Improvements in Utilizing Smoke Box Refuse or Boiler Char for the Generation of Gas and in the application of Gas so Produced for Raising Steam in Locomotive Boilers

14,618. Bean, J. S., and Nash, H. June 18. [Cognate Application, 23,516/14.] Feed-water, heating.-The blow-down water from locomotives is led through a tank where it communicates heat to tubular feed-water heating apparatus and is finally led to settling and storage tanks from which it may be drawn and heated for use as feed-water. Water from a boiler 29, Fig. 3, passes through the blow-off cock 30 into a tank 31, which may be in the form of a disused boiler. The tank 31 is provided with automatic inlet and outlet valves 35, 39 and a safety valve 37 if desired. Feed-water to be heated is led through tubular apparatus 45 having inlet and discharge pipes 44, 49 and thence through suitable branch pipes such as 50 provided with stop-cocks to which flexible hose pipes may be attached. The water from the tank 31 is led through a pipe 40 to settling tanks 41, 42 and a storage tank 43 from which it may be conveyed to a tank for use as feed-water again. In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the tank 31 which may be in the form of a disused boiler is provided with gas jets 51 supplied with gas produced from the smoke-box refuse of locomotives, such jets being adapted to play upon an arch 52 of firebrick.