US1222430A - Locomotive-stoker. - Google Patents

Description

N. M. LOWER.

LOCOMOTI-VE STOKER.

APPLICATION men JAN. 20. 1912.-

Patented Apr. 10, 1917,

LQQQA3UD 4 sHEETs-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR Ogww v 9 Q NQ Q mwx rllllllu'lllllll'l N. M. LOWER.

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. 1912.

wm mm 3 mm m mm Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET Z.

N. M. LOWER.

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER.

, APPLICATION FILED JAN-20,1912. LQQQALSQ Patented Apr. 10, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i fa ii WITNESSES yup-WON W /M fig cw N; M. LOWER.

LOCOMOTlVE STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1912.

l QQQ AESQO Patented. Apr. 10, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

vllll llllllllhlllllllll WITNESSg/[ZZ I UZI/IVNPVZGTOF? NATHAN MARIPLE LOWER,

TIVE STOKER COMPANY, SYLVANIA.

F JARRETTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, 'ASSIGNOR T0 LOCOMO- OF SCHENECTAJDY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF PENN- LOCOMOTIVE-STOKEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. MD, 1191?.

- Application filed January 20, 1912. Serial No. 672,334.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNNATHAN MARBLE;

LOWER, a resident of J arrettown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locomotive-Stokers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locomotive stokers. A

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved construction for automatically feeding coal or other fuel to a locomotive in which the rate of feed of the fuel may be adjusted or regulated to supply varying quantities according to the rate of consumption of fuel and in which the same will be fed to the fuel bed next to the fire door and gradually moved rearwardly as it burns.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction in which the coal will be delivered regularly, and in lumps or fragments of uniform size so that combustion will be more regular and the temperature of the fire may be'maintained without substantial variation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the coal will be broken up by a crusher and delivered automatically to a piston or pistons which will force or throw it into the furnace and in which, furthermore, the fuel sov fed will be automatically fed rearwardly on the fire bed, all of these operations and the mechanism necessary to perform them being driven from a common source and controlled to regulate the speed of supply by a single hand lever.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification. An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings Figure 1 is aside view of the rear portion of a locomotive and a tender supplied with my invention, parts thereof being shown broken out and in sec-- tion; Fig. 2 is a similar top view of the same; Fig. 3 is across section Ont/11611118 3-3, Fig. 1; 4 is a detail view of one of the cylinders for feeding the fuel into the .fire box; Fig. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view of'the crusher rolls on the line 55, Fig. 2 Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66, Fig. 2 showing the drivinggears for the crusher rolls; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged detail cross-sectional views of certain fuel chutes on the lines 7-7, 88, 99, Fig. 3;

and F 1g. 10 is an enlarged detail view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for driving a screw conveyer; and Fig. 11 is a sectional ?1; 1 (%W2Of the grate bars on the line 1111,

The automatic stoker is arranged to convey fuel from the tender forwardly under the deck of the locomotive and upwardly to a position above the fire. In other words, it IS a stoker having an under-the-deck trans for and an over-the-fire feed. This structure is very advantageous because it places the transfer mechanism where it does not in tcrfere with the ordinary hand firing or stoking of the locomotive and at the same time it enables the fuel to be conveyed to a point above the fire from where it can be efficiently distributed on top of the fire.

The mechanism shown includes a crusher on the tender for reducing the fuel to a uniform size, a conveyerfor conveying fuel laterally from the crusher to a transverse conveyor which conveys it forward under the deck of the locomotive and upward to a point above the grate, a second transverse conveyer for distributing rality of conduits leading to openlngs in the rear of the fire box, power operated plungers for injecting the fuel into the fire box and scattering it over the fire, and means for controlling the power operated plungers in timed relation to the conveying means.

The stoker mechanism is located upon the rear portion 1 of a locomotive which is connected to a tender 2 by a coupler of the usual form. The tender is provided with a slanting bottom 3 which tends to cause the fuel to slide downwardly and forwardly, it being directed in this case to the fuel crusher located on the tender.

