US2029519A - Stoker - Google Patents

Description

W. T. CAPPS Feb. 4, 1936.

STOKER Filed April lO, 1955 m s\ Q E EN@ Q Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITE STATES ariane STOKER Application April 10,

8 Claims.

My invention relates generally to stokers for application to a locomotive and tender and more specifically to conveying and driving means for stokers, such means comprising a plurality of 5 conveying screws arranged with two of the screws having independent drive connections at their rearward ends.

It has been usual, in stokers embodying a con- Veying and driving system of the type described, to offset the adjacent ends of the conduits housing the independently driven screws or to have one conduit deliver through a side of the adjacent end of another conduit. The present invention has for an object the provision of a novel form of conveying and driving system of the type described wherein the conduits housing the conveying screws are in endwise communication.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of a Stoker having a fuel receiving conduit on the tender, a fuel discharge conduit on the locomotive, and a transfer conduit therebetween, the conduits being in endwise communication at their adjacent ends, a conveying screw in each of the conduits, the screw in the discharge conduit being driven independently of the screws in the receiving and transfer conduits, with no part of the driving mechanism for the screw in the discharge conduit disposed on the locomotive between the frame and the bottom of the discharge conduit.

To the above and other ends the invention consists in the arrangement of parts and in their relation and association one with the other or in combination as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a longitudinal, vertical, central section of adjacent portions of a locomotive and tender with the novel Stoker applied thereto and shown in elevation with parts broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stoker structure shown in Fig. 1.

On the drawing, the locomotive and tender are represented generally by the letters A and B, respectively, and the coupling member therebetween permitting articulation when the locomotive and tender are rounding curves or passing over switches and turntables, is designated by the letter C. The locomotive A comprises a frame lil, a boiler ii provided with a hollow backwall l2 having a firing opening i3, and a nrebox ist. The tender B includes a frame i5, a fuel bin it having a floor il which is provided with a central longitudinally extending opening i8.

Fuel is conveyed from the tender fuel bin to 1935, Serial No. 15,516

(Cl. 19g- 15) the rebox Il-i by stoker mechanism indicated generally at S. The stoker mechanism S includes the fuel receiving or tender conveyor D mounted on the tender frame l5 beneath the fuel bin it to receive fuel through the opening i8, a delivery conveyor E mounted on the locomotive and an intermediate conveyor F.

The delivery conveyor E includes an inclined conduit i9 communicating with the rebox I4 through the firing opening i3, and a fuel elevating or fuel conveying screw Z0 housed within the conduit i9 for delivering fuel to a distributing means 2| which is arranged to spread the fuel to all parts of the rebed. The lower rearward end of the conduit iii is provided with a spherical split flange 22?.. The conduit i9 and its ele-- vating screw 2t are preferably mounted so that their respective axes lie substantially in the vertical medial plane of the locomotive and tender.

The fuel receiving or tender conveyor D iny cludes the trough-like conduit 23 and a fuel conveying screw 24 mounted therein for advancing fuel therethrough. The trough-like conduit 23 and the conveying screw 24 are also preferably mounted so that their respective axes lie substantially in the vertical medial plane of the locomotive and tender. The tender conveyor D is also provided with a tubular portion 25 commu-- nicating with and extending forwardly from the open forward end of the trough-like conduit 23. A spherical split flange 26 is provided at the forward end of the tubular portion 25.

Fuel passes from the tender conveyor D to the delivery conveyor E through the intermediate conveyor F. The conveyor F includes the conduit 2'! consisting of the telescoping conduit sections 23 and 29 provided at their remote ends with the ball members Sii and 3|, respectively, which members are arranged to be received in the spherical split flanges 22 and 2t, respectively, forming universal connections at 32 and 33. The conduits i9, Z3 and il are connected in endto-end relation, and the telescoping feature of the intermediate conduit 2l, together with the universal connections at 32 and 33, provides for the necessary articulation between the Stoker conduit sections when the locomotive and tender are rounding curves or passing over switches and turntables. Mounted within the intermediate conduit 2l is a fuel conveying screw 34, the rearr ward end of which is connected to the conveying screw 2G; by a universal joint 35, while the forward end thereof is free and spaced apart from the lower rearward end of the elevating screw 2).

