US1403952A - hardinge - Google Patents

Description

F. HARDINGE.

FUEL OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION men MAY 12. 1920.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Sign:

lilllili mum Inuenfor Franklin Hamlinge F. HARDINGE.

FUEL OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 12, I920.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

- Inuenfor Frankhn Hard'mga F. HARDINGE.

FUEL OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1920.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- IHH nn lnuenfqr Franklin fiavdmg'e F. HAHDINGE.

FUEL OIL BURNER.

APFLICATION FILED MAY12,1920.

6 9m 6 w v 4 1; mm 7H m n Jm U d5 M m V m F P NM $6M, @gwggzb 5% I woxggf F. HARDINGE. FUEL OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1920.

Patented an. 17, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Inuerflor Franklinfiardinge UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN HARDINGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO HARDINGE BROTHERS INC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COEIOR-ATEON OF ILLINOIS.

FUEL-OIL BURNER.

Application filed May 12,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN HARDINGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fuel-Oil Burners, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to improvements in fuel oil burners, and is especially concerned with improvements in that type of fuel oil burner Whereinthe fuel oil is atomized by a rotary atomizing nozzle, one of the objects of my invention being to provide a fuel oil burner which is capable of completely atomizing crude oil, the heavier distillates and residuum oils and mixing the atomized fuel with air to form a mixture that can be completely burned without the formation of smoke. p

The objects of my invention are:

First: To provide means for atomizing fuels of the character described, of such construction that the atomizing nozzle will not become clogged nor overcast with sediment and impurities deposited from the fuel;

Second: To provide an oil burner comprising an atomizing nozzle and means for treating the fuel before it reaches the atomizing nozzle, in such a way as to prevent the impurities in the fuel oil from depositing upon and adhering to the surface of the atomizing nozzle;

Third: To provide an oil burner comprising an atomizing nozzle and means for subjecting the fuel oil to centrifugal action be fore it is fed to the atomizing nozzle;

Fourth: To provide a novel method of burning fuel oils of the character described;

Fifth: To provide a novel system of lubrication for the moving parts of an oil burner comprising a rotary atomizing nozzle, whereby contamination of the lubricating oil by the fuel oil is prevented;

Sixth: To provide novel means for controlling the flow of fuel to the atomizing nozzle, said means being so constructed as to prevent the dirt andsediment found in fuel oils from clogging and obstructing the same; and

Seventh: To provide a novel type of fire box for an oil burner, so constructed as to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1'7, 1922.

1926. Serial No. 380,794.

prevent the fire box from being flooded with oil in the event the flame is, for some reason, extinguished.

Other objects will appear as this description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- F1gure l is a plan view of my improved Oll burner;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 1s a vertical longitudinal section through the head and atomizing nozzle of my improved burner, this figure showing my improved fire box construction in central vertical section;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 44 of Figure 3;

F igure. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken upon line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken upon line 66 of Figure 2;

F lgure 7 is a sectional detail taken upon line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of my improved needle valve for controlling the flow of fuel oil. to the atomizing nozzle;

F igure 9 is a plan View of the construcion shown in Figure 8; s

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse section taken upon line 1010 of Figure 3;

Figure 11 is aplan view of the bottom of my improved fire box, certain portions thereof being broken away for the purpose of better illustration;

Figure 12 is a sectional detail taken on line 12-42 of Figure 11; and

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional detail of a modified form of separator to be used in connection with my atomizing nozzle.

The several sections are taken looking in the direction of the small arrows. Throughout the figures of the drawings, similar reference characters will be used for referring to similar parts.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 20 indicates the bedplate of my improved burner which is provided with two longitudinally extending rails, one, 21., of which is flat on its upper surface and the other, 22, of which is in the form of an inverted V,-rail. Slidaibly mounted upon! these two rails is the baseplate 23, at one end of which is mounted the motor 24, the speed of which can be controlled by the control device located in the box 25. Located at the opposite end of the baseplate is the means by which I atomize the fuel and mix it with the proper amount of air to form a perfectly combustible mixture.

