New or Improved Device for Promoting Draughts in Chimney Stacks.
Year: 1894

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1894
Date of Application, 15th Mar.,
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by THE TAYLOR IMPROVED DRAUGHT COMPANY,
of 761, Broad Street, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States of
America.]
New or Improved Device for Promoting Draughts in Chimney
Stacks.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent,
of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to all kinds of chimneys and the object of this
invention is to provide a means for diminishing the atmospheric pressure within
and above the smoke stack, and to positively propel the smoke and gases upward
within the stack; and also in the case of locomotives to furnish a
deflecting upwardly the horizontal current of air which is driven across the top of
the stack by its forward movement.
means for
The method of diminishing the atmospheric pressure consists in projecting an
annular current of air upward around the top of the smoke pipe.
The apparatus consists in a smoke pipe having a casing surrounding the same,
the casing being provided (below the top of the smoke pipe) with air inlets adapted
to admit an air current.
The levity of the heated gases within the smoke pipe induces such an air current
within the casing; which annular current by its upward movement displaces the
air at the top of the casing and thus diminishes its resistance to the smoke.
In the case of locomotive or steam boat chimneys, the forward movement of the
chimney operates to drive the air into the inlets, and thus propels the annular
current upward with great velocity and effect.
In applying the invention to an existing chimney, as upon a locomotive or fire
engine, I prefer to use the original stack as an upward deflector, fixing a supple-
mental stack of greater height and diameter around the body of the original stack
to form an annular chamber, into the lower part of which the currents of air are
admitted. Such currents being deflected upwardly by the original stack are
ultimately discharged around its top within the supplemental stack, and there
operate upon the atmosphere to diminish its pressure, and also operate upon the
rising vapor and gases to drive them upward. A similar application may be made
to stationary chimneys.
To deflect upwardly the horizontal current generated by the motion of a loco-
motive across the top of its stack, I form a chamber at the top of the supplemental
stack upon the front side and admit air to the lower part of the same, such air
emerging from the top of the chamber and deflecting the horizontal current upward
in a considerable degree. Such change of direction in the horizontal current greatly
relieves the contents of the stack from its pressure or resistance, and permits their
escape at much higher velocity.
Where it is undesirable to lengthen the original stack as upon locomotives, the
supplemental stack may be made of the same height as the original. stack, which
would be shortened at the top in a suitable degree.

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The construction may be duplicated upon the front and rear side of the outer
casing of the stack to adapt it for use upon a locomotive which travels in both
directions, as upon many elevated railroads, or the casing may be arranged to
rotate and thus direct the draft apertures forward or backward at pleasure..
In the latter case, the casing may be rotated by wrapping the wire cord around
the same and extending the opposite ends of the cord to the cab; by which the
engineer may reverse the aspect of the air inlets when driving the engine forward
or backward.
A deflecting plate may be applied to a part of the air inlets upon the casing, to
throw a portion of the air around the smoke pipe to the opposite side of the same,
thus distributing the air current around the entire periphery of the pipe. In any
case, the casing is preferably extended somewhat above the top of the smoke pipe,
to confine the annular current for a suitable distance to the space above the smoke
pipe, thus maintaining the operation of the annular current upon the smoke and gases
without disturbance from the surrounding atmosphere. The air inlets upon the
casing are preferably placed at some distance below the top of the smoke pipe to
give the annular current a short run upward, and thus secure a vertical movement
of the air all around the smoke pipe within the casing.
· From the above description it will be seen that the upward current of air which
is employed to promote the draft is operated upon the outer side of the smokė pipe,
and is not mingled with the contents of the pipe until they have escaped above the
top of the same.
By such, construction, the air is enabled to operate upon the rising smoke and
gases without direct admittance into the smoke pipe, where it would tend to decrease
the capacity of the pipe by increasing the volume of air and gases moving upwardly
in the same.
The invention thus differs materially in its operation from all steam or air jets
with which the steam or air is projected inside the smoke pipe to propel the gases
upward..
Dated this 15th day of March 180
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Device for Promoting Draughts in Chimney
Stacks.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent,
of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this, invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the accompanying two sheets of drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say -
"
The present improvements relate to all kinds of chimneys, and the object of the
invention is to provide a means for diminishing the atmospheric pressure within
and above the smoke stack, and to positively propel the smoke and gases upward
within the stack; and also in the case of locomotives to furnish a means for deflecting
upwardly the horizontal current of air which is driven across the top of the stack
by its forward movement.
The method of diminishing the atmospheric pressure consists in projecting an
annular current of air upward around the top of the smoke pipe.
The apparatus consists of a smoke pipe having a casing surrounding the same,
the casing being provided (below the top of the smoke pipe) with air inlets adapted
to admit an air current.