The crusher comprises two crushing rolls 4 and 5 provided with ribbed or roughened surfaces and mounted at about the center of the tender on shafts 6 rotatably journaled in a frame 7 and driven in opposite directions by intermeshing gears 8 and 9 connected to the crusher roll shafts. The driving gear 9 meshes with and is driven by a gear 10 fixed to one end of a shaft 11 which is located below and slightly to one side of the meeting line of the gears 8 and 9, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the gear 10 will mesh with gear 9 and not contact with gear 8.

the fuel to a plu- The outer end of the shaft 11 carries a sprocket 12 which is provided with a plurality of teeth 13 arranged to engage the links of an endless chain or carrier 14 having buckets or vanes 15 to'receive coal from the crusher and carry it forward to the fire box of the engine.

The fuel is conveyed from the crusher laterally by means of a screw conveyer comrising a sleeve 16 arranged to rotate on the shaft 11 and being connected thereto'by a pawl and ratchet mechanism illustrated in detail in Fig. 10. The pawl 17 isbiased by a spring 18 into engagement with a ratchet 19 fixed to the shaft 11. \Vhen the shaft 11 rotates in one direction it carries the sleeve 16 with it and drives the screw conveyer to convey fuel laterally from the crusher. \Vhen, however, the shaft is reversed, the conveyer remains stationary so that no fuel is returned to the crusher but, it will be noted, the crusher rolls will be reversed under these conditions since they are directly connected to the shaft. It is frequently desirable to reverse the direction of the crusher rolls since at times large or hardmasses of fuel, stone, iron or other material are encountered which cannot be crushed. These masses cannot pass between the rolls but by reversing the rolls they are carried over and behind them and fallout through yielding doors 106 pivotally mounted at 107 and having springs 108 for holding them in position. v

The crusher rolls may thus be cleared without unloading the coal from the tender to give access to the rolls.

The screw conveyer 16 pushes and carries the fuel along a trough 21 located beneath it to the conduit in whichthe buckets or vanes 15 on the chain conveyer or elevator 14 travel. The fuel is thus conveyed slightly to one side of the tender so'that the mechanism for conveying it forward maybe located at one side of the tender and the locomotive. It is, of course, to be understood that in some cases the transverse conveyer 5 on the tender might be dispensed with by locating the crusherat one side of-the tender or by otherwise feeding the fuel directly to the conveying mechanlsm which carries it forwardly to the engine.

The mechanism for conveyin the fuel forwardly and upwardly to a position above the grate includes the chain conveyer or elevator 14 which is inclosed'in a casing 20 comprising, in the form shown, segments A, B and 0,- preferably constructed of forged or pressed sheet metal and extending forwardly fromone side ofthe tender 2 upwardly at the. rear of the fire box of the locomotive 1. The casing 20v is provided with. a projection20 at its rearward end which is pivoted at,22 to a block 23 on the floor of the tender at one side thereof. The casing 20 is divided longitudinally by a wall 24 and the two branches of the endless chain conveyer 14 ride in opposite compartments thereof, the vanes or buckets 15 sliding, carrying or pushing the coal along the lower com artment.

Midway of its length, the casing 20 is pro vided with a disconnectible joint 25- which, as shown, consists of flanges 26 on theends of the segments A, B of the casing which are coupled together by bolts, or in any other desired manner. The chain conveyer Y 14 is also provided with a pair of oppositely disposed disconnectible links 25*, shown in Fig. 1. Byseparating the joint 25 in the casing 20 and then slowly operating the chain conveyer until the links 25 come opposite the joint, the entire stoker system may be divided into two parts, one supported on the tender and the other on the locomotive, thus making it possible to uncouple the locomotive and tender when desired in the ordinary manner.