1 shall now, by reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, describe the details of construction of the means by which I accomplish this result. The reference character indicates the central section of a more or less cylindrical housing which comprises the end sections 26 and 27 and which supports the ball bearings 28 and 29 which rotatably support the hollow spindle 30. An annular cup 31 comprising spaced annular walls 32 and 33 is detachably secured to the upper end of the spindle by means of the threaded connection 34. The upper end of the cup 31 is partially closed by the outwardly extending flange 35 of the atomizing nozzle 36 which, as shown, flares upwardly and outwardly. It will be noted that the upper edge of the nozzle is in the form ofa knife edge 37 which is instrumental in atomizing the fuel as the fuel passes off this edge. The flange 35 is connected with the upper .end of the outer wall 32 by the screwthreaded connection 38. A plurality of fan vanes 39 extend outwardly from the outer side of the nozzle 36 immediately beneath the atomizing edge of the nozzle.

F or supplying fuel oil to the atomizing nozzle, I provide the standpipe 40, the lower end of which is enlarged and fitted into the tapered opening 41 at the lower side of the housing, and held in position by the nut 42 engaging the threaded extension 43 of the standpipe.

The enlarged end of the standpipe is pro vided with a plurality of radial openings 44 which communicate with the annular groove 45 extending around the periphery of the enlarged portion of the standpipe. Fuel oil is supplied under pressure to the peripheral groove 45 through the pipe 46. For the sake of convenience in machining and assembling, the standpipe 40 is made in two parts joined by thescrew-threaded connection shown at 47. The fuel nozzle 48 communicates with the standpipe 40 adjacent the upper end thereof and extends downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of the annular cup 31 and then outwardly to point adjacent the wall 32 of the cup.

For protecting the atomizing nozzle against the intense heat produced in the fire box, I'provide a hollow cup 49 of fire clay or other heat insulating material which is supported by the annular metal cup 50. The annular metalcup 50 is, in turn, supported by the supporting ring 51 which has an annular seat formed therein for the reception of a gasket 52 of heat insulating material upon which the flange 53 of the cup 50 rests. By this construction, the cap 49 not only protects the upper end of the fillOllTlZlng nozzle against the heat of the oil flame but also prevents the transmission of heat to the lower portions of the standpipe. The protecting ring 54 which is mounted upon the upper end of the standpipe between the supporting ring 51 and the fuel nozzle 48 and which is of such diameter as to leave a small space between its outer edge and the inner periphery of the atomizing nozzle, prevents any spraywhich may be produced at the upper end of the cup 32 from being carried up against the outer surfaces of the upper end of the standpipe, the supporting ring 51 and the cup 50 and congealing thereon. A cap 55 which is supported by the upper end of the standpipe extends over the upper end of the annular wall 33 which, in effect, constitutes a continuation of the hollow spindle and prevents lubricating oil from flowing downwardly between the rotating spindle and the standpipe and contaminating the lubricating oil in the housing which will be referred to later on.

With the construction just described, when oil under pressure is supplied to the standpipe 40 and the spindle and atomizing nozzle are rotated by means which I shall presently describe, the oil passes through the fuel nozzle 48 into the lower end of the annular cup 31. Due to the centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the cup, the oil which is initially delivered thereto will be forced outwardly against the wall 32 of the cup and build up in an annular ring, the inner wall of .which will be substantially straight, until the cup is filled with oil substantially as illustrated in Figure 3. As more oil continues to flow into the cup, the centrifugal force will cause it to spread up-. wardly and outwardly over the outwardly flaring surface of the atomizing nozzle 36 until it is discharged from the atomizing edge 37. Here it is mixed with the air de livered by the fan vanes 39 to form a combustible mixture which, upon being ignited, produces an incandenscent, white flame of intense heat giving off but little smoke.

Crude and residuum oils contain various impurities which have heretofore made it diflicult to operate, continuously for any length of time, an atomizing nozzle of the rotary type because of the tendency of these nozzles to become clogged by the impurities in the oils. This is particularly true of residuum oil which contains a salt solution which, under the action of the heat to which a burner is subjected, has heretofore caused certain constituents of the residuum oil to congeal in the passageways of the various types of burners which have been designed to burn this oil and also upon the surfaces of the outwardly flaring nozzles, thus making it necessary to frequently dismantle the burners for the purpose of reinvoing the thick heavy compound which collected in the passageways, and the deposit on the atomizing nozzle.

It was my original object in providing the cup 31 to form a centrifugal separator which would deposit the heavier impurities and compounds from the fuel oil and permit the lighter uncongealable oils to pass outwardly over the surface of the atomizing nozzle. In conformance with this idea, I had intended to make the cup 31 of suflicient capacity to hold the impurities separated from the fuel oil during a period of continuous. operation and to then place the burner out of commission, open the cup 31, remove its contents and again place the burner in operation.

