US730934A - Shaving-feeder for furnaces. - Google Patents

Description

No. 730,934. EATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

J. o. LEAEY.

SEM/'ING EEEDEE EOE EU'ENAGES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 31, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

lNo. 730,934.

J. G. LEAEY. SHAVING FEEDER EOE FURNACES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 31, 1903.

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N0 MODEL.

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Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN o. LEARY, OF sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

sHAvlNG-FEEDER FOR FURNAOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,934, dated J' une 16, i903.

Application filed March 31, 1903- Serial No. 150,371. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may con/cern,.- v y Be it known that I, JOHN C. LEARY', a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaving-Feeders for Furnaces; and I do hereby Vdeclare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the class of furnace fuel-feeders, and is especially intended for feeding shavings, sawdust, and other mill refuse.

The objects of niy'invention are, broadly stated, to automatically control the supply of shavings or similar fuel and tordraw on the surplus or overfiow pile as occasion requires.

Myinvention consists in the novel construc-` tion, arrangement, and combination of parts, which I shall hereinafter describe by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view showing in side elevation those parts of the apparatus designed for taking th'e shavings from the overiiowpile in the shaving-house and returning them to the blower in the mill to be again sent to the separator, said view also showing some operating the controlling-gate of the feeder-A Fig. 5 is an end elcvation'of the oper! pipe. ating devices on the wall of the shavinghouse. Fig. "Gis a view of the feeder-pipe in elevation, partly broken, and indicating the overlying separator. Fig. 7 is a front View, partly broken, of the feeder-pipe and overlying separat-or. Fig. 8 is a detail of the safetyvalve in the automatically-discharging water-bucket. Fig. 9.is a detail showing the adjustable sleeve f2 of the charge vessel f.

Referring first to Fig. l, A represents the mill structure, B the shaving-house, and C the furnace in the fire-room. In the mill A is a blower D, to which asuction-pipe CZ leads Fig. 3 is a plan view detail of'same.

from the machines which make the shavngs. From this blower issues the discharge-pipe CZ, which leads to the separator E on top of the shaving-house. This separator is a hopper-like boX,so called, becausein it the air escapes and the shavings drop down through its hase. Directly under the separator is the receiving-head fof the feederpipe F, which passes down through the end wall b of the shaving-house and down to the furnace C.

The parts thus far described are common to shaving-feeders, and their-operation may be brielydescribed. The shavings are taken from the machines through pipe d to 'the blower D and by said blower are driven through pipe d to the separator E, in which, freed of 'the air, they fall through into the pipe F and are conveyed to the furnace, the

overflow of shavings falling down into the shaving-house and forming the shaving-pile, which I have indicated by b.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the novel features of the feeder-pipe will be described. It is best in practice to supply the shavings to the furnace in stated charges at given intervals instead of constantly. The head f of the feeder-pipe is provided with a charge vessel f", the open bottom ,of which is controlled by a gate G, secured to an oscillating shaft g, which passes out through the wall b of the shaving-house. When the gate is closed up to the charge vessel, the shavings will fill it and remain in it until the gate is dropped, whenthey will fall through in a stated charge. The 'gate then closes again for a second charge. In Order to provide for intervening obstructions, such as knots, preventing the gate from closing, I have, as shown in Fig. 9, a guard-sleeve f2 loosely fitted around the lower end of the charge vessel and suspended freely by a top flange f3, engaging a beadf4 on the charge vessel. This sleeve follows down by gravity as the gate drops until arrested by bead f4, and as the gate rises to its fully-closed position it simply pushes the guard-sleeve up; but if the gatel cannot, by reason of an obstruction, fully close the sleeve drops down to meet it, and thus effects a sufficient closure.

In order to operate the controlling-gate Gr by oscillating the shaft g, I employ devices seen in Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures, b is the end Wall of the shaving-house. Secured to the outwardly-projecting end of shaft g is a lever H, carrying at one end a bucket h and at the other an adjustable counterbalance-weight W. In the horizontal position of this lever the gate G is held closed, and said lever is limited in its stroke at the horizontal by a fixed st op S and at the vertical by a lixed stop S. To prevent. a noisy contact with stop S, I provide an air-cushion formed by a piston h on the lever end entering an air-well S in stop S. The lever H is locked temporarily in its horizontal position by an ordinary beveled spring-latch i in the end of a pivoted adjustably-weighted lever I.

