Improvements in Steam and more particularly Locomotive Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1893-Accepted. 13th May. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and more particularly Locomotive Engines.
I, LOUIS THEODORE DE KOSSUTH of 56 Salita Museo, Naples in the Kingdom
of Italy, Managing Engineer, of the Mediterranean Railway, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is a well-known fact that the effective work performed by steam in the
cylinders of steam engines is materially diminished by condensation which frequently
assumes very considerable proportions in the interior of the cylinders.
The object of my invention therefore is,
(a) To reduce condensation, and
(b) To cause the water carried away mechanically from the boiler into the
cylinders and steam chamber to be re-evaporated.
This may be accomplished by the following means,-
-
The exhaust steam intended to produce a blast or draught of air in boilers and
particularly those of locomotive, stationary or semi-stationary engines is caused to
pass into an ejector instead of being sent direct into the smoke box at the bottom
of the chimney.
The second chamber in this ejector is placed in direct communication by means
of pipes, with a metal casing covering or surrounding the cylinders and in some
cases also the steam chamber (no matter whether the engine be of the single,
compound or other type). This casing need not go beyond the cylindrical portion;
or it may, if preferred, extend to either or both of the plates in front and behind,
according to the type of the engine and the particular use to which it is put.
This casing is moreover placed in communication with the smoke box by means
of one or more pipes opening into the said smoke-box without touching the tube
plate so in fact as to remain at some distance from the said plate, in order to
facilitate the cleaning of the pipes.
The steam as it issues from the ejector either in the shape of a cylindrical (solid).
or of an annular (hollow) jet, produces within the air chamber a more energetic
draught than that existing in the chimney or flue. It follows that part of the air
and of the hot gases proceeding from the combustion chamber of the boiler are
stimulated to circulate within the casing or jacket surrounding the steam cylinders,
after doing which these gases and air are ejected through the chimney, having thus
given off to the cylinder walls part of their considerable heat. Thus a gaseous
envelope at a high temperature is formed around the cylinder or cylinders, and
these have all the advantages without any of the drawbacks of the ordinary steam
jacket.
Within the smoke-box is placed the ejector. It may be placed as required
either wholly within the said smoke-box or partly within it and partly outside, the
essential condition being that the walls of the box should be entirely and tightly
closed so as to admit no external air.
This ejector receives the exhaust steam through preferably two tubes, two other
tubes connecting the air chamber of the ejector with the cylinder casing.
As far as the ultimate effect is concerned it is a matter of indifference whether
the steam arrives in the ejector through two separate tubes arranged on the side
or at the base of the ejector or whether the two tubes are joined into one before
opening into the ejector. Nor does it make any difference whether the hot gases
are conveyed into the ejector through two separate tubes or one double branched
tube. These details depend on the peculiar arrangement or type of the cylinders,
according as they are placed within the frame, or, in the case of portable steam
engines, upon the boiler...

page_text: Within the ejector the space for the escape of steam may be annular, while
provision is made for the hot gases to enter in the shape of a solid jet; or
conversely the steam jet may be šolid and the jet of gas hollow.
If the engine is provided with a variable steam exhaust the steam jet may be
central and annular, owing to the provision of a conical plug which may be shifted
as required in the direction of its vertical axis.
The upper part of the ejector consists of a small flue or chimney which may be
either cylindrical or conical where it assumes the shape of a truncated.cone.
It may be useful but it is by no means indispensable to arrange at the basis of
the main chimney of a locomotive engine a truncated cone adapted to divide the
current of the gases directly drawn in.
The pipes from the cylinder casings which should be covered or surrounded by
material which is a non-conductor of heat, are provided at their lower part with a
small orifice (which it is best to leave without any valve) through which the
condensation water may freely escape, and through which also a small quantity of
air is admitted so as to prevent the steam from the ejector from being forced back
during certain periods of the operation, especially when the machine works at low
speed.
The cylinder casing pipes may either lead to the lid or crown of the cylinder
when the piston guide is arranged in the front part or through the casing direct.
