US1926076A - Track sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

Filed Dec. 15,

Patented Sept. 12, 1%.?3

. nane Application December 15, 1927 Serial No. 240,205

6 Claims.

My invention is in a track sprinkler for sprinkling railroad tracks, and may be considered an improvement on my Patent No. 1,512,324, dated October 21, 192 1, for a Track sprinkler.

The track sprinkler of my patent above mentioned was designed to draw water from the water tank in the tender of a locomotive, the inlet to the sprinkling system being at a designated elevation above the bottom of the tank so that there would always be a certain amount of water left in the tank after sprinkling, suiiicient for the boiler to draw the locomotive and train to the next water tank. In this patent 1 disclosed a valve mounted in the tank and controlled by the fireman from the foot plate between the locomotive and the tender.

It has been found that the type of valve control illustrated is not suiiiciently accurate in giving a small amount or a large amount of wa- 2 ter, and varying the amount of water for sprinkling between these two extremes; and also, as it is controlled by the fireman, the sprinkling is sometimes neglected or inefiiciently operated.

An object of my present invention is to con 2 trol the flow of water by means of a valve which itself is actuated or controlled by air pressure, and preferably, to have the control valve for the air system located in the cab of the locomotive so that it may either be operated by the engineer or by the fireman.

Another object of my invention is in an installation for track sprinkling to have a Valve which is controlled by air pressure, there being two air inlets, one inlet acting on a piston which acts on another piston, the latter piston being connected directly to a valve plug. The two pistoins have independent air supplies, and one may be actuated to give a partial opening and the other a complete opening of the valve.

My invention will be more readily understood from the following description and drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a locomotive and tender showing the installation of the track sprinkler, and the water valve with the air control pipes leading to the locomotive cab with air control valves therein.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, being the longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the air controlled water valve.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the locomo- (Cl. l99-31) tive tender is designated by the numeral 1, part of the cab by the numeral 2, there being a foot plate 3 connecting the locomotive and the tender. Spray pipes s are supported from brackets 5 on the bottom of the tender. These spray pipes have apertures 6 for projecting jets of water forwardly and downwardly. A baffle screen 7 is shown as formed of an arcuate plate connected at its rear edge 8 to the spray or jet pipes, and extending forwardly, having on each vertical walls 9.

In the action of the sprinkler on a dusty roadbed the sprays of Water at times force a cloud of dust into the air, which is caught by the screen 7, this dust being forced down again through the spray and deposited on the roadbed. This prevents mud accumulating on the rear part of the tender and the forward part of the train, and also acts to conserve a certain amount of the water by preventing this from blowing away and having it driven down on the roadbed.

Secured to the bottom or" the tank there is a water valve designated generally by the numeral 14 and extending upwardly into the tank is the water inlet pipe 15, this pipe being of such a height that when the water is drained for sprinkling it leaves a body of water with the water level 16 above the bottom of the tank. This is designed to always leave a reserve suiiicient to provide steam for travel of a locomotive and train to a watering station.

The water is discharged through a drop pipe 1'? with a forward extension 17 and flows from transverse sprinkling pipes 4 onto the track. There are two air control pipes 19 and 20 connected to the valve. These have flexible connections 21 with couplings 22, and lead to the pipes 23 and 2 1 in the cab, which are illustrated as having separate air control valves 23' and 24', which may be considered as throttle valves 25, being arranged to control a ilow of air in both of the pipes.

The water valve 14 is constructed with a valve housing or casing 26. This has a central body 27 with a valve seat 28 located therein. The pressure side of the valve seat is indicated by the 1 numeral 29 and the discharge side by the numeral 30. A flange 31 is connected to the casing or housing and is adapted to be bolted to the tank 1. The pipe 15 is threaded into the upper part of the valve and extends upwardly through an opening in the tank to the desired elevation. The valve also has a coupling end 32 to which the drop pipe 17 is connected.

On the discharge side of the water valve 14 there is constructed a control cylinder 33 preferably formed integral with the casing or housing. This has an internalannular shoulder 34 and has a cap 35 threaded on the outer end of the cylinder. The air pipe 19 leads through this cap, and the air pipe 20 leads through an opening 35 on the inner side of the shoulder 34. On the opposite side of the valve housing there is a guide cap 37 threaded into an opening 38 on the pressure side of the valve housing. This cap has a guide socket 39 and a stop set screw 39 which may be screwed into the socket to the desired extent forming a limit to the depth of sucli socket.

The water valve plug 40 has a conical surface 41 to bear against the valve seat 28 and on the discharge side of the valve is provided with a stem 42 and with a piston 43 on the stem, the} piston fitting into the cylinder 33, such piston being provided with piston rings 44. On the opposite side of the valve plug there is a guide stem 45 which has its end fitted in the guide socket 39. A compression coiled spring 46 surrounds the guide stem and the structure of the cap forming the guide socket, bearing against the valve plug and against the base of the cap 37; thus the spring tends to seat the valve plug.

An outer piston 47 has a skirt 48 and is provided with piston rings 49. The skirt has a sliding fit inside of the annular shoulder 34 and is adapted to have its inner end 50 abut against the piston 43. The sliding fit of the skirt 48 on the shoulder 34 allows leakage or passage of air from one side of the shoulder 34 to the other, in the operation of the pistons as hereunder mentioned.

