The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-18
RAILROAD NEWS.
An Eastern Inventor Promises
Smokeless Engines.
Device to Be Tested Soon by
Chicago Roads.
ON A SIMPLE THEORY.
Heated Oxygen Is introduced to
Complete Combustion.
Other Items of Interest in
Railway Circles.

Chicago, June ia smokeless at
mosphere and a blue sky-two things
| impossible to separate from any plans
for civic beauty-may be restored to
Chicago through the introduction of a
| new system of coal combustion about
| to be tested upon the leading rail-
roads centering in this city.
The contrivance, which is said to
| effect the complete elimination Of
| smoke, is a simple one, the invention of
a man who spent Is years at the throt-
| tie. 1t already has been tried out in
| service upon the Boston & Maine, the
Orient and other roads, with what is
claimed to have been signal success.
Complete combustion is said to be eff
fected in the firebox of the locomotive
by the simple introduction of more
oxygen, heated to a temperature that
makes combustion possible. 1t has long
been recognized that the volumes of
black smoke which have come to be
regarded as the insignia of commerce
and industry are nothing but the es-
cape of valuable gases and unburned
carbon which is going to waste New
ertheless, complete combustion, Which
shall leave no unconSumed particles 10
escape, has been looked upon by sci
entists as something as impossible of
realization as perpetual motion.
The plan by which it now is purpoSed
to effect just that-burning every mole
Guile of combustible material in the coal
thrust into the fire box-contemplate
projecting a stream of heated air over
the bed of glowing Goals in the tire
box, supplying sufficient oxygen where
it is needed to consume all of the car
bon held suspended in the rising gases.
BY experiment it is said to have been
determined that $1,000 cubic feet of air
per hour may be passed over the Goals
without impairing the draught through
the CRATES.
Two tunnels. is inches in diameter,
placed one on either side of the loco
motive beneath the cab, with the open
ing directed forward. supply the cur
rent of air just as the air tunnels on a
steamer supply air in the engine rooms,
the forward motion at high speed
scooping in the air.
The air from the intake passes
through suitable tubes to heating
chambers, placed in the end of the
fire box one upon each side Of the hre
door. At the top of these heating boxes
are peculiarly designed nozzles or Jets,
through which the air is discharged
into the fire box, shot in horizontal
direction at the lower row OF tuDeS al
the far end.
The heater boxes rest in the mean
descent bed of Goals. They are made
of an alloy with a high fusing point
and are protected with fire brick IN
them the fresh air is heated to a hlgn
when it is discharged over
the fuel bed. Its oxygen not having
been destroyed in passing through the
coal bed, as Is much OF that IN tHe
normal draught, it is said to complete
the combustion that now is but par
tial. Il
The inventor Is John H. Parsons OF
Ridley Park, Pa. The appliance Is he
ing made in Newcastle, DEL, and at
St. Louis 1t is said that the same
principle eventually may be adapted to
stationary engines, to furnaces ana
common kitchen stoves. Ira c. Huo-
bell. purchasing agent for the Kansas
City, Mexico & Orient railway, heaus
the company which has enlisted the IN
terest of the railroads. !