US1068292A - Tube-cleaner. - Google Patents

Description

T. ANDREWS.

TUBE GLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1900.

Patented July 22, 1913.

UNTTE STATES PATENT Ol l lttl l.

THOMAS ANDREWS, OF ROCKAWAY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMAS ANDREWS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ROGKAWAY, NEW JERSEY, A (JOB- IDRATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TUBE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1913.

Application filed .Iu1y 8, 1908. Serial No. 442,481.

To all who 17bit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roclraway in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Tube-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in tube cleaners and has particular reference to an apparatus for cleaning scale and other corr-oding elements from the interior walls of boiler tubes and the like.

The apparatus is constructed to receive a motive agent preferably in the form of high or low pressure air or steam but may have utilized in connection with the operative parts thereof a motive agent in the form of water and other fluids.

In the following is described in connection with the accompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention, the features thereof being more particularly pointed out hereinafter in the claim.

Tn the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view' of the apparatus, parts being shown in elevation to more clearly illustrate the invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line rl..B of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several. views.

In the drawings 1 designates the body of the casing having formed therein an eccentric bore indicated at 2 forming at that point a fluid chamber 3. Said casing 1 has formed on one end thereof a threaded nipple 4 adapted to receive a head 5, said head 5 having formed thereon a threaded nipple 6 adapted to receive a coupling-head or pipe 7 which in turn communicates with any suitable source of fluid supply. The other end of said casing 1 has formed thereon an extended reduced portion 8 adapted to receive one end of a hollow shaft 9, which has a bearing in the ends of the casing 1. The said shaft 9 has slidably mounted therein a rod 12. The inner end of said rod 12 passes through the head 5 and has rigidly mounted thereon a shutolf disk 13 held ad justably in place on said rod 12 by means of the lock-nut 1 1.

The shaft 9 has mounted thereon a rotary driving-head 15 extending the full length of said fluid-receiving chamber 3. Said rotary driving-head 15 has mounted therein valves 16 mounted in recesses 1'? formed in said rotary head. One end of said valves 16 is provided with enlarged portions 18 which taper toward the other end so that the outer surfaces 19 of said valves conform to the outer periphery of the rotary driving head providing at that point a surface that will readily contact with the interior surface of chamber 3. The inner surfaces 20 of said valves 16 are formed in such a manner so that when said valves 16 are seated there will he a small fluid-receiving slot 21 formed between the smaller end of said valve in the head forming a passageway for the motive fluid. The fluid-receiving head 5 has formed therein a port or passageway 22 adapted to convey the motive agent from the pipe connection through port to by-ports 24: which in turn communicate with fluid-receiving slot 21 formed between said rotary head 15 and valves 16. The casing 1 has also formed at its outer end a recess 25 having mounted therein a plunger-head 26 held normally closed by means of a. spring 2'1. Said recess 25 com-- municates with shaft 9 at 28, providing at that point means for supplying the operative parts of the apparatus with a lul'iricant. The fluid-receiving port 22, described above as being formed in fluid-receiving head 5, is formed in said fluid-receiving head in such a manner so that the outer opening thereof at 29 is adapted to be covered or closed by the shut-off disk 13.

The rod 12 has mounted thereon at its outer end a plunger 31 suitably mounted in a chamber 32 formed. in the body portion of rotary supporting-l1ead 33 and connected or integral with shaft 15. Said rotary supporting-head 33 has pivotally mounted therein, as at 34k, arms 35 provided a t their outer ends with means for receiving pins or studs 36 carrying a plurality of cutters 37. The pins or studs 36 have formed on their outer ends tz'i iering heads 38 and at their inner ends or the end engaging said arms 35 a loclcnut 39 adapted to assist in holding said cutters 37 in place on said pins or studs 36. Plunger 31 has mounted thereon a head 410 having pivotally mounted therein, as at 1-1, links 12 which are in turn pivotally connected as at 43, to lugs 4+1; cast with or formed on said arms 85. Said shaft 9 has formed therein a fluid passage way 45 adapted to convey the motive agent from the source of supply to chamber 32, in said rotary supporting-head The casing 1 has formed therein an ex haust port 16 communicating with expansion chamber 3 at the lower edge of said expansion chamber, as at. 47, which conveys the exhaust fluid to exhaust port 48, which in. turn conveys said exhaust air to atmosphere through the outer end of said casing 1, as at 49. In order to assist the exhausting of expansion chamber 3, an auxiliary exhaust port is provided communicating with expansion chamber 3 by means of byports 51. The exhaust air as conveyed through said port 50 is also carried to the atmosphere through the outer end of said casing l. The rotary action of the apparatus cannot be started until the cleaner arms are swung inwardly sufficient to move the rod 12 and disk 13 and thereby to open the port 22.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows. A fluid under pressure is received from any suitable source of supply (said source of supply is not shown in connection with the accompanying drawings) by fluidreceiving head 5, whence said fluid is conveyed through port 2 to feed port 23 through by-ports 24 to receiving-groove 21 formed between said rotary core 15 and valve 16. Said live fluid as received by said rotary head will instantaneously cause the rotary driving-head to rotate, which gradually increases in speed by means of the expansion of said live fluid in said expansion chamber 3. Immediately upon the rotation of said rotary driving-head the shaft 9 will be driven which in turn causes the drivinghead 33 to rotate at the same rate of speed and the cutters 37, carried by arms 35 and lugs 36, to engage the interior walls of a tube and remove the scale or corroding element therefrom. The exhaust fluid will assist in removing the scale, etc., from the interior of a tube after it has been displaced by said cutters. In case the interior diameter of a tube should by chance be larger than the main body of the tube, or the velocity of the driving-head too great, the fluid, as conveyed from the source of supply through air passageway 4-5 to chamber 32, will cause the arms 35 carrying the cutting-heads, to swing outwardly and draw rod 12 longitudinally of the apparatus and cause shut-0ft disk 13 to cover the mouth 29 of the live fluid port 22 and automatically stop the rotation of the motor. The automatic shut-off described as being associated with said rotating mechanism provides spe cific means of preventing any possible rupture to the tube, also any possible dislocation of the operative parts of the apparatus.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A device of the character described comprising a hollow casin having a port in one end communicating with the interior thereof, a driving head in said casing having a valve adapted to either open or close said port within said casing, a hollow shaft having bearings within said driving head and provided at its front end with a head having a chamber therein, a plunger in said chamber having a rod connected therewith and extending through said hollow shaft, arms pivotally connected to said hollow shaft head, links pivotally connected to said arms and plunger, a coupling connected to said casing and forming a chamber at one end thereof, and a disk connected with sait rod adapted to close the port of said casing within said last mentioned chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS ANDREWS.

Witnesses JOHN R. Hannor, DAVID L. lVALsH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Illommissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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