US762731A

US762731A - Automatic stoker.

Info

Publication number: US762731A
Application number: US16102003A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse R Luckey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1903-06-11
Filing date: 1903-06-11
Publication date: 1904-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 1921-06-14

Description

No. 762,731. 'PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

J. R. LUCKEY.

AUTOMATIC STOKER.

APPLLULTION FILED JUNE 11. 1903.

NO MODEL, 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG].

L/ase lac/(y wi t n Mom No. 762.731. PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904. J. R. LUOKEY- 7 AUTOMATIC STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED mm 11. 1903.

4 SHEETSSHI-IET 2.

N0 MODEL.

fNVE/VTOR Jase 71 L 20076 WYT/VESSES:

v Aziorney N6. '762,731. PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

- A UTOMATIC STOKER.

APPLIQATION FILED JUNE 11. 1903. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET'KS.

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L v a e WHYVESSES: 5 INVENTO]? zjsse EZucZy v ,mme

No. 762,731. PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

- J. R. LUCKEY.

AUTOMATIC STOKER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 11. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

F! G. l4.

' Enuenl'oz UNITED STATES Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

JESSE R. LUCKEY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC STOKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,731, dated June 14, 1904. Application fileclJune 11, 1903. Serial No. 161,020. (No model.)

To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J ESSE R. LUCKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwood, (Post-Oflice Station H, Cincinnati,) in the county of Hamilton and'State of Ohio, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Stokers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic stokers especially adapted for locomotive and marine boilers, but also designed for connection with stationary plants and portable boilers.

The invention has for its object to provide an automatic stoker of compact form, so as to take up the least possible room in a cab of an engine, for example, and also to, be light as possible without sacrificing the requisite strength and Without burdening the same with complicated mechanism for feeding the fuel from the initial feed-receiving hopper to and upon a grate-surface within the fire-box.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the frame and body of the stoker as to reduce to a minimum the liability of leakage of steam inthe cab, to reduce as far as possible the packing-joints, and to cut off the admission of cold air and the consequent reduction of heat and steam-pressure. a

A further object of the invention is to provide simple means for feeding the fuel into the fire-box in small charges or quantities, combined with means operating automatically to throw such charges of fuel with variable force, so that the fuel is delivered to every part of the furnace-without any attention on the part of the enginemen.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s .a side elevation of an automatic stoker constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown arranged at the entrance to the fire-box. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the coal-chute. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the chute looking toward that side which is fastened against the wall of the fire-box. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same. Fig. 5 reprevalve.

sents an end and plan view of the feeder or paddle-wheel. Fig. 6 represents a plan and forward edge view of the distributing-plate with its fuel-spreading devices. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the variable-force admission-valve, its casing, and the nozzle. Fig. 8- is a plan view of the casing of the admission-valve. Fig. 9 is a side or end view of the same. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the nozzle-bridge. Fig. 11 represents plan and end views of the admission-valve. Fig. 12 represents edge and plan views of the gland of the admission-valve. Fig. 13 represents edge and plan views of the screw-plug of the admission- Fig. 14 is a longitudinal vertical section through the complete device.

Like reference-numerals designate correspending parts in all figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower portions of the water-leg of a locomotive fire-box, embracing the fire-box or fuel-door opening 3. The automatic stoker contemplated in this invention comprises, essentially, a face-plate 4, which fits against the front of the fire-box and around the opening 3, said plate being bolted or otherwise firmly fastened to the fire-box, so as to prevent the escape of the gases of combustion, and in order to form a perfectly fluid-tight joint, packing 5, of asbestos, wool, or other material, may be inserted between the meeting faces of the face-plate and waterleg, as shown in Fig. 1.

