Improvements in Spark Arresters for Locomotive and other Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Dare of Application, 29th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 189'-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spark Arresters for Locomotive and other
Engines.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES COOPER, of Guildford, in the Colony
of Western Australia, Civil Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.1.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 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 as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a contrivance which, whilst not
interfering with the ordinary draught, will effectually prevent the escape of sparks,
cinders, and other lighted particles from the smoke stacks of locomotives or other
engines.
In the following description, the invention, for the sake of convenience, will
be described with reference to locomotives, but it must be distinctly understood
that it is equally applicable to all descriptions of traction, portable or other
engines where such a contrivance is necessary from the proximity of crops, hay
stacks or other inflammable substances.
The special features of the invention consist in providing the smoke stack
with an adjustable dome or cone shaped plate or deflector, supported by suitable
uprights, and with an annular outer casing, the lower end of which terminates
in pipes discharging into tanks placed at either side of the front end of the
boiler. In order not to interfere with the draught, cach of the spark tanks is
provided with an outlet pipe connected with a waste steam pipe placed preferably
in front of the smoke stack and casing.
The sparks or other lighted particles, carried upwards from the boiler tubes
by the draught, are thrown by the plate or deflector into the annular space
between the smoke stack and its casing, and are discharged through the con-
necting pipes into the tanks. Here they are effectually quenched by the steam
which has accompanied them and which afterwards escapes through the waste
steam pipe before mentioned.
Uprights may be fixed to the smoke stack and provided with suitable screw
threads, spiral springs and screw nuts, by means of which the height of the
plate or deflector can be adjusted as required. Discharge pipes may be used,
into which the lower end of the outer annular casing or funnel (when used)
terminates, and the spark tanks can be placed at either side of the front end of
the boiler, and provided, at the end, with a door through which the contents can
be removed when necessary. Outlet pipes connect the tanks with the waste
steam pipe which is placed preferably in front of the smoke stack and casing
or otherwise, as convenient.
The action of the improved spark arrester is as follows:-
The sparks, or other lighted particles, carried up the smoke stack, are deflected
outwards by the dome or cone-shaped plate or deflector, into the annular space
between the smoke stack and the outer funnel or casing. They then pass through
the pipes into the spark tanks. Here they are killed by the small percentage
of steam which has accompanied them and which afterwards escapes, without
interruption of the draught, through the outlet pipes into the waste steam pipe.
Certain modifications may be made in the invention so far as the spark tanks
are concerned, and they may be placed, in some classes of engines, in a different

page_text: position, or they may be dispensed with altogether, and the pipes allowed to
discharge upon the ground.
Dated this 28th day of October 1890
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spark Arresters for Locomotive and other
Engines.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES COOPER, of Guildford, in the Colony
of Western Australia, Civil Engineer.
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 spark arresters, its object being to construct á device
of this description, which, whilst not interfering with the ordinary draught of the
smoke stack, will effectually prevent the escape of sparks, cinders or other
lighted particles from the sinoke stack of a locomotive or other engine or
boiler.
Although the invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the
smoke stack of a locomotive, it must be distinctly understood that it is equally
applicable to the smoke stacks of all descriptions of traction, portable or other
engines or boilers where such a contrivance is necessary or desirable from the
proximity of crops, haystacks or other inflammable substances.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a locomotive fitted with the
invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1.
The
A, is the smoke stack, B the boiler tubes, and C the steam exhaust or blast
pipe.discharging into the stack A. D is a dome or cone shaped plate or deflector
mounted above the stack upon suitable uprights d. The deflector may be
adjustable vertically, and to this end it may be supported upon springs d
surrounding the uprights, and the extremities of the latter may be provided
above the deflector with screw nuts d². E is an annular outer casing surrounding
the smoke stack and projecting upwards above the level of the deflector.
lower end of the casing communicates with a pipe or pipes F discharging into
one or more spark tanks G placed conveniently at either side of the front end
of the boiler. In order that the draught may not be interfered with, each of
the, spark tanks is provided with an outlet or relief pipe H connected with a
waste steam pipe or supplementary stack J, which is by preference placed in
front of the smoke stack A and casing E. Each of the spark tanks may be
provided with a door y, through which the contents may be removed when
necessary.
The action of the device is as follows:-
The sparks or other lighted particles carried up the smoke stack from the
boiler tubes by the draught are projected against the deflector D, whereby they
are caused to enter the annular space between the smoke stack A and casing E
Thence they pass by the discharge pipes F into the tanks G.
Here they are
effectually quenched by the small percentage of steam which has accompanied them,
and which afterwards escapes, without interruption of the draught, through the
relief pipes H into the supplementary stack J.
It will be evident that certain modifications may be made in the apparatus, so far,

page_text: at least, as the spark tanks are concerned. These may be placed in any suitable
positions with respect to the boiler and smoke stack, the positions depending greatly
upon the particular type of boiler to which they are to be applied, but it is generally
preferable to locate the tanks below the level of the lower end of the casing. It
will be evident also that the object of the invention could be attained, but in a much
less effective manner, if the spark tanks were dispensed with altogether, the
discharge pipes F being continued downwards and allowed to discharge on to the
ground direct.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The improvement in spark arresters for locomotive or other boilers, which
consists in forming or providing the top of the smoke stack with an adjustable dome
or cone shaped deflector supported by uprights, and with an annular outer casing, the
lower end of which terminates in pipes discharging into suitable tanks or receptacles
whereby the sparks carried upwards from the boiler by the draught are drawn by
the dome or deflector into the annular space between the smoke stack and its casing
and are discharged through the connecting pipes into the tanks where they are
effectually quenched.
2. A spark arrester, having in combination, a casing external to the smoke stack,
a deflector adapted to deflect the sparks issuing from the stack downwards into the
casing, and one or more discharge pipes leading downwards from the lower end of
the casing and discharging either into the open air or into a spark tank or tanks,
substantially as described.
3. A spark arrester, having in combination, a casing external to the smoke stack,
a deflector adapted to deflect the sparks issuing from the stack downwards into the
casing, one or more spark tanks communicating with the lower end of said
casing, and a relief pipe or pipes, extending upwards from said tank or tanks substan-
tially as described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.