US473847A - mabie - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4. sheetssheet 1,.

L. C. MABIE.. SPARK `ARRESTER'.

No. 473,847. Patented Apr. Z6, 1892.

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SPARK ARRBSTER..

, No. 473,847. Patented Apr, 26, 1892.

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L. o. MARIE.

SPARK ARRESTER.

No. 473,847. Patented Apr. 26,1892.

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l 4 Sheets-Shneet 4. L. C. MABIE.

SPARK ARRESTER.

Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

LANGFORD O. MAI-BIE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EZEKIEL J. LEVY,

OF SAME PLACE.

SPARK-A'RRESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,847', dated April 26, 1892. .pplication tiled May 9, 1891- Serial No. 392,241. (No model.)

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Be it known that I, LANGFORD C. MARIE, of. Richmond, Henrico count-y, and State of Virginia, have invented a newand useful Improveiiieiit in Spark-Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of iny invention is to provide a spark-arrester for locomotive and other highpressure engines which shall entirely elimixo nate from the products of combustion all sparks and cinders and shall carry them ottn to a place of temporary deposit, so as to rclieve the train of tliisnuisance and also avoid the danger of accidental fires along the track,

and which device shall also be so sensitive and effective in action as to carryoff the thick black smoke and give time for its fine particles to be deposited before being discharged intov the air.

2o To these ends my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof the various parts of the device, which I will first describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, andthen specifically point out in the claims.

Figure lis a vertical longitudinal section through the front part of a locomotive-engine. Fig. 2 is a front view, in vertical section, of the locomotive smoke-stack. Figs. 3 and 4 are front views of the smoke-boX, the parti- 3o tion-plate being shown on in Fig. 3 and removed in Fig. 4E. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View, and Fig. 6 is a plan, of one of the revolving wheels; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional View of the upper part of the smoke 3 5 Stack.

One of the principal features of my in vention is to be found in the novel construction and arrangement of two freely revolving wheels having radial blades set at an inclina- 4o tlon to the plane of the wheel like a windmillg wheel, the inclination of the blades of tlie two wheels being reversed, so as to give them revolution in opposite directions. Such a general construction of reversely-revolving wheels rotating from the impact of the blast in the smoke-pipe has heretofore been patented.

My invention contemplates such a construction and arrangement of these pai'ts as will not only separate by centrifugal action the 5o sparks and cinders from the blast, but will be so sensitive and effective in operation 'as to revolve continuously t'roin convection alone, thus allowing the device to be operative on this basis even when the locomotive is standing still without choking the draft, and also effecting the double separation of sparks and cinders at two diierent points.

In the drawings, A B O represent three concentric shells, of which the outer shell or main stack A is about tive feet high above the 6o boiler, twenty inches diameter at the base, and thirty inches at the top. The innermost shell or stack O is about two feet long, thirteen inches at the base, and iifteen inches at the top. The intermediate shell B is only about seventeen inches long and occupies a position about half-way between the oiiteraiid innermost stacks, extending slightly down over and past the upper edge Iof said innermost stack. These three shells or stacks are 7o held in fixed relation to each other by bracketarms ct and ZJ, (see Fig. 7,) the arms a serving to connect the outer stack to the top of the intermediate shell and the arms l) serving to connect the intermediate shell to the top of the innermost stack O, which latter atits lower end is sustained upon the saddle, as hereinafter described. l

