GB1562592A - Tank cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(54) TANK CLEANING APPARATUS (71) We, C.P. EQUIPMENT LIMITED, a British Company of Mill Green Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 4XH, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to tank cleaning apparatus and reference is directed to our copending Application No. 52828/75 Serial No. 1562591 from which this application is divided.

It has been proposed to spray objects, and in particular the insides of tanks, by means of a spray head of the type comprising a hollow tubular ring, into which the spraying liquid enters from a preferably centrally disposed pipe, the liquid passing from the ring at a plurality of points around the circumference thereof, through connecting tubes into noz zles in the form of balls. The liquid is sprayed from holes in the spray balls, which are located beneath the ring.

A tank cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a feed pipe, a plurality of nozzles connected to the feed pipe, each nozzle being mounted on an upwardly extending stem including a nozzle feed conduit, each nozzle being provided with spray outlets directed upwardly and at least downwardly, the downwardly directed outlets being directed so as to clean the stem.

This arrangement of the apparatus, wherein the nozzles are located above the ring, has considerable advantages. It pro vides a simple means of cleaning the top of the ring, which cleaning would otherwise present difficulties. The bottom of the ring is cleaned by liquid landing on the ring and flowing downwardly to the lowest point on the ring. Any particles in the inside of the spraying apparatus may tend to stick across and block holes in the nozzles, but once the liquid flow is stopped, these particles will fall back into the ring. Also, the nozzles are selfdraining; after liquid flow is stopped, the liquid will not continue to drip from the nozzles, as in prior arrangements wherein the nozzles are situated below the ring.

The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a spray head in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the spray head of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a spray head in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is a cross-section through a nozzle in accordance with a further feature of the invention.

Figure 5 is a cross-section through part of another nozzle in accordance with the further feature of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 a spray head generally indicated at 2 is situated inside a tank 4, the interior wall 6 of which is to be cleaned. The spray apparatus 2 comprises a hollow tubular ring 8 connected by radial pipes 9 to a centrally disposed inlet conduit in the form of feed pipe 10, which is connected to a source (not shown) of liquid under pressure.

Upwardly extending tubes 12 are situated at points around the circumference of ring 8, and these are connected for liquid flow between the interior of ring 8 and nozzles in the form of spray heads 14 situated on the tops of tubes 12.

Each spray head 14 is hollow and has a wall thickness of about 0.25". The liquid entering the spray heads as indicated at 16.

The broken lines indicate the position of spray heads 14 on previously proposed spray apparatus. It will be appreciated that, unlike in the present arrangement of the spray heads, the upper part of the ring 8 was difficult to clean and also dripping would occur from the holes in spray heads 14 once the spraying was finished. Now, however, the top of the ring 8 is cleaned by liquid falling onto it after being sprayed by the spray heads 14, and the bottom by liquid flowing down from the top of the ring 8.

The spray apparatus 2 is rotatably mounted on swivel coupling 18, and the spraying may be made more efficient by rotating the ring on this coupling about its axis as indicated by arrow A in Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a spray apparatus. This spray apparatus is generally similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 and like parts are given like reference numbers. In this case, the spray apparatus mounted, and, to simplify the design, feed pipe 10 is connected directly to ring 8, no radial pipes 9 being required.

Figure 4 shows a nozzle, in accordance with the invention, in the form of spherical spray head 20 having an inlet 22 for receiving a connecting tube 24. The spherical spray head 20 is formed in two parts 26 and 28, each being generally in the shape of a hollow hemisphere and having a wall thickness of about 0.25".

The part 26 has a flange 30 extending around the inner edge of its open end, and the part 28 has a flange 32 extending around the outer edge of its open end, so that the parts may be interconnected with the flanges 30 and 32 in concentric relationship and the open ends of the parts 26 and 28 abutting.

The parts are held in this position by a split pin 34 extending through aligned connecting holes 36 and 38in the parts 26 and 28 respectively.

