Improvements in Means for Arresting Sparks Emitted from Locomotive Funnels, Smoke Stacks, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Arresting Sparks Emitted from
Locomotive Funnels, Smoke Stacks, and the like.
I, JOHN ROBERT ALLEN, of Idlewood, Illinois, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention has for its object the provision of new and useful improvements
in means for arresting the sparks emitted from the funnels of locomotives, and
the like smoke stacks, the invention being especially desirable in connection with
locomotives and threshing machines, as a prevention of fire due to sparks
emitted.
By this invention a pipe extends from the boiler below the water line to the
interior of fhe smoke stack, and terminates in a suitably perforated nozzle which
emits a spray in a downward direction against the side of the stack when a suit-
able cock in the pipe is turned on by means of a rod projecting therefrom to a
convenient part of the engine or boiler.
The nozzle is preferably inverted so that soot falling thereon will not clog the
perforations; but, if desired, the spray may be ejected upwardly and then be
deflected downwardly by a suitable conical, or suitably shaped spreading device.
Dated this 24th day of August 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Means for Arresting Sparks Emitted from
Locomotive Funnels, Smoke Stacks, and the like.
I, JOIN ROBERT ALLEN, of Idlewood, Illinois, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby
declure the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment;
1
My invention is in the nature of an apparatus for arresting and extinguishing
sparks from the smoke stack of a locomotive or other boiler; the object being, lo
furnish means whereby the passage of the sparks out of the smoke stack is pre-
vented and the consequent danger of setting fire to surrounding property and
annoyance to persons in the vicinity is entirely obviated.
With this object in view my invention consists in providing in the smoke
stack a pipe in communication with the boiler of the engine, said pipe being

page_text: surmounted with a perforated head, above which is adjustably mounted a deflector
or spreader, whereby when the device is in operation water under pressure from
the boiler is forced through the perforated head against the surface of the
deflector or spreader and caused to be deflected in all directions, thereby causing
a thin sheet or spray through which the sparks must pass before emerging from
the smoke stack.
My invention further consists in the improved construction, arrangement and
combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterwards specifically pointed
out in the appended claims.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly
appertains to make and use the sume, I will now proceed to describe its construction
and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part
if this specification, in which :-
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a locomotive engine having my improve-
ment attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the boiler and smoke-
stack of a locomotive having my invention applied thereto, shewing a slightly
differently constructed smoke-stack, from that shewn in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a
vertical section through the principal working parts of my invention.
Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the
various figures of the drawings.
Referring to the drawings by letters, A indicates a boiler, and B the smoke-
stack of a locomotive to which my invention is applied, although it may, as
before stated, be applied equally well to the boilers and smoke stacks of stationary
or other engines.
C indicates a pipe leading from the boiler below the water line into the smoke-
stack at D and turned upward within the smoke-stack, the upright portion with-
in the smoke stack being marked E.
Findicates an inverted cup which is mounted upon the upper end of the
pipe and is provided in its upper curved surface with any desired number of
perforations G.
Hindicates a stem mounted centrally and vertically upon the cup F, upon
which is threaded a similar cup I with its curved side downwards, whereby said
cup may be adjusted vertically.
The pipe C is provided with a spring closing valve J, upon which bears the
upper end of a lever K, which, at its lower end, is connected to a rod L, which
extends to any desirable point for convenience of operation, in this instance being
illustrated in Fig. 1 as extending into the cab of the engine and provided with
a ring handle M.
The smoke stack B may be in a single section, as shewn in Fig. 1, or in two
sections as shewn in Fig. 2, auid sections being marked B' and illustrated as being
provided with flanges clamped together by bolts. This construction is preferable
to that shewn in Fig. 1 for the reason that it admits of the removal of the upper
section in order to get at the interior of the stack and expose the spark-arrester
for cleaning and repair.
The construction of my invention will be readily understood from the fore-
going description, and its operation may be described as follows: When it is
desired to operate the extinguisher, the rod L is pulled by means of the handle M,
which will open the valve J and permit the passage of the water from the boiler
through the pipes C and E into the cup F, from which it will be ejected through
the perforations G, striking the under surface of the cup I and being deflected
in every direction, forming a thin sheet or spray of water through which the
sparks must pass in emerging from the smoke stack and through which they
cannot pass unextinguished.
By means of this apparatus I am enabled to prevent any live sparks or hot
cinders from passing out of the smoke stack of any locomotive or other engine
to which the apparatus is attached, thereby insuring the adjoining property
against injury by fire from such sparks or cinders and the residents of the

page_text: neighbourhood of the engine from the many annoyances caused by the falling
of said sparks or cinders upon their premises.
While I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for
carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself
to the exact construction shewn, but hold that any slight changes, such as might
suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic, would properly fall within the limit
and scope of my invention.
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) The combination with a boiler and smoke-stack, of a pipe leading from
the boiler below the water-line into the smoke-stack and extending vertically
therein, an inverted cup upon the top of said pipe, having perforations in its
upper surface, and a deflector adjustably mounted above these perforations,
whereby the ejected water is deflected in all directions, substantially as described.
(2). The combination with a boiler and smoke-stack, of a pipe leading from
the boiler below the water-line into the smoke-stack, and extended vertically
therein, an inverted cup upon the upper end of said pipe, provided with per-
forations in its upper surface, a threaded stem projecting centrally and vertically
from said cup, and a second cup threaded upon said stem with its curved side
downwards, whereby it performs the function of a spreader or deflector for the
water ejected through the perforations of the lower inverted cup, substantially as
described.
(3) The combination with a boiler and smoke-stack, of a pipe leading from the
boiler below the water-line into the smoke-stack and extended vertically therein,
an inverted cup forming the top of said pipe, a central vertical threaded stem
leading from said inverted cup, a curved or cup-shaped deflector threaded upon
said stem, a spring closing valve in the pipe, a pivoted lever bearing at one end
upon the stem of said valve, and a rod reaching from the opposite end of said lever
into the cap of the engine, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of May 1899.