Bolted to the bracket-arms a and l) are three horizontal transverse bars a ZJ c,wliich carry 8o the pivotal supports of the two reversely-revolving wheels D and D. These wheels are of different diameters, the upper one D being much the larger of the two and nearly filling the cross-section of the outer stack, while the lower one D is of much smallerdiameter and revolves within the intermediate shell B. These wheels are constructed substantially alike with a central cone-shaped hub d, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) an inclined marginal rim c,a 9o conical upper pivot d5, a conical lower pivot d4, and two sets of' blades d2 cl3.' These blades are substantially radial in position and their planes are inclined to the true plane of the wheel, so that a blast passing through the wheel in the direction of its axis will cause it to rotate like a windmill-wheel. The two series of blades have their upper edges bent or curled over through a part of their length to form flanges that furnish an obstruction to Ioo the passage of sparks through the wheel. The two series of blades d2 cl3 of each wheel are not placed in vertical coincidence, but are alternated-t'. c., the blade of anyone of the two series is immediately below or above the opening between the blades of the other series. The two series of blades thus arranged I have found to be an important feature of my invention, for by it I accomplish two resuits. In the first place the accidental escape of sparks or cinders through the wheel without impact against the wheel is made practically impossible, and in the second place the wheel is made to run with greater power and sensitiveness and its speed is correspondingly increased, so that its concussive eect against the sparks and tendency to throw them outwardly and downwardly is very greatly increased. The upper pivot d5 of the wheel D passes through the cross-bar d and enters a delicate cone-bearing in ayoke a2. The lower pivot d4 is made detachable and removable, so as to be replaced when worn,and it has a screwthreaded end adapted to be turned into the cone-shaped hub, and is squared at one point to receive a wrench. These pivot-bearings are made of the hardest steel. The lower pivot passes through a yoke b3, mounted upon a subjacent yoke b2, which in turn is fastened to and carried upon the cross-bar b. At the foot of the pivot d4 and mounted upon the yoke b2 there is a step-bearing d6 of hardened steel, glass, agate, or any other similar substance adaptedfto form a durable and delicate pivot-bearing. By this construct-ion of wheel and arrangement of the bearings it is rendered so free from friction and sensitive to motive effect that these wheels continue to revolve from convection when the engine is standing still-t'. e., the mere natural draft of the fires, unaided by the steam-blast of the exhaust, is sufficient to rotate the wheels when the. engine is standing still, thus effecting the clearance of the gases from the stack and avoiding the choking of the stack and the throwing back into the engineers face of the gases and flame of the fire-box, which would otherwise result by the choking of the smoke-stack by wheels otherwise constructed.

When the two wheels are in action, either from convection when the engine is still or by blast and convection when the engine is in motion, the following action takes place: The smoke, cinders, and blast coming up through the inner shell or stack C are parted centrally or deflected. outwardly by the cone c, which extends some distance down into the middle stack. The larger particles of sparks and cinders are struck by the lirst or lower wheel D and are driven downwardly between the inner stack C and the intermediate shell B, as shown by the arrows. The finer particles, with the products of combustion which pass through the lower wheel, are given by the latter a whirling or centrifugal action, and the larger wheel D above is adapted to this condition vof things by reaching out to a larger diameter to catch the centrifugally-flying particles and revolving in the opposite direction strikes them full with an impact that drives them downward between the outer stack A and the intermediate shell B, as shown the arrows, which particles join below those sent down inside the shell B and are conducted by an inclined chute-board D2 between the two stacks A and C to a dischargehole e in a saddle E,whence they are carried oft', as will be described a little farther along. When the two wheels are in full rotation, the lift of the ascending blast serves to raise the wheels slightly or counteract their gravity and cause them to be rotated in condition of almost perfect suspension inthe gases, so that their bearings are relieved of the friction of their weight and the wheel rendered very sensitive. For this purpose the pivots of the wheels should have a slight vertical play in their bearings.

The saddle E, Fig. i, is made of cast-iron with a skirt, which is bolted to the boilershell at the top of the smoke-box, and is vformed with two flanges-an upper flange e', which projects above the boiler -shell and forms a point of attachmentfor the main or outer smoke-stack A, and an inner flangee2, which projects below the boiler and into ythe smoke-box and forms a point of attachment for the inner stack C. This protrusion of the inner flange e2 downwardly or in an opposite direction to the outer iiange serves thisI advantage, that it enables me to extend the lower end of the innerstack Cinto the smokebox, and thus for a given length of inner stack I am enabled to 'use a shorter outer stack, and thereby reduce the height of the smoke-stack.

