Improvements in Exhaust Nozzles for Locomotive and other Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar.. 1889
TROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Exhaust Nozzles for Locomotive and other
Engines.
We, JOHN HENRY MCINDOE, (Engineer) and WILLIAM MEREDITH (Engineer) both
of Mount Pleasant, in the County of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This Invention is specially adapted for engines which exhaust into a smoke box
or stack, such as locomotive engines; and it relates to exhaust nozzles provided
with a sliding block or blocks for increasing and diminishing the draft by regulating
the area of the orifices through which the exhaust steam of the engine passes into
the smoke box or stack.
The Invention consists in a novel construction of such adjustable nozzles, sub-
stantially as hereinafter described, whereby the sliding block used to control the
capacity and top opening of the nozzle does not, when fully adjusted inward,
contract or lap over the opening below it to baffle the escaping steam in the
exhaust channel but ensures a free or uninterrupted discharge from the channel through
the nozzle.
The improvement is here described as applied to locomotive engines which exhaust
into the usual channels terminating inside of the smoke arch of the locomotive
boiler directly below the smoke stack. Each channel connects with an exhaust nozzle
set on top of the channels in the seat carrying the nozzle and having an enlarged base
opening through it corresponding to the opening of the exhaust channel with which
it registers. The two nozzles are preferably made in one piece, and each nozzle is
provided with a slide or sliding block respectively and the two blocks united with
each other at their outer ends by a cross-piece. Said block virtually forms a sliding
part of the nozzle extending from the top down to near the bottom on the side
thereof, and is constructed at its inner end to form a circular tapering side to the
nozzle orifice corresponding to the opposite wall of the orifice in the fixed part of the
nozzle and so that when the sliding block is adjusted to its full extent inward a nozzle

page_text: orifice of conical shape will be formed in line at its base with the opening in the
channel leading thereto and of greater area at its bottom than at the top of the
nozzle. Secured to the cross piece of the slide or sliding blocks is a rod which is
extended to the cab of the locomotive and connected with a suitable lever under
control of the engine-driver. When the sliding block is adjusted to its innermost
position, then the top opening of the nozzle is round but when it is drawn out, then
the top opening of the nozzle is elongated and considerably enlarged so that the
exhaust steam can freely pass out of the nozzle or nozzles and thereby prevent any
back pressure in the cylinder or cylinders of the engine but in every case it will
be noticed that the sliding block, even when adjusted to its fullest extent inward,
presents no lower surface for the escaping steam to strike, and does not cut off the
discharge through the opening in the exhaust channel or in the base portion of the
nozzle orifice which registers with its respective channel thus doing away with all
baffling of the steam in said channel. This is important, and makes the adjustable
nozzle a practical and useful device, and it should here be observed that the nozzle
orifice being a tapering one largest at its base, the drawing outward of the sliding
block will still keep the upper end of the nozzle orifice smaller than its lower one.
The sliding block portion of the nozzle may be arrested at the extremity of its inward
stroke, by coming in contact with a shoulder on the fixed inner wall of the nozzle
when the orifice up through the nozzle assumes its conical form, free from any
interception by the sliding block of the opening beneath the latter.
1000

page_text: We JOHN HENRY MCINDOE (Engineer) and WILLIAM MEREDITH (Engineer) both
of Mount Pleasant in the County of Westmoreland, and State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
This invention is specially adapted for engines which exhaust into a smoke-box or
stack, such as locomotive engines, and it relates to exhaust nozzles provided with a
sliding block or blocks for increasing and diminishing the draft by regulating the area
of the orifices through which the exhaust steam of the engine passes into the smoke
box or stack.
The invention consists in a novel construction of such adjustable nozzles, sub-
stantially as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim, and whereby the
sliding block used to control the capacity and top opening of the nozzle does not, when
fully adjusted inward, contract or lap over the opening below it to baffle the escaping
steam in the exhaust channel, but insures a free or uninterrupted discharge from the
channel through the nozzle.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which figure 1 represents a plan view of the improvement as applied
or adapted to a locomotive engine, the boiler of which is shown partly in section ;
and figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same upon the line - in figure 1.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.
The improvement as illustrated in the drawings is supposed to be applied to
locomotive engines which exhaust into the usual channels A, terininating inside of
the smoke arch of the locomotive boiler B, directly below the smoke stack C. Each
channel A connects with an exhaust nozzle D, set on top of the channels A in the
seat S, carrying the nozzle, and having an enlarged base opening e, through it,
corresponding to the opening of the exhaust channel A with which it registers.
The two nozzles D are preferably made in one piece as shown, and each nozzle is
provided with a slide or sliding block For F¹ respectively, and the two blocks united
with each other at their outer ends by a cross piece b. Said block F or F¹ virtually
forms a sliding part of the nozzle extending from the top down to near the bottom
on the side thereof, and is constructed at its inner end to form a circular tapering
side to the nozzle orifice corresponding to the opposite wall of the orifice in the
fixed part of the nozzle, and so that when the sliding block is adjusted to its full
extent inward, as shown in figure 2, a nozzle orifice of conical shape will be formed
in line at its base with the opening in the channel A leading thereto, and of greater
area at its botton than at the top of the nozzle.