The conveyer is supported on the locomotive by a block or bearing 27 having a longitudinal slot 28 therein arranged to receive a bolt 29 attached to the lower side of casing 20. This construction of support forms in effect a pin and slot connection which permits the casing 20 to move relative to the locomotive when the engine is rounding a curve or when the tender is otherwise caused to move relative to the locomotive.

The upper end of the section B of the conveyer casing is telescopically connected with the section C, the latter section having an enlarged portion 32'fitting over the end of the section B, relative movement between the parts being limited when they move toward each other by the flange 31 on the section B.

This construction of the conveyer and of its supports permits relative movement of the locomotive, and tender without straining the stoker mechanism. The conveyer is pivoted to the tender so that it may swing in a horizontal plane and the telescopic connecthe locomotive frame permits said section to move relative to the locomotive, as already explained.

The conveyer and elevator 14 which con-v veys fuel from the tender forwardly beneath the locomotive deck and upwardly to a point above the fire grate is driven by a sprocket 33, as shown in Figs. land 2. This sprocket is driven by a horizontal shaft 34 which is coupled to it by an extensionor hub portion 35. The hub 35 .is connected toa worm wheel36 which meshes with the worm 37 driven. by a longitudinal shaft 38, which in turn is driven by an engine 39. The engine 39-may be driven by steam, compressed air, or other means, it being arranged to be controlled by handle 41 in such a manner that its speed may be varied to varythe speed of the stoker mechanism.

he shaft 34 carries a screw conveyer 42 which is arranged to receive fuel from the conveyer 14. In this instance the screw conveyer 42 extends within the sprocket 33, as shown in Fig. 2, the sprocket being arranged so that fuel may drop throughthe same to the coinevei- 42. This conveyer carries and pushes the fuel along a cylinder or trough 42 from which it is distributed to the upper ends of a plurality of chutes or conduits 46, 47 and 47. These chutes lead downwardly to a plurality of cylinders 48, 49 and 50 in which power operated fuel injecting plungers operate for distributing the coal on top of the fire. The first conduit, namely, the conduit 46, communicates with the central cylinder 48 and the succeeding conduits 47 and 47 communicate respectively with the left and right cylinders 49 and 50.

The amount of fuel which passes downwardly through any one of the conduits 46,

l 47. 47 is regulated by means of valves, such as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

The conduit 46 is provided at its upper end with a movable valve member 51 of segmental shape which is mounted so that it may be moved by means of a knob or handle to vary the size of the opening 52 in the conveyer trough 42*. The amount of fuel which is discharged to the conduit 46 may thus be readily regulated by varying the position of the member 51 to regulate the ize of the opening from the conveyer trough 42 to the conduit 46.

The conduit 47 which is the next one in order along the length of the conveyer trough 42 is also provided with a valve member which is numbered 44 in Fig. 8. This valve is similar in construction to the one previously described but is located upon the other side of the trough 42*. It is arranged to vary the size of the opening 52 in the trough.

The conduit 47, which is the last one in order, is connected directly to the bottom of the conveyer conduit or trough and need not be provided with a valve such as described for the other conduits, though one may be used if desired.

It will thus be seen that the first conduit takes fuel from one side of the main conveyer conduit, the second conduit takes fuel from the opposite.side of the conveyer conduit and the third conduit takes fuel from the bottom of the conveyer conduit. The relative amounts of fuel delivered to the three conduits may be varied by varying the size of the openings from the conveyer con- :luits to the discharge conduits. Consequently, more fuel may be fed to one con- :luit than to the other, as-required by the rate of combustion in the fire box. It will be observed that the conduit 46 to which fuel is first supplied is connected to the center opening in the fire box so there will be no difficulty under any circumstances in pro- Eldlng suflicient fuel for the center of the The fuel injecting plungers which operate in the cylinders 48, 49 and 50 are fluid pressure operated and controlled so that they operate in timed relation to the conveying mechanism. For this purpose the shaft 34 is provided with an eccentric 54 around which extends the eccentric strap 55 attached to a rod 56 pivotally connected to a cylindrical slide valve 57. This valve operates in a cylinder 58 and is arranged to control the admission and exhaust of motive fluid to and from the cylinders 48, 49 and 50. The supply of steam, compressed air or other fluid pressure, is connected through pipe 59 with the lower end 60 of the cylinder 58. Connected to an opening 53 in the side of the cylinder is a pipe 61 which communicates with a horizontal pipe having branches 62, 63 and 64 leading respectively to the cylinders 50, 48 and 59. The slide valve 57 has an annular recess 65 formed therein which, when the valve is in its lower position, such as illustrated in Fig. 3, conne'cts the pipe 61 leading to the cylinders with an exhaust port 66 in the side of cylinder 58. When the slide valve is raised to its upper position by the eccentric the lower portion of the valve passes the port communicating with the pipe 61 and thereby establishes communication between the fluid pressure supply and the pipe 61 leading to the cylinders of the fuel injectors.