' Through actual use I have found that the action taking place in the centrifugal separat-or is entirely difi'erent from that which I had anticipated. In actual use, the salt solution which is mixed with the fuel oil separates therefrom under the centrifugal action and completely fills the cup 31 substantially in the manner shown in Figure 3. It will, of course, be understood that initially the cup 31 is filled with oil but this oil is gradually displaced with continued operation of the burner and in time the cup 31 becomes completely filled with the salt solution so that the oil subsequently fed into the cup through the nozzle 18 must, to reach the atom-: izing nozzle, pass through a considerable body of this salt solution which is slightly warmed by heat transmitted to the walls of the cup downwardly along the metal form ing the atomizing nozzle. The oil fed into the body of water will, by reason of its specific gravity being less than that of the salt solution, be gradually forced inwardly to the inner wall of the annular ring of salt solution and then forced out over the atomizing nozzle.

I have found that the oil delivered from tee cup 31 does not congeal or deposit upon the surface of the atomizing nozzle as it has done in atomizine' nozzles of the type heretofore in use in which there is no preliminary separation of the water from the fuel oil and I believe this is due to the fact that as the separated water leaves the cup 31, it, by reason of its higher density, is held in contact with the surface of the atomizing nozzle by centrifugal action forming a thin film of water over which the thin film of oil from the separator floats until it reaches the atomizing edge of the nozzle. In this manner, the oil is prevented from adhering to the surface. Further, while after continued operation a slight deposit collects in the upper corners of the cup 31, the amount of this deposit is very slight and does not, in 'any way, compare with the amount of sediment and congealed compound which collects in and upon the atomizing nozzles heretofore employed while burning an equal quantity of the same oil.

As a matter of fact, I have operated a burner of the type described over, comparatively speaking, very extensive periods of time and found upon opening the cup 31 that all it containee was a slight amount of salt solution and some deposit in the upper corners as mentioned above.

It will be clear that when the spindle stops rotating the water in the cup 31 will move downwardly until its upper surface extends from the wall 32 to the wall 33. At the same time the standpipe and the fuel nozzle act as a syphon to remove the greater portion of the water from the cup.

The absence of any sediment in the bottom of the cup 31 is probably due to the agitating effect which the lower end of the fuel nozzle 36 produces in the water or salt solution in the bottom of the cup. This agitation is probably suflicient to keep the heavier particles in a state of suspension and thus cause them to pass oif over the surface of the atomizing nozzle. It should be noted that the perpendicularly extending portion of the atoinizing nozzle 1-8 is positioned inwardly beyond the inner wall of the annular ring of water or oil. By this construction, the amount of power which is required for rotating the nozzle, is considerably reduced below that which would be required if this vertically extending portion of the nozzle hould extend into the annular ring of water or oil.

For driving the hollow spindle 30, I provide the beveled pinion 60 which is secured thereto adjacent the lower end thereof and which is driven by the beveled gear 61 secured to the end of the drive shaft 62 of the motor 2 1. The gear 61 is splined to the end of the shaft 62 and provided with an eX- tended hub 63 which is journaled in the double sleeve bearing formed by the two sleeves 641 and 65, the sleeve 6-1 being pro vided with radial openings 66 and longitu dinal grooves 67 for supplying lubricant to 110 the outer surface of the sleeve 65. A set screw 66 may be used for adjusting the gear 61 relative to the pinion 60. A eylin drical housing 67 encloses a portion of the shaft 62, one end of the housing 67 being 115 supported by the boss 68 of the end member and the other endbeing supported by the bridge 69 secured to the base plate.

For supplying oil, under pressure, to the atomizing nozzle, 1 provide the gear pump 12 70 which is driven through the shaft 71, worm wheel 72 (see Figure 7) and worm 73 on the shaft 62, the shaft 71 comprising a coupling 74. A suction pipe 75 leads from the supply tank 76 to the gear pump 70. The 125 gear pump 70 discharges into the pressure tank 77 through the union 7 8. The fuel oil passes from the pressure tank 77 through the pressure regulating valve 80 which controls the pressure of the fuel in the tank 130 T7. This valve may be of any suitable type and is illustrated as comprising a lever 81 having a weight 82 adjustable thereon by means of which the pressure in the tank 77 can be adjusted, as desired.

