Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating or Controlling the Passage of the Heated Gases in the Tubes of Locomotive o other Steam Boilers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1890
Comlete Specification Left. 7th Aug., 1891-Accented 12th Sant
2002
VISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating or Controlling the
Passage of the Heated Gases in the Tubes of Locomotive o
other Steam Boilers.
A. communication from abroad by JULES FERDINAND THEOPHILE SCHWALB
called VAN HECKE, of 43, Rue Richer, in the Republic of France,
Accountant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool & 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster & 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
5 as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for regulating the passage of heated gases in
:the tubes of steam boilers of locomotive or other engines, by reversing the direction
of their course before they pass into the chimney, with a view of forcing them to
spread or diffuse themselves uniformly in all the tubes and thus to ensure a better
utilisation of the heating surface and of the heat developed by the combustion and
consequently a notable economy of coal.
Its object is to supply simple and practical means of attaining these results, and
especially to improve and apply to various special cases the apparatus which forms
the subject of English Letters Patent dated April 30, 1888, No. 6392 which has
since been duly assigned to Mr. J. F. T. Schwalb known as Van Hecke. In the
Specification of said Patent, a hood was described mounted in front of the tube
plate in the smoke box, one object of which was to cause the hot gases which leave
the tubes, to be deflected towards the bottom of the smoke box before passing up
the chimney.
Now the object (inter alia) of the present invention is to so arrange the front or
movable plate of the said apparatus as to give, if required, the hot gases a direct
escape into the chimney; to bring the sides of the apparatus to the same level as
he lower edge of the sliding regulating plate; to close completely, if desired, the
ower part of the apparatus in order to interrupt the draught of the chimney by
cting as a damper; to directly reverse the direction of the heated gases, even
hen the chimney emerges into the lower part of the smoke box, and to adapt the
pparatus for a spark and cinder arresting screen.
The invention is carried out as follows:-
In order to diminish the distance between the front plate of the apparatus, and
e tube plate of the boiler and consequently the space occupied by the apparatus
the smoke box this plate is jointed at its lower part in such a way that its upper
ge can separate itself more or less from the plain plate which forms the top of
c apparatus, and to regulate this movement a rod, placed longitudinally on the
iler and within reach of the driver, has at its end a worm or endless screw
gaging with a worm or helicoidal wheel the axle of which penetrates the smoke
, and has a pinion engaging with a rack capable of sliding in guides, attached
one of the sides of the apparatus.
The extremity of this rack is connected with the moveable front plate aforesaid,
ferably by means of a cotter or key having an interior groove and held by a
ot upon which it can be turned into a horizontal position, and which allows
his plate being made independent of the mechanism, in order to enable it
be opened for giving access to the boiler tubes. It is easily understood that
driver in this way can open more or less the front plate of the apparatus when
onsiders it necessary during the journey.

page_text: Further, by the present invention, the fixed sides of the apparatus are hollowed
towards the bottom, and a sliding plate fitted on the lower part of the apparatus
and which serves to regulate the size of the passage of the gases, is formed of
lateral cheeks which complete on both sides the closing of the lower part of the
apparatus; the inclination of the front plate further allows these cheeks to oscillate
therewith without encountering the tube plate of the boiler.
When the apparatus is intended to be fitted on cargo or tug boats liable to be
stationary a considerable time, as for instance when passing locks, it can be utilized
for reducing at such a time the action of the draught of the funnel on the furnaces.
For this purpose there is added to the lower part of the sliding regulating plate, a
jointed counter plate attached to a draw chain passing over gearing and the function
of which is to keep this counter plate raised in the ordinary course of working, or
to allow it to drop down horizontally in such a way as to close entirely the lower
part of the apparatus.
It is easily understood that it is sufficient to pull the handle at the end of the
chain in order to raise vertically the counter plate aforesaid, and even if requisite
to lift the slide to the height desired where it remains suspended by hooking
one of the links of the chain on the hook fixed on the smoke box or boiler.
