US2572008A - Smoke detector and signal for diesel locomotives - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23, 1951 c. N. CAHUSAC ET AL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNALFOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed June 5, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, 1951 c. N. cAHusAc: ET AL SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed Jun 5, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 23, 1951 c. N. CAHUSAC ET AL SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 5, 1946 I Z 7 INVE NTOBS BY MQM JTTOENEY c 3, 9 c. N. cAi-lusAc ETAL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES F;led June 5, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y Z 7 "WA-W752;

BY MA ATTORNEY v 1951 c. N. cAHusAc ET AL 7 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Q X J \u. 3 w

YEA/7025 g/ 4 gian 5y znroe/ver Oct. 23, 1951 c, c us c ETAL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed June 5. 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 1951 c. N. cAHusAc ET AL 2,572,008

SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Filed June 5, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Z/WCwIENTORS BY -Mdm Patented Oct. 23, 1951 SMOKE DETECTOR AND SIGNAL FUR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES Clarence Noel Cahusac, Newark, and Donald A. Diehl, Arlington, N. 3., assignors to C-O-Two Fire Equipment 00., Newark, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application June 5, 1946, Serial No. 674,522

Claims.

This invention relates in general to apparatus for detecting and announcing the existence, at a point remote from the apparatus, of a fluid having particles of matter suspended therein, such as smoke; and one object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which shall embody a novel and improved construction combination and arrangement of parts that is especially adapted for detecting the presence of smoke in a locomotive driven by diesel engines, particularly smoke below the floor of the locomotive which might be generated by heat from the motors.

The detecting and signaling mechanism is of the general type described and claimed in United States Patent No. 2,301,367, dated November 10, 1942, which comprises means for producing a beam of li ht, means for conducting a stream of fluid, such as smoke, into said light beam, a photoelectric element of the generative type located with resnect to said beam and said fluid stream to receive light ravs reflected from suspended matter in said fluid stream, another photoelectric element located to receive light rays transmitted through said fluid stream, means connecting said photoelectric elements in an electric circuit whereby the photoelectric effects of the first-mentioned element and an electrical responsive means, such as a relay or Sensitrol, in said circuit for controlling the production of an audible or visible signal.

The apparatus constituting the present invention also contemplates novel and improved means for accumulating or collecting the smoke from a point near the source of the fire and conveying the smoke to the detector and signal mechanism so that the latter will produce a warning of the presence of the smoke.

A further object of the invention is to provide means including a novel construction combination and arrangement of parts for collecting or accumulating smoke from points beneath the floor of a locomotive regardless of the direction of travel of the locomotive.

Another object is to provide such smoke-collecting or accumulating apparatus wherein the air currents incident to movement of the locomotive shall be utilized in forcing the smoke from the point of origin to the detector and signal mechanism.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of a diesel locomotive having a smoke-accumulating, detecting and signalling apparatus embodying our invention, portions of the locomotive being broken away for clearness in illustration.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the locomotive and apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 with portions of the locomotive broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective View of one of the smoke collectors.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of the smoke detector and signal mechanism with the front wall of the casing removed and portions broken away and shown in section.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 65 of Figure 4. I

Figure '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line !1 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevational View of the fan or pump for drawing smoke from the collectors to the detector, and the filter for filtering solid particles from the smoke, with the front wall of the casing removed and portions broken away and shown in section.

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram of the detector and signal mechanism.

Figure 10 is a schematic front elevational View of a modification of the smoke-collecting mechanism.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view on the line llll of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 10 showing a modification of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary schematic plan view similar to Figure 1, showing a modification of the smoke-collecting apparatus. I

Specifically describing the invention, the refer ence character A designates a locomotive driven by diesel engines which have beenomitted for clearness in illustration, the car having the usual wheeled trucks B by which the car is adapted to run on railroad rails.

Beneath the floor I of the locomotive, adjacent and above the trucks B,,.are a plurality of smoke collectors C that are connected by pipes D through a filter E to a fan or pump F which draws the smoke from the collectors C and forces it into a detector mechanism G. The collectors C are so grouped and arranged that they will effectively collect smoke regardless of the direction of movement of the locomotive.

