IMPROVEMENTS IN SPARK ARRESTERS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn.
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPARK ARRESTERS."-A communication from
abroad by Henry G. Holmes, of New York, in the United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th April 1874.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPARK ARRESTERS," a communication to.
me from abroad by Henry G. Holmes, of New York, in the United
States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved spark arresting smoke pipe for
the purpose of arresting the sparks or ashes impelled through the smoke
pipes or stacks of locomotive or other boilers.

page_text: It consists of a curved exterior pipe or flue attached at one end to and
communicating with the upper part of the smoke box, above which it
projects vertically for a certain height (say three-fourths of the usual
height of locomotive smoke pipes) when it curves forward and down-
wards, inclining slightly inwards towards the smoke box until its lower
end terminates and communicates with the front side of a central
upright chamber, located and extending or enlarged laterally on cach
side of and in the space between the two portions of the curved pipe or
flue, and with the front side of a water tank formed at the bottom of
and opening into the central chamber. Horizontally across the top of
the water tank at its junction with the central chamber and in line with
the lower edge of the opening of communication with the curved pipe or
flue are shelves or guard plates arranged in pairs close against the two
opposite sides of the water tank so as to form pockets or spaces thereat,
and inclining or descending into and partly towards the middle of the
tank for the purpose herein-after described.
Issuing vertically upwards from the uppermost portion of the central
chamber and at cach side of the curve or bend in the curved pipe or fluo -
is an eduction tube or flue opening into the atmosphere.
The products of combustion being driven forward with great force
and velocity by the exhaust steam from the engines will pass from the
smoke box through the curved pipe or flue, and down its inclined front
side, when meeting with the inclined shelves or guard plates they will
strike obliquely upon the surface of the water in the tank, and passing
over the same will ascend and strike obliquely against the back surface
of the central chamber, and thence pass upwards through the latter and
through the eduction tubes or flues at the top of the same into the
atmosphere. During this operation the products of combustion will be
driven with such force against the surface of the water in the tank that
all the cinders, dust, and ashes contained therein will pass into the
water and remain in the tank, leaving only the gaseous portion of the
said products of combustion to pass upward and be discharged into the
atmosphere.
The products of combustion and the steam combined therewith strike
the surface of the water in the tank, they cause the water to rise into
the pockets or spaces formerly the shelves or guard plates, and experience
has demonstrated that if these shelves or guard plates were left out of

page_text: the combination of parts composing the improved spark arresting smoke
pipe, it would be impossible to retain any water in the tank. Usually
the condensation of the steam within the improved spark arresting smoke
pipe will furnish an ample supply of water in the tank. To prevent an
excessive accumulation of water in the tank a stop-cock communicates.
with and is secured to one side of said tank.
Suitable openings should be made in the sides of the water tank
for the purpose of enabling the cinders and ashes to be removed
therefrom, which openings should be closed by suitable water-tight
coverings.
A suitable man-hole may be made in the side of the curved pipe or
flue to be used whenever repairs or an inspection of the interior of the.
apparatus may become necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, John
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
37th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my exécutors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at: any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: '
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SPARK ARRESTERS," a communication to me from abroad
by Henry G. Holmes, of New York, in the United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:―
The said Invention relates to an improved spark arresting smoke pipe
for the purpose of arresting the sparks or ashes impelled through the
smoke pipes or stacks of locomotive or other boilers.
It consists of a curved exterior pipe or flue attached at one end to and
communicating with the upper part of the smoke box, above which it
projects vertically for a certain height (say three-fourths of the usual
height of locomotive smoke pipes) when it curves forward and down-
wards, inclining slightly inwards towards the smoke box until its lower
end terminates and communicates with the front side of a central
upright chamber, located and extended or enlarged laterally on each
side of and in the space between the two portions of the curved pipe or
flue, and with the front side of a water tank formed at the bottom of
and opening into the central chamber. Horizontally across the top of
the water tank at its junction with the central chamber and in line with
the lower edge of the opening of communication with the curved pipe or
flue, are shelves or guard plates arranged in pairs close against the two
opposite sides of the water tank so as to form pockets or spaces thereat,
and which incline or descend into and partly towards the middle of the
tank, for the purpose hereafter described.
Issuing vertically upwards from the uppermost portion of the central
chamber and at each side of the curve or bend in the curved pipe or flue
is an eduction tube or flue opening in the atmosphere.

