Improvements in Apparatus for Sanding Railway Tracks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application (in the United Kingdom), 8th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1898-Accepted, 26th Mar.,
1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Sanding Railway Tracks.
I, JEROME ADOLPH HOUSTON, of 524, East Pacific Street, in the City of Spring-
field, in the State of Missouri, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: -
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in track-sanding devices
for railway-locomotives, the object being to provide a device of the character
described which is simple, cheap, and effective, and one which is within immediate
control of the engineer.
The invention consists in details of construction and arrangements of the several
parts comprising my apparatus, all as will hereinafter be described.
There is a sand-box, of usual construction, into which the dry sand to be delivered
to the rails is placed and a sand delivery pipe whose ends terminate above each
rail, said pipe passing through the lower portion of the sand-box, thus making the
pipe practically continuous.
rear
"
There is a further delivery-pipe, which I will call the " delivery-pipe,
whose ends terminate above the rails on each side and which pipe passes through the
bottom of the sand-box, said pipe being practically continuous. These delivery
pipes are designed to deliver sand to the rails, so that the engine will be enabled
to grip the rails while going in either direction.
There is a casting or coupling practically divided into two branches, each branch
forming a part of the front and back delivery-pipes, these branches forming one
of them a part of the front delivery-pipe and the other a part of the back delivery-
pipe, are each provided with one or more openings which are preferably in the lower
sides of said branches.
There is a threaded extension from which said branches lead, and to which exten-
sion is secured a head, preferably by a union-coupling. This head has arranged
through it two pressure supply ducts which communicate by ducts formed in the
shanks of the respective branches with nozzles bored parallel with the axial line of
said branches, said bore being open at each end of its nozzle and located centrally,
relative to said branches.
When pressure is supplied through either of the ducts, or both, it passes through
the ducts in the coupling and out each end of the nozzle in opposite directions. This
blast passes into the delivery-pipe, and in so doing creates a partial vacuum behind,
which lifts or sucks the sand into the delivery-pipe, where it is drawn or forced
out in opposite directions and delivered simultaneously to each rail. The nozzles
are preferably of a length corresponding to the length of the opening or openings>

page_text: in the branches of the coupling, so that no pressure from the blasts will be directed
against the sand in the sand-box. By this construction I get excellent results, as
very little pressure will create blasts of sufficient strength to draw up the sand,
as gravity is the only element necessary to overcome.
Pressure is preferably taken from the main reservoir of the air-brake system
through the medium of a pipe, upon the end of which is secured a valve-casing
containing a cone-shaped plug-valve. I prefer to interpose a screen between the
pipe and valve for obvious reasons. The valve is operated by a suitable handle
which is preferably provided with a spring-pressed pin, co-operating with a notched
track on the valve-casing for determining the correct position of registration of the
ports in the valve and the valve-casing. The valve is provided with four ports,
which co-operate with two ports in the valve-casing. The ports communicate
with the pressure supply ducts which are mounted in a suitable head and coupled
to the valve-casing in any desired manner.
The construction of the hollow conical-shaped plug-valve is such that the pressure
constantly holds it to its seat, and the operation of manipulating the valve will so
grind it that a perfectly tight fit is insured at all times.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicant.
Apparatus Sanding away TrackS.
I, JEROME ADOLPH HOUSTON, of 524, East Pacific Street, in the City of Spring-
field, in the State of Missouri, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein :-
Figure 1 is a view illustrating my improved sanding apparatus in position on a
locomotive;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the sand-box with my apparatus in position;
Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3, Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4, Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the double nozzle;
Figure 6 is a sectional view of the same on line 6-6, Figure 5; and
Figure 7 is a sectional view of the engineer's valve for controlling the pressure,
some of the parts of said valve being detached.
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in track-sanding devices
for railway-locomotives, the object being to provide a device of the character
described which is simple, cheap, and effective, and one which is within immediate
control of the engineer.
The invention consists in details of construction and arrangements of the several
parts comprising my apparatus, all as will hereinafter be described, and, afterwards,
pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings, A indicates the sand-box, of usual construction, into which the
dry sand to be delivered to the rails is placed.
B indicates a sand-delivery pipe whose ends terminate above each rail, said pipe
passing through the lower portion of the sand-box, thus making the pipe prac-
tically continuous.
C indicates the delivery-pipe, which I will call the "rear" delivery-pipe, whose
ends terminate above the rails on each side and which pipe passes through the