The frame of the stoker comprises two parallel sections, each comprising an upwardly and forwardly inclining leg or member 6, a forwardly and downwardly inclining arm or member 7, and a rearwardly-projecting arm or member 8, which carries one of the bearings 9 forthe engine-shaft 10. Between the frame members referred to there is arranged a coal chute or casing comprising side walls 11,;v1hich diverge toward the face-plate 4, being connected at the bottom by a cross-bar and'flange 12 and being provided at their forward edges with oppositely extending flanges 13, by means of which the coal chute or casing is bolted or otherwise secured to the face-plate 4. The flange 12 is also provided with openings to receive bolts or other fasteners for securing the chute: or-casing to the face-plate at a point beneath the fuelopening. The side walls 11 are also connected at or near their rear edges by means of a cross-bar 14, formed with openings to receive bolts 15 for securing the casing and nozzle of the admission-valve, hereinafter described, to the coal chute or casing. It will be noted that the top edges of the side walls 11 are inclined downward toward the front of the stoker and a shield or protecting-plate 16 is mounted thereon for the purpose of preventing the heat from burning out the bottom of the hopper 17, which is located above said shield or protecting-plate. The hopper 17 may be made of any desired capacity to firmly hold the desired amount of fuel and is so mounted and arranged that it may be lifted or detached for giving access to the fuel-opening in order to rake or spread the fuel over the grate in the fire-box whenever necessary.

Beneath the bottom or discharge end of the hopper 17 there is arranged a feeder 18 in the form of a paddle-wheel, comprising a hollow cylindrical hub 19 and a series of wings or blades 20, radiating therefrom and servingunder the rotation of the feeder to catch the fuel as it falls from the hopper and direct the same inward and downward upon the distributing-plate, hereinafter described. The feeder or paddle-wheel is mounted upon a shaft 21, journaled in bearings 22, mounted on the frame of the stoker, as shown in Fig. 1, and upon one end of said shaft is mounted a gear-wheel 22, by means of which rotary motion is imparted to said feeder in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Arranged beneath and a little in advance of the feeder 18 is a substantially cylindrical valve-casing 23, provided with an inwardly or forwardly projecting nozzle portion 24, the upper surface 25 of which is inclined, so as to cause any fuel resting thereon to gradually work its way forward and drop in front of the mouth of the blast-nozzle. The valveeasing 23 is provided with a cylindrical-shaped chamber 26, in which is mounted a revolving variable-force admission-valve 27, the same being substantially cylindrical in shape to practically fill the chamber 26 and provided at one end with a longitudinally-extending shaft 28, upon which is a gear-wheel 28, arranged in mesh with the gear 22 on the feeder, and upon said shaft is also mounted a sprocketwheel 28", by means of which the valve and feeder are rotated. The inside end of the valve 27 is open to receive steam and is provided with a circumferential flange 29, which revolves in a correspondingly-shaped recess 30 in that end of the casing. The recess 30 is closed at its outer end by means of a screwplug 31, having a central bore 32 for the passage of steam, the said bore being threaded to receive the end of a steam-supply pipe 33, as shown in Fig. 7. The casing 23 is also provided at its opposite end with a recess 34, into The nozzle 24 is provided with a shallow but wide discharge-opening 37, the end walls of which diverge in the direction of discharge for the purpose of allowing the steam to spread and correspondingly spread and scatter the charge of fuel deposited in front of the nozzle. Arranged adjacent to the discharge end of the nozzle is a nozzle-bridge 39, said bridge being in the form of a plate, as shown in Fig. 10, and adjustable up and down across the discharge-throat of the nozzle by means of bolts or screws 40, which pass through slots 41, extending transversely of the nozzlebridge. By this means the size of the discharge-throat of the nozzle may be increased or diminished for the purpose of varying the force of the feed.

42 designates what I terma distributingplate, which inclines upward toward the firebox and projects a suitable distance through the fuel-door and into the fire-box, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper surface of the distributing-plate 42 is arranged on a direct line with the bottom wall 43 of the nozzle 24, so as not to interrupt the force of the steam-jet from the admission-valve. The admission-valve is provided with a series of eduction-ports 44, as shown in Fig. 11, and it will be noticed that said ports are of different sizes and eapacities. By preference three of such ports are employed, and, as shown in Fig. 11, one of the ports, for example, having a width equal to fifteen degrees of a circle, another twentyfive degrees, and the remaining port thirtyfive degrees, while the intervening bridges or parts between the ports are each of a width equal to ninety-five degrees of a circle. The size and number of these ports may, however, be varied without departing from the principle of this invention. It will be now understood that as theadmission-valve is revolved the ports 44 are brought successively into alinement with the nozzle-passage 43 and a jet of steam of variable force, according to which port is brought into line with the passage 43, passes in the form of a blast out ofthe nozzle and catches up the coal or fuel deposited upon the distributing-plate and throws the same with a force proportionate with the amount of blast directly into the fire-box. of the steam jets or blasts are so regulated by means of the size of the ports 44 that one charge of fuel will be thrown to the farther end of the furnace, another charge to about the center of the furnace, and another charge to the adjacent or near end of the furnace. To further assist in the distribution of the fuel over the grate-surface of the'fire-box, the distributing-plate is provided on its upper surface and near its discharge end with a plurality of spreaders 45, which resemble ribs he force.