Before tracing the path of the fuel oil from the pressure tank 77 to the atomizing nozzle, 1 shall first describe the course of the fuel passing out through the valve 80. From the valve 80, the fuel passes through the pipe 85 into one side of the hollow end member 27 forming a part of the housing for the hollow spindle and its driving mechanism, over the baffle 86 and out through the pipe 87. The inner side of the hollow end member 27 is provided with a plurality of heat absorbing fins or ribs 88 which conduct the heat from the interior of the casing to the oil passing through the passageway 89 of the hollow end member 27. The heated oil passes out through the pipe 87 and is returned to the supply tank 76 where its heat is radiated to the atmosphere or the medium surrounding the tank 76. It will thus be seen that I provide means for constantly circulating the oil through the pressure tank and the hollow end member of the housing, whereby I am not only enabled to cool the housing but at the same time to maintain the proper pressure in the tank 77 to supply the fuel oil to the atomizing fuel nozzle at the proper rate.

Under the pressure existing in the pressure tank 77, a portion of the fuel oil passes through'the valve 95, the details of which will be described later on, into the pipe 46 which, as heretofore described, empties into the annular groove 45 at the bottom of the standpipe 410.

Considerable difficulty has heretofore been experienced in controlling the flow of fuel oil to atomizing nozzles because of the tendency of the sediment and heavier constituents of or compounds found in the fuel oil to clog the regulating valve. To overcome this difliculty, I provide a valve of the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9. This valve comprises the valve seat 96 with which the needle valve 97 co-acts to control the flow of fuel oil to the nozzle. The needle valve 97 is rotatably mounted in the body of the valve and is provided at its outer end with a worm wheel 98. The flvorm wheel 98 is driven by the worm 99 "on the shaft 100. The shaft 100 is journaled in the lever 101 which is pivotally mounted on the bracket 102, the lower end of which is clamped to the pipe 46 as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

The end of the shaft 100, opposite the end provided with. the worm 99, has secured thereto, a belt pulley 103 which is driven by the belt pulley 104 on the shaft 71 (see Fig. 1) through the belt 105 A lug 106 secured to the lever 101 is engaged by a plunger 107 which is slidable in a bore in the bracket 102 and urged outwardly by a spring 108, the spring-pressed plunger tending to move the lever 101 in a counter-clockwise direction so as to disengage the worm 99 from the worm wheel 98. I A latch 110 pivoted to the arm 102 at 111 provides means-for holding the lever 101 in position to cause the worm 99 to rotate the worm wheel 98. If, for any reason, it'is desired to stop the rotation of the needle valve, the latch 110 is moved upwardly,

thereby permitting the worm 99 to be disengaged from the worm wheel 98.

A set screw 112 carried by the bracket 102 engages the upper end of the needle valve 97 and by adjustment of this set screw the needle valve 97 can be urged toward its seat against the tension of the compression spring 113. Upon adjusting the set screw in the opposite direction the spring 113 moves the needle valve 9( away from its seat. By this means, the flow of oil to the atomizing nozzle can be adjusted as desired.

A circular scale 114 attached to the set screw and an index 11:) supported by the bracket 102 provide means for indicating the adjustment of the needle valve.

The shaft 62 is comparatively long and to prevent vibration thereof 1 provide it with two intermediate bearings 115 and 116 (see Figure 7) which are supported by the housing indicated as a whole by the ref erence character 116. The housing 116 is provided with an annular boss or extension 117 which is supported by the bridge 69 and held in place by the set screw 118. The housing 116 is provided with a lateral extension 119 (see Figure 6) which provides a filling opening whereby lubricating oil can be supplied to the housing 116 said opening being closed by the plug 120. A gauge glass 121 connects with the lateral extension 119 to indicate the height of the lubricating oil in the housing 119. The housing 116 is filled with lubricating oil to the level of the center of the shaft 62 and when the motor is in operation the oil is thrown upwardlyinto the housing 116 thereby lubricating the bearings of the shafts 62 and 71. An oil ring-122 prevents the oil from creeping out along the shaft 62 toward the motor.

The space enclosed by the central section 25 of the housing for the hollow spindle and the two end sections 26 and 27 forms an oil well for confining the oil for lubrieating the bearings of the spindle and of the drive shaft, 62 which are supported by the housing.