page_text: bottom of the sand-box, said pipe being practically continuous. These delivery-
pipes B and C are designed to deliver sand to the rails, so that the engine will be
enabled to grip the rails while going in either direction.
D indicates a coupling or casting which is shown more fully in Figures 5 and 6.
This coupling is practically divided into two, branches, each branch forming a
part of the front and back delivery-pipes B and C.
These branches, which are designated as d and d', the former forming part of the
front delivery-pipe, and the latter part of the back delivery-pipe, are each pro-
vided with one or more openings d", which are preferably in the fower sides of said
branches.
E indicates a threaded extension from which said branches lead, and to which ⚫
extension is secured a head F, preferably by a union-coupling. This head F has
arranged through it two pressure-supply ducts G and G¹ which communicate by,
ducts formed in the shanks of the respective branches with nozzles H, bored parallel
with the axial line of said branches, said bore being open at each end of its nozzle
and located centrally relative to said branches.
When pressure is supplied through either of the pipes G and G¹, or both, it
passes through the ducts in the coupling D and out each end of the nozzle in
opposite directions. This blast passes into the delivery-pipe, and in so doing creates.
a partial vacuum behind, which lifts or sucks the sand into the delivery-pipe, where
it is drawn or forced out in opposite directions and delivered simultaneously to
cach rail. The nozzles are preferably of a length corresponding to the length of
the opening or openings in the branches of the coupling D, so that no pressure
from the blasts will be directed against the sand in the sand-box. By this con-
struction, I get excellent results, as very little pressure will create blasts of sufficient
strength to draw up the sand, as gravity is the only element necessary to overcome.
Pressure is preferably taken from the main. reservoir of the air-brake system
through the medium of a pipe I, upon the end of which is secured a valve-casing J,
containing a cone-shaped plug-valve K. I prefer to interpose a screen L between
the pipe I and valve for obvious reasons. Valve K is operated by a suitable
handle M, which is preferably provided with a spring-pressed pin m, co-operating
with a notched track on the valve-casing for determining the correct position of
registration of the ports in the valve and the valve-casing. The valve is provided
with four ports, which co-operate with two ports a and b in the valve-casing.
Ports a and b communicate with pipes G and G¹, which are mounted in a suitable
head N and coupled to the valve-casing in any desired manner.
The manner of controlling and directing pressure from the source of supply to
the nozzles is as follows: When the valve is in the position shown in Figure 7,
port 1 registers with port b and pipe G and directs pressure to the nozzle in the.front
delivery-pipe, pressure to the nozzle in the rear delivery-pipe being shut off at
this operation. When port 2 is caused to register with port a, the
pressure is shut off from the front delivery-pipe and is directed to
the rear delivery-pipe. When ports 3 and 4 register with ports a and b,
both delivery-pipes are operated. The valve is formed with a blind side to shut
off communication with the ports a and b.
It will be noted that the construction of the hollow conical-shaped plug-valve
is such that the pressure constantly holds it to its seat, and the operation of manipu-
lating the valve will so grind it that a perfectly tight fit is insured at all times.
I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combina-
tion of the several parts of my device, can be made and substituted for those herein
shown and described, without, in the least, departing from the nature and principle
of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1
11
11 nion fro

page_text: °
the sand, which pipe passes through the lower portion of said box, the ends of said
pipe being located in juxtaposition to the rails, a coupling in the length of said
delivery-pipe, an opening or openings in said coupling, and a nozzle arranged in
the coupling opposite said opening, said nozzle directing blasts in opposite direc-
tions into the delivery-pipe, whereby, the sand in the box is sucked up and forced
into and through the delivery-pipe in opposite directions to each rail; substantially
as described.
2. In a sanding device, the combination with the sand-box, of a continuous
delivery-pipe arranged through the lower portion thereof, the ends of said delivery-
pipe terminating above the rails, a coupling in the length of said delivery-pipe,
said coupling having an opening or openings within the sand-box, a blast-nozzle in
said coupling for directing blasts of air in opposite directions through the delivery-
pipe, said nozzle being substantially the length of the opening in the coupling,
and a valve for controlling said blasts; substantially as described.
3. The combination with a sand-box, of front and back delivery-pipes which pass
through the lower portion of said box, of a coupling formed with two branches,
said branches being respectively portions of the delivery-pipes, openings in the lower
side of said coupling branches, and two pressure-supply pipes leading to said
nozzles; substantially, as described.
4. The combination with a sand-box, of front and back delivery-pipes which pass
through the lower portion of said box, a coupling formed with two branches, said
branches being respectively portions of the delivery-pipes, openings in the lower
side of said branches, blast-nozzles in said branches opposite said openings, said
nozzles being substantially the length of said openings, pressure-supply pipes
leading to said nozzles, and a valve for admitting pressure to either or both of said
supply-pipes; substantially as described.
5. In a track-sanding apparatus, the combination with the sand-box, of a divided
coupling containing blast-nozzles, delivery-pipes, pressure-supply pipes lead-
ing to said nozzles, and a valve for controlling the pressure in said
supply-pipes, said valve comprising a suitable casing, a hollow plug valve within
the casing which is seated by pressure, a handle for operating said valve, and means
for determining the registration of the ports of the valve, with the ports in the
valve-casing; substantially as described.
Dated the 24th day of December 1897.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London, For the Applicant.