More particularly, there are at the rear end of the locomotive and behind the rear trucks B, a pair of collectors '2 having their open ends facing forwardly, while at the forward end of the locomotive and behind the front'trucks B is at least one collector 3 having its open end facin forwardly, so that upon forward motion of the locomotive the collectors 2 and 3 will pick up or collect any smoke that may be present beneath the locomotive. The collectors 2 and 3 are connected to a common manifold pipe which is in turn connected by a pipe 5 to the inlet of the filter E.

At the forward end of the locomotive and ahead of the forward trucks B, are smoke collectors 6, while at the rear end of the locomotive and ahead of the rear trucks B, is at least one smoke collector i, said collectors 6 and I having their open ends facing rearwardly so that upon backward movement of the locomotive smoke will be collected by all of said collectors. These collectors are connected to a common manifold pipe 8 which is in turn connected by a pipe 9 to the inlet of the filter E.

If desired, other smoke collectors It) may be arranged in the battery boxes ll of the locomotive and may be connected by a pipe l2 to the filter E. In some instances, it may also be desirable to provide smoke collectors 13 at various points within the locomotive and connect these collectors to any of the pipes 5, 9 or I2.

The collectors may be of any suitable construction, but preferably are fan-shaped in plan View with wide and narrow open ends it as best shown in Figure 3. The pipes 5, 9 and I2 conveniently may be connected to a common manifold inlet pipe 15 for the filter E which is connected to one end of the filter casing 16 within which is arranged any suitable element that may include and pieces I! connected by a porous filtering medium I 8, through which the smoke passes to an outlet is that is connected to the inlet of a centrifugal fan 20, the outlet of which is connected by a pipeZl to the inlet 22 of the smoke detector mechanism. This smoke detector mechanism is shown as comprising a smoke compartment 23 having the inlet 22 and an outlet 24 which may extend to any suitable point, for example upwardly through the roof of the loco motive; and said compartment .23 is enclosed within a main housing 25.

At one end of the compartment 23, is a suitable lens system 26, and in juxtaposition thereto and within the main housing 25 is a light source, such as an incandescent lamp 2?, .so that rays of light from the lamp will be projected through the lens system 26 in a parallel beam into the compartment 23.

.At least one photoelectric element 28 is mounted on a. bracket which includes two sections .29 and 38, the latter of which is adj-ustably connected by a slot-and-screw connection 3| to the bottom wall of the smoke compartment 23, so that the cell 28 may be swung in a horizontal plane relative to the light beam, or moved toward and away from the light beam. The two sections 28 and 30 are adjustably connected as byascrewand-slot connection 32 so that the cell 28 may be adjusted vertically.

The cell 28 is normally located at one side of the light beam so as to be sensitive to the light rays reflected from the suspended matter in the smoke entering the compartment through the inlet 22, and may be of any suitable type such as the current generating barrier layer type having a large fiat rectangular exposed lightsensitive surface 33 whereby the cell is capable of generating sufficient current to operate a Sensitrol without amplification of the electricity. Preferably, the light-sensitive surface is exposedin close proximity to the outer boundaries of the light beam and tilted obliquely with respect to said beam, so that said surface is inclined away from the light source .as shown in 1 point but is shown in the housing 25.

4 Figure 5, thus insuring great sensitivity and at the same time reducing the effect of stray light rays on the cell when no smoke is present.

lhe photoelectric element 28 is connected in circuit with any suitable electrical responsive device, such as a Sensitrol" relay 34 which may be mounted on the rear Wall of the housing 25 and exposed through an opening in the front wall of said housing; and said Sensitrol controls another circuit which may include any desired electrically operated device, such as a signal lamp 35 mounted on an instrument control board 36 in the locomotive, or a howler or audible signal 3? that may be located at any suitable The circuit for connecting the Sensitrol with a source of electricity, said signals and the photoelectric elements is shown in Figure 9 and will be later described.

Another photoelectric element 38, which may be of the same type as the element 28, is mounted by a bracket 39 on the bottom wall of the smoke compartment 23, with its sensitive side directed away from the light source and toward a reflector 40 that is mounted on one end of the compartment to receive the light beam and refleet some of the light rays therefrom to the cell 33.

