US508132A - Edward e - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

E. E. GOLD.

STEAM HEATI-NG SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY CARS.

Patented Nov. 7, 1893.

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UNrrnD STATES PATENT Ormea,

EDWARD E. GOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEAM-H EATING SYSTEM/ FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,132, dated November '7, 1893.

' Appiimionied Aprnzs, 1890. serrano. 349,777. (remodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Heating Systems for Railway-Cars, of which the nfollowing is a speciication.

This invention relates to heating systems intended particularly for railway cars, al-

though adaptable also to dwellings and other buildings, of the class wherein the heat derived from steam is communicated to a liquid circuit, which in turn radiates the heat to the car or apartment. In such systems it has been proposed to heat the waterin the liquid circuit by injecting steam directly into it. My invention provides an improved heating system or apparatus involvingthis principle ina modified form, whereby certain advantages are secured which will be hereinafter fully pointed out.

According to my invention I provide the car or other apartment with a pipe' or sections of pipes arranged to form a complete circuit, and in some lsuitable part of this-circuit I connect or apply a heater constructed to be heated by steam in order to communicate the heat of the steam to the water of the radiating circuit and thereby cause the latter to circulate to renew continually the heat which is lost-by radiation. Steam is admitted to this heater from any suitable source of steam and through any suitable pipe, and in its passage through the heater it gives up so large a portion of its heat thereto thatit is in part or wholly (as the case may be) condensed. The condensed steam, or mixture of steam and water of condensation, passing from the heater is conducted through a suitable pipe to an injector nozzle entering the water circuit, so that the condensed steam or water is thrown in a jet into the water circuit in such manner as to not only induce a circulation therein in co-operation with the circulation caused by the steam-heater, but also by being itself commingled with the water to augment the heat imparted to the water circuit. By preference the jet enters the water column immediately beyond the heater where it mingles with the hottest water, and being itself reduced to its lowest temperature by having given up its' heat during its passage through the heater, the difference of temperature between the steam or condensed water on the one hand and the hot circulating water on the other is so reduced as to avoid the snapping or crackling of the pipes which has hithertobeen a most insuperable objection to the introduction of systems wherein the water circuit is heated by thedirect introduction into it of steam. To provide for the continual increase of the volume of waterin the radiating circuit due to the injection of condensed steam, the ordinary expansion chamber provided with hot water circulating systems is furnished with a float-valve constructed when the water level rises above a certain height to open and permit the excess of water to escape.

My invention also comprehends means for cuttingfo the action of the steam jet o r injector and for enabling the steam to be used in the same manner as in my previous carheating systems, being discharged from the heater from time to time through a thermostatic trap or a dynamic relief valve.

The accompanying drawing is a longitudinal section of a portion of a railway car showing the preferred application of lnyinvention.

Referring to the drawing, letAindicate the pipes of an ordinary water-heating or radiatingcircuit extending throughout the car,'usu ally near the door thereof, and arranged in any way known to the art. These pipes are shown in the drawing in a somewhat diagrammatic manner, their particular arrangement in bends beneath the seats, and the means for carrying them across from one side of the car to the other beneath the door thereof, which is already well understood in the art, not being indicated.

B designates the steam-heater applied to this circuit, and consisting essentially of a liquid passage or space forming part of the water circuit and a steam passage or space arranged to impart the heat 0f the steam to the water. struction shown of a double coil of pipe, a smaller or steam-pipe b being inserted within a larger or water pipe ct and the two coiled together. The water pipe is joined at its ends It consists in the particular con- Y to the pipes of the water-circuit A, so as to form apart thereof, and the ends of the steampipe b pass outside thereof. The water circuit thus consists of radiating pipes on the iioor of the car, the pipe a of the heater coil, the ascending water pipe A being an extension of the upper end of the coiled pipe a which reaches to an expansion chamber or tank C, and a descending pipe A2 leading down from this tank to the floor of the car. The water circulates upwardly through the spiral'heater coil and through thepipe A', and downwardly through the pipe A2, and thence back and forth through the going and returning radiating pipes, as indicated by the arrows.

The pipe D is the main steam supply pipe extending from end to end of the car. This pipe is designed to be fitted at its ends with couplings for uniting to the steam-pipes on the adjoining cars in order that the steam 'from the locomotive boiler may be passed through the train from carto car. From the pipeD leads a branch pipe E provided with a hand-Valve e for controlling the flow of steam through it. This pipe E might pass directly, as indicated by the dotted lines at to the heater B so as to communicate with the steam-pipe b thereof, but by preference it is carried up into the expansion tank C and coiled once or more times, as Ashown at c, therein in order to impart heat to `the water in said tank, after which it is carried down at 1 c' and connects with the pipe h of the heaterB.