The parts have a number of holes, such as that indicated at 40, through which liquid is sprayed, the holes having tapered inner ends 42 so as to produce a more forceful jet.

The upper surface of part 26, around the inlet 22, is machined to obtain a landing 44, and vertical holes 46 are drilled so that liquid sprayed therefrom is effective to clean the connecting tube 24.

The spray holes (not shown) in part 28 of the spherical spray head 20 may be asymmetrically arranged so that the part 28 may be removed from the part 26, turned through 1800 about a vertical axis, and re-connected so as to obtain a different spray pattern.

A number of different parts 28 are provided, all the parts 28 being interchangeable.

Figure 5 shows a spray head 20 with a part 28 having a planar lower surface 48 having spray holes (not shown) which produce a different spray pattern from the part 28 of Figure 4.

If desired, the spray head may be formed in more than two parts, means being provided to connect all the parts together.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Tank cleaning apparatus comprising a feed pipe, a plurality of nozzles connected to the feed pipe, each nozzle being mounted on an upwardly extending stem including a nozzle feed conduit, each nozzle being provided with spray outlets directed upwardly and downwardly, the downwardly directed outlets being directed so as to clean the stem.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feed pipe is centrally disposed of the nozzles, the nozzles being mounted on their stems on a ring including a conduit connecting the nozzles to the feed pipe.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the ring is rotatably connected to the feed pipe.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. spraying was finished. Now, however, the top of the ring 8 is cleaned by liquid falling onto it after being sprayed by the spray heads 14, and the bottom by liquid flowing down from the top of the ring 8. The spray apparatus 2 is rotatably mounted on swivel coupling 18, and the spraying may be made more efficient by rotating the ring on this coupling about its axis as indicated by arrow A in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a spray apparatus. This spray apparatus is generally similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 and like parts are given like reference numbers. In this case, the spray apparatus mounted, and, to simplify the design, feed pipe 10 is connected directly to ring 8, no radial pipes 9 being required. Figure 4 shows a nozzle, in accordance with the invention, in the form of spherical spray head 20 having an inlet 22 for receiving a connecting tube 24. The spherical spray head 20 is formed in two parts 26 and 28, each being generally in the shape of a hollow hemisphere and having a wall thickness of about 0.25". The part 26 has a flange 30 extending around the inner edge of its open end, and the part 28 has a flange 32 extending around the outer edge of its open end, so that the parts may be interconnected with the flanges 30 and 32 in concentric relationship and the open ends of the parts 26 and 28 abutting. The parts are held in this position by a split pin 34 extending through aligned connecting holes 36 and 38in the parts 26 and 28 respectively. The parts have a number of holes, such as that indicated at 40, through which liquid is sprayed, the holes having tapered inner ends 42 so as to produce a more forceful jet. The upper surface of part 26, around the inlet 22, is machined to obtain a landing 44, and vertical holes 46 are drilled so that liquid sprayed therefrom is effective to clean the connecting tube 24. The spray holes (not shown) in part 28 of the spherical spray head 20 may be asymmetrically arranged so that the part 28 may be removed from the part 26, turned through 1800 about a vertical axis, and re-connected so as to obtain a different spray pattern. A number of different parts 28 are provided, all the parts 28 being interchangeable. Figure 5 shows a spray head 20 with a part 28 having a planar lower surface 48 having spray holes (not shown) which produce a different spray pattern from the part 28 of Figure 4. If desired, the spray head may be formed in more than two parts, means being provided to connect all the parts together. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Tank cleaning apparatus comprising a feed pipe, a plurality of nozzles connected to the feed pipe, each nozzle being mounted on an upwardly extending stem including a nozzle feed conduit, each nozzle being provided with spray outlets directed upwardly and downwardly, the downwardly directed outlets being directed so as to clean the stem.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the feed pipe is centrally disposed of the nozzles, the nozzles being mounted on their stems on a ring including a conduit connecting the nozzles to the feed pipe.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the ring is rotatably connected to the feed pipe.