page_text: Secured to the cross piece of the slido or sliding blocks F F¹, is a rod c, which is
extended to the cab of the locomotive and connected with a suitable lever under
control of the engine driver..
When the sliding block F or F' is adjusted to its innermost position as shown in
figure 2, then the top opening of the nozzle D is round, but when it is drawn out, as
shown in figure 1, then the top opening of the nozzle is elongated and considerably
enlarged, so that the exhaust steam can freely pass out of the nozzle or nozzles D
and thereby prevent any back pressure in the cylinder or cylinders of the engine, but
in every case it will be noticed that the sliding block F or F1, even when adjusted to
its fullest extent inward; presents no lower surface for the escaping steam to strike,
and does not cut off the discharge through the opening in the exhaust channel A or
in the base portion of the nozzle orifice which registers with its respective channel A,
thus doing away with all bathing of the steam in said channel. This is important,
and makes the adjustable nozzle a practical and useful device, and it should here be
observed that the nozzle orifice being a tapering one, largest at its base, the drawing
outward of the sliding block F or F will still keep the upper end of the nozzle
.orifice smaller than its lower one.
The sliding block portion of the nozzle may be arrested at the extremity of its
inward stroke, by coming in contact with a shoulder d on the fixed inner wall of the
nozzle, when the orifice up through the nozzle assumes its conical form, free from
any interception by the sliding block of the opening beneath the latter.
The general uses of the device may be briefly stated as follows. When the driver
starts a heavy train, he draws out the sliding. block or blocks F F1, fully opening the
exhaust so that the engines work without back pressure, but after the engine has got
headway he contracts the exhaust by shutting in the sliding blocks, and this will make
a strong draft and make all the steam that is required, after which if too much steam
is being made, he again opens the exhaust and checks the draft. In case of leaky
boiler flues too, he can contract the exhaust and keep the flues clear of dirt by
quickening the draft. Or again, when an engine is standing, instead of resorting to
the annoying expedient of blowing off steam, the driver can, before reaching the
stopping place, open the exhaust and let the fire go down; likewise, when passing
through a town, the engine can be made to exhaust free or lightly, thus doing away
with objectional noise and checking the escape of sparks which often cause
conflagrations. In fine as the driver can increase or diminish the opening of the
exhaust nozzles D, and as this controls the draft, the exhaust steam when issuing
through a smaller opening, escaping under heavier pressure, and increasing the draft
in the boiler flues as the steam rushes out of the smoke stack, and vice versa, the
,driver can consequently regulate the fire and steam in the boiler as desired. But all
or most of these results would be counteracted, or at least he seriously affected, were
the steam to be baffled in the exhaust channel leading to the nozzle or in the exhaust
nozzle itself, by the closing action of the slide or sliding block to contract the exhaust,
and which our improved construction of the adjustable nozzle avoids, by the sliding
block at its inner end always being exterior to or in line with the opening below it
and never crossing said opening.
Of course the invention is equally applicable to a single as to a double nozzle
connecting with a single or double exhaust channel, and it will in no way change the
invention to make the top opening of the nozzle, when the sliding block For F' is
adjusted to its innermost position of a square shape instead of round as shown.
! Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
ive claim is.
The combination, with the seat S having an exhaust channel A, forming an opening
through it, of the internally-tapering or conical nozzle D, arranged over said seat and
provided in the fixed portion of its base with an opening e, of as large area as the
channel opening through said seat with which it registers, and the sliding block F

page_text: or F1, of tapering construction on its inner end, fitted to slide at its base up to,
subject to the action of a stop, and away from or back of said opening e, without
overlapping it, whereby said sliding block when moved in or out, not only operates to
increase or diminish the top opening of the nozzle, but, when fully adjusted inward,
does not contract said opening e, and baffing of the steam in the exhaust channel is
avoided, substantially as specified.