IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE DRAFT OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, AND FOR PREVENTING WASTE OF FUEL IN THE SAME
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th October 1874.-A communication from abroad by William
Oscar Cooke, of the City and State of New York, and James
M. Foss, of St. Alban's, Vermont, both in the United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REGULATING THE DRAFT OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, AND FOR PREVENTING WASTE
OF FUEL IN THE SAME,” a communication, to be as follows:-
The objects of this Invention are,—
:-
First. To prevent the drawing of sparks and cinders through the
exhaust nozzles, into the steam chests and cylinders.
Second. To burn the coked coal within the fire-box instead of
allowing it to be thrown out through the smoke pipe into the air and
into the doors and windows of the carriages in the form of sparks and
cinders.

page_text: Third. To diminish the amount of fuel required by a locomotive for
doing a given amount of work by enabling the engineer at all times to
control the draft on the fire.
I employ pipes constructed of sheet iron or any other suitable
material. One of the said pipes has the form and about the size of an 5
ordinary locomotive petticoat or draft pipe. Its upper end telescopes
the lower end of the other pipe either within or without with a sliding
fit. The lower part of this second pipe is similar in form to the upper
part of the first pipe. On the outside, near its upper end, the second pipe
has attached to it an annulus of sheet iron with a wedge formed edge 1
having its circumference greater than the circumference of the smoke
pipe. A few holes of about half an inch in diameter are cut in this
annulus. Directly under the annulus in the wall of the said second
pipe similar holes are cut. This annulus may be replaced by an annular
rim of sheet iron having its circumference a little less than the cir- 1
cumference of the mouth of the smoke pipe. In this case the narrow
space between the annular rim and the inner wall of the smoke pipe
will answer the same purpose as the holes in the same wedge-edged
annulus.
The length of the aforesaid pipes should be sufficient to allow one 2
when the two are telescoped and in position in the smoke arch to extend
into the other so far as to hold it firmly and guide it when drawn out to
the fullest extent required.
The said pipes constructed and telescoped as above described are
suspended within the smoke arch of the locomotive directly over the 2
exhaust nozzles, so that when the first pipe is lowered it may surround
them.
Just below the tips of the exhaust nozzles a horizontal plate of iron
or other suitable material is firmly held in place by supports or by
the walls of the smoke arch. Through this plate the exhaust nozzles 3
pass with a tight fit, so that when the first pipe is let down upon it the
lower end of the pipe is closed, and the exhaust tips arc shut in from
the smoke arch. With the said pipe in this position no sparks or cinders
can reach the exhaust tips and be drawn through them into the steam
chests and cylinders.
In some locomotives it may be preferable to use the bottom of the
smoke arch in place of the said plate to close up the lower end of the.
nine.
3

page_text: The said first pipe is suspended and held in position within the smoke
arch, and is raised and lowered by means of lugs attached to its opposite
sides, and by slotted arms, a rocker shaft and arm, a rod and hand lever.
The said rocker shaft is supported at one end by a standard within the
smoke arch, and at the other end by the wall of the smoke arch through
which it passes.
The second pipe is suspended and held in position, and is raised or
lowered by similar lugs, slotted arms, rocker shaft, and other parts
terminating with a lever.
To keep the said pipes in line, so that they may always work freely
when raised or lowered, two upright rods are secured in position within
the smoke arch in front and rear of the pipes to act as guides for the
forked lugs which are firmly fastened to the pipes.