.I is a water-pipe leading from any suitable source. lt is in practice best to lead it from the mains or tank and to terminate its connection in the heater or pump, so that no water need be wasted. This pipe leads in suitable course, as shown in Fig. 4, to a point where it will discharge into the bucket h of lever H. When the bucket receives enough water to overcome the locking-lever I, it will descend, thereby tilting lever H and rocking shaft g, whereby gate G is opened and the charge of shavings dropped. When the bucket reaches a certain point,its water will be spilled outinto a receiving-'tank T,from which a pipe t leads to the heater or pump. Then the lever H will return and close the gate G. In order to insure the Vaccurate operation of lever H, I have fitted to its bucket h what may be termed a safety-valve. This consists of a longitudinally-slidable rod h', (see Fig. 8,) which passes down through an outlet in the bottom of the bucket. 'lhe round portion h2 of this rod will when the rod is pressed down fill the outlet and stop it up; but the square portion h8 under the round part will when it is in the Outlet leave the latter open. The head end of the rod is provided witha spring h4, which lends normally to hold the rod upto keep the outlet of the bucket'open. Now if the lever H returns to its full horizontal position, sok

that the gate G is closed fully, then the head of the rod h', as seen in Fig. 4, will press up under a fixed stop s2, which will push the rod down and close the bottom outlet of the bucket, and said bucket will then iill with water; but if for any reason the leverH does not reach its full horizontal position ordrops back therefrom the spring h4 will hold the rod up, so that the safety-outlet of the bucket is open and the water will simply run through it, and the governing mechanism will not opbalanced lever Z2, which is connected, as shown, with a valve 7s of the pipe J. A second gate, such as R, Figs. 6 and 7, may be placed in feeder-pipe F and used to close said pipe when the upper portion has to be removed or repaired.

Returning now to Fig. l, I will describe the meansfor disposing of the snrplusin the shaving-pile. Of course according to the number of ,machines working the shavingpile will be greater or smaller. There are times when the demands of the furnace will vjust equal the shaving-supply, and at times it may exceed said supply and at other times be less-than said supply. In the lastnamed case the pile will increase from the overflow. In the second case the pile may be drawn upon to ll the deficit. To thus draw upon the pile, I have a suction-pipe N, Figs. l, 2, and 3, having an enlarged nozzlehead n. This pipe is pivotally hung at n' from a hanger n2, adapting it to swing to and from the shaving-pile. This movement, it must be stated, is a constant one, for it is only when the suction-nozzle is approaching to or receding fromv the pile that the shavings can be drawn in. Therefore the pipe N constantlyswings to and from the pile. With this suction-pipe communicates a pipe O, extending to the blower D. The movement of the suction-pipe is effected by a block and tackle, which will permit its adjustment in accordance with the increasing or diminishing size of the pile.

P is a shaft, to which power is le'd. this shaft extends a belt p to a counter-shaft p', carrying a crank-pin 102, from which a line Q extends to and over a pendent block p3, thence down to an idler-block p4, secured in a second line p5, mounted between blocks p6, and thence over a block p7 and down to its con nection with the suction-pipe N. A weight w in the final fall of line Qserves to take up any slack just short of the suction-pipe. By these means the shavings can be returned from the pile to the blower and once more sent around tothe separator and feed-pipe. By means of the second .line p5 the suctionpipe can be adjusted properly relatively to thel pile and canbe thrown wholly out of use when desired by removing it far enough away.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower and connections for'supplying the material, a feeder-pipeto receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, said pipe having a charge-chamber, a gate controlling the discharge from said chamber, a rock-shaft on which the gate ismounted, a swinging counterbalanced lever secured to said shaft and having a water-bucket adapted to swing the lever and to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, and means for supplying said bucket with water.

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lever and to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, a temporary lock to hold the lever while the bucket is being lled with water and to release it when filled, and means for supplying said bucket with water.

