US43484A - Improvement in variable exhausts for locomotives - Google Patents

Description

N. PETERS. PHOTO-{.rrMoGRAFNER, WASHINGTON, D, cy

l UNITEDv STATES ATENT einen.

IMPROVEMENTV IN VARIABLE EXHAUSTSFOR LOCOMOTIVES. l

Speciiicationformng part of Letters Patent No. @SASL dated July 12, 1864.

the art to make and use the same, referenceV bing had io the accompanying drawings,

-forming part of this specification, in which- Figures l and2 are vertical sections at right angles to each other of the apparatus by which the exhaust is varied. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of one of the expanding nozzles near its base.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide for the contraction and enlargementof the exhaust-outlets without breaking or changing the direction of the ascending column or columns of steam; and to thisend it consists, principally, in the employment of expanding and contracting nozzles or cones composed of staves of steel or other` metal firmly secured at their lower ends to suitable sockets, and having their upper parts constructed to overlap each other in such manner as to enable them to be drawn together equally toward and to move outward equally from a common center.

It consists in certain means for producing the contraction of the sofconstructed cones or nozzles, and of preventing anycollection or settlement of dirt or ashes around'their exte' riors.

A is a stationary box-like vase, intended to be arranged within the smoke-box of the locomotive, and having in its bottom two circular openings, a af, situated over the exhaustpipes. Into these openings are tightly inserted the sockets B of the expanding and contracting cones() C. The upper partsot' these sockets are of polygonal form, and have riveted to them the lower parts ot' the staves of steelplate, c c, of which the concs U G' are composed. The lower parts of these stavcs, which are riveted to the sockets, are tlat; but from a short distance from the said socket up to the top they are curved in their horizontal section and arranged as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that each closely overlaps its next neighbor on one side, and is closely overlapped by its next neighbor on the other side, but it is only at the bottom that the said staves are secured, their upper ends being free to be moved toward a common center by pressureapplied to theirexteriors, for the purpose of 'contracting the upper ends of the nozzles.

The said staves must be sufliciently elastic to cause them to move back again from the center of the nozzle, and so expand the upper end thereof when the external pressureis removed.

D is a cover fitted toslip freely up and down over the upright sides of the box-like base A, andhavin g in its top two openings, l; b, which are large enough to receive within them the upper parts ofthe nozzles C C when the latter are in their most expanded condition. This cover D, fitted to the box-like base, as described, prevents the collection around the nozzles O O of ashes, dirt, 86e., which might get between their staves and prevent their free expansion and contraction. The lower edges of said cover are beveled or sharpened, to enable them to scrape ot'f any dirt that may collect on the base. On the top ofthe said cover there are secured, around and concentric with the open` ings b b, two short upright nozzles, E E, to surround the upper portions of the expanding and contracting nozzles O O. rl`he nozzles C C are expanded and contracted by raising and lowering the cover D'. As the cover is raised,

the openings b @which receive the upper parts of the said nozzles, permit the said nozzles to expand by the natural elasticity of their staves, and as the cover is lowered the said openings b b sliding down'the conical exteriors of the said nozzles contracts them, as shown in red outline in Fig. 3. lo provide for the raising and lowering or' the cover D by the engineer, it is connected by links d d with the two short arms c e of a rock-shaft, j', which works in suitable bearings, h h, upon the base A, and which is furnished with a longer arm, g, to which to apply the power by a suitable system of connections leading to the engineers cab.

It will be 4readily understood that the expanding and contracting nozzles C O operate very differently' from a mere expanding and contracting opening, and that as they expand and contract from and to ward their centers in all directions, and the expansion and. contraction are gradual all the way down, the currents ot steam are not broken and do not have their direction changed by the expansion and contraction of' the said nozzles.

We prefer to give the nozzles O C a slight inclination toward each other in an upwarddireetion so that their axes would meet in a point sonie distance below thc mouth of the smoke-stack.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to securerby Letters Patent, is-

The plates c c c c, 85e., fastened at their lower ends to the conical sockets B, overlapping euch other from .a point near their attaclnnen't,aml suciently numerous to'make them readily approximate the shapeofV a frustum of a cone Without opening the joints, in combination with the caps E E, which by depression contract the nozzles, and by elevation admit of their expansion.

JOHN DYKEMAN.

JOHN BOLTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY Goonmon, DUDLEY DEMING.

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