When the pipes lead to the cylinder cover the casing of the latter is by pipes
placed in communication with the cylinder casing, which in its turn communicates
through pipes with the interior of the smoke-box, into which these pipes open with
preferably a flaring orifice in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine
and inclined towards the tube-plate, from which however the said orifice should be
sufficiently distant to leave the smoke pipes quite free and not to interfere with
cleaning.
Within the cylinder casing diaphragms are preferably placed so that the hot gases
may better envelop the cylinder surface.
The casing is readily removable, being fixed in position by screw bolts or pins or
hinged, so that it may be easily taken off for the removal of the ashes.
The details in steam engines and especially locomotive engines of course vary to
a considerable extent. The cylinders are either external or internal, in some cases
there are two cylinders receiving each their steam direct from the boiler, in others,
one cylinder receives the steam from the boiler and transmits it to its companion
after a partial expansion; sometimes both cylinders receive the steam directly, and
after partial expansion, pass it on to one or more additional low pressure cylinders,
and so forth. It will indeed be understood that it is impossible to enumerate all
the different arrangements of steam engines and steam boilers to which the principle
of this invention is applicable.
Dated this 24th day of May 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam and more particularly Locomotive Engines.
I, LOUIS THEODORE DE KOSSUTH of 56 Salita Museo, Naples in the Kingdom
of Italy, Managing Engineer of the Mediterranean Railway, 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 :-
It is a well-known fact that the effective work performed by steam in the cylinders
of steam engines is materially diminished by condensation which frequently assumes
very considerable proportions in the interior of the cylinders.

page_text: (a) To reduce condensation, and
(b) To cause the water carried away mechanically from the boiler into the
cylinders and steam chamber to be re-evaporated.
This may be accomplished by the following means,
The exhaust steam intended to produce a blast or draught of air in boilers and
particularly those of locomotive, stationary or semi-stationary engines is caused to
pass into an ejector instead of being sent direct into the smoke box at the bottom
of the chimney.
The second chamber in this ejector is placed in direct communication, by means
of pipes, with a metal casing covering or surrounding the cylinders and in some
cases also the steam chamber (no matter whether the engine be of the single,
compound or other type). This casing need not go beyond the cylindrical portion;
or it may, if preferred, extend to either or both of the plates in front and behind,
according to the type of the engine and the particular use to which it is put.
This casing is moreover placed in communication with the smoke-box by means
of one or more pipes opening into the said smoke-box without touching the tube
plate so in fact as to remain at some distance from the said plate, in order to
facilitate the cleaning of the pipes.
The steam as it issues from the ejector either in the shape of a cylindrical (solid)
or of an annular (hollow) jet, produces within the air chamber a more energetic
draught than that existing in the chimney or flue. It follows that part of the
air and of the hot gases proceeding from the combustion chamber of the boiler
are stimulated to circulate within the casing or jacket surrounding the steam
cylinders, after doing which these gases and air are ejected through the chimney,
having thus given off to the cylinder walls part of their considerable heat. Thus
a gaseous envelope at a high temperature is formed around the cylinder or
cylinders, and these have all the advantages without any of the drawbacks of the
ordinary steam jacket.
To enable the operation of these improvements to be better understood, I shall
now refer to the accompanying drawings, in Figs. 1 to 6 of which the invention is
shown as applied to an ordinary locomotive engine with external cylinders, Fig. 7
showing the same improvements embodied in a locomotive engine with internal
cylinders.
Within the smoke-box is placed the ejector. It may be placed as required either
wholly within the said smoke-box or partly within it and partly outside; the
essential condition being that the walls of the box should be entirely and tightly
closed so as to admit no external air.
This ejector receives the exhaust steam through preferably two tubes K (Fig. 1)
two other tubes H (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) connecting the air chamber of the ejector
with the cylinder casing C.