To vary the extent of the exposure of the photoelectric element 33 to the reflected light rays, a shutter or baffle plate 4! is located in spaced opposed relation to the light-sensitive surface of said cell and is movable toward and away from said surface by a .screw 42 threaded in the shutter and rotatable in bearings 43 and 44, and having one end projecting from the compartment and provided with a finger piece 45. The bearin 43 is mounted on a plate 4.5 secured to the bottom wall of the compartment 23 and, desirably, said plate has a guide 41 to hold the shutter 41 against rotation and to insure smooth movement thereof.

The photoelectric element 38 is connected in circuit with the photoelectric element 2.8 and the *Sensitrol 34 in what is known as an opposed parallel arrangement, or so that the photoelectric eifects of the said elements are caused to operate in compensating differential or opposing relation; in other words, the electrodes of the element 38 are connected respectively to the opposite electrodes of the element 28 ure 9).

With this construction, initially the photoelectric cell circuit is so adjusted that the relay 34 or other device will assume a normal condition, for example to open the signal circuit when no smoke is present in the compartment and when smoke or other fluid containing suspended matter is caused to fiow through said compartment into the beam of light, some of the fight rays will be reflected from the solid particles in the stream upon the photoelectric element .28, whereupon the relay or other device 34 will be actuated by the current in the photoelectric cell circuit, for example to close the signal circuit. In this connection, it may be well to point out that the relay 34 has a pointer or contactrarm 48 which is responsive to current in the photoelectric cell circuit and normally is spaced from the fixed contact 49, but is actuated into engage-. ment with said contact when the photoelectric cell .is energized.

It will be observed that the cell 29 will be continuously somewhat affected by stray light rays from the beam even when no smoke is present in (see Figthe compartment 28, and the cell will be further afi'ected by slight variations in the intensity 'or candle power of the light source 21, which without some means to prevent it will result in irregular or unsteady operation of the Sensitrol 34'. By rotating a screw 42, the shutter 41 may be adjusted to vary the amount of light reflected from the reflector 40, and thus when no smoke is present in the compartment 23, the effect of the light on the cell 28 may be balanced by the effect of the light on the cell 38, whereby a steady and normal setting of the Sensitrol pointer 48 may be obtained.

When the relay or Sensitrol is energized by electricity generated by the photoelectric cell 28, its pointer or contact arm 48 engages the contact 49 and tends to remain in such contact. The Sensitrol is a well-known mechanism and includes means for resetting this contact arm from any desirable remote point and, as schematically shown in Figure 9, the resetting mechanism includes a resetting rod 55 normally spring-influenced away from the movable contact arm 48 and actuated into engagement with said contact arm by a solenoid The solenoid 5| is connected in an electric circuit with normally open reset switches 52 and 53 which may be arranged at any suitable point, for example one in the housing 25 and the other on the instrument panel 35 in the locomotive, the operation being such that when either of the s itches 52 or 53 is closed, the coil 5| will be ener ized to push the resetting rod 50 with a snap action against the contact arm 48 which thereby will be pushed back to its normal osition.

-While the photoelectric cells, light source, Sensitrol, signals and motor 54 for driving the fan 2|] may be connected in circuit in different ways. a preferred arrangement is s o n in Fi ur 9 of t e dra in s. Here t e coil for o rating the Sensitrol relay is desi nated as 55 and is sho n as connected in circuit as abo e described with t e t o p otoelectric cel s 28 and 3B. The Sensitrol relay contacts 48 and 49 control a o er r lay 56 which includes an e e troma net c co l 51 and relay s itches 58 and 59 actuated thereby. the former of which controls the circuit through the signal lamp 35. whi e the latter may control any external alarm circuit such as a howler or a bell or gong 31.

The circuit also preferably includes a supervisory lamp relay generally designated 68 and including a coil Bi and a switch 62 actuated thereby that is connected in circuit with a trouble buzzer 63. Connected in circuit with the coil 6|, are the exciter lamp 2! and a resistance 65.