In the arrangement described in the preceding paragraph the apparatus has an
upper gas exit valve, and the joint of the front plate is placed low enough to allow
it to oscillate freely.
The draught of the chimney is effected from the lower part of the smoke box;
the following arrangement is employed for causing the reversal of the direction
of the heated gases which produces their equal distribution in the tubes of the
boiler.
For this purpose the front plate of the apparatus is fitted at its lower part with
a baffle plate reaching down to the bottom of the smoke box, and which is connected
to the front plate by means of brackets or attaching pieces adapted to hold it
rigidly at a certain distance in front of the regulating slide.
In this manner the heated gases emerging from the tubes, are forced, after having
passed under the regulating slide, to rise to a certain extent in order to surmount
the baffle plate before descending into the chimney opening, which in the present
example is in the lower part of the smoke box; this inversion of their motion having
the effect of attaining in this case the object in view.
The same result can be attained by arranging, a little behind the front plate, a
vertical baffle plate at the bottom of the smoke box and which is further jointed at
its lower part in such a way as to allow access to the tubes situated behind it.
This arrangement may be used when the chimney opening is in the top of the
smoke box.
When the apparatus is to be used as a spark arresting screen, it is preferably
arranged in the following manner :-
The apparatus, in place of being made of plain sheet iron, is constructed of metal
gauze, trellis work or perforated sheet iron, in order to filter the heated gases
issuing from the tubes and arrest the sparks carried out by the gaseous current.
The apparatus placed in the smoke box in front of the openings of the tubes is
fixed in position by means of clamps and its sides are made preferably of plain
sheet iron for greater solidity. The upper part of the apparatus is closed by a
perforated iron plate, which can oscillate on an axis, in such a way as to allow of
a direct access to the chimney being given to the gases.
The front plate of the apparatus is made of metal trellis or perforated sheet iron
and can be hinged on a lower axis to which it is connected by means of curved rods
which allow of it being lowered in front to give access to the boiler tubes when
required; a bolt keeps it closed during the working.
In the boilers of locomotives having a central discharge, the movable front plate
is arranged in two jointed parts on the sides of the escape tube, and it opens then in
the manner of a door with two wings.
The apparatus is usefully completed by the addition to its lower part of a plain

page_text: horizontal plate, fitted with a sort of hinged apron, and intended to catch the
cinders.
It is easily understood that, beyond the advantages presented by the apparatus
for retaining the sparks carried out by the gaseous current, the friction and
obstruction that the gases, emerging from the upper tubes of the boiler, experience
in traversing the trellised or perforated parts above described, oblige them to
descend, to a certain extent, in the apparatus, which again produces to a large
extent the uniform distribution of the heated gases in all the tubes of the boiler and
consequently the economic advantages which have been specified clearly in the
Patent aforesaid.
Dated this 12th day of November 1800.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Regulating or Controlling the
Passage of the Heated Gases in the Tubes of Locomotive or other
Steam Boilers.
A communication from abroad by JULES FERDINAND THEOPHILE SCHWALB,
called VAN HECKE, of 43, Ruc Richer, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Accountant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6 Bank Street Manchester both
in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil 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 apparatus for regulating the passage of heated gases in
the tubes of steam boilers of locomotive or other engines by reversing the direction
of their course before they pass into the chimney with a view of forcing them to
spread or diffuse themselves uniformly in all the tubes and thus to insure a better
utilisation of the heating surface and of the heat developed by the combustion and
consequently a notable economy of coal.
Its object is to supply simple and practical means of attaining these results, and
especially to improve and apply to various special cases the apparatus which forms
the subject of English Letters Patent dated April 30, 1888, No. 6392 which has
since been duly assigned to Mr. J. F. T. Schwalb known as Van Hecke. In the
Specification of said Patent, a hood was described mounted in front of the tube
plate in the smoke box, one object of which was to cause the hot gases, which
leave the tubes, to be deflected towards the bottom of the smoke box before passing
up the chimney.