The precise construction and arrangement of the pipes are not essential, it being only necessary that some means under the control of the train hands shall be provided for `admitting steam from the main pipe D into the pipe b of the heater. The steam should be admitted at the upper end of this pipe -so that the steam shall pass through the heater in the opposite direction to the water in order that the hottest steam shall act upon the hottest water, and the steam as it is cooled in its descent shall act upon the successively cooler portions of the water column. This arrangement also insures that the water of condensation as it forms shall descend within the heater coil so that it may be `expelled from the bottom thereofand so that its discharge shall be aided by the current of steam. The pipe b on its emergence from the lower end of the heater coil connects with a pipe d which ascends and terminates in the'nozzlef of an injector F arranged `in connection with the ascending water-pipe A. This pipe d is provided with a valve or cock g by which'the ilow'through it can be regulated or shut off.

The steam in its passage th roughthe heater coil VB will rapidly impart its heat to the Water iiowing past it in the annular space between the pipes b and a, and will usually `be wholly or almost wholly condensed by the time it reaches the bottom of the coil. The condensed water will then fiow by reason of the pressure of lthe steam behind it through the pipe cl and will be injected through the nozzle f into the ascending column of water in the pipe A', thereby adding its heat to that of the water. Thus every portion of the heat of the steam is utilized in imparting heat to the water, and the force of the jet is utilized to reinforce the current induced by the action of the heater'. The water from the radiating pipes A entering the bottom of the heater-coil encounter first the coolest portion of the steam-pipe b, being that wherein the condensed water is accumulated, and passes upwardly through the coil, encountering continually' a hotter portion of the steam-pipe, and being continually heated toa higher and higher degree, until finally, immediately after its emergence `from the coil, it receives the jet of condensed water, or of mingled steam and condensed water, within the injector F, by commingling with which itstem perature is still further raised.

The expansion chamber or tank C is a closed vessel designed to be filled with the water of the circulating system up `to a certain level, and above that level to contain air or steam preferably under pressure. The pressure is limited by means of a safetyvvalve h opening outwardly from the upper part of the tank, and which may be set to open at any desired pressure. From the tank an overiiow pipe G extends outside the car,pref erably passing down through it and discharging beneath the door. The outfiow of water through this pipe is determined by avalve il controlled by a Hoat I. This valve may be any suitable construction of float valve arranged to be closed when the float is down and to open when the doat is raised yby the ascending water above a predetermined level. It is consequently an inversion of the floatvalves commonly used for admitting a -water supply. The purpose of this fioat-val-ve and overflow pipe is to automatically discharge from the water-circulating system `the eX cess of water over the proper normal volume. The condensed water thus Ibeing continually added to this system while the apparatus is in operation in the manner already described, would soon entirely till the chamber C and destroy "its function as an expansion chamber were it not for the provision of this automatic overflow valve. To preventthe undue vibration of the float by reason of the movement of the car while running, it is Adrawn down by a spring t which thus takes the place of the weight commonly applied to floats to sink them to the proper depth into the Water.

The lower end of the steam-coil b in `the heater B is connected not only with the jetpipe cl but also with a pipe Z7" extendinghorizontally, and provided first with a dynamic trap-valve J, and second, with a thermostatic drainage trap K. Both these valves arefnow so well known in the art/as to require no Yparticular description. Sufiiceit to say thatthe valve J' is constructed when its operating handle y is in one position to open automati- IOO cally by a spring when the :steamy pressure is relieved, and to be closed by the pressure of the steam against it; when the handle is in a second position, to be opened so as to cause the steam to ilow through ythe valve; and when the handle is in a third position, to be closed tight so that no steam can pass through. The thermostatic trap K is constructed to open automatically when the temperature falls tb a-predeterminedpoint to discharge the cooled water of condensation, and. to closewhenever steam orhot condensed water passes through it.l By the use of these two Valves, J and K, the steampipes c c b d may be emptied of water of condensation after the steam has been turned off. This willbe done by the relief valve J whenever the condensation andl contraction of the steam becomes sufcient to relieve the pressure and enable the spring to open the valve; or if thevalve J should chance to be closed the same result will be accomplished a littlev later by the thermostatic trap -K when the condensed water has cooled suliiciently to contract and open this trap. Furthermore, by opening the valve J as a blow-off valve the steam may be caused to blow through the heater in order t0 thaw out or quickly-heat up the water-circuit. If it be desired to cut the valves J and K out of action a separate hand-valve or stop-cock L may be provided, as shown in dotted lines, ,but this is not essential as the trapK will be closed, and the Valve J may be closed, at all times when it is desired to circulatethe steam or condensedwater through the pipe d and injector F.