In operation of the construction so far described, assuming the locomotive is traveling forwardly and no smoke is present in the vicinity of the collectors C, the light beam is projected through the smoke compartment 23, but the photoelectric cells are unaffected because of the absence of smoke, so that all of the signals are inactive. Should smoke arise beneath the locomotive, it will be drawn through the collectors 2 and 3 by the fan F in conjunction with the force of the air currents incident to movement of the locomotive through the filter E and into the smoke compartment 23, whereupon the photoelectric cells will be energized and the various visible and audible signals will be operated. Similarly, if smoke should arise within the locomotive, it will be conducted to the smoke compartment from the collectors l3 so as to cause operation of the signals. After the signals have been noted, the Sensitrol may be reset by closing either of the switches 52 and 53.

Should the locomotive be moving rearwardly with smoke beneath the locomotive, the smoke will be picked up by the collectors 6 and I, and thereupon the signals will be operated as hereinbefore described. Similarly, smoke accumulating in the battery boxes II will be conducted to the.

detector G so as to cause operation of the signals.

In Figures 10 and 11 is illustrated a modification of the system Which in general is the same as that heretofore described, but includes a device for reducing the effect of suction on the rearwardly facing collectors when the locomotive is moving forwardly and vice versa. As shown, this system includes the collectors 66 and 51 that correspond to the collectors 2 and 3, and collectors 6B and 69 that correspond to the collectors 6 and l. The collectors 65 and 61 are connected to the manifold pipe 10 which corresponds to the pipe 4, while the collectors 68 and 69 are connected to a manifold pipe H which corresponds to the pipe 8. 1

The manifold pipes Ill and H are connected to a valve casing 12 at opposite Sides of a valve plate or vane '53 that is pivotally mounted at one end in the casing 12 on a shaft 14, so that swinging of the vane in either direction will contact with and close the end of one of the pipes H3 or H. Smoke is conducted into the casin '52 from the collectors and is conducted from said casing to the filter and fan through a pipe 15. The vane or plate 13 is actuated-by air currents incident to movement of the locomotive. As shown, the shaft 14 projects from the casing l2 transversely of a tube 15 and has connected thereto one end of a vane 11 so that the latter may swing in said tube in either direction under the influence of air currents generated by movement of the locomotive.

With this construction, when the locomotive ismoving in one direction, the vane 11 will actuatethe valve plate 13 to close the one of the pipes Hi and H through which otherwise suction would be created in the casing 12. In other words, when the locomotive is moving forwardly or to the left in Figure 10, the pipe II will be closed to prevent the rearwardly facing collectors from creating suction in the casing 12, while when the locomotive is traveling backwardly, the pipe 18 will be closed to prevent creation of suction on the casing 52 by the forwardly facing collectors. I

A modification of the invention is shown in Figure 12, where the vane 11 is omitted and the valve plate 18 is actuated at will to close either of the pipes 10 or H. As shown an electromagnet I9 is mounted on the casing which corresponds to the casing 72 at each of opposite sides of the valve plate 28 which corresponds to the plate 13, and the coils of said magnets are connected in parallel circuits with a source of electricity 82 and a common switch 83, so that either magnet may be energized to attract and swing the plate 8| into closing relation to either of the pipes T9 or H. Of course, if desired, the magnets 19 might be used in conjunction with the vane 77 so that at the will of the operator either pipeiB or H could be closed, regardless of the air currents developed as the result of movement of the locomotive.

It will beunders'tood by those skilled in the art that the specific construction and arrange ment of the smoke-collecting apparatus may be modified according to the conditions under which the apparatus is "to be used, and in some cases it may be preferable to .use perforated pipes as the collectors :insteadof the fan-shaped collectors C hereinbefore described. In Figure 13 of the drawings is illustrated a modified form of smokecollecting apparatus which comprises a plurality of elongate cylindrical hollow elements 84 that have :a. plurality ofapertures or openings 85, each of which is connectediby a pipe 8-6 to aheader pipe 8'! which leads to, for example, the manifold inlet pipe 15 or through some other means to the smoke detector. The collectors 84 may be located at desired points, for example as are the collectors 2 and I, or 3 and G, and with this form of collector it is not necessary that the collector face in any particular direction.