The drive means for conveying screws of the stoker includes the prime mover 36, a gear train 31 housed within the casing 38 at the rear of the trough-like conduit 23, and suitable shafting which connects the prime mover 36 with the conveying screws 20 and 24 for operating the same. The gear train 31 comprises the main gear 39 loosely mounted on the shaft 49 of the conveying screw 24', a pinion gear 4| which meshes with the main gear 39 and, is driven directly by the prime mover 36 through the shaft 42, and a gear 43 meshing with the main gear 39 and having operatively associated therewith the shafting 44 which is flexibly connected with the shaft 45 of the elevating screw 26 for operating, the same. The shafting 44 includes the telescopic shaft46 and a shaft 41 universally connected at 48 to the elevating screw shaft 45 and connected to the telescopic shaft 46 by a double universal joint 49.

The inclined conduit I9 is provided with a lateral opening 50 immediately forward of the spherical flange 22 arranged to be closed by a cover 5|. A sleeve 52 passes diagonally through the cover 5| forming a bearing for the shaft 41. The cover 5| is secured to the inclined conduit I9 by any suitable means, such as bolts 53, and the sleeve 52 is formed with the cover 5| or may be rigidly secured thereto in any well known manner.

On one side, the main gear 39 carries clutch teeth 54 which are normally engaged by clutch teeth 55 of the clutch member 56. The clutch member 56 is operatively mounted on the shaft 40 andslidable therealong by the shifting yoke 51 for selectively engaging or disengaging the clutch teeth 54 and 55.

In the normal operation of the device, the clutch member 56 is moved to a position causing the clutch teeth 55 to engage the clutch teeth 54, thereby operatively connecting the main gear 39 to the shaft 4D. Operation of the prime mover 36 sets the entire gear train 31 in motion whereby the main gear 39 rotates the conveying screw 24 and its connected conveying screw 34, and the gear 43 operates the elevating screw 20 by means of the shafting 44. Fuel drops through the opening I8 into the trough-like conduit 23 and is urged forwardly through the. trough-like conduit 23 and the intermediate conduit 21 by the conveying screws 24 and 34. The conveying screws 24 and 34 force the fuel through the lower portion of the inclined conduit I9 into the zone of action of the elevating screw 20, which elevates the fuel to the distributing means 2| for delivery to the rebox.

At times extraneous material in the fuel will become lodged between the crusher 58 and the conveying screw 24, rendering the entire conveying mechanism inoperative. The fireman may, by shifting the clutch member 5S, disengage the clutch teeth 55 from the clutch teeth 54, thereby disconnecting the shaft 46 and the conveying screws 24 and 34 from operative relation with the gear train 31. The gear train 31, however, remains in operative relation with the elevating screw 26 and fuel may continue to be delivered to the rebox by raising the hinged cover 59 over the hopper 60 formed in the inclined conduit I9 and manually introducing fuel into the hopper 6U.

While the novel conveying system and driving arrangement therefor has been described in connection with a locomotive Stoker, its application is not limited to such installations.

I claim:

l. In a locomotive and tender, a stoker conveying system including a conduit having a fuel receiving and transferring portion and a fuel discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the fuel discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in said fuel receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in said fuel dis-` charge conduit'portion, driving means for saidv screws, a shaft operatively connecting said driving means with the screw conveying means in the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit and shafting at one end universally' connected with the screw in the discharge portion of said conduit and at the other end operatively connected with said driving means.

2. In a locomotive and tender, a stoker conveying system including a conduit having a fuel receiving and transferring portion and a fuel discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the fuel discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in said fuel receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in said fuel discharge conduit portion, means for operating said screws including gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit, a shaft operatively connecting said gearing with the screw conveying means in the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit and shafting extending lengthwise exteriorly of the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit operatively connecting said gearing With the conveying screw in the fuel discharge portion of said conduit.

