The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

THE MECHANICAL DISPOSAL OF ASHES FROM STEAMERS -’35 closed by a water-tight cover. A water spray is provided to wash out and keep the hopper clean. Two further views of this apparatus are given in Figs. 326 and 327. The revolving drum under the hopper is conical, and fits like a cock into its casing. The hollow drum is supported by two bearings, and the whole consists of one casting; there is but one opening, 13, in the revolving cone, which coincides alternatively with the inlet and outlet of its casing. The chain wheely receives power from the crusher spindle. Io assist the expulsion of the ashes, compressed air is admitted into the drum by air pipe 3 and valve 2 ; this valve is opened as soon as the drum has attained the position at which the air cannot escape out of the hopper; there is a tripper, 7, on the chain wheely, which opens the valve 2 just at the right moment once in every revolution ; the air is then admitted by pipe 1 and the opening 10. At the position of the drum, as shown in Fig. 324, water is also admitted by pipe 16 and the spreaders 17 and 18, which cause a spray and prevent the creation of dust. Fig. 327 shows an outside view, from which the tripper 7 and the air valve can be better seen. In the sec- tional view, Fig. 326, the drum is shown in the position in which opening 13 is just finishing its discharge into exit 14 ; the compressed air prevents the sea from entering whilst the ashes escape ; just before opening 14 is closed again by the revolving drum, a communication with the atmosphere is formed by opening 52 and pipe 12. The hydro-pneumatic underline ash expeller is similar to the last, and a general dis- position is shown in Fig. 323. In this arrangement a stream of water, which is drawn from the sea by a centrifugal pump, is continually moving through a discharge pipe which passes underneath the expeller. The ashes and other re- fuse are shovelled into a crushing hopper, whence they pass into a double-ported revolving drum, similar to Figs. 326 and 3'27. Details of Crusher and Drum of Stone’s Ash Expeller. that above described, which alternately presents its openings to the hopper and to the moving stream of water beneath, so that the ashes are caught by the stream and carried, not overboard, but several feet clear of the ship’s side, or bottom, according to the place from which they are discharged. Both the air compressor and the centrifugal pump are coupled to a two-crank, single- cylinder steam engine, which is also used for driving the crusher and the revolving drum. The ash discharge pipe may be either vertically downwards through the bottom of the ship, horizontally through the side, or inclined at an angle as shown in Fig. 323. Both types of underline ash expellers are fitted with knife blades at the drum and its casing, to shear off any material which might find its way between the working surfaces ; as well as with a safety action, by which the entry of extra hard material causes the breakage of a small safety pin and stops the machine. Upon the shearing of this pin the steam-driven compressor is immediately stopped by an automatic arrangement, which makes a steam governor unnecessary. These pins are easily replaceable, and a number are carried as spare parts.