Accordingly when the shaft 34 rotates, the pipe 61 connected to the cylinders is alternately placed in communication with the fluid pressure supply and with the atmosphere. When the pipe communicates with the fluid pressure supply the fuel injecting plungers are pushed forwardto throw fuel onto the fire. When the pipe is connected with the atmosphere the fluid is permitted to exhaust from behind the fuel injecting plungers and they are returned to position by springs, as will be later explained.

The fuel injecting plungers are each of the same construction, hence only one will be described. One of these plungers with its associated apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 4. The cylinder 48 is supplied with fluid pressure through the supply pipe 63 communieating with the pipe 61. The quantity of steam or air passing through this pipe is controlled by a. valve 109 operated by handle 110 which may be fixed in any one of a plurality of positions by any suitable means, such, for example, as a spring-pressed pin arranged to cotiperatewith any one of a plurality of apertures 67 in a stationary arm 68 attached to the valve housing 69.

Fuel is delivered to the plunger from the conduit 46 throu h an opening in the top of the cylinder, sucfi fuel dropping int'o chamher 71 and onto the shovel-like bottom 73 of the piston or plunger 72%. The piston comprises a head 74 to which is attached a cylindrical sleeve 75 which in turn carries a plate or head 76 at its opposite end. This plate is der provided with an exhaust passage or port 77 for permitting the air to be exhausted form behind the piston. The rear cylinder head 79 has an opening' 80 therethrough which is connected to the fluid pressure supply pipe 63. Screw-threaded into the opening 80 is a tube 81 which projects forwardly into the cylinder and carries at its free end a piston head 82 operating within the slidable cylinder 75. A suitable packing 83 is provided for preventing pressure leaking past the piston head. When fluid pressure is admitted through the supply pipe 63 it passes through the opening 80 in the cylinhead and through the tube 81 to the piston 72 which thereupon moves forward, carrying with it the cylinder 75 and the plate 76.

The opening 80 in the cylinder head 79 is closed by a screw-threaded plug 78 which carries a bolt having an adjustable nut 85 thereon to which is connected a spring 86. The spring is connected at its other end to an eye 87 upon the rear face of the piston 72. When the piston moves forward the spring-is placed under tension so that when the valve mechanism connects the cylinder to exhaust, the spring will return the piston to its original position.

The piston head 82 carried by the stationary tube 81 is provided with an annular pro- .where the ashes are discharged.

jecting face 88 against which the piston 72 seats so that the space into which the fluid pressure first enters is restricted and the piston 72 caused to move forward with a sudden impulse upon the admission of fluid pressure. This tends to throw, snap or scatter the fuel in the fire box.