F is Vthe cinder-pipe, which receives the cinders and sparks and holds them until dumped or discharged from time to time.v This cinder-pipe has a relatively small neck-section f, that extends up to and connects with the opening e in the saddle inside the outer stack, where it involves no unsightly appearance nor liability to accidental derangement. At a point below the neck the pipe widens out with a shoulder, from which rises a relief-pipe I1", that ascends just in front of the smokestack nearly to the level of the latter. The function of this relief-pipe is to prevent packing the cinder-pipe with air, which in reacting would interfere with and choke the downdraft between the main stack and inner stack as set up by the wheels. Vith this reliefpipe there is acontinuous downward draft between the inner and outer stack, which carries the sparks and cinders along with it down into the cinder-pipe F,where the cindersgravitate to the bottom, while the air regurgitates upwardly through thefpipe F. This is an important feature of my invention, since it renders it possible for meto take out of the mainy IOO IIO

jectionable impurities. .I ust hereit will be seen that there is a coactive effect between the revolving wheels and the relief-pipe, since the Wheels set up the downdraft, while the relief-pipe permits it to take place in an effective manner. As the cinders accumulate in the pipe F they are dumped from time to time, and for this purpose a hinged Valve F2 is held up and closed against the bottom of pipe F, oris dropped down and opened by an elbow-lever G G', whose arm G is attached to an operating-rod G2, which extends back toward the cab to convenient reach for operation by the engineer or fireman.

In the bottom of the smoke-box is arranged the exhaust-steam nozzle H and immediately above it is the draft-pipe I, having a iiaring skirt at its lower edge, that extends down to the upper end of the nozzle. This nozzle is a short nozzle that does not extend up into the draft-pipe and is constructed with a flange g, that is bolted to the end of the steam-pipe that brings the exhaust-steam. The internal shape of this nozzle is flaring or divergent both at the top and bottom, so as to leave it of less transverse dimension at a median line than it is at the top and bottom. The object of flaring said nozzle at the bottom is to prevent the sudden contraction of the dimensions of the steam-pipe,-While the iiaring of the upper end is to give clearance to the escaping steam, allowing it to expand quickly as it issues from the nozzle and securing a strong draft upon the products of combustion from the smoke-box to the pipe I and avoiding the deposition of a crust upon the nozzle, due to the burned or volatilized oil carried by the steam.

In the front part of the smoke-box separating the cinder-pipe from the draft-pipe is an inclined partition consisting o'f a detachable plate K, fastened to a stationary flange or ring i. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) This detachable partition permits ready access to the forward ends of the tubes for inspection or repairs and serves to so limit the area of the smokebox as to cause the suction of the exhaust to be positively exerted therein, drawing the hot currents from the lire-box uniformly and energetically through the flues. In the type of locomotive shown this partition might be dispensed with; but in the class of engines known as extension-fronts-(having a considerable extension in front of the smokestack) this partition will be found to be very beneficial in securing the results described` To hold the detachable plate K to place bolts la are secured in the flange t' by threaded nuts and have rectangular yoke-shaped slots projecting forward, which receive split-keys Z outside the plate K.

Some of the advantages of this invention are these: It will and does show a saving of at least one ton of fuel to ever f one hundred miles run. It will not destroy property by fire, nor fill the trains with sparks, gas, dust, ashes, nor heavy black smoke, as has been up of flues.

