US1840019A - Automatic stoker - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5, 1932. R. E BRESSLER AUTOMATI C STOKER Filed Nov. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 VE U Jan. 5, 1932. B'RESSLER 1,840,019

AUTOMATIC STOKER Filed Nov. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 70 afar Elfineas 62.

Jam. 5, 1932. R. E. BRESSLER 1,340,019

AUTOMATI C STOKER Filed Nov, 15, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet is 7w? EYE/553561:

Jan. 5, 1932 R BRESSLER LQQQUEQ AUTOMATIC STOKER Filed Nov. 15, 1950 5 Sheets-$heet 4 Jan. '5, 1932. R. E. BRESSLER AUTOMATIC STOKER Filed Nov. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan; 5, 1932 UNITED sraras ROBERT E.'IBRESSLER, or OREGON, VILLINOIVSV I immun s'roxEn Application ma November 15, 1 930. Serial 110495.816.

My invention relates to automatic stokers for-stoking fuel such as coal, and in general,

the object of the invention is to provide improved means for more readily and accurate- 1y controlling thedriving of the fuel feed member, such as a screw, for the desired rate of' feed of the fuel.

More in detail animportant object of the invention is to provide a compact, simple, and efficient and adjustable gearing train between the driving source, such as an electric motor which will rotate at a comparatively high speed, and the fuel feeding member in order to'obtain powerful slow operation of such member and uniform feed of fuel at the desired rate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gearing train comprising an epicyclic gear cluster driven by the driving source to 2 primarily reduce the speed, and cone gearclusters between the epicyclic gearing cluster and the feeding member, together with means for accurately and readily selecting compan-- ion-gears of the cone clusters for operation, so that after initial reduction] of speed by the epicyclic cluster, the speed maybe further reduced, through a'considerable range. The above specified and other features of the'invention are incorporated in the structure disclosed on the drawings, 1n whichv drawings: 1 Figure l is a plan view of a Stoker; Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the gearing train, with the gear box and part of the gear mechanism in vertical section Figure 4 is an enlarged sectionon plane IVIV of Figure 1; I

Figure 5 is a. section on plane V-Y of 'FigureB; Figure 6 is a section on plane VIVI of Figure 3;

F igure 7 is an enlarged plan view of the hand wheel for controlling the adjustment of the cone gear clusters; and

Figure 8 is a section on planev VIII-VIII of Figure 4. v

'As shown on the drawings:

The stoker shown comprises a hopper; 1,. havingthe fuel outlet 2 communicating wlth.

the barrel 3-whichleads to the steppeddischarge outlet or nozzle 4 within the furnace. Within thebarrel' 3 is the fuelfeed'screw 5 which is to be driven by my improved gearing train to feed the fuel to discharge it through the outlet 4. 1

At the outer end of the barrel is secured thereto the gear box 6, a drive shaft 7 extending transversely through one end of the box near the'top thereof, oneend of the shaft; being connectedwitha drivingsource, such 1 asan electric motor (not shown) the other i end'of the shaft being secured to therotatable fan element within the fan housing 8 from which air is delivered for combustion purposes. The shaft 7 is jouralled byineans of ball bearings '9 held within suitable compartments'by glands 10 and 11, the gland 11=- being extended to form a flange 12 which is secured to the fan housing 8.

The inner wall of the gear box 6 has a hub 13 receiving a bushing 14 for journalling one a detachable cover 18 which has the'hub 19' receiving the bushing 20 for-journalling the outer end of the transmission shaft 15.

The epicyclic differential gearing cluster E comprises a Worm wheel 21 whose hub 22 surrounds the transmission shaft15 a' bushing 23'being preferably interposed, this gear being free to rotate on the shaft. Between I the outersi'de of the gear 21' and the cover 18 i of the gear box is disposed a gear 2st which surrounds the shaft '15 but is held against ro-' tation'by means of pins 25 Just inside of I the gear 21 a hub'26 surrounds the shaft 15, the outer end of the hub forming a gear 27 I and the inner end forming the gear 28. I

The gear21 has one or more transversely extending hubs 29 each receiving a shaft 30, a'bushing 31 being preferably interposed. I i

' have shown two such bushings and shafts placed diametrically opposite and equal-dis tances from, the axis of the transmission shaft 15;

15. Each shaft 30 has secured to its outer end a pinion 32 which meshes with the stationary gear 24. The inner end of each shaft 30 has secured thereto a pinion 33 which meshes with the gear 27 on the hub 26.

