desired and boilers for heating the same by steam or hot water have heretofore been located below the body of the car, and am further aware that it has been proposed to inclose a hotwater heating-furnace so located in a box or casing provided with radiators for the ad mission of hot air from said box to the car.

Such devices, broadly, I therefore disclaim.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a railway-car, of a steam-boiler located below the body of the car, a series of steam-heating pipes arranged within the car for heating by radiation, a

valve-connection to the boiler, a preliminary air-heater connected with the boiler in position to be traversed by the products of combustion of the boiler-furnace, a supplemental air-heater located within the steam-space of the boiler, and an air-supply flue leading from the supplemental heater to the interior of the car, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a railway-car or other apartment, of a steam-boile r, a series of steam-heating pipes communicating with the boiler, a compressed-air reservoir, one or more thermostat devices, each actuating a valve controlling the admission of air to and. its discharge from the steam-heating pipes, and pipes connecting the thermostat valve chamber with the air-reservoir and steam-heating pipes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a railway-car, of an auxiliary reservoir or other portion of an air-brake mechanism adapted to contain air under pressure, a steam-boiler, a series of steam-heating pipes extending thr )u'gh the interior of the car and communicating with the steam-space of the boiler, a t ermostatvalve working in a case having m air-discharge opening, a passage comn unicating with the steam-heating pipes, and a passage communicating with the auxiliary reservoir or other portion of the air-brakemechanism containing air-under pressure, said valve governing the admission of air from the brake mechanism to the steam-heating pipes and the discharge of air therefrom, and a thermostat having a piston or diaphragm which imparts movement to the thermostatvalve, substantially as set forth.

a. The combination, with a railway-car, of a steam-boilerlocatcd below the body of the c r, a coal-chute having a capacity beyond that required for one charge of the boiler IIO tion of the boiler. so that water of condensation. may freely return thereto as condensation of steam takes place in the pipes. To admit of the escape of air from the steamheating pipes suitable self-closing emissionvalves, adapted to be closed by increase of temperature, may be fitted upon the ends of the heating-pipes farthest from the supplypipes; or the air may be discharged by ordinary valves or cocks 47, to be opened and closed-by hand.

In order to automatically regulate the degree of heat imparted from the heating-pipes by the standard temperature of the interior of the car a thermostat 37 is employed, which accords substantially in principle and structof a spring 40.

me with that set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 353,186, dated November 23, 1886, and which is shown in Fig. 5. The thermostat 37 consists of a chamber or vessel, which 'is filled with alcohol, benzine, or other non-freezing liquid possessing a comparatively high degree of expansibility under variations of temperature, and closed at one end by a piston or diaphragm 38, abutting against a follower 39, which is moved in one direction by theexpansion of the liquid in the chamber and in the other by the tension 'lhe follower 39 is fixed upon a stem 41, the opposite end of which carries a valve 42, governing a pipe 43, leading to one of the steam-heating pipes and controlling communication between the pipe 43 and a pipe 44, leading to the auxiliary reservoir 45 ct the air-brake mechanismor to any other convenient portion thereof containing air under pressure, as well as between the pipe 43 arid an air-discharge passage 45. The thermostat is provided with a regulating device 46, by which it may be adjusted to mairitain any desired temperature, and forthe purpose of preventing the liquid in its closed chamber from being eifected by the direct action of the steam in the heater-pipes the valve 42 is located as far as practicable from the chamber. Acheck-valve is placed in the pipe 44:, leading to the auxiliary reservoir, to prevent access of water of condensation from the steam-heath] g pipes to the air-brake mechanism, and an ordinary self closing discharging device may also be connected to the pipe 44, and a stop-cocl may be also provided for v ai r from the pipes being accompanied by the passage thereinto of an equivalent volume of steam from the boiler. The thermostat is adjusted for the temperature desired-as, say, Fahrenheit-and in such position the valve 42 closes communication between the 70 or the other direction, the effect of a fall of temperature being to move it toward the liquid-chamber of the thermostat and allow a portion of the air to escape from the heaterture the thermostat-valve 42 is moved in one pipe, thereby giving room for steam to take its place. Upon increase of temperature the valve 42 is moved in the opposite direction, admitting air from the-auxiliary reservoir 45 to the heater-pipe and forcing back the steam to the boiler until the temperature is sufficiently reduced to cause the valve to be moved back into the position required to maintain the desired temperature in the car.

In the operation of the apparatus a fire of charcoal or kindling Wood is built upon the grateor the fire-pot, and the coal-chutes are filled'with fuel, which is preferably anthracite coal or coke. The products of combustion surround the lower portion of the boiler and pass through its lower fire-tube and 5 through the tubes of the preliminary airheater in the air receiving casing to the smoke-pipe, which discharges in any convenient location. As soon as the fire is started, heat is imparted to thetubes of the preliminary air-heater and from their surfaces to the air passing into the car, such heating-action being exerted before there is any perceptible elevation of the temperature of the water in the boiler, so thatthe car begins to receive a moderate degree of warmth immediately upon the starting of the fire. As the boiler becomes further heated, and before steam is generated, a correspondinglygreater degree of heat is imparted to the no air in its passage through the tubes of the supplemental heaten'which extend through the steam-space of the boiler. As steam is generated, it flows from the boiler to the steam-heating pipes in the car, and, if the stopvalves are opened, enters said pipes, filling them to their ends as soon as the air is expelled. \Vhen the steam-pressure in the boiler reaches its determined limit, the damp'er-regulator automatically closes the ash-pan door, and, if the closure of draft thereby does not sufficiently reduce thepressure, subsequently opens one of the coalehute doors and admits a current of cold air above the fire, these operations being reversed in accordance with reduction of pressure. During such period as the stop-valves are opened and steam fills the entire system of steam-heating pipes a moderate pressure in the boiler will suffice to furnish heat in the coldest weather, and this= may be supplemented by air heated in its passage through to the interior of the car, suhstgmbially as qet forth.

Iu testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

Witnesses: Y

J. SNOWDEN BELL, R. H. WHIT'ILESEY.

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