The locomotive grate is composed of a plurality of rotatable grate bars which are driven at relatively different speeds in timed relation to the conveying and feeding means so that the fuel in the fire box is slowly moved from the end of the fire box adjacent the fire-door opening to the opposite end This grate comprises a plurality of rotatable grate bars 91 mounted on shafts which are rotatably supported in'bearings in the sides of the fire box. The grate bars are of oval or elliptical shape and their faces are provided with teeth 92 so that each bar cooperates with the adjacent bar. The bars are arranged so that every alternate one is oppositely positioned, that is, the .major axis of one of'the elliptical bars is perpendicular to the minor axis of the adjacent the various grate bar. Each bar is provided with a ratchet 94 with which cooperates a spring-pressed pawl 96 carried by a lever 95, there being an arm for each grate bar. These arms are pivoted to the grate bar shafts and have pin and slot connections 97 with an oscillating bar 98. The oscillating bar is connected at one end to an oscillating lever 100 which is provided with a slot 100 with which cooperatesa pin 100 carried by link 101 attached at its opposite end to a pin on a rotatable gear 102. This gear is mounted upon the shaft 103 which is driven by a'gear 104. The gear 104 is mounted upon the end of the shaft 105 which supportsjthe sprocket 30 of the conveying means.

It will be noted that the arms 95 which carry the pawls that engage the ratchets on bars are of different lengths. The arms for the grate bars nearest the fire-door are relatively short and the length of the arms increases progressively away from the fire door. Consequently the grate bar at the end of the grate near the fire door will revolve at a greater speed than .a similar bar at the back of the fire. The

fuel will thus be fed rearwardly by the movement of the grate.

The fuel injecting plungers which feed fuel to the locomotive firebox are preferably arranged so that they feed fuel to the forward half of the fire, that is, the fire in the end of the fire box adjacent the fire door, and the rotating grate bars serve to carry the fuel rearwardly. It is to be understood that the automatic grate may be omitted, if desired, in which case the ordinary grate of standard design may be used. In the latter case the fuel injecting plungers are arranged to throw the fuel farther into the fire box so that it willbe scattered over the entire fuel bed instead of being delivered mainly to the forward portion near the doors.

The operation of the automatic stoker, is briefly, as follows:

The coal sides of the hopper 3 and passes to the crush ing rolls 4 and 5. The crusher reduces the under the deck of the locomotive and up wardly to the transverse conveyer on the locomotive. In the construction shown the fuel drops between the arms of the sprocket 33-110v the screw conveyer 42 and is carried laterally to the feeding conduits 46, 47 and duits in accordance with the setting of the valves leading to them and each conduit discharges its fuel onto the shovel of its respective fuel injecting plunger, whereupon fluid pressure is admitted behind the plunger in the tender 2 slides along the The fuel is distributed to these conto force it forward and discharge and 'scat- I the cylinder asthe plunger moves forward.-

The speed of the engine 39 is controlled as previously described by the handle 41,

and since the grate bars, crushing rolls and both of the screw conveyers are all driven from the conveyer 14 which is driven by the engine they are therefore controlled by the single handle 41. This permits the control of the entire mechanism by the manipulation of one device, the advantages of such control being numerous.

The crushing rolls 4 and 5 are of such size and capacity as to furnish crushed fuel to the conveyer 16 in somewhat greater quantity than it can be conveyed laterally by said conveyer to the second conveyer 14. Consequently the conveyors 16 and '14 will deliver a steady stream of crushed fuel directly proportional to the speed of the engine which drives the crushing rolls and the conveyors. Any excess of fuel that is crushed between the rolls .t-and 5 will be carried between them and back to the tender itself, the springs 108 which hold the doors closed being of suflicient strength to prevent leakage of such material.

It is to be understood that the crushing rolls 4 and 5 may be omitted in case fuel is supplied to the tender in finely divided condition. Such fuel can be fed directly to the conveyer 16. Under some conditions it may also be desirable to dispense with the transverse conveyer 16 by having the tender shaped so that the fuel is caused to feed directly to the forward conveyer 14.

