The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

THE MECHANICAL DISPOSAL OF ASHES FROM STEAMERS 241 If the water jet of the expeller should be stopped purposely or accidentally whilst the ship’s side valve is still open, the seas entering the discharge pipe would enter also the cone opening G H, and act upon the larger area of the ram and so immediately close any communication between the sea and the stokehold. The ashes which have been admitted into the chamber c are expelled immediately by the jet from nozzle f into the sea. Cone opening G, being the only part exposed to more than ordinary wear and tear, is interchangeable. At the end of the ram a valve is formed for dosing the exit from the base of the hopper b ; there is also a scraper provided for the purpose of cleaning the seat of the valve, preparatory to its finally closing, and a stream of water, issuing from a point immediately above the valves, swills away any ashes which may adhere to the valve or its seat. The working of the expeller is noiseless, continuous, and automatic. The horse power expended in working one of these is 30 brake H.P., when expelling ashes at the rate of 10 tons per hour. The “ Mauretania ” was the first vessel fitted with such an installation, and at the trial as many as four barrows of ashes were expelled in one minute. The “ Aquitania ” is being fitted with seven of these expellers, and four of the new Iron Duke class of battleships are fitted with three each. This expeller is the outcome of many experi- ments which have been conducted by Messrs Stone during the last three years. 16