3. In a locomotive and tender, a stoker conveying system including a conduit having a fuel receiving and transferring portion and a fuel discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the fuel discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in said fuel receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in said fuel discharge conduit portion, means for operating said screws including gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit, a shaft operatively connecting said gearing with the screw conveying means in the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, and shafting including a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorly of the fuel receiving and transferring portion of said conduit operatively connected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft universally connected at one end with said last named shaft and universally connected at its other end with the conveying screw in the fuel discharge portion of said conduit.

4. In a locomotive and tender, a Stoker comprising a rearward conduit section on the tender,

a forward conduit section on the locomotive and,

an intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at one end with said rearward conduit section and at its opposite end flexibly connected with said forward conduit section, said conduit sections being arranged in endwise communication, a conveying screw in said forward conduit section, a conveying screw in said rearward conduit section and a conveying screw in said intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at one end with the screw in said rearward conduit section and at its other end being free and spaced from the rearward end of the screw in said forward conduit section, means for operating said conveying screws including gearing at the rear of said rearward conduit section, a shaft operatively connecting said gearing with the screw in said rearward conduit section, and shafting extending lengthwise exteriorly of the rearward and intermediate conduit sections operatively connecting said gearing with the screw in said forward conduit section.

5. In a locomotive and tender, a Stoker comprising a rearward conduit section on the tender, a forward conduit section on the locomotive and an intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at one end with said rearward conduit section and at its opposite end flexibly connected with said forward conduit section, said conduit sections being arranged in endwise communication, a conveying screw in said forward conduit section, a conveying screw in said rearward conduit section and a conveying screw in said intermediate conduit section flexibly connected at one end with the screw in said rearward conduit section and at its other end being free and spaced from the rearward end of the screw in said forward conduit section, means for operating said conveying screws including gearing at the rear of said rearward conduit section, a shaft operatively connecting said gearing with the screw in said rearward conduit section, and shafting includng a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorly of the rearward and intermediate conduit sections operatively connected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft universally connected at one end with said last named shaft and universally connected at its other end with the screw in said forward conduit section.

6. In a conveying system, a conduit having a receiving and transferring portion and a discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in said receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in said discharge conduit portion, said discharge conduit portion being provided with a lateral opening near its rearward end, driving means for said screws, a

shaft operatively connecting said driving means with the screw conveying means in the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit and shafting passing through said lateral opening at one end flexibly connected with the screw in the discharge portion of said conduit and at the other end operatively connected with said driving means.

7. In ya conveying system, a conduit having a receiving and transferring portion and a discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwise communication, screw conveying means disposed within the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in said receiving and transferring conduit portion being free Kat its forward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in said discharge conduit portion, said discharge conduit portion being provided with a lateral opening near its rearward end, means for operating said screws including gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit, a shaft operatively connecting said driving means with the screw conveying means in the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, and shafting including a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorly of the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit operatively connected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft passing through said lateral opening at one end flexibly connected with the screw in the discharge portion of said conduit and at the other end operatively connected with said gearing.

8. In a conveying system, a conduit having a receiving and transferring portion and a discharge portion, said conduit portions being arranged in endwise communication, screw conveyng means disposed within the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit, a conveying screw in the discharge portion of said conduit, the screw conveying means in said receiving and transferring conduit portion being free at its forward end and spaced from the rearward end of the conveying screw in said discharge conduit portion, a sleeve extending through a side wall of the discharge conduit portion, means for operating said screws including gearing at the rear of the receiving portion of said conduit, a shaft operatively connecting said driving means with the screw conveying means in the receiving Iand transferring portion of said conduit and shafting including a shaft extending lengthwise exteriorly of the receiving and transferring portion of said conduit operatively connected at one end with said gearing and a second shaft mounted in said sleeve at one end flexibly connected with the screw in the discharge portion of said conduit and at the other end operatively connected with said gearing.

WASHINGTON T. CAPPS.

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