Now the object (inter alia) of the present invention is to so arrange the front or
movable plate of the said apparatus as to give, if required, the hot gases a direct escape
nto the chimney; to bring the sides of the apparatus to the same level as the lower
edge of the sliding regulating plate; to close completely, if desired, the lower part of
the apparatus in order to interrupt the draught of the chimney by acting as a
lamper; to directly reverse the direction of the heated gases, even when the chimney
emerges into the lower part of the smoke box, and to adapt the apparatus for a
park and cinder arresting screen.
In order that the invention may be fully understood, the manner of forming and
pplying the apparatus for the various objects, indicated above, will be described,
eference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the figures and
etters of reference marked thereon, similar letters indicate like parts in each of the
igures, and, in these latter :-
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively views in elevation and in vertical section of the
mproved apparatus fitted in the smoke box of a tubular boiler

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of a modification of the apparatus for steamship
boilers.
Figures 5 and 6 are also similar views of an arrangement suitable for boilers with
reversed draught.
Figure 7 is a vertical section showing a variation of this arrangement.
Figures 8 and 9 are respectively views in elevation and vertical section of a
modification of the apparatus enabling it to be used as a spark arrester.
The invention is carried out as follows, reference being made to the drawings
hereto annexed :-
In order to diminish the distance between the front plate B of the apparatus and
the tube plate P of the boiler as may be seen on Figures 1 and 2 and consequently
the space occupied by the apparatus in the smoke box, this plate is jointed at its
lower part in such a way that its upper edge can separate itself more or less from
the plain plate A which forms the top of the apparatus, and to regulate this move-
ment a rod, placed longitudinally on the boiler and within reach of the driver, has,
at its end, a worm or endless screw a engaging with a worm or helicoidal wheel b,
the axle c of which penetrates the smoke box, and has a pinion d engaging with a
rack e capable of sliding in guides, attached to one of the sides C of the apparatus.
The extremity of this rack is connected with the movable front plate B aforesaid,
preferably by means of a cotter or key f having an interior groove and held by a
pivot upon which it can be turned into a horizontal position, and which allows of
this plate being made independent of the mechanism, in order to enable it to be
opened for giving access to the boiler tubes. It is easily understood that the driver,
in this way, can open more or less the front plate B of the apparatus when he
considers it necessary during the journey.
Further, by the present invention, the fixed sides C of the apparatus are hollowed
towards the bottom, and a sliding plate G fitted on the lower part of the plate B of
the apparatus and which serves to regulate the size of the section of the passage of
the gases is formed of lateral cheeks which complete on both sides the closing
of the lower part of the apparatus; the inclination of the front plate B further
allows these cheeks to oscillate therewith without encountering the tube plate P
of the boiler.
When the apparatus is intended to be fitted on cargo or tug boats liable to be
stationary a considerable time, as, for instance, when passing locks, it can be utilised
for reducing at such a time the action of the draught of the funnel on the furnaces.
For this purpose, there is added, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, to the lower part of
the sliding regulating plate G, a jointed counter plate i attached to a draw chain k
passing over gearing and the function of which is to keep this counter plate raised
in the ordinary course of working, or to allow it to drop down horizontally in such
a way as to close entirely the lower part of the apparatus.
It is easily understood that it is sufficient to pull the handle at the end of the
chain in order to raise vertically the counter plate i aforesaid, and even, if
requisite, to lift the slide G to the height desired, where it remains suspended by
hooking one of the links of the chain k on the hook / fixed on the smoke box wall.
In the arrangement described in the preceding paragraph, the apparatus has an
upper gas exit valve I and the joint E of the front plate B is placed low enough to
allow it to oscillate freely.
The draught of the chimney is effected from the lower part of the smoke box;
the following arrangement is employed for causing the reversal of the direction of
the heated gases which produces their equal distribution in the tubes of the boiler.