As far as the ultimate effect is concerned, it is a matter of indifference whether
the steam arrives in the ejector through two separate tubes K arranged on the side or
at the base of the ejector or whether the two tubes are joined into one before
opening into the ejector. Nor does it make any difference whether the hot gases
from H (Fig. 1) are conveyed into the ejector through two separate tubes or one
double branched tube. These details depend on the peculiar arrangement or type
of the cylinders, according as they are placed within the frame or, in the case of
portable steam engines, upon the boiler.
.
Within the ejector I the space for the escape of steam may be annular, while
provision is made for the hot gases to enter in the shape of a solid jet; or con-
versely the steam jet may be solid and the jet of gas hollow.
In the accompanying drawings the assumption is that the engine is provided
with a variable steam exhaust and that the steam jet is central and annular, owing
to the provision of a conical plug which may be shifted as required in the direction
of its vertical axis.
The upper part of the ejector consists of a small flue or chimney which may be

page_text: either cylindrical or as shown at L (Fig. 1) conical, in which figure it assumes the
shape of a truncated cone.
It may be useful but it is by no means indispensable to arrange at the base of
the main chimney of a locomotive engine a truncated cone adapted to divide the
current of the gases directly drawn in as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
The pipes H (Fig. 1) which should be covered or surrounded by material which
is a non-conductor of heat, are provided at their lower part with a small orifice
(which it is best to leave without any valve) through which the condensation water
may freely escape.
These small orifices are not shown in the drawing as they offer no peculiar
features.
The pipes H may either lead to the lid or crown of the cylinder as shown in
Figs. 1 and 4 (where the piston guide is shown as arranged in the front part) or to
the casing C direct.
When the pipes lead to the cylinder cover the casing of the latter is by the
pipes G (Figs. 3 and 4) placed in communication with the cylinder casing, which
in its turn communicates through the pipes D (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) with the interior
of the smoke-box, into which these pipes open with preferably a flaring orifice in
the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine and inclined towards the tube
plate, from which however the said orifice should be sufficiently distant to leave
the smoke pipes quite free and not to interfere with cleaning.
Within the cylinder casing C diaphragms are preferably placed so that the hot
gases may better envelop the cylinder surface.
The casing is readily removable, being fixed in position by screw bolts or pins
or hinged, so that it may be easily taken off for the removal of the ashes.
The operation is as follows,-
The exhaust steam causes in the small chimney and in the air chamber of the
ejector, a reduction of pressure and consequently a sucking action which is trans-
mitted through the pipes H and casing C, and consequently. the pipes D, to the
smoke chamber, whence results a circulation of hot gases and the heating of the
cylinders.
The details in steam engines and especially locomotive engines of course vary to
a considerable extent. The cylinders are either external or internal; in some
cases there are two cylinders receiving each their steam direct from the boiler; in
others, one cylinder receives the steam from the boiler and transmits it to its
companion after a partial expansion; sometimes both cylinders receive the steam
directly, and after partial expansion, pass it on to one or more additional low
pressure cylinders, and so forth. It will indeed be understood that it is impossible
to enumerate all the different arrangements of steam engines and steam boilers to
which the principle of this invention is applicable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The employment in steam engines unprovided with condensing apparatus and
more particularly in locomotive engines of an ejector to be operated by the exhaust
steam and adapted to produce suction in or in connection with the casings or jackets
of the steam cylinders which casings or jackets are in their turn connected with
the interior of the smoke-box in such a manner that part of the heated gases
received in the said smoke-box before escaping through the chimney may circulate
around the steam cylinders so as to heat them substantially as described.
2. In a steam engine such as described the combination with a cylinder and
smoke-box of an ejector such as I to which the exhaust pipe K from the cylinder
is connected and surrounding the cylinder a casing such as C with which are
connected a pipe such as D leading from the smoke chamber to convey hot products
of combustion or gases to the casing and another pipe such as H connected also
with the ejector, so as to draw the products of combustion or gases through and

page_text: from the cylinder casing substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete cylinder
heating device substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1893
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.