projecting upward from said plate, the ribs being thickest at their rear'ends and tapering from thence downward to a point at their forward ends, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The spreaders 14 are preferably made separate from the plate L2 and secured thereto by means of two or more bolts 0r fasteners 45, which will permit the spreaders to be adjusted as to their angles so as to diverge the course of the fuel to a greater or less extent, according to the width or length or the other dimensions of the grate-surface. The spreaders are also preferably made to curve lengthwise, as shown in the plan view, Fig. 6, and they therefore act to direct a portion of the fuel to the sides and corners of the fire-box. By providing for the spreading of the steam jets or blasts and by providing for the spreading of the fuel by means of the ribs 24c the fuel as it is thrown into the fire-box is thoroughly spread and scattered over the entire gratesurface, thus requiring no attention on the part of the firemen.

, The automatic stoker also comprises an engine for driving the'operative parts thereof, the engine embodying a steam-cylinder 46, which is supplied with steam from the boiler, a piston-rod 47, cross-head 48, cross-head guide 49, and pitman 50, which connectswith the engine-shaft 10, hereinabove referred to. From the engine-shaft 1O rotary motion is communicated by means of sprocket-chains to the shaft 21 of the feeder or paddle-wheel and the shaft 28 of the admission-valve by means of the chain 29", which passes over a sprocket-wheel on the engine-shaft 10 and the sprocket wheel 28", as hereinbefore mentioned, said shafts being properly timed, so

that a charge of fuel is deposited in front of the nozzle 24 for each blast or jet of steam furnished by the variable force of the admission-valve. Steam is supplied to the enginecylinder 46 and the valve 27 through a pipe 53, which communicates at one end with the steam-boiler and at its lower end is divided into branches 54 and 55, the former being eonneeted to the engine-cylinder and the latter to the plug 31 at the end of the valve. Suitable valves 56 are provided in the pipes 54 and 55 to contract the flow ofsteam therethrou gh.

The stoker hereinabove described occupies very little space in the cab of a locomotive. It is also light without sacrificing strength. There is practically no danger of leakage of steam or gases in the cab. The feeding mechanism is extremely simple and not liable to get out of order, and the stoking is done without the necessity of opening up the fuel-door and admitting cold air to the furnace. The admission-valve is nicely balanced and runs with very little friction. The spreading ribs on the distributing-plate may be adjusted to suit long or short, wide or narrow fire-boxes. The upward inclination of the distributingplate and the increase in width thereof as it approaches the fire-box permit the coal to scatter and effect an even and perfect distribution of the same. By removing or lifting the hopper and shield or protecting-plate access may be had to the fire for slashing or rebuilding. The hopper may also be provided with a door 51 for the purpose of examining the condition of the fire in the furnace. The feeder with its wings or paddles distributes the coal on a level and directly in front of the nozzle-opening, to be thrown or discharged into the fire by the next blast. Thus instead of the application of coal in scoops of from fourteen to sixteen pounds, more or less, with the attend ant smothering infl uen ees, my stoker supplies the coal in quantities of a pound or less and so evenly that it is instantly ignited upon coming in contact with the live coals, and there is therefore an absence of the attendant cooling influences. Neither is there danger of uneven firing on rough tracks or in rounding sharp curves, the stoker being rigidly fastened to the boiler-head, and therefore being unaffected by violent plunges of the locomotive. The heated gases are not wasted from the fire-door to the discomfiture of the fireman; nor is cold air allowed to enter and injure the plates and flues,besides cooling or dampening the fire and reducing the temperature of the fire-box below the point of ignition of the most valuable gases and carbons. The direct line of discharge of steam from the valve and the concussion caused by the form and shape of the nozzle and the proportion of steam emitted at each of the three ports, besides the placing of each port in direct connection with the boilerpressure, insure an even and powerful force for the full width of the plate, clearing out the fuel each time and with small consumption of steam. The front end of the baseplate being the most forward part of the stoker, and that extending not as far as the inside plates of the fire-box, and the exhauststeam from the rotary valve above and the exhaust from the engine of the stoker entering the fire-box below the same is protected from overheating to a red heat and burning out. \Vhile with the scoop and plunger stokers the largest and heaviest lumps of coal are thrown farthest and are likely to strike and injure the flues,besides falling below them to a point in the fire-box where there is the smallest igniting power, my stoker reverses this, the largest lumps being deposited nearest the door, where the heat is greatest and the distillation of the gases the most thorough,and these are burned in passingthrough a fire-box heated from one thousand to twelve hundred degrees higher heat than is possible with the scoop. Better combustion is obtained, and as there is no furnace-door to be opened there is not the usual amount of carbons forced out through the flues to lodge in the smoke-arch or sparks to escape from the sta'zk. By thorough combustion, a lack of smothering, and by raising and maintaining a high temperature in the fire-box smoke is more thoroughly abated, thus especially ad apting the Stoker for work in tunnels, through timber land, and localities where combustible material abounds.

