Improvements in Apparatus for Arresting and Extinguishing Sparks and Collecting the Unconsumed Carbon and the Volatilised Portion of the Fumes Issuing from the Funnels of Locomotive and other Engines, and from the Chimneys of Factory and other Furnaces.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
COME LAID OF CITIVATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Arresting and Extinguishing Sparks
and Collecting the Unconsumed Carbon and the Volatilised
Portion of the Fumes Issuing from the Funnels of Locomotive
and other Engines, and from the Chimneys of Factory and other
Furnaces.
We, HENRY O'HARA, of Cromwell House, No. 139 Collins Street, Melbourne
in the Colony of Victoria, F.R.C.S., and JOHN ALSTON WALLACE, of Ludstone
Chambers, No. 352 Collins Street, Melbourne aforesaid, a Member of the
Legislative Council of the said colony, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manuer the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has been designed for the purpose of providing effective
apparatus for arresting and extinguishing sparks as they escape from the funnels
of locomotive and other engines, and from the chimneys of factory and other
furnaces.
It has also been designed for the purpose of preventing the escape of unconsumed
carbon into the atmosphere, as is now commonly the case from factory and other
chimneys. And also for the purpose of collecting the volatilized particles which
are carried away with the fumes arising from the calcining or roasting of refractory
and other ores.
Its most marked peculiarity is that it does not interfere with the draught except
in the way of increasing or improving it.
Its essential novelty lies in the production of a vacuum above the top or month
of the funnel or chimney, as the case may be, by directing one or more strong jets
of steam across and immediately above the top or mouth of such funnel or chimney.
This assists the draught instead of hindering or obstructing it, as in the case of
most spark arresters, and furthermore it extinguishes and carries away the sparks
and soot, and by reason of its moisture it causes the soot, as well as the sparks, to
leposit in any convenient receptacle. When the invention is applied to kilns or
furnaces for roasting or calcining refractory or other ores the volatilized particles
are collected and deposited in the same way as the soot.
To assist in this operation we prefer to fix oue or more discs or baffle plates a
short distance above the top or mouth of the funnel or chimney, so that the sparks,
soot, and other volatilized particles will be deflected by it or them, and so come
more directly within the influence of the steam jets. These jets may vary in
number, size and shape, and they may derive their supply from any suitable source,
such, for instance, as the exhaust pipe of the engine.
The accompanying drawing illustrates examples of how this invention can be
carried into practice.
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of the upper part of the funnel of a locomotive,
taken at right angles to each other, and illustrating our invention in its simplest
form.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of an ordinary iron chimney, fitted with
our invention, including a receptacle for the collection of the unconsumed carbon or
volatilized particles.

page_text: Figure 4 13 a pian, and
Figure 5 a side elevation of a nozzle which may be employed for directing the
steam jet across the top or mouth of the funnel, whilst
Figure 6 is a horizontal section of a modified form of nozzle.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures.
A represents the funnel or chimney to which our invention is to be applied, and
B is the nozzle of the steam pipe, from which a jet of steam is directed immediately
above and across the top or month of the funnel or chimney, whilst C represents
the baffle plate or disc which is secured by brackets or other supports, D, a short
distance above the top or mouth of said funnel or chimney.
The effect of the jet of steam playing across the top or mouth of the funnel in
conjunction with the baffle plate or disc C will be to cause the sparks to become
saturated with steam and thus be extinguished before dropping on to the ground,
and at the same time it alters their course.
If it is desired to save the extinguished sparks and other particles of uncon-
sumed carbon, or the volatilized particles from roasting or calcining furnaces, they
can be collected in a receptacle, E, provided for the purpose on the opposite side of
the funnel or chimney to the nozzle B, the upper end of said receptacle being fitted
with inclined plates, as shown, so arranged that the sparks, &c., will be directed
downwards into it, or the mouth of this receptacle could be made with an inwardly
projecting funnel in order to prevent the return of such sparks.
The nozzle B on the end of the steam pipe may be constructed in many different
ways, as will be well understood by engineers. For instance, it may be formed by
flattening the outlet from said pipe (as shown in Figures 4 and 5), or it may consist
of a short curved cross piece of pipe having perforations along its inner side, as
shown in Figure 6.
The discs or baffle plates C may be set at an incline, if so preferred, in order to
direct the sparks, &c., downwards, and instead of being flat they may be curved or
made in any form, such as a segment of a circle, and so that they will extend from
one side of the funnel or chimney to the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
First. In apparatus for arresting and extinguishing sparks issuing from the
funnels of locomotive and other engines, and from the chimneys of factory and
other furnaces, the employment of one or more steam jets directed across, and
immediately above, the top or mouth of such funnels or chimneys, substantially as
and for the purposes herein described and explained, and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Second. In apparatus for arresting and extinguishing sparks issuing from the
funnels of locomotive and other engines, and from the chimneys of factory and
other furnaces, the employment of one or more steam jets directed across, and
immediately above, the top or mouth of such funnels or chimneys, in combination
with a disc or baffle plate (such as C) supported a short distance above the top of
said funnel or chimney, substantially as and for the purposes herein described aud
explained, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In apparatus for arresting and extinguishing sparks and collecting the
unconsumed carbon and the volatilized portion of the fumes issuing from the
funnels of locomotive and other engines, and from the chimneys of factory and
other furnaces, the employment of one or more steam jets directed across, and
immediately above, the top or mouth of such funnels or chimneys, in combination
with a baffle plate (such as C) supported a short distance above said funnel or
chimney, together with a receptacle (such as E) arranged at the side of the funnel
opposite to said nozzle, or in any other convenient position to receive the particles

page_text: of unconsumed carbon, substantially as herein described and explained, and as
illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Sixteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred and ninety-
four
HENRY O'HARA.
JOHN A. WALLACE.
Ernest de Pass,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.