Within the gear box 6 the shaft 7 carries a worm 34 which meshes with the worm wheel 21 so that the comparatively high speed of the motor is primarily reduced to slower rotation of speed of the gear 21. The speed of rotation of the hub 26 will be still less depending upon the gearing arrangement in the gear cluster E. For example,the gears 24 and 27 may be of the same size and have each twenty-four teeth, while the pinions 32 could have twelve teeth each and the pinions 33 only eleven teeth each. lVith such arrangement a complete rotation of the gear 21 will result in only a two tooth advance of the gear 27. The comparatively high speed of the driving motor is thus reduced by the epicyolic differential gearing cluster E to very slowly rotate the hub 26.

At oneside of and below the transmission shaft 15 is the countershaft 35 parallel therewith. This countershaft is journalled at its inner end in the hub 36 extending from the rear wall of the gear box and at its outer end is journalled in a wall 37 extending up wardly from the bottom wall of the gear box as clearly shown in Figure 3. J ournalled on the countershaft is a hub 38 on which are the gears 39, 40, 41, and 42, these gears being all fixed on the hub and the outer gear 39 being of the largest diameter, the gears forming a cone cluster. Inside of the gear 28 on the hub 26 the transmission shaft 15 supports gears 43, 44, and 45 which mesh respectively with the countershaft gear 40,41, and 42, the gear 28 meshing with the gear 39. The gears on the shaft 15 thus form a companion gear cluster for the gear cluster on the countershaft.

Interposed between the gears on the shaft 15 are the spacer washers 46, and between the gear 45 and the hub 13 is interposed a spacer washer 47. The gears on shaft 15 are free to rotate thereon unless clutched thereto.

A clutch bar 48 is shiftable within the axial bore 49 of the shaft 15 and has a radial groove 50 for receiving the clutch key 51 which is pivoted at its outer end by means of a pin 52 extending through the bar 48. The shaft 15 has the slot 53 in registration with the groove 50 through which slot the clutch key may extend. The gears 28, 43, 44, and 45 have respectively the keyways or grooves 54, 55, 56, and 57 and at the end of the clutch key 51 is the ridge 51 which is curved longitudinally as clearly shown in Figure 4. This end 51' is adapted to engage in the keyway of any desired gear on the shaft 15 to clutch such gear to the shaft. A spring 58 interposed between the bottom of the groove 50 and the end of the clutch key tends to swing the clutch key upwardly and to hold it in clutching engagement in the keyway of the selected gear.

The bore 59 at the outer end of the shaft 15 is of increased diameter to receive a screw 60 for free longitudinal movement therein. At its inner end the screw has the diametrically extending T slot 61 for receiving the T end 62 on the clutch bar 48, this end being of circular cross-section so that the bar 48 may rotate with the shaft 15 relative to the screw.

A U-shaped bracket 63 is secured to the cover 18 of the gear box and supports a hub 64 which is concentric with the shaft 15'. This hub guides the cylindrical head 60' of the screw 60, the head having the longitudinal groove 65 receiving the key 66in the hub so that the screw may shift axially but is restrained from rotating. Between the bracket and the bushing 20 the screw receives thehub 67 of a hand wheel 68 and as this wheel is turned its threaded engagement with the screw will cause the screw to be shifted laterally and with it the clutch bar 48. A pointer 69 extends upwardly from the screw head and travels in a slot 70 in the hub 64 to cooperate with indications 71 to thereby indicate which of the gears on the shaft 15 is clutched thereto by the end 51' of the clutch key 51. I

Describing the operation, the epicyclic differential gear cluster E translates the comparatively high speed of the driving motor into very slow speed of the hub 26. On the drawing the clutch key 51 is shown clutching the large gear 45 to the shaft 15 so that the rotation of the hub 26 is transmitted through the gear 39, the hub 38 on the countershaft 35 and the small gear 42 to the clutched gear 45 on shaft 15, and the feed screw 5 will then be rotated at the slowest possible speed. The gears 43 and 44 being unclutched will rotate idly on the shaft 15. If it is desired to increase the speed of the screw shaft the hand wheel 68 is turned in the proper direction to cause outward shift'of the bar 48, and during such shift the rounded end 51 of the clutch key will be cammed down by the washer 46 clear of the keyway 57 in the gear 45 so that the gear 45 will be entirely released from the shaft 15 before the end 51 can enter the keyway of the next gear 44 which gear will then be clutched to the shaft 15 to increase the speed of rotation of the feed screw. By turning the hand wheel, the clutch key may be brought into association with any desired gear on the shaft 15 for the desired speed of rotation of the screw, and when the clutch key enters the key way 54 of the hub 26, the hub will be clutched directly to the shaft and the screw 5 will be driven with the corresponding speed. The pin or pointer 69 by cooperating with indications 71 will indicate to the attendant the exact location of the end 51 ofv the clutch key so that full and accurate clutching is assured.

