The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-08
FEEDS ON SMOKE.
to Consume Smoke and Save
Fuel on Engines.

Fuel on Engines.
CHICAGO, Sept. GA noteworthy inven-
ton is the smoke consumer patented by A.
r. Cavner and placed in practical operation
on the Chicago and Alton locomotive
engine No. 81 just turned out from the
! round-house at Bloomington, Ill. Mr..
! Cavner was assisted in the construction
| work on the engine by A. w. Quacken-
bush, MASTER mechanic of the Chicago and
! Alton.
! The prime objects secured by the Cavner
device are greater economyin the consump-
| ton of fuel, the entire abolition OF the
smoke nuisance, the reduction of the back
pressure on pistons to the lowest minimum,
reducing the vibration on fiues, and making
the locomotive available for an incan-
descent electric-lighting system.
That, portion of the locomotive known as
the extension front, extending from the fue
sheet TO the cast front door, is divided into
two compartments bya light vertical parti-
ton crossing entirely across the front just
forward of the exhaust pipe, thus combining
all the heated gases, exhaust steam, etc, in
the compartment next to the flue sheet. aud
having direct communication to the fire
box. No change is made in this compart-
ment except that the tips on the nozzle
Of the exhaust pipe are tasen out.
The exhaust opening is left full open
to the area of opening in the saddle
casting, the stock and saddle are taken Off,
and the stack opening increased to twenty
| inches in diameter. There is placed over
the exhaust and lifting pipe, twelve inches
at the bottom and end, tapering to fifteen
at the top and forty inches long, a sheet
iron pipe. This pipe, twenty inches in
diameter, sets over that resting on top of
| the extC nsion front. Over this sets the
ordinary dome casting. This casting is
perforated with 400 7-l6-inch holes
extending half around the front side
| of the casing. On the inside of the
! 20-inch pipe there is coiled htty-two feet of
! 2-inch brass pipe.
! The pump or in ector forces the water
| through the coil of pipe from the top down
! through the center and out at the side of
the ex ,erior front through the check into
the boiler. THIS water passing from the in-
| jector to the through brass pipes surrounded
! with the exhaust steam aId hot gases,
takes up the units of heat that would be
otherwise wasted and the water goes into
the boiler above boiling point, or about 220o
degrees Of heat.
USE OF THE COMPARTMENTS.
The forward compartment of the extern
sion front is used as q receptacle for the
mechanism by which the drAught is secured
| and power furnished to run the dynamo.
In this compartment is located pressure
blower il such position as to admit of free
access to the hue sheet. The pressure
blower is connected by direct friction to a
small sixteen-hand power rotary engine.
and Is also connected direct by an air pipe
extending from the front end of the engine
back under the truck Of the loco
motive TO the ash pan. The ash
pan and bumpers having asbestos
joints and shutting firmly make the ash
pan tight. The ar from the fan, drawn
down through the perfOrations, is heated to
a high temperature by exhaust steam and
heated gases. The result is by this method
fire is famed by constant blast of pure
heat oxygen OF seven-oupce pressure and
this air is made hot by the heat that would
be otherwise wasted. A portion of this hot
air is conducted in pipes from the main air
pipe through the ash pan, up
through the fuel. and is forced into the fame
from the back of the hre-box toward the flue-
sheet. Circliug the fire-box door are in
numbereble small holes or air jets. This hot
oxygen uniting with carbon forms a gas,
completes the combustion and prevents all
smoke whether the engine is working or
shut off. whether there is light or heavy
fire, and prevents gases from passing out
the fire-box door BY means OF this air
pipe the fire-box is converted into q gas re-
tort, consuming these elements Of heat and
carbonic oxyde gas that would otherwise
pass off in smoke.
Engine No. "a is the first locomotive en-
CINE to be fully equipped with an incandes-
cent system.
Mr.. Cavner is a practical locomotive en-
gineer, aud q mechanic of twenty odd years
service. A company with $500, 600 paid up
ca, ital Is pushing Mr.. Cavner's invention.
Mr.. Cavner is president of the company,
with offices in the Rookery.