It will thus be seen that an automatic stoker mechanism has been provided in which the fuel is automatically carried from the tender beneath the deck of the locomotive and upwardly to a point above the grate from where it is automatically scattered over the top of the fire. The rate of fuel feed is directly proportional to the speed of the apparatus, which is all driven from one point controlled by a single handle' 41. By adjusting the valves in the upper portions of the feeding conduits the quantity of fuel fed into the fire box through the various openings may be regulated. This permits the fuel which is supplied to the center or to either side of the fire to be.

varied to keep the fire bed uniform. The apparatus for injecting the fuel into the fire box and scattering it on the fire operates automatically and in timed relation to the fuel conveying means so that the fuel is distributed on the fire in accordance with the manner in which it is supplied from the tender.

The means for conveying the fuel fromthe tender to the locomotive is located bethird conveyer arranged to neath the deck of the locomotive and consequently does not obstruct the passage between the locomotive and tender. The openings into the fire box are located between and at the side of the usual fire-door openlngs and consequently the locomotive may be manually fired, of the forward conveying means at one side of. the rear of the locomotive and the location of the transverse conveyer at the top of the firebox places the apparatus so that it does notobstruct the rear of the locomotive and enables the fireman to have ready 3 if desired. The location access to the usual fire doors for the purpose 7 of stoking the locomotive by hand or using the pokers or other implements which are frequently necessary.

No claim is made hereinto the construction or manner of operation of the fuel inectlng plunger, such subject-matter being disclosed in improved form in a co-pending application, Serial No. 46,335, filed August 19, 1915. Also no claim is made herein to a stoker combination including a driving mechanlsm having a plurality of constant speed rates, such subject-matter bein disclosed in improved form and claimed 1n copending application Serial No. 36,809, filed June 28, 1915.

It is to be understood that the structure shown is for purposes of illustration and that other structures may be devised which come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

. ,What I claim is 1. The combination of a: locomotive fire box, and a tenderv therefor, of a transfer conveyer therebetween and extending along one side of the locomotive and tender, a second conveyer for carrying fuel transversely to the transfer conveyer from the tender, a receive fuel from the transfer conveyer and carry it transversely to the fire box, and connections from said transfer conveyer to said second and third named conveyersfor driving the same.

2. The combination of a locomotive fire box, a tender therefor, means for transferring fuel from the tender to the fire box, comprising a conveyer between the tender and the fire box,a pair of crushing rolls, a

rotatable conveyer for transferring fuel from the crushing rolls to the first named conveyer, the said transfer conveyer and crushing rolls being driven by saidv first named conveyer, means for reversing the direction of rotation of said crushlng rolls,

and yielding doors mounted under the crushing rolls.

3. The combination of a locomotive fire box, a tender therefor, means for transferring fuel from the tender to the fire box, comprising a conveyer, crushing rolls, a

1 shaft connected to the conveyer and arranged to drive the crushing rolls, a second conveyer mounted on the shaft, ratchet conbox provided with a plurality of horizontally spaced fuel supply openings, a cylinder opposite each opening having a movable plun er therein arranged when operated to forci ly inject fuel into said fire box and scatter the same over the fire thereof, a horizontally disposed fuel supply conduit above said plungers, and chutes leading therefrom to said plungers for delivering fuel thereto.

6. Locomotive stoker mechanism, comprising in combination, a locomotive fire box provided in addition to the regular fire door opening with a plurality of fuel supply openings above the level of the grate therein, a power cylinder opposite each opening having a movable plunger therein arranged when operated to forcibly inject fuel into said fire box and scatter the same over the entire area of the grate, and supply mechanism for simultaneously delivering fuel to all of said plungers.

7. A locomotive stoker, comprising in combination, a locomotive fire box provided in addition to the regular fire door opening with a plurality of fuel supply openings above the level of the grate therein, a power cylindenopposite each openingfgach of said cylinders having a fluid operated movable plunger therein for forcibly injecting fuel into said fire box and scattering it over the surface of the fire, supply mechanism for delivering fuel to said plungers, and means for controlling the supply of motive fluid to said plungers, said means operating in timed relation to the fuel supplying mecha nisrn.

