Improved Means and Appliances for Preventing the Escape of Sparks from the Funnels of Locomotive Engines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Preventing the Escape of Sparks
from the Funnels of Locomotive Engines.
I, GEORGE SIMPSON, of 81, Gracechurch Street, London, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to prevent the escape of sparks of fire from
locomotive engines which are often the cause of great damage in setting fire to
ripe crops, forests, and grass in hot countries.
Within the ordinary funnel of a locomotive I fix an inner tube or funnel,
equi-distant from the outer funnel and resting upon proper grids or supports.
This inner funnel is for choice about 3 inches away from the outer funnel &
held upright by stays and struts as required and does not reach to the top of
the outer funnel but carries upon a transverse grill a vertical rod which supports
a curved and perforated iron plate extending slightly over but not touching the top
of the inner funnel and acting as a cowl or hood. At the bottom of the funnels is a
tank of water.
The exhaust steam pipe from the engine is taken into the centre of the funnels.
The sparks from the boiler fire are thrown against the perforated hood or cowl &
rebound into the tank of water below.
As my improvements are capable of some modifications without departing from
the principle thereof, I do not restrict myself to materials, dimensions, or to the
precise form or location of the several parts thereof.
Dated this 10th day of Mar 1800.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Preventing the Escape of Sparks
from the Funnels of Locomotive Engines.
I, GEORGE SIMPSON, of 81, Gracechurch Street, London, 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 spark arresters and has for its object to
so arrange the funnel of locomotives built for use on colonial and other railways and
intended to be fed with wood, peat, or other inferior fuel as to prevent ignited pieces.
or particles of fuel from escaping therefrom, and to guide the latter into suitable
tanks wherein they are extinguished by means of steam or water. In carrying my
invention into practice, I arrange an inner tube or funnel within the ordinary funnel
of a locomotive, and I provide the former with a perforated cap of iron or other
suitable material placed above it and having for its object to arrest the ignited
particles issuing with the smoke from the smoke box and to cause them to fall into
a tank arranged below the smoke box and containing water.
According to a modification of my invention I form two diametrically opposite
side openings in the outer funnel of a locomotive and I connect them by suitable
pipes to the upper openings of two tanks resting on the foot plates on each side of
the engine and provided with two other pipes parallel to the former and leading to
an additional steam exhaust pipe arranged on the top of the boiler and close against
the funnel.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is front view of a locomotive provided with my improved spark arrestor,
Fig. 2 being a side elevation of the front portion of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. It through the centre of the funnel and
Fig. 4 is a similar view. through the centre of the additional steam exhaust pipe.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the front part of a locomotive furnished with a
single spark extinguishing, tank.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are details.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Fig. 1A F is the inner concentric funnel fixed by means of suitable.
stays within the funnel F and to the smoke box S of the locomotive. A centrally
perforated bar bis fixed.in the funnel. E' and carries by means of a bolt e secured
thereto by two nuts n¹ a cap c which is fixed in a similar manner to the bolt e by
the nuts.
T is a tank arranged under the smoke box S and containing water.
The sparks or ignited particles ascending from the smoke box S through the
funnel F are arrested by the cap c and fall into the tank T where they are
extinguished. A A are the pipes conveying the exhaust steam from the cylinders C
to the funnel F¹. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 7, F is the funnel of the
locomotive containing an inner concentric funnel F carrying a perforated cape the
whole being constructed in the manner above set forth with reference to Fig. 14.
In this case, however, I provide two tanks T T' supported on each side of the
engine B upon the foot plates of the same and furnished with doors D D. Each
tank is provided at its upper end with two pipes P P the former of which leads to
the funnel F, while the latter is connected to an additional steam exhaust pipe E.
mounted on the top of the boiler in front of and close to the funnel F as clearly
shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. Figs. 5 and show respectively a sectional view
and a plan of the perforated cap c. Fig. 7 is a plan illustrating the mode of
connecting the funnel F¹ to the funnel F and to the wall a of the smoke box S.
The exhaust steam is conveyed from the cylinders C to the funnel F¹ by the
pipes A and as it meets the cape a small portion of it escapes out of the funnel F
into the atmospheres, while the greater part follows the way indicated by the arrows
descending in the space between the inner and outer funnel and through the pipe P
into the tank T', then ascending through the pipe P¹ into the exhaust steam pipe E,
in order to escape into the atmosphere. There will accordingly always be a good
supply of moisture in the tanks T T which will be sufficient to extinguish the
sparks, but should it not be found so in practice, a pipe may be arranged to convey
water direct from the boiler B.into the tanks T T.
I may also if needed form a opening in the smoke box below the steam exhaust
funnel E and cover such opening with a piece of fine wire gauze.
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 what I
claim is:
(1) The application to locomotive engines of a spark arrestor consisting of an
inner funnel F fixed within the ordinary funnel of the engine and carrying a
perforated cap c and of a tank T substantially as herein described and shown in
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings..
(2) The application to locomotive engines of an inner funnel F¹ fixed within the
ordinary funnel of the engine and carrying a perforated cap c. in, combination with
two side tanks T T¹ connected respectively by the pipes P P P¹ P₁ to the said
ordinary funnel and to an additional steam exhaust pipe E substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
D
1
T
1001
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.