Improvements in Method of and Apparatus for Forming a Gas from the Combination of the Products of Combustion, Exhaust Steam, and a Certain Amount of Atmospheric Air, and Returning the same to the Fire-box for the Further Support and the Increase of Combustion therein.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1898-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1898
Improvements in Method of and Apparatus for Forming a Gas from
the Combination of the Products of Combustion, Exhaust Steam,
and a Certain Amount of Atmospheric Air, and Returning the
same to the Fire-box for the Further Support and the Increase of
Combustion therein.
I, DAVID CLEGG, of 3226, Sansom Street, Philadelphia, in the County of
Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Gentleman,
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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to
letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification:-
This invention is for method of and apparatus for forming a gas from the com-
bination of the products of combustion, exhaust steam and a certain amount of
atmospheric air and returning the same to the fire box for the further support
and the increase of combustion therein.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a locomotive, showing my improvement
applied to the boiler and fire-box thereof;
Fig. 2, a section at the line a, a, of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the
arrow;
Fig. 3, a section at the line y of Figure 2;
Fig. 4, a section at the line z of Figure 3, and
Fig. 5, a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating the application of my improve-
ment to a stationary boiler of locomotive type.
In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive A is the boiler, B the fire tubes, C the fire-box and
D the smoke chamber. This smoke chamber D is divided into three com-
partments E, F and F¹, the last two being alike. G is a hood covering the upper
portion of the smoke chamber, and H are deflecting baffle-plates. J are pipes
leading from the cylinders of the locomotive, and K a pipe connected therewith.
The exhaust steam is led through pipe K to the smoke chamber. L are nozzles
having upturned ends to create a draught when the steam issues therefrom. The
products of combustion from the flues and the steam from the nozzles will mix
and be turned downward by the baffle-plates H. M are inclined partitions and
N branch pipes having nozzles so as to force steam downward through the
partitions M, this will carry downward the products of combustion and steam
through the openings P and thoroughly mix these elements and a certain amount
of atmosphere to form a compound gas, this atmosphere being supplied through
the passage R formed by the baffle-plates H and partition Q, the air being admitted
thereto through the funnel-shaped opening S: T being the screen placed at the
inner end of said opening, and the motion of the locomotive will force atmosphere
through this opening and. the passage, and thoroughly mix this atmosphere with

page_text: the steam and products of combustion in passing through the openings P. This
compound gas will pass through the compartments F, F¹ to the conduit U, and
through this to the ash-pit V, and from the ash-pit through the grate bars to
the fire-bed, and when the fire is active it will so heat this gas as to form a
further union to produce a combustible gas, and the same will ignite and burn
with intense heat. This heat added to the heat of the fire-bed proper will increase
the heating capacity of the furnace..
More air may be admitted to the compartments F, F1 through the slats W, WI,
in the front of the compartments, a rod X being provided for operating the slats
to vary the amount of atmosphere admitted, and the inflowing of this air will
increase the pressure in the conduit U and the ash-pit, thus making a forced
draught.
al is a wide slat for closing the openings P when the slats are turned hori-
zontally. The slats are operated by the rod Z connecting the arms a and j, and
the lever having connected therewith the rod which leads to the hand-lever m
in the cab. f is a combined intake and outlet, its upper end being open and
also the front thereof, which latter is covered with a screen g. h is a deflector
plate on the shaft d and connected by the rod Z¹ to the arm a¹ to move the
deflector plate with the slats. n is a passageway communicating with the
intake so that there may be a downward flow through the intake and passage-
way, or an upward flow, which latter will then serve as an outlet for the refuse
products of combustion. The operation is as follows:
The slats W W being set at an angle the deflector plate h will also be set at
an angle, and if the ash-pit is sealed and the locomotive in motion the exhaust
steam will move the products of combustion upward through the compartment E
and downward through the compartments F, FI and conduit U to the ash-pit V
with the result before described. The products from the combustion of the fuel
and gas will pass through the tubes B and again enter the compartament E and
pass upward to the baffle-plates H, and here a compound action takes places in
which the exhaust steam and certain parts of the products of combustion as well
as the air inflowing through the passages R are united, while the inert and non-
.combustible products are caused to pass upward through the passages n and are
expelled through the opening p formed by the lower edge of the deflector
plate h.
It has been found by experiment that this peculiar arrangement creates a back
pressure in the tubes of the boiler and the fire-box, nevertheless the differential
pressure of the downflowing air and gases and the air in the passages n permit
a positive draught to take place through the grate bars, thus continuing the
action.