Under the preferred embodiment of this invention the hopper is provided with a false bottom 52, which is hinged at its forward edge to the body of the hopper, so that said false bottom may be lifted for giving access to the door 51 in the rear slanting wall of the hopper. The fuel gravitates along the false bottom 52 and falls upon the paddles of the wheel 18, which revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow and feeds the fuel forward in successive charges.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged beneath the hopper, a rotary feeder provided with wings or blades and interposed between the hopper and distributing-plate, and a continuouslyrotating variable-force valve for discharging the fuel from the distributing-plate into the fire-box.

2. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper, and a continuouslyrotating variable-force steam-admission valve arranged to discharge steam at intervals in line with the receiving-surface of the distributing-plate.

3. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper, a variable-force steam-admission valve arranged to discharge in line with the receiving-surface of the distributing-plate, and one or more fueldeflecting ribs projecting from the receiving-surface of said plate and made adjustable as to their angles.

4. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel therefrom, a steam-admission valve arranged to discharge in line with the receiving-surface of the distributing-plate, the nozzle connected with the casing of said valve, and a detachable nozzle-bridge for varying the size of the discharge end of the nozzle.

5. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper, a valve-casing provided with a nozzle in line with the receivingsurface of the distributing-plate, and a variable-force steam-admission valve provided with ports of different capacities which are successively brought into line with the nozzle.

6. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper, a valve-casing arranged contiguous to said distributing-plate and provided with a discharge-nozzle, and a variable-force steam-admission valve rotatably mounted in said casing and provided with eduction-ports of different capacities adapted to be successively brought into line with the nozzle, said ports being separated by bridges of equal width between the ports.

7 An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel therefrom, a valve-casing arranged contiguous to said plate and provided with a discharge-nozzle, and a rotary steam-admission valve mounted in said casing and adapted in each revolution to emit steam in charges of different volume and force which act with corresponding effect upon the fuel on the distributing-plate.

8. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper, a valve-casing arranged contiguous to the distributing-plate and provided With a discharge-nozzle, a rotary steam-admission valve mounted in said casing and provided with lateral eduction-ports of different capacities, and means for supplying steam to the end of said valve.

9. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel therefrom, a valve-casing arranged contiguous to said plate and provided with a nozzle having a shallow passage with flaring ends, means for varying the size of the discharge end of said nozzle and a rotary steamadmission valve mounted in said casing.

10. An automatic stoker comprising a hopper, a coal chute or casing located beneath the hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper extending through the coal chute or casing, means for delivering the fuel to and discharging the same from the distributing-plate, and a shield or protecting-plate interposed between the coal chute or casing and the hopper.

11. An automatic stoker comprisinga hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel from the hopper, a variable-force steam-admission valve arranged to discharge in line with the receiving-surface of the distributing-plate, deflecting-ribs pivoted on the plate and means for adjusting said ribs on their pivots as to their angles.

12. An automatic stoker comprisinga hopper, a distributing-plate arranged to receive the fuel therefrom, a steam-admission valve arranged to discharge in line with receivingsurface of the distributing -plate, a nozzle through which said valve discharges, and means for varying the size of the discharge end of the nozzle.

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

JESSE R. LUCKEY.

Vitnesses:

Josnrn PLANT, RoBT. W. THOMPSON.