For this purpose, the front plate B of the apparatus is fitted at its lower part
with a baffle plate m reaching down to the bottom of the smoke box, and which
is connected to the front plate B by means of brackets or attaching pieces n adapted
to hold it rigidly at a certain distance in front of the regulating slide G, as shown
in Figures 5 and 6.
In this manner, the heated gases emerging from the tubes are forced, after having
passed under the regulating slide, to rise to a certain extent, as shown by the

page_text: 5
10
In order to surmount the baffle plate before descending into the chimne
opening O, which, in the present example, is in the lower part of the smoke box
this inversion of their motion having the effect of attaining, in this case, the objec
in view.
The same result can be attained by arranging, a little behind the front plate B,
vertical baffle plate m at the bottom of the smoke box, as shown in Figure 7, an
which is further jointed at its lower part in such a way as to allow access to th
tubes situated behind it. This arrangement may be used when the chimne
opening is in the top of the smoke box.
When the apparatus is to be used as a spark arresting screen, it is preferably
arranged in the following manner, which is shown in Figures 7 and 8 of the
drawings hereto annexed:-
The apparatus, in place of being made of plain sheet iron, is constructed of
metal gauze, trellis-work or perforated sheet iron, in order to filter the heated
gases issuing from the tubes and arrest the sparks carried out by the gaseous
current. The apparatus placed in the smoke box in front of the openings of the
tubes is fixed in position by means of clamps, and its sides C are made preferably
of plain sheet iron for greater solidity. The upper part of the apparatus is closed
by a perforated iron plate D, which can oscillate on an axis
O allow of a direct access to the chimney being given to the
in such a way as to
P
gases.
The front plate B of the apparatus is also made of metal trellis or perforated
sheet iron and can be hinged on a lower axis E to which it is connected by means of
curved rods q which allow of it being lowered in front to give access to the boiler
tubes when required; a bolt » keeps it closed during the working.
In the boilers of locomotives having a central discharge, the movable front
plate B is arranged in two jointed parts on the sides of the escape tube, and it
opens then in the manner of a door with two wings.
The apparatus is usefully completed by the addition to its lower part of a plain
horizontal plates fitted with a sort of apron t hinged at u and intended to catch the
cinders.
It is easily understood that, beyond the advantages presented by the apparatus
for retaining the sparks carried out by the gaseous current, the friction and
obstruction that the gases, emerging from the upper tubes of the boiler, experience
in traversing the trellised or perforated parts B and D above described, oblige them
to descend to a certain extent, in the apparatus, which again produces to a large
extent the uniform distribution of the heated gases in all the tubes of the boiler
and, consequently, the economic advantages which have been specified clearly in
the Patent aforesaid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
ny foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
1. In apparatus placed in the smoke box and intended for regulating and
ontrolling the passage of the heated gases in the tubes of locomotive or other
team boilers having groups of tubes; the combination, with an oscillating front
late B of such apparatus, of an arrangement for more or less adjusting the said
late so as to allow, if desired, of a direct escape of the heated gases into the
himney; substantially as hereinbefore described, and shown in Figures 1 and 2 of
e accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described, the combination, with a
gulating slide plate G of the apparatus, of a hinged counter plate such as i
anipulated by means of a draw chain for the purpose of allowing the lower part
the apparatus to be closed, if necessary; substantially as hereinbefore described
d shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus of the kind herein before described and shown fitted to tubular
ilers having reversed draught, the combination, with a back plate B, of a metal
te such as m for the purpose of reversing the direction of the flow of heated

page_text: gases coming from the tubes, substantially as herein before described above and
shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described and when fitted to boilers
having reversed draught, the combination, with the said apparatus or hood, of a
metal plate such as m hinged at the base of the smoke box, whereby the movement
of the heated gases is reversed; substantially as above described and shown in
Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described, the forming of the front
plate B of metallic trellis work or of perforated metal, substantially as herein-
before described and shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 5th day of August 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.