This back pressure prevents violent draught through the tubes and undue
agitation of the fire-bed, and prevents cinders from being thrown from the smoke-
stack.
The fire is started in the usual manner, when the openings P are closed and
the plate turned vertical the smoke and gases will then pass through the
passages n to the outlet f; a valve 9 and a door r are properly connected to-
gether, so that in opening the door r to give draught to the fire in starting, the
valve will be closed, and these movements are effected by the rod u and
levert. The fuel may be fed through the fire-box door when the combination is
thus adjusted, and after this door is closed and sealed the combination may be
re-adjusted to work as before described. V₁ is a door which should be under
the control of the engineer by suitable rod mechanism, so that air may be
admitted to this point to prevent explosion of gas which may accumulate beneath
the plates H.
In Figure 5 is illustrated my improvements applied to a stationary boiler, and
for convenience the boiler shown is of locomotive type, and all of the apparatus
before described applies thereto, the only additions being the casing w inclosing
the front of the extension, the pipe w³ and blower w³ to produce the forced draught
that would be maintained by the motion of the locomotive.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In combination with a boiler and fire-box, compartments formed in the
front of the boiler, a passage leading from said compartments to the fire-box,
means for supplying steam and air simultaneously to the compartments to direct
the products of combustion downwardly, and means for admitting air and regu-
lating its flow after the steam air and products have been mixed, substantially
as described.
2. In combination with a boiler having tubes or flues in connection therewith
and a fire-box, compartments arranged in the front of the boiler, a baffle-plate
arranged over said compartments to direct the products of combustion down-
wardly, pipes conveying exhaust steam to said compartments, passages conveying
atmospheric air and discharging it simultaneously with the steam, and means for
admitting and regulating the flow of air to the compartments after the mixing
of the steam, air and products of combustion, and a passage leading from the
compartments to the fire-box, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for forming a gas from the combination of the products of
combustion, exhaust steam and a certain amount of atmospheric air and return-
ing the same to the fire-box for the further support and increase of combustion
therein, a fire-box; a boiler, tubes or flues in connection therewith, a sealed ash-
pit, compartments formed in the front of the boiler and connected with the
tubes, a stand pipe leading from the exhaust, nozzles connected therewith for
combining steam with the products of combustion and forcing the combination
upward, baffle-plates for deflecting the gases, injectors consisting of steam nozzles
for driving the combined gases downward, means for feeding air to the com-
bination at this point; means for admitting more or less air to the combination
thereafter, a conduit for conveying the combined gases to the ash-pit, and suit-
able dampers and levers for regulating the inflow of air and outflow of the inert
gases, as specified.
4. The herein described combination of a sealed fire-box, a sealed ash-
pit, a boiler, tubes or flues for conveying the products of combustion
from the fire-box, an extension secured to the opposite end of the
boiler, compartments formed in said extension, a stand pipe leading
from the exhaust and located within one of the compartments, nozzles
leading from said stand pipe for driving the products of combustion up-
ward and commingling steam therewith, baffle-plates for deflecting said gases
downward, passages for admitting atmospheric air at this point, steam nozzles
also connected with the stand pipe for admitting more steam to the combination
and injecting the combined gases downward, slats admitting a further quantity
of atmospheric air, a conduit for conveying the combined gases to the ash-pit, a
passageway for permitting the noncombustible elements to escape, a deflector-
plate for bringing about an inflowing of air while permitting the outflow of the
non-combustible elements, and means for regulating the action of the apparatus,
substantially as shown and described.
5. In combination, a boiler, a sealed fire-box connected therewith, a sealed ash-
pit beneath the fire-box, suitable tubes or flues for leading the products of com-
bustion from the fire-box, an extension formed with the boiler having therein
three compartments, means for admitting steam to the central compartment,
baffle-plates for deflecting the steam and products of combustion downward,
means for admitting more steam to the combination and injecting the same within
the remaining compartments of the extension, means for forcing atmospheric air
within the apparatus at various points, and means for permitting the escape of
noncombustible elements, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. An apparatus for forming gas and returning it to the fire-box consisting of
a boiler, tubes or flues, a fire-box, compartments formed at the front of the boiler,
baffle-plates for directing the products of combustion downwardly, pipes convey-

page_text: ing exhaust steam and discharging it downwardly above the compartments, air
passages for admitting air simultaneously with the steam, a series of slats
arranged in the front of the compartments under the control of the engineer for
admitting and regulating the flow of air to the compartments after the mixing
of the steam, air and products of combustion, and a passage leading from the com-
partments to the fire-box, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of June 1898.
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for Applicant.