It may sometimes occur when the car is out of use for a considerable time that the water in the tank C will freeze, thus locking fastl and choking the iioat-valve. t. Ity is desirable that when the car is connected in .a train some means should be provided for thawing out the water in the tank in preference to any other part of the liquid circuit. Itis for this purpose that the steam-pipe E is carried up into the tank and formed with the coil c. The passage of steameintothe coils c and b upon the opening of the valve e is insured by the steam-pipes being emptied through the action of the trap-valves J and K, as above described.v Hence by openingthe valve e, and more or less opening the valve J, the

steam is caused to blow through the steam. pipes until any icevin the tank() and heater B is thawed out, after which the thawing out 0f the rest of the circuit will soon ensueupon the warming up of the car.

If desired the water maybe drawnr from the liquid circuit A whenever the caris to be thrown out of service, by opening a valve 7c in the drainage pipefZ leading from the low est part of the circuit..- t In such case it will be necessary to relill the water circuit before the heating apparatus can be again used, which can be done either b y connecting any. part of the circuit with a city main to liow the water through, which is the preferable way, or the circuit can be recharged with condensed waterby passingsteam continuously intoit, which, however, is disadvantageously slow.

The escape of waterfrom thetankG through the pipe A', nozzlef, pipe d and valves J or K when the apparatus is out of service, is preferably prevented by constructing the valve g as a combined stop-cock and checkvalve, of which numerous constructions are now known in the art. valve is used at g this valve should be closed when the steam is turned oft; or a separate check-valve may be introduced in thepipe d,

as shown in dotted lines at m.

If a simple shut-0E z l have shown the heater B as arranged within a car-stove M, after the construction shown in my Patent No. 388,772, dated August 28, 1888. ThisV is in order that whenthe car is disconnected from the source of stealn it may be heated by building a tire in the stove M, which will not only radiate the heat directly, as with allcar-stoves, but will heat the water in the pipe a and thereby cause a circulation in the liquid circuit A radiating heat to all parts of the car after the manner of what is knownas the .Baker system of car heating. 'Thus the car may be heated up to receive passengers before being connected in the train, or kept warm after being diconnected from the locomotive. f,

By closing the valve g (and opening the hand-valve L, if such valve be provided), my improved apparatus maybeoperated in eX- actly the same manner as my previous appa-- ratus shown in my said patent, that is to say, the feature of the injection of condensed or spent steam into the water column A may be disused and the watercircuit heated solely through the medium of the heater B. Inthat case, as fast as the condensed water` in the steam-coil cools it is automatically discharged through-the trap K, thereby admitting from time to time fresh steam into the heaterB.

My invention may be modified in numerous ways without departing from its essential features. Forexample, the heater B instead of being constructed of two pipes coiled together may be of any other Suitable construction, of which many are known in the art, wherein steam confined in one space or chamber can transmit its heat through an intervening conducting wall or plate to water confined in an adjoining space or chamber, the steam space or chamber being connected through a suitable pipewith the source of steam, and the IIO water space or chamber connected in the ra-A of consisting of pipes carried through a car or apartment `may consist of heating vessels or radiators .of any other k-ind or collet/.rnc tion, of which numerous different devices `are known to the art of heating by steam or Water circulation.

I am well aware that heating apparatus for cars, &c., have been constructed or proposed in which the Water in the radiating circuit -is heated bythe .direct injection of steam into it. In such cases, however, the steam has been injected directly into the Water circuit insteadof having been first reduced in .telltperature by giving up its heat `to the watercircuit, and the resulting spent `or `condensed steam being then injected into the mater. With the constructions heretofore proposed the snapping or .crackling of the pipes has been So annoyingas to practically preclude their .introduction into fuse. My invention wholly avoids this difiiculty, and combines the advantages of heaters .operating by conduction .alone and those operating bythe injection of steam yinto the water.

I claim as `my invention .the following-de ned `novel .features .or improvements, substantially as .hereinbefore specified, namely:

1 The combination of a 1radiating liquid circuit, a steam heater Acomprising a steam heated liquid passage forming .partof said circuit, and adapted to both heat and circulate the `liquid,.and an injector connected to receive .the spent or .condensed steam from -said heater andinject theisame into theliq- `uid circuit.

.2. The combination of a radiating liquid eircnite steam-heater in connection Ytherewith adapted to both .heet .and circulate the liquid and an injector arranged .inthe hottest part of the liquid eireuit .ineenteet with the vliquid which has -J' usttreversedthe heater and connected to receive the spent or condensed-stedm that .has ttayersedthe heater.

3. The combination of a radiating liquid circuit; `itef'tiing 4stove in connection therewith to impart heat thereto, esteem-heater in connection .therewfithwhereby .the liquid .may be heated and circulated throughsaideireuit by either steam .or tire o1' both, and an inieetor connected .to .the hottest part of said circuit and adapted to inject steam thereinto. so

EDWARD E. GOLD.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. ERASER, CHARLES K. FRASER..

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