AN IMPROVED SPARK EXTINGUISHER, TO BE APPLIED TO THE CHIMNEYS of Locomotive, Portable, TRACTION, AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustav Werther, of No. 5, Körner Strasse, in the City of
Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, North Germany, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SPARK EXTINGUISHER, TO BE APPLIED TO THE CHIMNEYS
of Locomotive, Portable, TRACTION, AND OTHER ENGINES."
Sealed the 21st August 1877, and dated the 2nd May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustav Werther at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd May 1877.
GUSTAV WERTHER, of No. 5, Körner Strasse, in the City of Dresden, in the
Kingdom of Saxony, North Germany. "AN IMPROVED SPARK EXTINGUISHER, TO
BE APPLIED TO THE CHIMNEYS OF LOCOMOTIVE, PORTABLE, TRACTION, AND OTHER
ENGINES,"
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus
which is fitted to the termination or delivery end of the exhaust pipe of locomotive,
traction, and portable engines, the object being to regulate the draft, and at same
time to suffocate and extinguish sparks in the chimneys of such engines. The end
of the exhaust pipe it fitted with a perforated cylinder with closed ends. Into the
upper end of the cylinder is introduced an adjustable conical tube, which forms a
broken continuation of the exhaust tube, and causes a division of the exhaust
steam in such manner that the central or inner part of the exhaust steam jet will
pass upwards through the conical tube, and the remaining or peripherical part of the
steam jet will find its exit through the perforated cylinder into the chimney, where,
meeting with sparks carried up by the draft, it will immediately extinguish
them.
It will be understood that as the exhaust steam only passes through the per-
forations of the cylinder there will be no tendency for the perforations to become
choked by the ascending particles of solid fuel. Moreover, by this combination the
draft can be regulated to suit various kinds of fuel, and the sparks will be
effectually extinguished without any undue obstruction being presented to the
exhaust steam.
A further advantage of this arrangement is that all fixed gratings in the chimney
and funnel tops for the purpose of arresting sparks can be dispensed with.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gustav Werther in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd November
1877.
GUSTAV WERTHER, of No. 5, Körner Strasse, in the City of Dresden, in the
Kingdom of Saxony, North Germany. "AN IMPROVED SPARK EXTINGUISHER, TO
BE APPLIED TO THE CHIMNEYS OF LOCOMOTIVE, PORTABLE, TRACTION, AND OTHER
ENGINES."
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus
which is fitted to the termination or delivey end of the exhaust pipe of locomotive,
traction, and portable engines, the object being to regulate the draught, and at the
same time to suffocate and extinguish sparks in the chimneys of such engines.
To effect this object I place opposite the turned-up end of the exhaust pipe an
adjustable conical tube, which forms a broken continuation of the exhaust pipe, and
causes a division of the exhaust steam in such manner that the central or inner
part of the exhaust steam jet will pass upwards through the conical tube, and the
remaining or peripherical part of the steam jet will find its way into the chimney,
where, meeting with sparks carried up by the draught, it will immediately extinguish
them.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shows in sectional elevation so much of a
traction engine with my Invention applied thereto as will serve to explain the
manner of its adaptation, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
In these Figures A is the exhaust pipe leading from the high-pressure cylinders B.
This pipe is fitted with a perforated cylindrical case C closed at both ends, and into
this case, through the upper end thereof, is introduced an adjustable tube D con-
centric with the up-turned end of the exhaust pipe. The space between the end of
the exhaust pipe A and the lower end of the tube D, which is by preference of
smaller diameter than the exhaust pipe, permits of the escaping steam expanding
laterally, so that a portion only of the steam ascends the tube D, to maintain the
requisite draught in the chimney; the remainder of the steam will find its way out
through the perforated sides of the case C, and by reason of its being divided into
jets will be distributed amongst the ascending gases of combustion in the chimney,
so that any sparks ascending with these gases will by coming into contact with the
steam be extinguished.
In place of making the perforated case C cylindrical I may make it of a conical
form, as shown at Fig. 3, or I may do away with the case altogether and rely upon an
equivalent contrivance for distributing the steam among the escaping gases of com-
bustion.
The sectional elevation, Fig. 4, shows a modification of my spark extinguisher, in
which spiral blades E surrounding the conical tube D are employed in place of the
perforated case C.
The tube and blades may be conveniently cast in one piece, the lower ends of the
blades being connected together by a ring F, which will facilitate the attachment of
the spark extinguisher to the exhaust pipe. The action of this arrangement will be
substantially the same as that first described, as the escaping steam will be divided,
the internal portion passing upwards through the tube D, and the external portion
striking upon the blades E will be deflected and caused to mingle with the ascending
gases.
In place of blades for diffusing the steam, I propose, in some cases, to use spiral
lines of pins, which are inserted in the conical tube D; this modification is illustrated
at Fig. 5.
I may remark that it has been found from experience that different kinds of fuel
require different arrangements in the apparatus as regards the distributing and
mixing of the steam with the gases of combustion, I therefore propose when
necessary to introduce small jets of water or damp steam from the boiler into the
exhaust steam. The arrangement for effecting this is shown in vertical section at

page_text: Fig. 6, where G is an annular chamber formed in the collar or ring H, which serves
to couple the exhaust pipe with the blades of the conical tube D. By means of a
tube I the chamber G is brought into connection with the boiler, and the water or
damp steam admitted thereto escapes by suitable openings, as indicated by the
arrows, and mixes with the ascending steam from the exhaust pipe. By this
combination the draught can be regulated to suit any kind or condition of fuel, and
at the same time the sparks are effectually extinguished, without offering any undue
obstruction to the exhaust steam.
An incidental advantage of this arrangement is that the fixed gratings in the
chimney and funnel top usually employed for arresting sparks may be dispensed
with.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Spark
Extinguisher, to be Applied to the Chimneys of Locomotive, Portable, Traction, and
other Engines," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the
means above described for dividing the jet of the exhaust steam at its issue from
the exhaust pipe, and diffusing a portion of such exhaust steam among the ascending
gases of combustion, for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustav Werther, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
GUSTAV WERTHER. (L.S.)