page_text: In the case of locomotive or steam boat chimneys, the forward movement of the
chimney operates to drive the air into the inlets, and thus propels the annular
current upward with great velocity and effect.
In applying the invention to an existing chimney, as upon a locomotive or fire
engine, I prefer to use the original stack as an upward deflector, fixing a supple-
mental stack of greater height and diameter around the body of the original stack
to form an annular chamber, into the lower part of which the currents of air are
admitted. Such currents being deflected upwardly by the original stack are
ultimately discharged around its top within the supplemental stack, and there
operate upon the atmosphere to diminish its pressure, and also operate upon the
rising vapor and gases to drive then upward. A similar application may be made
to stationary chimneys.
Where it is undesirable to lengthen the original stack, as upon locomotives, the
supplemental stack may be made of the satne height as the original stack, which
would be shortened at the top in a suitable degree.
To deflect upwardly the horizontal current generated by the motion of a loco-
motive across the top of its stack, a chamber may, by a suitable construction, be
formed at the top of the supplemental stack upon its front side, with an inlet to
admit a current of air, which in emerging from the top of the chamber operates to
deflect the horizontal current upward in a considerable degree.
Such change of direction in the horizontal current relieves the contents of the
stack from a considerable resistance.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a stack and fire box upon the centre line of a
locomotive boiler, the fire tubes being omitted;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the stack and the upper part of the boiler;
Fig. 3 is a plan of the stack;
Fig. 4 is a cross section on line x, x, in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the invention, with currents of
air illustrated by arrows.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in section through one of the air inlets I³, and
Fig. 7 is a plan of a locomotive stack with inlets in the saddle;
Fig. 8 shows the device applied to a marine chimney ;
Fig. 9 is an elevation partly in section, of a stack with rotatable casing; and
Fig. 10 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 1 shows a locomotive boiler B, with smoke box A, smoke pipe D, cast iron
saddle D' with flanged foot E, exhaust nozzle C, and casing G secured to the outer
side of the saddle, with an annular air space H between the smoke pipe and casing.
The casing is shown about twice as bigh as the sinoke pipe, and is provided upon
the front below the top with three apertures I, having inclined vanes attached to
their edges. The upper and lower vanes J project outside the casing only, while
the intermediate vane J' extends into contact with the smoke pipe and is provided
inside the space H with extensions K forming inclined partitions. The air entering
above the vane J' is deflected upward upon the front side of the smoke pipe; while
the air entering below the vane J' is deflected to the rear side of the smoke pipe
before passing upwardly by the partitions K.
The air entering by all the inlets thus forms a complete annular column. The
motion of the locomotive drives the column upwardly past the top of the smoke
pipe with great rapidity, and thus operates as an ejector, by removing in great
degree the atmospheric pressure within and above the top of the stack. The
steam discharged from the exhaust nozzle C is thus wholly relieved from the
atmospheric pressure.
The operation is the same in the other constructions shown; the entering current
being indicated by arrows a.
Arrows in Fig. 5 illustrate the horizontal current across the top of a locomotive,
and the means to counteract the effect of such current consists of the chamber L
formed by a curved partition M secured within the front of the casing at and below

