US632203A - Draft-indicator for locomotives. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 29.. |899.

J; E. RANKINE. DRAFT INDICATOR FOR LUCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed. Apr. 14. 189B.)

(No Model.)

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cams Przns co.. Pnmaumo., wnsmnmou o c JAMES EARIIE RANKINE, OE ELK RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

DRAFT-INDICATOR FOR LOCOh/IOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,203, dated August 29, 1899. Application filed April 14, 1898. Serial No. 677,614. (No model.)

To all whon t may 0072/007071,.-

Beitknown that I, J AMES EARLE RANKINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elk Rapids, in the county of Antrim and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhaust Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to exhaust mechanism for engines, being particularly designed for use in connection with locomotive-engines.

The object of the present invention is to provide what may be termed a visual draftgage7 for the purpose ofindieatin g the amount of draft in the fire-box.

It is well known that in locomotives it is sometimes required to largely increase the power for a short period of time, and when the steam-power is increased the exhauststeam is of necessity caused to pass through the contracted exhaust-nozzle, thereby greatly increasing the draft through the furnace, which has a tendency to break up or disintegrate the tire, ofttimes throwing red-hot coke from the stack, which is a source of considerable danger to contiguous property. N umerous expedients have been devised to overcome this difficulty, but in most instances the devices have been placed within the stack or inside of the smoke-arch, Where they were subjected to the hot gases and in a short time rendered useless.

It is the object of this invention to provide means under the ready control of the engineer whereby the exhaust may be increased or diminished at pleasure, and in connection with this a draft-gage is employed by which the amount of draft is visually indicated, thus enabling the engineer to divert as large a quantity of the exhaust-steam from the ordinary exhaust-nozzle as may be necessary to prevent the breaking up of the fire.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional View of a draft-gage constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View, in partial section, of a locomotive boiler and cab, showing the manner of applying the improved gage thereto.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding' parts in both figures.

In carrying out the present invention I employ a draft-indicator gage, which is in the form of a transparent tube (indicated at 1) bent in U shape to comprise two legs 2 and 3, the bend or curve 4 in the gage being at the lowermost point and the legs 2 and 3 extending upward therefrom. Hthin this gagetube is placed a quantity of water or other liquid having the same or a less specific gravity.

The tubular gage 1 is mounted by means of one or more clips or brackets 5 upon a supporting block or base G, and conneetedalso to said block or base is a valve-chamber 7, having a door S for affording access thereto. In one side of the yalve-casing7 is an opening 9, from which a tubular connection 10 extends to and communicates with one of the legs 3 of the draft-gage. Vithin the casing 7 is a fiat or iiap valve 11, suspended by a strap 12 and resting lightly over the opening 9 leading to the pipe 10. Communicating with the valve-chamber 7 isa pipe 13, which extends downward into and communicates with the tire-box, so that the air contained therein may be influenced by any partial vacuum which occurs in the fire-box due to the forcing of the exhaust-steam outward through the stack.

The parts above enumerated are located wi thin the cab under the eye of the engineer, Whocan by glancing at the indicator 1, which is graduated exteriorly, note the level of the liquid in the leg 3 of the gage, and thereby ascertain the amount of draft.

14 designates the discharge-nozzle for the exhaust-steam, which is provided with a contracted discharge end 15, arranged at or near the base of the st-ack 16. It will be understood that the discharge-nozzle 14 communi- Cates with the exhaust orifices or ports in the steam-cylinders.

Extending laterally froi'n the nozzle 14 is a branch nozzle 17, whichy extends through the shell and outward at one side of the stack.

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Within said branch nozzle 17 is arranged a valve 18, which is mounted upon a central stem 19, which forms the pivot upon which the valve moves. Connected to the stem of the valve is an arm 20, and connected to said arm is a contractile spring, attached at its opposite end to a fixed point, the tension of said spring being exerted to hold the valve closed or in a position in which it willV obstruct the outward passage of exhaust-steam. By having the valve pvoted centrally and diametrically the pressure of the exhauststeam is equal on both sides of the fulcrum, and therefore there is little tendency to open the valve, and such tendency is overcome by means of the spring 21. An operating-rod 22 is connected at one end to the arm 2() on the stem of the valve and passes rearward through and into the cab, where it is provided with a handle 23, by grasping'which the engineer may open or close the valve 1S to the desired extent. In connection with the rod 22 any suitable means may be used for holding the rod at any point of adjustment, thereby holding the valve entirely closed or open or at any intermediate point.

From the foregoing description the operation of the device will be understood. The exhaust-steam passing out through the nozzle 15 causes a suction through the fire-tubes of the boiler and promotes draft in the fire-box. This is productive of a partial vacuum in the ire-box,and such partial Vacuum sucks the air through the tube 13 from the valvechamber 7, thus opening the valve 11 and causing also a partial vacuum in the tube 10 and leg 3 of the draft-gage. This causes the liquid in the leg 3 to rise, and the greater the draft, and consequently the greater the vacuum produced in the fire-box, the higher will the liquid rise within the gage. In case the draft becomes too great the' engineer by operating the rod 22 may open the valve 18 to any desired extent, thus permitting a corresponding amount of the exhaust-steam to pass out through the branch nozzle 17 directly to the atmosphere Without passing upward through the stack, and thereby increasing the draft. In other words, the gage 1 indicates the amount of draft, and the engineer, by means of the rod 22, may set the valve so as to reduce the draft to any desired extent. The object in providing the valve 11 is to overcome the pulsations in the draft-gage due to and caused by the intermittent exhaust of the steam through the discharge-nozzle at the base of the stack, the said valve 11 keeping up a constant Vibration as it is influenced by the intermittent action of the exhaust-steam and preventing the communication of such action of the steam to the liquid contained in the gage, but when the engine is stopped will leak sufficient to bring the gage to zero in about fifteen seconds.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In draft-indicators for locomotive-furnaces in which the draft is accelerated by the intermittent action of exhaust steam, the combination of a transparent U gage,a chamber arranged alongside the gage, a tubular connection between one leg of the gage and the chamber, a Valve suspended to hang across the passage for checking or preventing pulsations in the gage incident to intermittent exhaust, and a suction-pipe leading from chamber to lire-box, substantially as described.

2. In a locomotive-engine having exhaust mechanism adapted to discharge through or at one side of the stack, and means for regulating the discharge from the cab of the engine, the combination with such engine, of a visual indicator consisting of a transparent U gage, a valve-chamber communicating with one leg of the gage, a suspended flat valve for preventing pulsations in the gage, and a suction-pipe extending from valvechamber to fire box of the engine, substantially as described,

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

JAMES EARLE RANKINE.

lVitnesses:

JAMES HYATT, E. V. HYATT.

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