Improvements in Baffles for Locomotive Boiler Fire-boxes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Baffles for Locomotive Boiler Fire-boxes.
I, JACK ADAMS CURTIS, of No. 3, King Street, East Buffalo, Erie County, in the
United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the smoke bafflers or baffle plates which are employed
in the fire boxes of locomotives. Heretofore these bafflers have consisted of a
solid metallic plate, but this construction is objectionable because the plate soon
burns out, requiring the frequent renewal of the same and rendering its use expen-
sive.
The object of my invention is to improve the construction of the smoke
baffler so as to render it more durable and so that the same will aid in making
steam, thereby utilizing a greater percentage of the fuel and enabling steam to
be produced more rapidly. The invention consists to that end in making the
baffler hollow or in the form of a chamber and providing the same with means
for circulating water through it.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the fire box of a locomotive provided with
my improved smoke baffler. Figure 2 is a front view of the boiler or fire box.
Figure 3 is a similar view with the several pipes omitted. Figure 4 is a detached
rear view of the smoke baffler. Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section
of the steam inlet pipe of the baffler and the injector arranged in the same.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the baffler. Figure 7 is a rear view of a
baffler adapted for use in a fire box having no water bars.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
A is the usual fire box, A¹ the steam space of the boiler, A3 A³ the water legs,
A the customary water bars and A5 the fuel door.
B is my improved smoke baffler which is secured to the inner side of the rear
head of the fire box above the fuel door and which consists of a hollow chamber
having a concave underside and a convex top as shown in Figure 4, and tapering
toward its front or inner end, as shown in Figures 1 and 6. C is a steam pipe
leading from the steam space of the boiler and entering the rear end of the hollow
smoke baffler, this pipe extending preferably to the front end of the baffler, as
shown at c in Figures 1 and 6. The steam pipe C is provided with a valve c. dis
a valve arranged in the horizontal portion of the pipe C and d¹ (Figure 5) is a
water pipe connected at its inner end with the water space of the boiler and at its
outer end with the valve d. e is an injector arranged in the pipe C between the
valve d and the adjacent elbow & and opening into the valve à, so that the steam
passing through the pipe C produces a suction which draws the water from the
boiler through the pipe d' and forces it thence into the smoke baffler. f is a return
pipe extending from the rear end of the smoke baffler back to the water space
of the boiler and having a valve f¹. g is a blow off pipe connected with the pipe f
and having a valve al

page_text: In the normal operation of the device, the steam valve c¹ the injector valve d,
and the valve f¹ of the return pipe f are open and the valve g¹ of the blow off pipe
is closed.
The steam passing through the pipe C produces a suction, as hereinbefore
described, which causes the water from the boiler to enter the hollow smoke baffler
and to leave the same through the return pipe f and flow back into the boiler,
thus producing a continuous circulation of water through the boiler and the smoke
baffler and effectually preventing the baffler from being burned out by the heat
of the fire box.
As the baffler has a comparatively small capacity the water in the same becomes
quickly heated and owing to this heating of the water in small volumes and the
continuous circulation thereof steam can be produced in a much shorter period
of time than without the use of such a chambered baffler.
.
If desired, an additional water circulating pipe or water bar H may be employed,
as shown in Figure 1. This pipe connects the water space above the fire box with
the narrow front end of the smoke baffler, causing a circulation from said water
space through the pipe H and the hollow baffler and back into the boiler, this cir-
culation taking place in the contrary direction to the circulation produced by the
steam pipe C and injector e.
When the baffler is used in connection with a fire box having water bars, the top
or dome of the baffler is provided with a depression i, as shown in Figure 4, which
receives the central water bar.
My improved baffler is equally useful in connection with fire boxes having no
water hors and when so used, the depression in the top of the baffler is unneres-
sary, Figure 7 showing the construction of the buffler when so used.
When it is desired to clean out the baffler, the blow off valve g¹ is opened and
the valvo f in the return pipe f is closed.
Improvements in Baffles for Locomotive Boiler Fire-boxes.
I, JACK ADAMS CURTIS, of No. 3, King Street, East Buffalo, Erie County, in the
United States of America, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to smoke baffles or baffle plates which are employed
in the fire boxes of locomotives. Heretofore these bafflers have consisted of a
solid metallic plate but this construction is objectionable because the plate soon
burns out requiring the frequent renewal of the same and rendering its use expen-
sive. The object of my invention is to improve the construction of the smoke
baffler so as to render it more durable and so that same will aid in making
steam, thereby utilizing a greater percentage of the fuel and enabling steam to
be produced more rapidly. The invention consists to that end in making the
baffler hollow or in the form of a chamber and providing the same with means
for circulating water through it. In the drawing left with the Provisional Speci-
fication Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the fire box of a locomotive provided
with my improved smoke baffler. Figure 2 is a front view of the boiler or fire
box. Figure 3 is a similar view with the several pipes omitted.
is a detached rear view of the smoke baffler, Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal
Figure 4