For the purpose of keeping the power required to operate the atomizing nozzle to a minimum, I prefer to maintain the oil level in the oil well 125 below the lower ends of the teeth of the pinion 60. (See Figure 4.) Otherwise the teeth of this pinion, threshing through the oil, would consume a very considerable amount of power. To maintain the oil at this level, I make the teeth of the drive gear 61 somewhat longer than the teeth of the beveled pinion 60 so that they project outwardly beyond the teeth of the pinion 60 and dip into the oil in the well 125. During operation, the projecting ends of the teeth of the gear 61 dip into the oil and carry it upwardly where the centrifugal force causes it to be thrown outwardly into the bearing 28 and also through the opening 126 formed in one side of the cylindrical section 25 of the housing. The oil thrown outwardly through the opening 126 strikes the top 127 of the oil circulating conduit 1 8 which extends longitudinally of the central section 25 and empties through the opening 129 into the chamber 130, extending across the outer face of the end member 26 and forming a continuation of the oil circulating conduit 128. An opening 131 in the wall between the chamber 130 and the well 125 forms an overflow from the oil circulating conduit into the oil well. It will be noticed that the lower edge 132 of the opening 126 (see Figure 4) lies at a level considerably above the level of the oil in the well 125. With the arrangement just described, there is a continuous circulation of the oil from the oil well 123 through the oil circulating conduit and the verllowopening 131 back into the oil well. This circulation of the oil tendstopreventit from congealing as it would do if not subjected to agitation.

For the purpose of properly limiting the (uantity of lubricating oil in the housing, provide an overflow tank 130, which is connected with the circulating conduit 128 (see Figure 2) by the pipe 131. If the level of the oil in the circulating conduit is too high, it will flow through the pipe 131, the tank 130 and out through the overflow pipe 133 into the lubricating oil receptacle 134.

By referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the end member 26 is provided with a small passageway 136 for conducting lubri cating oil thrown off the gear 61 to the upper side of the bearings for the end of the shaft 62. The lubricant, after passing through the hearings, will drop into the chamber 130 forming a part of the circulating conduit.

I shall 110w, by reference to Figures 3, 11 and 12, describe the details of construction of the fire box which I prefer to use in connection with my oil burner. The metal portion of the fire box is preferably formed with an annular ring 140 for supporting the metal cross-bars 141 and 142, to the lower sides of which are bolted the angle iron supports 143. The hollow conical ring 144 surrounding the burner is provided with a plurality of lugs 145 resting upon the angle iron supports 143 and vertically ad justa-ble by means of the adjusting screws 146. By adjusting these screws, the ring 144 can be adjusted vertically and leveled to bring the air vane ring 147 into the proper relation with the vanes 39 of the atomizing nozzle. The lower edge of the ring 144 is turned outwardly and upwardly as shown at 148 to provide an annular trough which is drained by the pipe 145. A ring 150 is supported by the cross-bar 141 and in turn supports a plurality of sheet' metal sectors 151 having the interlocking overlapping edges 152 and 153 as shown in Figure 12. The inner ends of the sectors 151 rest upon the upturned lower edge of the ring 144 and their outer ends are supported by the ring 150 at such an elevation that the sheet metal ring formed by the overlapping sectors 151 inclines downwardly toward the center of the fire box. The outer ends of the sectors are fla'nged upwardly as shown at 152. Fire bricks 153 are arranged around the vertical sides of the fire box, the lower ends thereof being supported by the sectors 151 and the space between the lower ends of the fire bricks 153 and the ring 144 is then filled with fire clay or other refractory material.

With the construction described above, in the event the flame is, for any reason, extinguished and the oil continues to be discharged into the fire box, it will run down between the fire bricks 153 and through cracks, which develop in the fire clay, onto the sheet metal sectors 151 and drain into the trough formed at the lower edge of the ring 144. .The oil draininginto this trough will then discharge into the pipe 145 which may either conduct the oil back to the supply tank or may lead to a fluid-operated switch of well-known construction for interrupting the supply of current to the motor. i i 1 r Through experiment I hate discovered. that practically all of the crude and residuum fuel oils do not contain :suflicient water to make the atomization as complete and efficient as it would be provided these fuel oils contained more water. In Figures 1 and 2, I have, therefore. illustrated means by which I can supply additionalwatcr to the fuel oil before is fed to the centrifugal separator. This means comprises a pipe 17 5 adapted to be connected with a source of water and comprising a sight-feed valve 17 6 by means of which'the quantity of water fed to the oil flowing in the pipe 46 can be observed and controlled. By this means, I am enabled to supply the proper quantity of water to the fuel oil to produce the most efficient atomization.

I have found, through experiment, that I can mix the-fuel oil with Water approximately equal to one-sixteenth of the quantity of oil being fed and obtain very good atomization of the fuel. It is possible that the intense heat of the flame produced by the burner produces a certain amount of disassociation of the water and that the gases thus produced either reunite or combine with the atomized fuel during the oxidation process. In any event the flame produced by the addition of water, is practically incandescent indicating very thorough combustion.

