Definitions for "Smokebox"
Keywords:  boiler, chimney, gasses, exhaust, blast
Literally the box the smoke comes from. The front of a typical steam locomotive boiler is fitted with a box to collect ash and assist the drafting of the boiler. By routing the exhaust steam from the cylinders through a blast pipe within the smokebox and directing the resulting jet out the chimney a partial vacuum is created in the smokebox. This vacuum draws the hot gasses from the fire through the boiler tubes thus heating the boiler water more rapidly and producing more steam to replace that used.
Literally the box collecting the smoke from the fire. By routing the exhaust steam from the cylinders through a blast pipe within the smokebox and directing the resulting jet out the chimney a partial vacuum is created in the smokebox, and by making it as large as possible a more even draught is created over the area of the tubes. This vacuum draws the hot gasses from the fire through the boiler tubes thus heating the boiler water more rapidly and producing more steam to replace that used.
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a steam locomotive. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney (or funnel).