US1455645A - Flexible stay-bolt construction - Google Patents

Description

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L45545 R. s. MENNIE FLEXIBLE STAY BOLT CONSTRUCTION' Filed Aug. 4, 1919 atented llfiay 15, 1923.

' ROBERT S. vENNl-E, OF CHICAGO, ILLNGIS.

FLXBLE STAY-BOLT COSTRUCTION.

Application filed August A To all whom z'z may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. MENNIE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Flexible Stay- Bovlt Constructions, of which the following is a s'pecilication.` l j My invention relates to improvements in staybolts, such as arel used, for example, in locomotive boilers. Y

In such boilers there is a certain relative movement between the wall ot the tire box and the boiler wall, these walls being known as the inner and outer sheets respectively. Said walls are not only held at a lined distance from leach other 'by the staybolts against the steam pressure which tends to force them apart, but said staybolts must also permit this slight `relative movement without substantial leakage of steam. To moet `these requirements, vsoo-called 'flexible stayb'olts have been used heretofore, the outer ends of which were enlarged to cooperate with a sleeve, forming in eii'ect a ball and socket joint, thereby permitting the ynecessary freedom of movement at that end or" the staybolt.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved staybolt connection which is in fact flexible, i. e., means being provided whereby relative movement of each end of the staybolt is permitted with reference to the adjacent sheet. Another object is to provide a exible staybolt of this character so devised as to permit the steam to blow outwardly when the staybolt breaks instead of inwardly into the firebox,

therebygiving an indication of the breakage which is more readily observed.

, A further object is to provide a staybolt having a sealed or steam-tight `connection between the same and the adjacent sheet, at the same time permitting the desired tienibility between the two. y

Other objects andadvantages will be aparent from the following description directed to three embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. l Figure 1 is a section through the outer and inner sheets, showing the staybolt in side elevation, oneend of the staybolt havinga cap providinga flexible but tight connection at that end only;

Serial No.' 315,178.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a staybolt lvided with a ienible sleeve; v

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a staybolt with means providing a i'lexible connection with these sheets at each end. y

The staybolt 1G shown in Fig. 1 may be ot any suitable outline, being provided with an enlarged head 11, preferably spherical in part, which cooperates with a correspond,- ingly shaped seat formed in the opening 12 in the outer sheet 13, through which `said staybolt passes. rl`he head and the seatrfor'm a ball and socket joint,A permitting movement of said staybolt through a considerable angle with reference to the plane of said sheet. rlhe other end ot said staybolt in this case is shown in the conventional forni heretofore used, having a screw-threaded portion 14 passing through a screw-threaded opening in the inner sheet 15, `the projecting end ot said staybolt being upset to form a head 16, thereby forming a substanti'ally steam-tight joint and practically a rigid connect-ion between said staybolt and said sheet. The outer end oiu said lstaybolt is provided with an opening 17 extending at least `as far as the point where staybolts usually break, said breakage ordinarily/occurring near the outer end thereof. .Said opening may extend, however, nearly to the end ot said bolt, or throughout the entire length thereof.

The outer endet the opening 17 ,is enlarged to form a recess 1S which ispreferably non-circular whereby a tool may be inserted and used to rotate the staybolt to screw the inner end thereof' through the in-l ner sheet when the staybolt is first put in place. p e

To prevent the escape of steam by leakage through the ball and socket joint, the outer end thereot7 is secured by a suitable cap or housing which in the present instance is shown in the torni oi an annular channel member 19 preferably stamped or pressed from sheet metal and having its outer flange abutting against the outer wall 0i' the outer sheet 13,l the inner flange thereof abutting against the outer surface of the staybolt. Said outer flange is preferably welded to said sheet 13 as shownat 20, and the inner flange is welded to the staybolt head as shown at 21, this ,welding being` preferably autogenous welding,` being` readily accomplished by means ot 'an elecprolli)

` f tric arc struck between the work and a vmetallic electrode held in the hand of the operator. These welded joints are steamtight, the metal of the respective parts be? 'danger to the welded joints. Said cap being annular in this case provides a central opening in communication with the opening 17 in the staybolt, whereby if the staybolt should break near the outer end thereof, steam will blow out through the opening 17 and through the central opening in the cap, and leaking through the magnesia lagging or insulating covering on the outsidel of the boiler wall (not shown) will give a clear indication of the leak, which may be readily located by' removing some of'said lagging. lIn renewing the staybolt, the cap 19 may be readily chipped off, the broken pieces of the staybolt removed, a newstaybolt substituted, and a newcap welded in place.

Inl Figure 2 the staybolt 10 may be assumed to be similar to that shown in Figure 1, withvor without the central opening. The ball and socket joint in this instance is formed'by the, head 11 and a sleeve 22,v the opening 23 through which said sleeve passesv being larger than in the rst instance. Said opening is preferably tapered and receivesthecorrespondingly tapered or conical outer end of said sleeve, the outer edge ofl which is welded to the outer wall at 24. The `outer'surface of saidslecvemay be made flush with the outer surface of the sheet 13 if desired. The inner` end of said sleeve is preferably corrugated or otherwise formed to make ,Y it Ymore exible and is welded to the ,shank ofthe staybolt at 25. The diameter of the corrugated portions is less than ythe minimum diameter of the opening 23, whereby said sleeve vmay be welded to said staybolt before being passed through said opening. The inner end of said staybolt is screwed into the opening in the inner sheet 15 before the sleeve is welded to the outer sheet.