In Figure 13, I have illustrated a modified form of construction for the centrifugal separator in which the nozzle 48 shown in Figure 3 is omitted and the standpipe l0 provided near its upper end with a series of radial openings 180, through which the fuel oil is discharged under low pressure and flows down onto the top of the cap and along the outside of the depending flange 55 thereof and drops onto the annular ring 181 from which it is discharged by centrifugal action into the annular ring of fuel and water, filling the outer portion of the cup 31. If desired, agitators 182 may be secured to the flange 55 of the cap 55 and project outwardly to a point near the inner periphery of the cup 31 for the purpose of agitating any deposit which may lodge in the cup and cause it to flow outwardlyover the atomizing nozzle. i

In burning many fuels, the agitators 182 can be omitted, thereby lessening the resistance to the rotation of the mixture in the cup 31 and thus decreasing the amount of power required for operating the burner.

While I have described the details of construction of the preferred embodiment of my improved oil burner and the method of burning fuel therewith, it is to be clearly understood that my invention is not limited to these details but is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A fuel burning mechanism comprising a bearing, a hollow spindle rotatably mounted in said bearing, an annular cup comprising inner and outer walls secured to the upper end of said hollow spind1e,.an upwardly and outwardly flaring atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end of said outer wall, the lower end of said nozzle being offset inwardly to form a space between said offset portion and the bottom of said cup for subjecting the fuel to centrifugal force, fan blades secured to said atomizing nozzle for forcing air into contact with the atomized fuel, a fuel standpipe extending through said hollow spindle, annular cup and atomizing nozzle, means supported by the upper end of said fuel standpipe for protecting said atomizing nozzle and said cup from the heat of the burning fuel, a fuel nozzle communicating withssaid fuel standpipe at a point above the inner wall of said annular cup and discharging into said cup adjacent the bottom and outer wallthereof, a cap supported by said standpipe and enclosing the upper end of said inner wall, a housing surrounding the lower end of said spindle and said standpipe and supporting said bearing, a pinion secured to said spindle and a gear for driving said pinion, the said gear and pinion being housed in said housing.

2. A fuel burning mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted hollow spindle, an annular cup comprising inner and outer annular walls secured to the upper end of said spindle, an atomizing nozzle detachably secured to the upper end of said cup,the diameter of the nozzle, where it communicates with said cup, being less than the diameter of said cup whereby an annular space is formed in said cup for subjecting the fuel to centrifugal force, a fuel pipe extending through said spindle and having means adjacent its upper end for discharging fuel into said cup adjacent the bottom and outer wall thereof.

3. A fuel burning mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, an annular cup comprising inner and outer annular walls secured to the upper end of said spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end of said cup, the diameter of the nozzle, where itcommunicates with said cup, being less than the diameter of said cup whereby an annular space is formed in said cup for subjecting the fuel to centrifugal force, a fuel pipe having means for discharging fuel into said cup adj aeent the bottom and outer wall thereof, and an agitator secured to said fuel pipe and projecting into said annular space.

4. A fuel burning mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, an annular cup comprising inner and outer annular walls secured to the upper end of said spindle, an atomizing nozzle detachably secured to the upper end of said cup, the diameter of the nozzle where it communicates with said cup being less than the diameter of said cup whereby an annular space is formed in said cup, a fuel pipe having means for discharging fuel into said cup, and means for agitating the contents of said cup.

5. A fuel burning mechanism comprising an annular outwardly flaring atomizing nozzle, means for rotating said nozzle, means for supplying fuel to said nozzle comprising means for continuously subjecting the fuel to centrifugal action for a period of time sufficient to separate impurities therefrom, and means for agitatingsaid impurities to prevent them from accumulating in said separating means. I

6. A fuel burning i'nechanism comprising a rotatable atomizing nozzle, means for supplying fuel to said nozzle and means intermediate said nozzle and said supply means for separating impurities from the fuel comprising means for subjecting the fuel to centrifugal action, and means for causing said impurities to be discharged from said nozzle.

7. A fuel burning mechanism comprising arotatable atomizing nozzle, means for supplying fuel to said nozzle, means intermediate said nozzle and said supply means for separating water and the heavier impurities from said fuel and then feeding the fuel and separated water to said nozzle, and means for causing said impurities to be held in suspension in said water and low from said sepa iting means with said water.

