Improvements in Dummy Locomotives.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dummy Locomotives.
1.
I, HENRY ASHTON RAMSAY, of 406, Water Street, Baltimore, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in "dummy locomotives" intended to
operate without noise from the engine-exhaust and to use a smokeless fuel, coke, or
anthracite coal the object of my invention being to prevent the noise ensuing from
the use of steam-exhaust to produce a draft and the appearance of smoke. I attain
these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—
Figure 1 is a side elevation shown in section, and Figure 2 is a transverse section
cut through A B.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both views.
In Figure 1, letter C is an ordinary form of locomotive-boiler.
D is a condenser arranged to be placed over the boiler and to extend down the
sides, forming a saddle or box constructed of light iron made steam-tight under a
slight pressure of a few pounds to the square inch. Horizontal tubes pass through
the condenser (shewn at R). Below the sides of the condenser are two water
tanks A. A rotary blower is shown at E; inlet pipes, through which the blower
is supplied with air at G; discharge-pipe from blower to deliver air under the
grate of the boiler-furnace shown at N; funnel-inlets to blower eduction-pipes
shown at H; connecting vertical pipes, affording communication between the con-
denser and tanks, shown at P. Pipes shown at M are small vapour-pipes led from
the top of the water-tanks to the smoke-pipe, with open mouths, their object being
to prevent the accumulation of pressure in the condenser or tanks and to carry off
any vapour that may be uncondensed. The other parts of the locomotive are
common to ordinary locomotives, so it will not be necessary to describe them here.
The condenser has several shelf or diaphragm plates provided at f, arranged so as
to detain the exhaust-steam in its passage upward from its point of entrance
to the condenser. The steam is thus made to circulate freely around the tubes,
through which air is caused to circulate by the passage of the locomotive through
the atmosphere, the tubes at the front ends of the condenser being turned
outward and open, so as to collect and draw in as much air as possible, and this
circulation of the air inside the tubes keeps them cool and causes the steam to be
condensed as it comes in contact with their sufaces. The circulation of the air is
also assisted, especially when the locomotive is standing still or running with the
wind, by the blower drawing air through the tubes, other and cooler air having to
come into the condenser-tubes to take the place of that withdrawn by the blower.
The blower will be driven by a chain-band, either from a pulley on the car-axle or
by a small independent engine, and the office of the blower will be, first, to give an
artificial draft to the furnace, and, secondly, to promote the circulation of air
through the tubes, and this air, having been heated, will be more effective than cold
air in supporting the combustion in the furnace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware
that prior to my invention of improvements in condensing apparatus for dummy
locomotives other schemes have been devised and patented for accomplishing the
condensation of steam and other gases, and fans and blowers used for exhausting
gases from the smoke-pipe, &c. do not therefore claim any of the foregoing
devices, nor the condenser, blower, or tanks broadly, but what I do claim is :-
the
1. The combination, in a dummy locomotive, of an atmospheric horizontal

page_text: tubular exhaust-steam surface condenser, constructed as shown, in conjunction with
a rotary blower E, placed in the rear of the ash-pan of the boiler connected with
funnel-ended suction-pipes, substantially as described.
2. In dummy steam-locomotives, the combination of exhaust-steam pipes T,
entering a tubular air-surface condenser D, containing horizontal shelf-plates or
partial diaphragms for detaining and directing the course of the steam, said con-
denser having open communication with the water tanks A and provided with a
discharge-vapour pipe M, preventing an accumulation of pressure in the condenser;
also open-ended inlet-tubes for circulating cold air, the passage of the same being
promoted by the movement of the locomotive and the suction effect of the blower E,
substantially as described.
Dated the 17th day of Wal 1901
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.