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the top of the same with air inlet's having vanes N¹. The chamber L is located
above the top of the smoke pipe D, and the air entering the chamber, as indicated
by arrows c, forms a strong upward current, indicated by the arrow d in Fig. 1 ;
which current opposes the horizontal current and deflects the same partially
upward, as indicated by the arrows e; thus permitting a freer escape of the smoke
and vapor (indicated by the arrows f) from the stack.
A lipo may, with advantage, be projected at the front of the chamber L to
intercept the horizontal current b.
Where a lantern B' is used, the air inlets may be placed upon the front quarters
of the stack and provided with outside cheek-pieces J' (Figs. 2 and 10) to catch
the air sweeping by, as indicated by arrows 8.
The construction may be duplicated upon the front and rear sides of the outer
'casing, to adapt a stack for use upon a locomotive which travels in both directions,
or the flange E of the saddle may be formed, as in Figs. 6 and 7, with openings I'
and I at the front and rear, respectively, with partitions K in the air space H to
deflect a portion of the gases to the opposite side of the pipe, when it enters upon
either side.
Arrows j, in Figs. 6 and 7, show such movement of the air when entering by the
inlets I'.
A rotatable casing may be used if preferred, the casing being provided upon the
front side with the inlets I and N and the chamber L. Such casing is shown in
Figs. 9 and 10, detached from the saddle and having an angle collar fixed to its
inner side to rest upon anti-friction rolls attached to smoke pipe D by studs m.
The upper end of the casing is centered by studs n upon the smoke pipe.
A wire rope g wrapped around the base of the casing may be extended to the cab
to turn the casing with the inlets in either direction, and stops may be employed to
limit the movement.
Fig. 8 shows the improvements applied to a marine boiler, a short casing G'
being secured to the stack D' below its upper end and projected above the top a
suitable distance; the casing being wholly above the deck P. Arrows represent
the air entering the annular chamber H. From the above description it will be
seen that the invention embodies an essentially new method of promoting drafts in
smoke pipes, which consists in directing a current of air upwardly upon the outer
side of the smoke pipe, which current operates partly to displace the atmosphere
above the top of the smoke pipe, and partly, by its mingling with the rising smoke
and gases, to propel them upward with increased velocity.
The method may be so practised as to propel the current upwardly around a
portion only or around the entire periphery of the smoke pipe, whatever its shape;
and the term annular current is used to include any current which substantially
surrounds the top of the smoke pipe. Where the smoke pipe is in motion, as
upon a boat or locomotive, it is essential for the casing to project above the
top of the smoke pipe; but it is not positively necessary in other cases, as the
annular current in any case operates to drive the air upwardly at the top of
the stack, and thus diminishes the atmospheric pressure and resistance. The
invention in practice effects a very great improvement in the draft of the
furnace; a great reduction in the consumption of fuel, and upon locomotives, a
-material reduction in the back pressure upon the casing.
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. In a device for improving the draft in stacks, the combination, with the
smoke pipe D, of the casing G extended above the top of the smoke pipe and
..having the bottom closed and attached thereto, and provided in the side with
air inlets below the top of the smoke pipe, the casing forming an annular open-
top chamber discharging an annular current of air upward around the top of
the smoke pipe.

page_text: 2. In a device for improving the draft in stacks, the combination, with the
smoke pipe D, of the casing G uncovered at the top and extended above the top
of the smoke pipe and having the bottom closed, and attached to the smoke pipe,
and provided in the side with the air inlets I having a series of vanes inclined
upwardly and inwardly toward the smoke pipe, the casing forming an annular
open topped chamber discharging an annular current of air upward around the top
of the smoke pipe.
3. The combination, with the smoke pipe A, and the casing B extended above
the top of the same, and provided with air inlets arranged above one another below
the top of the smoke pipe, of means for deflecting air from part of the lower inlet
to the rear side of the stack within the casing, as herein set forth.
4. A chimney stack provided at and below the top with a chamber formed
around the front half of the stack and extended upward parallel to the side of the
stack, such chamber having an air inlet upon its front side, and operating to direct
an air current upwardly upon the side of the stack at its top, and thus deflect
upwardly any horizontal current moving over the stack.
5. The combination, with the smoke pipe D, and the casing G extended above
the top of the same, and provided with air inlets I below the top of the smoke
pipe, of the curved partition M forming a chamber inside the casing above the
smoke pipe with an air inlet upon the outer side of the same, the air inlets being
provided with upwardly inclined vanes and the air from the top of the chamber
operating to deflect upwardly the horizontal current above the stack, substantially
as herein set forth.
6. In a device for improving the draft in locomotive stacks, the combination,
with the locomotive stack, of the smoke pipe D having the casing G arranged
about the same and provided with air inlets I in two groups upon the front quarters
of the casing, vanes for deflecting the air upwardly to the inlets, and the cheek
pieces J projected obliquely at the outer ends of the inlets, to throw the passing
current of air into the same, substantially as herein set forth.
7. In a locomotive stack designed for movement in opposite directions, the com-
bination, with the smoke pipe, of a rotatable casing having air inlets, and means
for turning the casing with the air inlets at the front or back of the stack at
pleasure, substantially as set forth.
8. In a locomotive stack designed for movement in opposite directions, the
combination, with the locomotive boiler and the smoke pipe D, of the rotatable
casing G extended above the same, and provided with the air inlets I upon its
quarters, and with the chamber M at the top with inlets N as described, stops_to
regulate the movement of the casing, and suitable means extended to the cab for
rotating the casing at pleasure, as herein set forth.
9. The method herein described of promoting draft in smoke stacks, which
consists in projecting a current of air upwardly upon the outer side of the smoke
pipe, substantially as set forth.
10. The method herein described of promoting draft and relieving the atmospheric
pressure at the top of moving smoke stacks, as upon locomotives, which consists in
directing an annular current of air upwardly upon the outer side of the smoke pipe
within a surrounding casing, and also directing a supplemental current upward
upon the front side of the stack at the top of the casing, substantially as herein set
forth.
DL: LAL 1
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