Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-27
TO ASSIST FIREMAN
MECHANICAL sToKER TO BE
TRIED ON BURLINGTON.
is A SUCCESSFUL APPLIANCE

viii Greatly Relieve the Work Of
Firemen on the Big Ensnes-TriaI
to be Made Between Galesburg and
Chicago at AN Early Date.
| The Ottumwans who fire the big 10.
comotives on the Burlington railroad
may soon be greatly assisted in their
work by new invention called the
Luckey locomotive stoker, recently
invented, which is soon to be tested
between Galeshurg and Chicago.
The stoker is an apparatus for the
purpose of putting coal into the fire
box without having to throw it in by
hand or having to open and shut the
| door each time a shovel of coal isl
thrown in. 1t is worked automatically
by steam and is a great bonanza to the
fireman. 1t will greatly save the wear
of the firebox and boiler and will also
be an economizer of fuel.
| Worked on Invention Year.
Mr.. Luckey has been working on his
new invention since year ago last
February, and the machine that is now
being, put on engine No. 1927 is the
fifth that he has made. The former
models which were tested on Penn
sylvania line worked with success,
but were recalled because of some new
Improvements on them which Mr..
Luckey wished to make The Luckey
locomotive stoker is manufactured in
Cincinnati, Ohio, by the Luckey Loco
motive Stoker Co., of which Joseph
Plant is general manager, and ]. r.
Luckey mechanical superintendent.
Description Of Machine.
The stoker is small, compact and
simple machine, but little larger than
a cash register. 1t replaces the regu-
lar door of the locomotive and is hing
| ed to the same Jugs. For cleansing the
fire, firing UP or for the boiler-makers
| to do their work, the machine can be
swung open the same as door.
The principle employed is blowing
/ the coal in with steam. A small en-
CINE turns a paddle wheel to feed
down the coal in front of narrow op-
ening, the full width of the rear end
of the shovel plate, and three dis
charges of steam, first hard one for
the further end of the fire box, then
medium force for the middle of the
box, and q light one for the part next
/ to the door, force the coal into the
4 box At the front end of the shovel
plate is located two adjustable wings
on blades one at either side, each being
turned to direct a portion of the coal
to the sides and back corners.
There are but two moving parts to the
stoker proper, the paddle wheel to feed
down the coal, and an internal admis-
sion rotary valve to discharge the
steam.
i Its Advantages.
The machine is expected to save suf-
ficient fuel and boiler repairs to war
rant it's purchase. and the hard work it
saves for the firemen by the fact that
he is. shielded from the heat of the fire
should inspire him to work for its
success. On the common engine in
which the fireman works the tempera-
ture varies as much as forty degrees
which is very injurious to the health,
especially in the winter. With the
stoker the variation is seldom more
than seven degrees. The protection
of the eyes of the fireman is invaluable
to him. Many firemen are rejected on
the examination for engineer, because
they are color blind. which is caused
!, by constantly looking into the fire. The
introduction OF steam into the fire box
acts as an aid to combustion and also
abates the smoke and sparks to a
great degree.
The engine and stoker use about a
constant three-fourths horse power OF
, steam. The dimensions. however, are
such that the engine will develop six
and two-thirds horse power SO that
when only fifteen or twenty pounds OF
steam has been raised. the stoker can
be started and the balance of the fir.
ing done with it. The machine handles
coal up to five inches in size. Larger
chunks than this must be crushed.
There have been several Attempts at
making stoker for locomotives, but
little progress has been attained along
that line. The manufacturers of the
Luckey stoker are encouraged by such
trials as have been made and they are
preparing for the manufacture of ma
chimes on large scale.
Mr.. Luckey began work on engine
No.1727 Friday morning in the Gales
burg shops and it was expected that
the test would be made Sunday al
Galesburg and Burlington, but on ac
count of some necessary changes that
had to be made in fitting the stokel
to the fire box it was postponed for a
day or two. Mr.. Luckey is in Chicago
but will return soon. When the trial
. trip is made it will be under the inspec
ton Of Max H. Wickhurst of Aurora
engineer of tests for the Burlington
road. The new machine is of much
discussion among railroad men and
firemen especially are in hopes thai
it will prove success and be gener
! ally adopted