page_text: The products of combustion being driven forward with great force
and velocity by the exhaust steam from the engines will pass from the
smoke box through the curved pipe or flue and down its inclined front
side, when meeting with the inclined shelves or guard plates, they will
strike obliquely upon the surface of the water in the tank, and passing
over the same will ascend and strike obliquely against the back surface
of the central chamber and thence pass upwards through the latter and
through the eduction tubes or flues at the top of the same into the
atmosphere. During this operation the products of combustion will be
driven with such force against the surface of the water in the tank that.
all the cinders, dust, and ashes contained therein will pass into the
water and remain in the tank, leaving only the gaseous portion of the
said products of combustion to pass upward and be discharged into the.
atmosphere.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating.corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the said Invention ; Figure 2, a front
elevation of the same; Figure 3, a section on line y, y, of Figure 2; and
Figure 4, a section on line x, x, of Figure 1.
The improved spark arresting smoke pipe is composed of the curved
exterior flue B, the laterally enlarged central chamber C, the two guard
plates A, A, the two discharging tubes 'F, F, and the water tank E,
arranged with each other in the manner represented and herein-after
fully set forth. To the inner sides C¹, C₁, of the central chamber C the
inwardly inclined guard plates A, A, are combined which descend into
the water tank E, as shown in Figure 4. The exterior plate N of the
Osmoke flue B rises vertically from the mouth thereof to about threc-
fourths the usual height of locomotive smoke pipes, and then curves
around and descends in a slightly inclined inward direction to the front
side of the water tank E, as shewn in Figure 3. The interior plate a
of the smoke flue B occupies a parallel position to that of the exterior
plate N of the same until it terminates at the point D, Figure 3, the
point where the inwardly closed portion of said flue terminates and
discharges the products of full and partial combustion into the remaining
inwardly open portion of said flue. The said products of combustion

page_text: being driven forward with great force and velocity by the exhaust steam
from the engines will pass down the inner surface of the inclined front
side of the external plate N, and after being concentrated by their
passage between the inclined guard plates A, A, will strike obliquely
upon the surface of the water in the tank E, and passing over the same,
will ascend and strike obliquely against the surface of the flue plate a,
and thence pass upward into the laterally enlarged central chamber C,
and be discharged through the eduction tubes F, F.
The products of combustion will be driven with such force against the
surface of the water in the tank E that all the cinders, dust, and ashes,
contained therein will pass into the water and remain in the tank, leaving
only the gaseous portion of said products of combustion to pass upward
and be discharged from the smoke pipe. By this arrangement the
draught of the latter is considerably augmented. When the products of
combustion and the steam combined therewith strike the surface of the
water in the tank E they cause the water to rise into the spaces on the
outer sides of the two guard plates A, A, as shewn in Figure 4, and
experience has demonstrated that if these guard plates were left out of
the combination of parts composing the improved spark arresting smoke
pipe it would be impossible to retain any water in the tank E. Usually
the condensation of the steam within the improved spark arresting smoke
pipe will furnish an ample supply of water in the tank E. To prevent
an excessive accumulation of water in the tank E a stop-cock M com-
municates with and is secured to one side of said tank in the position
shewn in Figure 1.
Suitable openings should be made in the sides of the water tank E for
the purpose of enabling the cinders and ashes to be removed there-
from, which openings should be closed by suitable water-tight coverings
L, L.
A suitable man-hole K may be made in the side of the smoke flue B
to be used whenever repairs or an inspection of the interior of the
apparatus may become necessary.
In some cases the water tank E may be dispensed with and the lower
part of the central chamber C connected with the fire-box by a curved
pipe running under the locomotive.
In the Drawings P, Figure 3, indicates a section of the front portion
of a locomotive boiler r, the smoke chamber of the same to the upper
surface of which the improved spark arresting smoke pipe is attached,

page_text: and the exhaust pipe which conducts the exhaust steam from the
cylinders of the engines into the smoke flue B of the said improved spark
arresting smoke pipe.
.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination and use of the smoke flue B with the
laterally enlarged central chamber C, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before set forth and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The combination with cach other of the smoke flue B, the
laterally enlarged central chamber C, the guard plates A, A, and the
water tank E, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before set forth
and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The combination and use of the smoke flue B with the
laterally enlarged central chamber C, and the discharging tubes F, F,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth
day of October One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four