proven by actual service on both freight and passenger trains. The short bell-mouth n ozzle H, terminating at lower edge of draft-pipe I, gives a free and equal draft through all the tlues, the result being no leaking or stoppmg Then, too, the short nozzle does not clog with oils used in cylinders, as do the long (three feet one inch) nozzles generally used in extension-fronts. One of my short nozzles in use showed as free and clear at the end of five months as it was when put in, whereas the long ones are generally two-thirds clogged up in that time; also, the long nozzles show a much stronger draft through the top flucs than it does through the lower ones, the result being that about five rows of lines at the bottom are continually stopped up with cinders and the great difference of draft and heat through the top and bottom tlues causes an unequal expansion and contraction of the flues and sheets, the result being leaking flues and cracked sheets, and nothing shortens the life of a set of flues so fast as continual boring out and calking of the same every three or four trips, as is now done. There is no netting in front end or stack to become clogged by dampness or sweating, and thereby closing draft; neither are there any detlector-plates in front end to get loose and fall down in front of iiues, and thereby shutting off all draft, all of which is a source of trouble and expense and veryoften delays important trains. There is no fire drawn through the flues and deposited in and burning out front ends, which is so often done.

This device has proven that the extensionfront can be abolished with profit to railroad companies, as they cost in construction alone one or two hundred dollars and are an immense weight on engine-truck, causing considerable trouble andA frequent delays by hot journals, especially to fast trains, and then, too, the area in extension-fronts is so large as to be almost impossible to get a perfect vacuum, thereby causing an irregular draft, which leads many engineers to bridge or reduce the nozzle, which is a serious detriment to the whole engine, as it splits the exhaust and causes backpressure in cylinders. The short bell-nozzle creates a draft in the draft-pipe that lills the whole stack. No water or condensed steam can be thrown out of the stack. It passes down and out of the spark-channel and there is a strong and unobstructed draft through the stack at all times. There is no stopping on the road to spark the engine, and owing to the downward draft caused by the intermediate shell and the relief-pipe the stack is self-cleaning and requires no attention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with au engine smoke-A stack, of a freely-revolving wheel having a peripheral rim and two sets or series of inclined radial blades, the blades of one series IIO alternating with the spaces between the blades of the other series, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with an engine smokestack, of a freely-revolving wheel having a peripheral rim and two series of inclined blades alternating with eachother, with conical pivots above and below the same, and bearings for the same, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with an engine smokestack, of two freely-revolving wheels having radial blades inclined in opposite directions for opposite revolution, the upper one of said wheels being of larger diameter than the lower one to reach out and catch the diverging or centrifugally-lying cinders and sparks that escape thelower wheel, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with an engine smokestack and a freely-revolving wheel located therein, of a detachable conical pivot d4, screwed into the hub of the wheel and provided below with a step-bearin g, substantially as described.

5. rlhe combination of the inner and outer smoke-stack, the intermediate shell B, and the two freely-revolving wheels of different diameters, the smaller one being located in and substantially iilling the intermediate shell and the larger one being located above it and substantially filling the outer stack, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the stacks AC and intermediate shell B, the supporting bracketarms a Z9, cross-bars d b c,the yoke-bearings Co2 b3 b2 c2, and the two reversely-revolving wheels D D of different diameters having pivot-al bearings above and below, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with the cross-bar c', sustaining the pivot of one of the wheels, and the inner stack C, of the cone c, having its base connected to the cross-bar c', and its apex extending down into the inner stack C, substantially as shown and described.

S. The combination,with asmoke-stack having inner and outer walls with space for downd raft between, of a revolving wheel or wheels for creating said downdraft and a spark pipe or receptacle com mu nicating with said space and having a relief-pipe opening into the outer air, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination, with the saddle E, having opening c between the two stacks, of the shouldered spark-pipe F, having a dumpingvalve at its lower end, and a relief-pipe F', rising from its shoulder in front of the smokestack, substantially as shown and described.

l0. The combination, with the smoke-box in an engine, of the draft-pipe I, and the short nozzle IfLlocated in the bottom ofthe smokeboX and made fiaring at the top and terminating at the lower edge of the said pipe I, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

LANGFORD C. MABIE.

Witnesses:

EDWD. W. BYRN, SoLoN C. KEMoN.

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