The staybolt shown in Figures land 2 is thus provided with a flexible steam-tight connection with the outer sheet 13. As a result, relative movement of the sheets in substantially parallel planes results in distorting the -inner sheet, which is of thinner metal than the outer sheet, whereby said inner' sheet tends to assume a somewhat wavy form in cross section, although the actual distortion is of course 'very slight. Stresses are set up, however, which tend to rupture said sheet, and stresses are also set upl in thel staybolts ywhich vtend to break the same, and considerable diiiculty withv such breakage is encountered in practice. Furthermore, the upsetting or heading of the innerpend 1,6 of said staybolts tends to crystallize the metal if ordinary mild steel is used, yas a resultof which it is necessary to make the staybolts of amore expensive, high-grade iron.

To overcome .these defects, l have shown in Figurer? a staybolt which has a flexible' connection with'the boiler` walls at each end thereof. As a result ofV thisarrangement, bending stresses in the staybolt are-practically elin'iinatedyand l' am therefore enabled .tofuse a stayboltv of ordinary mild steelk or similar metal and f also lto reduce the diameter of the staybolt, thusefl'ecting a substantial economy. Said staybolt 26 is provided with an enlarged head 27, which in this case is shown as forming a flexible connection at the inner lsheet instead of at the outer'sheet'. Said head Vengages a sleeve 28 substantially the same as that previously described, said sleeve being welded at L29 to said innersheet and at 30 to said stayboltashank. Said staybolt may be of hollow construction under certainv conditions, lthe Vopening 31 therein communicating with "the fire box in this instance instead of with the outer air. The opposite endof said staybolt is screw threaded at 32 and'carries a nut 33 having a spherical Zone which fits in a 'seat in a sleeve 34, the latter being screw threaded into an opening in the outer sheet. Said sleeveis provided with a removable screw-threaded cap 35,providing ya steamtight connection. j y c It will be'seen'that a ball and socket joint is provided at each end -of thev staybolt whereby perfect freedom of movementl of the outer and inner sheets in parallel planes is permitted, said sheets being held against 7 separation by vthe said staybolt. If said `staybolt breaks, Vsteam blows into the fire box and may be observed when the latter isinspectedat the end of a run. However,

with the flexible connections asy described',

there" is much less' likelihood of breakage.

It will be noted that this forrn of staybolt may be assembled without hammering,

whereby initial crystallizationfis avoided.

It is necessary to assemble thevstaybolt from within the firebox, as experience shows that it is not desirable or practical lto have the end of the, staybolt or adjuncts, such as sleeves, caps, etc., projecting inwardlyl be# yond the irebox wall 15. For this reason it is desirable to have the inner end 'of the staybolt substantially flush with' the rebox wall as inFigures 1 and 2, the same desirable result being 4obtained in Figure 3 also, in which a flexible steam-tight connection is provided. There isl less objectioni'to a projecting sleeve or lcap at the outer end ofthe stayboltgas there is no danger of said projection burning off as would happen ,if it iso were at the inner end of said bolt. The ball and socket arrangement provided at the outer endof the staybolt shown in Figure 3 is simply a conventional device.

Itis to be understood, however, that a welded sleeve may be used in this case also, either in the form shown in Figures l and 2 or in-various other forms. In fact, various changes and modificationsA maybe made in the forms of invention described herein, which forms are selected for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended to exclude such other modications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with the outer and inner sheets of a boiler having alined openings therein, of a staybolt passing through said openings, and having an enlarged head at its inner end, said head having a spherical -zone cooperating .with a correspondingly s shaped seat to provide a ball and socket joint, the end of said staybolt being substantially Hush with the inner surface of said inner sheet, the opposite end of said bolt being provided with a member having also a spherical zone cooperating with a corresponding seat to form a second ball and socket joint whereby angular movement of' each of said sheets with reference to the staybolt is permitted.

2. In a staybolt construction, the combination with a boiler wall having. an opening therein, of a staybolt passing through said opening having an enlarged head, a circular member arranged concentric with the axis of said staybolt and having a flexible portion, said member being welded at one edge to said boiler wall and at another edge to said staybolt, said Welded portions forming complete circles and providing steam-tight connections.

3. The combination with a boiler wall having an opening therein, of a staybolt having a diameter less than that of said opening and passing therethrough, `an enlarged head for said staybolt, and a sleeve litting said opening and arranged between said head and said wall, the outer end of said sleeve being welded to saidwall and the inner end thereof being welded to said staybolt, said sleeve having a corrugated portion surrounding the shank of said staybolt and of a diameter less than that of said opening to permit assembly.

4. The combination with a boiler Wall having a tapering opening therein, of a metallic sleeve having a tapering end fitting said opening, a staybolt passing through said sleeve and having a spherical head litting a corresponding seat in said sleeve to provide a ball and socket joint, a portion of said sleeve surrounding the shank of said staybolt and being corrugated to render the same more flexible, one part of said sleeve being Welded to said staybolt shank, and another part thereof being welded to said wall to provide a flexible steam-tight connection.

5. In a staybolt construction, the combination with a boiler wall of a staybolt having a rounded end portion, means providing a -seat for said end portion to form a flexible joint, thereby permitting angular movement of said bolt with respect to said wall, and a third member integrally united to said movable staybolt and to the adjacent portion of the stationary structure.

6. The combination with a boiler Wall having an opening therein, of a staybolt having a diameter less than that of said opening and passing therethrough, an enlarged head for said staybolt, and a sleeve fitting said opening and arranged between said head and said wall, the outer end of said sleeve being secured to said Wall and the inner end thereof being secured to said staybolt to form a steam-tight joint.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

ROBERT S. IVIEIDTIE.

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