8. A locomotive stoker, comprising in combination, means for transferring fuel laterally to the side of the locomotive tender, means for conveying said fuel forward to the engine and upwardly to a position above the'fire box, a plurality of downwardly exiendihg conduits for conveying fuel to the veying said fuel laterally to said conduits,

' "each of said conduits having means for reg- H ulating the amount of fuel distributed by it to the fire. V

9. A locomotive stoker, comprising in and distributing mechanlsm for con--- combination, means for conveying fuel transversely to the side of the locomotive tender, means for conveying the fuel forward to the engine and upwardly to a positionabove the fire box, said fire box having a plurality of fuel supplying openings in the rear thereof above the level of the grate, a cylinder opposite each opening having a power-operated movable plunger therein arranged to forcibly inject fuel into the fire box and scatter it over the top of the fire, conduits for supplyin fuel to each of said plungers, mechanism or conveying the fuel laterally from the second-named conveying means to distribute it to the conduits, and means for controlling the operation of the power-operated plungers, said means operating in timed relation to the distributing conveying means.

10.'ln a locomotive stoker, the combination of a locomotive fire box provided with a plurality of fuel supplying openings in the rear thereof, a cylinder opposite each opening having a movable plunger therein arranged when operated to forcibly inject fuel into said fire box and scatter the same over the fire, and supply mechanism for conveying fuel from the tender beneath the deck of the locomotive and upwardly at the rear of the fire box and simultaneously deliver fuel to all of said plungers.

11. The combination of a locomotive fire box provided with a plurality of fuel supplying openings in the rear thereof, of a cylinder opposite each opening having a movable plunger therein arranged when operated to forcibly inject fuel into said fire box and scatter it over the fire, supplymech.

anism for simultaneously delivering fuel to all of said plungers, and means for controlling the operation of the fuel injecting plungers in timed relation to the operation of the supply mechanism.

12. The combination of a locomotive fire box provided with a plurality of fuel supplying openings in the rear thereof, of a cylinder opposite each opening having a movable plunger therein arranged when eperated to forcibly inject fuel into said fire box and scatter it over the fire, supply mechanism for conveying fuel from the locomotive tender beneath the deck of the loco- When operated to forcibly inject fuel into said fire-box and scatter the same over the fire and supplymechanism for conveying l forwardly beneath the deck of the locomotive and simultaneously delivering fuel to all of said plungers.

14. Locomotive stoker mechanism, comprising in combination, a locomotive fire box provided in addition to the regular fire door opening with a lurality of fuel supplying openings above t e level of the grate therein, a power cylinder opposite each opening having a movable plunger arranged when operated to forcibly inject fuel into the fire box and scatter the same over the fire, and fuel supply mechanism located beneath the deck of the locomotive and at one side of the rear of the fire box for conveying fuel from the tender to the locomotive and simultaneously distributing it to the fuel injecting Y plungers.

15. A locomotive SlZOkGI', comprising in combination, means for transferring fuel laterally to the side of the locomotive tender, means for conveying said fuel forward beneath the deck of the locomotive and up wardly to a position above the grate in the fire box, a plurality of downwardly extending conduits for conveying fuel to the fire, and distributing mechanism for conveying said fuel laterally to said conduits, each of said conduits having means for regulating El e amount of fuel distributed by it to the e. 16. A locomotive Stoker, comprising in combination, means for conveying fuel transversely to the side of the locomotive tender, means for conveying the fuel forward beneath the 'deck of the locomotive and upwardly to aposition above the fire box, said fire box having a plurality of fuel supplying openings in the rear thereof above .the level of the grate, a cylinder opposite each opening having a power operated plunger therein arranged to forcibly inject fuel into the fire box and scatter it over the top of the fire, conduits for supplying fuel to each of said plungers, mechanism for conveying the fuel laterally from the second named conveyin means to distribute it to the conduits, an means for controlling the operation of the power operated plungers,

said means being arranged to operate in timed relation to the distributing conveying means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

NATHAN MARBLE LUWER.

Images