page_text: section of the steam inlet pipe of the baffler and the injector arranged in the same.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the baffler. Figure 7 is a rear view of a baffler
adapted for use in a fire box having no water bars.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
A is the usual fire box, A¹ the steam space of the boiler, A³ A³ the water legs,
A the customary water bars and A5 the fuel door.
B is my improved smoke baffler which is secured to the inner side of the rear
head of the fire box above the fuel door and which consists of a hollow chamber
having a concave underside and a convex top as shown in Figure 4, and tapering
towards its front or inner end, as shown in Figures 1 and 6. C is a steam pipe
leading from the steam space of the boiler and entering the rear end of the hollow
smoke baffler, this pipe extending preferably to the front end of the baffler, as
shown at C in Figures 1 and 6. The steam pipe C is provided with a valve C¹.
D is a valve arranged in the horizontal portion of the pipe C and D₁ (see dotted lines
in Figure 2 and full lines in Fig. 5) is a water pipe connected at its inner end with
the water space of the boiler and at its outer end with the valve D. E is an in-
jector arranged in the pipe C between the valve D) and the adjacent elbow D2 and
opening into the valve D so that the steam passing through the pipe C produces
a suction which draws the water from the boiler through the pipe D¹ and forces
it thence into the smoke baffler. F is a return pipe extending from the rear end
of the smoke baffler back to the water space of the boiler and having a valve F¹.
G is a blow off pipe connected with the pipe F and having a valve G¹.
In the normal operation of the device, the steam valve C¹, the injector valve D,
and the valve F¹ of the return pipe F are open and the valve G¹, of the blow off
pipe is closed. The steam passing through the pipe C produces a suction, as herein-
before described, which causes the water from the boiler to enter the hollow smoke
baffler and to leave the same through the return pipe F and flow back into the
boiler, thus producing a continuous circulation of water through the boiler and
the smoke baffler, and effectually preventing the baffler from being burned out
by the heat of the fire box.
As the baffler has a comparatively small capacity the water in the same becomes
quickly heated and owing to this heating of the water in small volumes and the
continuous circulation thereof steam can be produced in a much shorter period
of time than without the use of such a chambered baffler.
If desired, an additional water circulating pipe or water bar H may be employed,
as shown in Figure 1. This pipe connects the water space above the fire box with
the narrow front end of the smoke baffler, causing a circulation from said water
space through the pipe H and the hollow baffler and back into the boiler, this cir-
culation taking place in the contrary direction to the circulation produced by the
steam pipe C and injector E.
When the baffler is used in connection with a fire box having water bars, the top
or dome of the baffler is provided with a depression I, as shown in Figure 4, which
receives the central water bar.
My improved baffler is equally useful in connection with fire boxes having no
water bars and when so used, the depression in the top of the baffler is unneces-
sary, Figure 7 showing the construction of the baffler when so used.
When it is desired to clean out the baffler, the blow off valve G¹ is opened and
the valve FI in the return pipe F is closed.
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. A hollow smoke baffler or chamber provided with means for circulating water
through the same substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the fire box and the boiler of a hollow or chambered
smoke baffler arranged in the fire box above the fuel door and having a steam inlet
pipe connected with the steam space of the boiler, a water pipe leading from the

page_text: water space of the boiler to the steam pipe, and an injecting device arranged in
said steam pipe whereby the water is drawn from the boiler and forced into the
hollow baffler substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the fire box and the boiler of a hollow or chambered
smoke baffler arranged in the fire box above the fuel door and having a steam inlet
pipe connected with the steam space of the boiler a water pipe leading from the
water space of the boiler to the steam pipe an injecting device arranged in said
steam pipe whereby the water is drawn from the boiler and forced into the hollow
baffler and a return pipe leading from the baffler to the boiler substantially as set
forth.