3. Ina furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower' and connections for supplying the material, a feeder-pipe to receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, said pipe having a f charge-chamber, a gate controlling the discharge from said chamber, a rock-shaft on which the gate is mounted, a swinging counterbalanced lever secured to said shaft and having a water-bucket adapted to swing the lever and to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, means for supplying said bucket with water, and means for controlling the supply of water.

4. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower and connections for supplying the material, a feeder-pipe to receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, said pipe having a charge-chamber, a gate controlling the discharge from said chamber, a rock-shaft on which the gate is mounted, a swinging counterbalanced lever secured to said shaft and having a water-bucket adapted to swing the lever and to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, means for supplying said bucket with water, and means controlled by the pressure of 'the boiler-steam for automatically controlling the water-supply.

5. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower and connections for supplying the material, a feeder-pipe to receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, said pipe having a charge-chamber, a gate controlling the discharge from said chamber, a rock-shaft on which the gate is mounted, a swinging counterbalanced lever secured to said shaft and having a water-bucket adapted to swing the lever and to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, means for supplying said bucket with water, and means controlled by the pressure of the boiler-steam for automatically controlling the water-supply consisting of a valve, a steam-pipe from the boiler, a cylinder connected with said pipe, a piston in the cylinder operated by the pressure of steam in said pipe and connections between said piston and valve.

G. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower and connections for supplying the material,

a feeder-pipe to receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, a charge vessel in the receiving end of the feeder-pipe, a swinging gate controlling the lower end of said charge vessel, a vertically movable guardsleeve loosely suspended from the lower end of the charge vessel and adapted by contact with the gate to insure a closure of the charge vessel, and means for operating said gate.

7. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower and connections for supplying the material, afeeder-pipe to receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, said pipe having a charge-chamber, a gate controlling the discharge from the chamber, a rock-shaft carrying the gate, a swinging counterbalanced lever secured to said shaft, and having a water-bucket adapted to swing the lever and to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, means for supplying water to the bucket, a temporary lock for holding the lever in position to fill its bucket, a valve controlling a safety-outlet` in the bucket, means for holding said valve closed while the lever is locked in position to permit its bucket to be filled, and means for opening said valve when the lever is unlocked.

8. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, and in combination with the blower and connections for supplying the material, a feeder-pipe to receive said material and conduct it to the furnace, said pipe having a charge-chamber, a gate controlling the discharge from the chamber, arock-shaft carrying the gate, a swinging counterbalanced lever secured to said shaft, and having a waterbucket adapted to swing the lever and. to discharge its own contents by the swinging of said lever, means for supplying water to the bucket, and an air-cushion stop to limit the return of the lever.

9. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, the combination of a blower and connections for supplying the material, a feederpipe disposed with relation to said blower connections as to receive therefrom a part of the material, the remainder or surplus overowing into a pile, said feeder-pipe being adapted to conduct the part it receives to the furnace, a movable suction-pipe, means for vibrating said pipe toward and from the overflow or surplus pile to cause it to draw the material therefrom, and a pipe connection between said suction-pipe and the blower whereby the material from said pile is returned through the blower to the feeder-pipe.

lO. In a furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, the combination of a blowerand connections for supplying the material, a feederpipe disposed with relation to said blower connections as to receive therefrom a part of the material, the remainder orsurplus overiowing into a pile, said feeder-pipe being adapted to conduct the partit receives to the furnace, a suction-pipe pivotally hung in the vicinity of the overfiow orsurplus pile and communi- IOO eating with the blower, and a haulage-tackle connected with said suction-pipe for vibrating it to and from the pile to cause it to draw the material therefrom and direct it to the blower whereby the material from said pile is returned through the blower to the feederpipe.

11. Ina furnace fuel-feeder of the class described, the combination of a blower and connections for supplying the material, a feederpi pe disposed with relation to said blower oonnections as to receive therefrom a part of the material, the remainder or surplus overflowing into a pile, said feeder-pipe being adapted to conduct the partit receives to the furnace, a suction-pipe pivotally hung in the vicinity of the overflow or surplus pile and communieating with the blower, the haulage-tackle connected with the suction-pipe for vibrating it to and from the pile to cause it to draw the material therefrom and direct it to the.

JOHN C. LEARY.

Witnesses:

WALTER F. VANE, D. B. RICHARDS.

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