8. The combination with a fuel atomizing nozzle, of means for supplying fuel thereto comprising means for subjecting the fuel to the influence of centrifugal force and at the same time agitating the fuel.

9. The combination with an atomizing nozzle, of means for supplying fuel thereto comprising means for holding a body of water, means for injecting fuel into said body of water, means for subjecting said fuel and water to centrifugal action and means for agitating said fuel and water.

10. The combination with an atoniizing nozzle, of means for supplying fuel thereto comprising means for holding a body of water, means for injecting fuel into said body of water, means for subjecting said fuel and water to centrifugal action, anu means for agitating said water.

11. The method of preparing oil to be burned which comprises subjecting a portion of the fuel first supplied to the combustion means to centrifugal action to separate the water therefrom, thereafter passing succeeding portions of the fuel in contact with said sepa 'ated water while being subjected to centrifugal force and agitating the water.

12. The method of preparing fuel for combustion which comprises passing the fuel in contact with a body of warm water, while said water and fuel are being agitated and then atomizing the fuel.

13. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supplying fuel oil to said nozzle. comprising a standpipe extending through said spindle, bearings for said spindle, a pinion secured to said spindle, a driving shaft having a drive gear thereon meshing with said pinion, the teeth. of said gear extending outwardly beyond the teeth of said pinion, a bearing for said drive shaft, a housing for said bearings, spindle, gear and pinion, the said housing comprising a lubricating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, a lubricating oil circulating conduit opening point above the opin said Oll well, and

into said oil well at a crating level of the oil adjacent one edge of said gear, the said circulating conduit extending to position under said shaft, the wall between said oil well and said oil circulating conduit being provided with an opening forming an overflow from said oil circulating conduit to said oil well, the said housing being provided with a passageway extending from a point adjacent the upper edge of said gear to said shaft bearing, and from said shaft bearing to said oil circulating conduit, means for limiting the level of the oil in said oil circulating conduit, and a cap for the upper end of said spindle for preventing the fuel oil from passing downwardly from said atomizing nozzle through said spindle and into the oil well.

l4. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supply ing fuel oil to said nozzle, comprising a standpipe extending through said spindle, bearings for said spindle, a pinion secured to said spindle, a driving shaft having a drive gear thereon meshing with said pinion, a bearing for said drive shaft, a housing for said bearings, spindle, gear and pinion, the said housing comprising a lubri eating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, a lubricating oil circulating conduit opening into said oil well at a point above the operating level of the oil in said oil well, and adjacent one edge of said gear, the iid circulating conduit extending to a position under said shaft, the wall between said oil well and said oil circulating conduit being provided with an opening forming an overflow from said oil circulating conduit to said oil well, means for limiting the level of the oil in said oil circulating conduit, and a cap for the upper end of said spindle for preventing the fuel oil from passing downwardly from said atomizing nozzle through said spindle and into the oil well.

15. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supplying fuel oil to said nozzle, comprising a standpipe extending through said spindle, bearings for said spindle, a pinion secured to said spindle, a driving shaft having a drive gear thereon meshing with said pinion, a bearing for said drive shaft, a housing for said bearings, spindle, gear and pinion. the said housing comprising a lubricating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, a lubricating oil circulating condnit opening into said oil well at a point above the operating level of the oil in said oil well. and adjacent one edge of said gear, the wall between said oil well and said oil circulating conduit being provided with an opening forming an overflow from said oil circulating conduit to said oil well, and a cap for the upper end of said spindle for preventing the fuel oil from passing downwardly from said atomizing nozzle through said spindle and into the oil well.

16. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supplying fuel oil to said nozzle, comprising a stanupipe extending through said spindle, bearings for said spindle, means for driving said swindle, a housing for said bearings and spindle, said housing comprising a lubricating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, a lubricating oil circulating conduit opening into said oil well at a point above the operating level of the oil in said oil well, the wall between said oil well and said oil circulating conduit being provided with an opening forming an overflow from said oil circulating conduit to said oil well, and a cap for the upper end of said spindle for preventing the fuel oil from passing downwardly from said atomizing nozzle through said spindle and into the oil well.

17. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supplying fuel oil to said nozzle, comprising a standpipe extending through said spindle, bearings for said spindle, means for driving said spindle, a housing for said bearings and spindle, the said housing comprising a lubricating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, a lubricating oil circulating con duit opening into said oi well at a point above the operating level of the oil in said well, the wall between said oil well and said oil circulating conduit being provided with an opening forming an overflow from said oil circulating conduit to said oil well.

18. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supplying oil to said nozzle, comprising a standpipe extending through said spindle, bearings for said spindle, a housing for said bearings and spindle, the said housing comprising a lubricating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, means for limiting the level of the oil in said oil well, and a cap for the upper end of said spindle for preventing the fuel oil from passing downwardly from said atomizing nozzle through said spindle and into said oil well.

19. A fuel burning machine comprising a hollow spindle, an atomizing nozzle secured to the upper end thereof, means for supplying oil to said nozzle, bearings for said spindle, a housin for said bearings and spindle, said housing comprising a lubrieating oil well at the lower end of said spindle, means for splashing oil onto said bearings and means for conducting oil to and from said oil well.

20. An oil burning machine comprising a rotatable atomizing nozzle, a motor for retating said nozzle, a pump for supplying fuel to said nozzle under pressure, a conduit for connecting said pump with said nozzle, the said conduit comprising a valve seat, a needle valve, means for adjustingsaid needle valve to and from said valve seat, and means for rotating said needle valve, comprising a worm wheel. secured to said needle valve, a worm co-acting with said worm wheel and driven by said motor and means whereby said worm can be brought into and out of engagement with said worm wheel. I

21. An oil burning machine comprising a rotatable atomizing nozzle, a motor for rotating said nozzle, a pump for supplying fuel to said nozzle under pressure, a conduit for connecting sai-dpump with said nozzle, the said conduit comprising a valve seat, a needle valve, means for adjusting said needle valve to and from said valve seat and means for rotating said needle valve, com prising means driven by said motor, and means whereby said worm can be brought into and out of engagement with saiddriven means. V

22. An oil burning machine comprising a rotatable atomizing nozzle, a pump for supplying fuel to said nozzle under pressure, a conduit for connecting saidpump with said nozzle, said conduit comprising a valve seat, a needle valve for controlling theflow of fuel through said conduit, means for adjust ing said needle valve to and from said valve seat and means for rotating said needle valve.

23. An oil burning machine. comprising an atomizing nozzle, a pump for supplying fuel to said nozzle under pressure, a conduit for connecting said pump with said nozzle. a needle valve for controlling the.

flow of fuel through said conduit, and means for rotating said needle valve without longitudinally advancing it.

24. An oil burning machine comprising an oil burner, a conduit for supplying fuel to said oil burner, the said conduit comprising a valve seat, a needle valve for co-acting with said seat, means for adjusting said needle valve to and from said valve seat, and means for rotating said needle valve without changing its adjustment.

25. An oil burning machine comprising an oil burner, a conduit for supplying fuel to said oil burner, the said conduit comprising a valve seat, a valve for co-acting with:

said seat, and means for continuously movmg said valve.

26. A fire box for a furnace,.adapted to be heated by an oil burning device, comprising a hollow conicalring adapted to surround a portion of said oil burning device, the lower end of said ring being turned outwardly and upwardly to form an annular trough, means for supporting said ring, a

' sheet metal support surrounding said ring,

the said sheet metal support forming a portion of the bottom of said fire box and being inclined downwardly toward said trough, and a refractory lining supported by said sheet metal support.

27. A fire box for a furnace, adapted to be heated by an oil burning device, comprising a ring adapted to surround a portion of said oil burning device, the lower end of said ring being turned outwardly and upwardly to form an annular trough, means for supporting said ring, a support surrounding said ring, the said support forming a portion of the bottom of said fire box and being inclined downwardly toward said trough, and a refractory lining supported by said sheet metal support.

28. An oil burner comprising a hollow shaft, a cup secured to one end thereof, a rotary atomizing nozzle :mounted on the open end of said cup and receiving oil therefrom, a standpipe projecting through said shaft in the bottom of said cup, the said standpipe being provided with an opening for discharging oil into said cup, means for preventing the oil thus discharged into said cup from passing down said hollow shaft, and means for agitating the contents of said cup.

29. An oil burner comprising a rotary atomizer and centrifugal separator, means for supplying oil to said separator, means for preventing the accumulation of impurities in said separator, and means for conducting the oil and impurities to said atomizer.

30. An oil burner comprising an atomizer, means for separating the water and heavier impurities from the oil and feeding the oil and water to said atomizer in superimposed films, and means for preventing the accumulation of the heavier impurities in said separating means.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of April, 1920.

FRANKLIN HARDINGE.

lrVitnesses:

IRENE S. RAsMUssnN, EDNA V. GUs'rArsoN.

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