US550284A - Smoke-consumer - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I I .MU L SMOKE CONSUMER No. 550,284. Patented Nov. 26, 1 95.

FIGJZ NITED STATES ROBERT H. MULLEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SMOKE-CONSUMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,284, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed April 17, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. MULLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smoke Consumers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to those steam-boiL ers having smoke-consuming appliances that automatically admit steam and air into the boiler-furnace as soon as its fire-door is opened for the purpose of adding fresh fuel, the steam and air being gradually and automatically shut oif after said door is closed; and my improvement comprises a special combination of devices for effecting the above-described operations, the details of said devices being hereinafter more fully explained, and then set forth in the claim.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a steam-boiler provided with my improved smoke-consumer, which is seen in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of sufficient of the furnace to indicate the general arrangement of the steam -nozzles. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the cataract-gear or dash-pot. Fig. 5 is a detail view.

A represents the front plate of a steamboiler setting. I3 B are ash-pit doors of the same, and O O are the fire-doors of the furnace, said fire-doors being provided with openings closed by flaps or registers c o for a purpose that will presently appear. Secured to this front plate are bearings a a,within which a horizontal shaft D is journaled, said shaft being situated a slight distance above the firedoors and having four grooved disks E E F G keyed to it, the disks E E being provided with chains or wire ropes ee. These chains or other flexible connections 0 e are carried down in front of the disks and then secured to the free edges of the flaps o c. f is a similar connection, attached to the disk F, then carried down behind the latter and secured to a lug II of the firedoor O, which may be opened by a handle h. The other disk G has a similar connection 9 wound around it and Serial No. 470,728. a. model.)

chain is carried up and over a grooved sheave J and connected to the rod is of a piston K, that travels up and down within a cylinder or dash-pot L, the latter being securely attached to the plate A. This cylinder has at bottom an inlet-valve, which may consist of a flexible diaphragm Z, applied over an opening,that will readily admit air when the piston K is raised. (See Fig. 4.) Z is a cock capable of being set to regulate the speed at which the piston shall descend, and Z" are openings that permit a free passage of air into and out of the upper part of the cylinder. Furthermore, the rod is has attached to it a cup M,loaded with shot or other weights that restore all the operative parts of the apparatus to their normal positions after the furnace-doors are closed. Projecting from the grooved sheave J is a lever j, to which is attached one end of a rod N, whose other end is connected to a lever O, that operates any suitable form of butterflyvalve or other cut-off fitted within a shell 0, said cut-off being arranged to regulate the supply of steam flowing through a main pipe P, which proceeds from the boiler, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Attached to this main pipe are branches R R, carried down on opposite sides of the boiler and provided with any desired number of nozzles 1' r',that usually enter the fire-box S in the manner seen in Fig. 3. Reference to this illustration shows that the rear nozzles project squarely through the side walls of the boiler, while the central nozzles are somewhat inclined toward the bridge-wall T, and the front nozzles are still more inclined. This arrangement, however, is merely optional, not imperative, an d has nothing whatever to do with the leading idea of my invention. sis an opening that may be made in the furnacewalls to admit air, if desired. In the normal condition of my smoke consumer all the operative parts thereof assume the positions seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the doors 0 O and flaps c 0 being now closed and piston K at the bottom of cylinder L. Again, in this normal condition of the apparatus, it is preferred to have ICO a limited quantity of steam issue from the nozzles r "I", soas to insure a good draft, which constant flow can be effected by arranging the cut-olf or butterfly-valve in such a manner that it will never be entirely closed, or the same result can be effected by perforating said valve. Such being the ordinary arrangement of all the operative parts, it is evident that steam flows from the main pipe P into its branches R R, and from the latter it escapes through the nozzles r "I" and produces cross jets or currents within the fire-box, which jets effeet a complete combustion of fuel under ordinary circumstances; but when fresh coal is introduced a much larger quantity of steam is required. This introduction of fresh coal is accomplished by opening the door 0, and as it swings on its hinges the chain f pulls on the disk F and turns it in the direction of the arrow seen in Fig. 5, and as shaft D is attached to said disk,and as the other disks E E G are secured to said shaft, it is apparentthese devices D E E F G must revolve in unison. Consequently the chains 6 e are wound around the disks E E, thereby opening the flaps c c, and at the same time the rope g is coiled around the disk G, which act gradually lowers the weight I, an (1 simultaneously pulls the piston K up to the top of cylinder L. As the rope g is thus coiled, the lever j of sheave J swings to the right, completely opens the butterfly valve 0, and permits a full head of Y steam to be discharged into the furnace. This full discharge continues while the furnace is being filled, because the open position of door 0 prevents any retrograde turning of shaft D. As soon, however, as'this door is closed, the loaded cup M begins immediately to turn said shaft backward, thereby uncoiling the chains e e from the disks E E and permitting the flaps c c to close the openings in fire-doors O C. This closure takes place with more or less rapidity, and by the time said flaps are completely shut the piston K will have reached the bottom of cylinder L, and the supply of steam will again be reduced to a minimum.

The time set for the closure of the flaps will vary with circumstances, but usually from three to six minutes will be suflicient, and the period can be regulated with the utmost nicety by properly adjusting the small cock Z. When this cock is left wide open the piston K will descend quite rapidly and permit a quick closure of the flaps, while their gradual closure will be effected by letting the air escape very slowly from the cylinder.

From the above description it is evident that my apparatus needs no special attention after being once properly adjusted, as it will automatically admit a full supply of steam through the furnace-nozzles only when the fire-doors are opened, and then thesupply will be automatically reduced to a minimum within a few minutes after they are closed.

I claim as my invention- The combination, in a smoke consumer, of steam-pipes R, R, having a common cut-oflf 0, and nozzles r, 7', which nozzles are inserted within the furnace, a fire door 0, having a flap or register 0, a shaft D, having three disks E, F, G, secured to it, a coupling e connecting flap 0 with disk E, a coupling fconnecting door O with disk 1*, a coupling gsecuredto disk G, and provided at one end with a weight I, a cataract gear to which the other end of said coupling g is attached, and mechanism actuated by this coupling and operating said cut-off in the manner described, and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT H. MULLEN. lVitnesses y JAMES H. LAYMAN, ARTHUR MOORE.

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