Moreover, the collectors 84 can be formed of pieces of pipe having plugged ends and the lengths and shapes of the pipes can be varied as desired to accommodate various conditions and different locations in which the apparatus is to be installed. For example, the perforated collector pipes might extend throughout the length of the locomotive and be bent to enter corners or partially enclosed spaces. The subject matter concerning the structure of the smoke detector is claimed and described in C. N. Cahusac and F. B. Allen patent application, Serial No. 74,341, filed February '3, 1949, as a continuationin-part application of Serial No. 604,892, filed July 13, 1945, now Patent No. 2,464,211.

Various other modifications and changes in the details of construction of the apparatus will occur to those skilled in the art as within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it will also be understood that the apparatus may be utilized in conjunction with other types of vehicles or machines than the diesel locomotive herein specifically mentioned.

Having thus described the invention, What we claim is:

l. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternatively in the forward or in thereverse direction, the vehicle having at least one wheeled truck, the smoke detecting system comprising a smoke detector, a collector at each end of the truck and facing the truck, smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, and smoke passage obstructing means responsive to the movement of the vehicle and adapted to alternatively close the smoke passage means from either collector depending upon the direction of movement of the vehicle and operative to close the passage of the collector facing rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

2. A smoke detecting system for use on avehicle operative alternatively in the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at least one wheeled truck, the smoke detecting system comprising a smoke detector, a collector at each endof the truck and facing the truck, smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, and a valve responsive to the movement of the vehicle and adapted to alternatively close the smoke passage means from either collector depending upon the direction of movement of the vehile and operative to close the passage of the collector facing rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

3. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternatively in the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at least one Wheeled truck, the system comprising a smoke detector, a collector at each end of the truck and facing the truck, smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, and a vane operated valve normally in an open position and responsive to the movement of the vehicle and adapted to alternatively close the smoke passage means from either collector responsive to air currents induced by and in a direction depending upon the direction of movement of the vehicle, the vane-operated valveadapted to close the passage of the collector facing rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

4. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternatively in the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at least one wheeled truck, the system comprising "a smoke detector, a collector at each end "of the truck and facing the truck, smoke passagemeans for connecting each-of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, a valve casing having a pair -.of opposed inlets each in fluid communication with a collector and an outlet in fluid communication with the smoke detector, and a vane-operated valve member in the valve casing andadapted to alternatively close one or the other of the pair of opposed inlets responsive to the movement of air flowing inwardly through the forwardly facing collector and adapted to close the inlet from the rearwardly facing collector depending upon the direction of movementof the vehicle.

'5. A smoke detecting system for use on a vehicle operative alternatively in the forward or in the reverse direction, the vehicle having at least one wheeled truck, the system comprising a smoke detector, a-col-lector at each end of the truck and facing the truck, smoke passage means for connecting each of the smoke collectors to the smoke detector, a valve casing having a pair of opposed inlets each in fluid communication with a collector, and an outlet in fluid communication with the smoke detector. and a thin flat pivotally supported member positioned between the inlets and adapted to be swung alternatively to close one or the other of the inlets depending upon the direction of the vehicle so as to close the inlet of the rearward-1y facing collector, whereby only the forwardly facing collector with respect to the movement of the vehicle will be in fluid communication with the smoke detector.

CLARENCE NOEL CAHUSAC. DONALD A. DIEHL.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date 1,154,128 Rich Sept.21, 1915 1,296,499 Fether Mar. 4, 1919 1,343,911 Freygang et a1 June 22, 1920 1,755,834 Marr et 'al Apr. '22, 1930 1,828,894 Freygang Oct. 2'7, 1931 1,923,349 Wolverton Aug. 22, 1933 2033,466 Grant Mar. 10, 1936 2,118,836 Carter May 31, 1938 2,301,367 Cahusac et al Nov. 10, 1942 2,361,924 Boyn-ton Nov. 7, 1944 2,408,660 Lannge Oct. '1, 19-1-16 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,266 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1906 442,112 Germany .Mar. .23, v1927

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