My improved gearing train is compactly arranged and protected within the gear box 6, and may be kept adequately lubricated by oil filled into the gear box. The gear elements are of simple, Standard form so that the cost of manufacture and assembly is materially reduced. A light and comparatively small horsepower motor may beemployed and the high speed thereof is translated into powerful slow operation of the fuel feed screw. If it is desired to stop the feed screw at any time, it is unnecessary to stop the motor as the hand wheel 68 may be turned until the pointer 69 is midway between two of the indications 71 in which position the clutch end 51' of the clutch key Wlll be held by one of the washers 46 out of clutching engagement and the shaft 15 will not be I turned.

The clutch shown and described represents 4 a practical and efficient embodiment of the various features of my invention but the invention is not to be understood as being limited to the details set forth as modifications in construction and arrangement and operation may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as outlined by the appended claims.

I claim as follows:

1. In automatic stoker mechanism, the

' combination of a fuel feeding member, a driving source, a transmission shaft connected with said feeding member, transmission gears rotatable on said shaft, a counter shaft, a gear cone on said countershaft comprising a 1 plurality of gear sections meshingwith respective gears, on said transmission shaft, a shiftable clutch key within said transmission I shaft, a screw restrained against rotational movement, a coupling connecting said key and screw for permitting rotation of said key with said shaft, and a hand wheel having threaded engagement with said screw whereby said screw and said clutch key may be shifted longitudinally for the selective clutch engagement of said key with the gears on said transmission shaft. 7

2. In combination with a fuel feed element, a drive shaft therefor, a transmission cone of relatively rotatable gears on said shaft, a

driving source having connection with one of said gears, a countershaft, a transmission cone on said countershaft comprising a plurality of gear sections meshingwiththe respective gears on said shaft, a clutch bar shiftable within said shaft and rotatable therewith, a clutch key on said bar, a non-rotatable screw coupled tosaid bar, and means for axially shifting said screw for shifting said bar to bring said key into position for the selective clutchingiof said shaft with the gears thereon. '3

3.1-.Incombination with the fuel feeding I element of an automatic stoker, of a single continuous drive shaft therefor, a fixed gear concentric with said shaft, a second gear'rotatable on said shaft, a worm wheel rotatable pinion secured to said cross shaft and meshing with said stationary gear, a transmission pinion secured to said cross shaft and meshing with said second gear, a plurality of transmission gears rotatable on said shaft except when clutched thereto, one of said transmission gears being connected with said second gear, a countershaft, a hub on said countershaft supporting a plurality of gears meshing with the respective transmission gears on said shaft, a clutch key within said shaft, and means for shifting said clutch key for the selective clutching of said shaft to the transmission gears thereon.

4. In automatic stocker mechanism, the combination of a fuel feeding member, a driving source, a gear case between said feeding member and said source, a continuous transmission shaft extending through said gear case and journalled by the end Walls thereof, an epicyclic diflerential gearing cluster within said gear case concentric with said shaft and having one of its gear members connected with said driving source, a gear cone cluster concentric with said shaft and having one of its gear elements connected with said epicyclic cluster, a countershaft within said gear case, a gear cone on said counter shaft having gear sections connected with the gears of the gear cone on said shaft, and means for selectively clutching said shaft to the gears thereon.

5. In automatic stoker mechanism, the combination'of a fuel feeding member, a driving source, a gear case between said feeding member and said source, a continuous transmission shaft extending through said gear case and journalle'd by the end walls thereof, an epicyclic differential gearing cluster within said gear case concentric with said shaft and having one of its gear members connected with said driving source, a gear cone cluster concentric with said shaft and having one, of its gear elements connected 'with said epicyclic cluster, a counterhaft within said gear case, a gear cone on said counter shaft having gear sections connected with the gears of the gear cone on said shaft, a clutch key shiftable within said shaft and rotatable therewith, a screw extending into said shaft and restrained against rotational movement, a coupling between the screw and clutch key permitting rotational movement of the key with the shaft, and means engaging said screw and operable to cause axial shift of the screw and thereby shift of the 'clutch key for se1ective clutching of said shaft with the cone gears thereon.

5 In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Oregon, Ogle County,

Illinois.

ROBERT E. BRESSLER.

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