The manner of operation and functioning of my track sprinkler, having reference particularly to the valve control, is as follows: Presuming it is desired to only open the valve part Way, then the throttle valves '25 are operated so that air is injected through the pipe 19 and acts on the under piston 47. This piston is then forced inwardly until it contacts with the shoulder 34 which forms a limit. This shoulder is positioned so that in such action the valve plug 40 is forced inwardly substantially one-half of its travel, thus opening the valve to one-half its full capacity.

If it is desired to open the valve its full distance on the initial operation, the throttle 25 is manipulated so that the air enters through the pipe 20 behind the inner piston 43, which action forces the inner piston, and hence the plug 40, inwardly to the full extent of its traveLgiving what might be termed a wide open valve, and allowing a large quantity of water to be discharged more rapidly than by the first arrangement.

It is manifest, therefore, that if to start with a small amount of water is required, the air can be flowed into the valve to operate the outer piston 47, which as above mentioned presses against the piston 43 and shoves this in half way, and then if a greater amount of water is required, the air may be shut oil from the supply pipe 19 and supplied through the pipe 20, which action forces the inner piston 43 inwardly its full distance and gives a full supply.

Manifestly, by a reversal of operations, the full supply be first given by moving the inner piston and then subsequently releasing the air pressure for this piston and operating the air to force the piston 4'7 inwardly, giving one half .the travel to the valve, plug. a

The air valves 23 and 24' are of the ordinary type used in air control and when in the off tance. r

. the extent allowed by the stop, and a second air position provide an exhaust-for the system they control. Therefora wlreii these valves are in their off position they vent or exhaust the cylinders fed by the pipes 19 and 20. The water valve 14 has the casing 26 in which operates the valve plug 40. The control of this valve is through the medium of a separate control cylinder 33 which, for sake of convenience, may be formed integral with the valve casing 26. The pistons in this cylinder 33 are controlled by the valves 23 and 24' and, hence, give a first and then a second movement of the plug 40. When the valve connected with the pipe 19 is opened it allows the full air pressure to act on the outer piston 47 but as this can only move a limited distance the valve is only opened part way then through a separate instrumentality; that is, another valve using the pipe 20; the inner piston 43 is acted upon, opening the valve the full dis- Therefore, considering the installation as a whole, the air control throttle valve may be mounted in any suitable location, such as in the cab of a locomotive, and is therefore readily H accessible to both the engineer and the fireman, and the desired graduated control may be had by the operation of the valve, releasing approximately the desired amount of water to dampen or sprinkle the track to a desired extent.

'Various changes may be made in the principles of my invention, as set forth in the description, of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the description, drawing and claims.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising in combination a valve housing having a seat, a valve plug bearing thereagainst, the housing having a cylindrical section, a first and a second piston slidable therein, the second piston being connected to the plug, a stop means for the motion of the first piston, an air supply to operate the first piston, a first piston actuating the second piston to open the plug to its supply means forthe second piston, the inde- I20 pendent movement of the second piston being adapted to open the .plug to its full extent.

2. A valve comprising in combination a valve housing having a seat with a plug bearing thereagainst, the housing having a cylindrical section with a first and second piston therein, an annular shoulder forming a stop for the first piston, the first piston bearing against the second piston and the second piston being connected to the plug by. a stem, a cap back of the second piston, an air supply through said'cap to the back of the first piston, and a second air supply back of the second piston between such piston and the annular shoulder.

3. A track sprinkler comprising in combination a water tank, a transverse spray pipe having a series of spray apertures therein, a baffle screen formed of a curved plate connected to the top of the spray pipe and extending forwardly and above such pipe, and side walls connecting the ends of the screen to the pipe, the said screen being adapted to catch dust and mud thrown up by the water spray.

4. In a track sprinkler, in which a locomotive is coupled to a tender having a tank with a water discharge above the bottom of the tank and a sprinkler, the combination of a valve between the discharge and the sprinkler, a first remote control fluid operated means controlled in the locomotive to open the valve a predetermined amount less than the full opening, and a second fluid operated means controlled in the locomotive to open the valve the full amount.

5. In a.track sprinkler in which a locomotive is coupled to a tender having a tank with a water discharge above the bottom of the tank and a sprinkler, the combination of a valve between the discharge and the sprinkler having a movable plug, a first fluid operated means controlled from the locomotive to move said plug a predetermined amount less than the full opening of the valve, and a second fluid operated means controlled from the locomotive to move said plug a greater amount to give a full opening to the valve.

6. In a track sprinkler in which a locomotive is coupled to a tender having a water discharge above the bottom of the tank and a sprinkler, a valve between the discharge and the sprinkler, the combination therewith of a slidable valve plug, a first piston slidable in the valve, a fluid operated means controllable from the locomotive to move the plug a predetermined distance by the movement of the first piston, a second piston, a fluid operated means controllable from the locomotive to operate the second piston, and means to move the plug by the second piston to a greater extent than the movement by the first piston.

W. H. WHALEN.

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