US1339098A - Duplex-acting percussive boiler-tube cleaner - Google Patents

Description

W. BURLINGHAM.

DUPLEX'ACTING PERCUSSIVE BOILER TUBE CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED 001215. 1915.

1,339,098. I v Patented May 4,1920.

\ INVENTOR WITNESSES b 1 I ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BP'RLINGHAM, 0F NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO ENGINEERING PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIR- GINIA.

DUPLEX-ACTING PERCUSSIVE BOILER-TUBE CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

Application filed October 15, 1915. Serial No. 56,003.

7 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BURLING- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport News, county of Warwick, State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Duplex-Acting Percussive Boiler- Tube Cleaner, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a novel construction of a percussive boiler tube or flue cleaner, wherein a plurality of independent or removable cutting devices or blades are adapted to be not only simultaneously radially spread or rapidly vibrated but also reciprocated within a tube or fine, to loosen and remove deposits of scale from the inner or outer surfaces thereof, said blades being carried by resilient shanks adapted to extend substantially the entire length of the body or barrel of the tool and being held in assembled position by suitable means whereby in case of breakage any one of said placed.

It further consists of novel means for constantly admitting fluid pressure to a suitable portion of my novel device, whereby the reoiprocations of the hammering piston will efiect not only a radial spreading of the cutting blades but owing to the constant live air pressure upon an auxiliary piston which serves as a support or carrier for said blades, the latter will have not only a radial outward movement but also a simultaneous longitudinal reciprocatory movement. It further consists of a novel construc-, tion of a piston or carrier for the fixed ends of the spring arms which carry the radial blades or cutters, said carrier being so disposed and collocated with respect to the blades and the live air inlet supply, that there is a constant pressure of live air upon said piston or carrier, whereby the blades or cutters will have imparted simultaneously thereto and to said carrier a reciprocatory movement at the same time that they are radially expanded.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the var ous lnstrumentalities of which my inventlon consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limlted to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sect1on, partly in elevation, of a duplex percussive tube or flue cleaner embodying my lnventlon.

Fig. 2 represents a section on line w-w Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of one of the cutters and its resilient arm in detached position.

Fig. 4. represents an end elevation of the right-hand end of my novel device seen in Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates my novel construction of duplex acting percussive tube or flue cleaner, the same comprising a cylinder or barrel 2, which is open at its rear end and provided with the chamber 3 for the piston or carrier 4:, which is provided with a groove 5 and a head 6, said groove 5 receiving the offset or inturned ends 7 of the resilient members or shanks 8, which are provided with the terminal cutters or blades 9, the outer surfaces 10 of the latter terminating in the cutting edge 11, which is adapted when rapidly vibrated to contact with and loosen and dislodge the scale 12 on the inner surface of the tube or flue 13. The inner juxtaposed edges 1.4 of the blades or cutters 9 are inclined or converge outwardly substantially asseen in Fig. 1, their angle of inclination conforming substantially to the conical end 15 of the piston 16 which reciprocates in the piston chamber 17, the latter being of larger diameter than said piston, which fits easily the bore 18 which is of lesser diameter than the piston chamber, the latter being slightly larger than the head 19 at the rear of said piston 16, the shoulder 20 limiting the forward movement of said piston.

21 designates a partition or plug intermediate the chambers 23 and 17. In order to conveniently introduce the motive fluid, as compressed air, into the implement, I secure the plug 22 in the rear of the barrel 2 by any suitable means, the outer end or extension thereof being threaded, as at'23, and having the inlet duct 24, which leads to the passage 25, which extends longitudinally of the barrel and is provided with the inlet port 26, through which live air is constantly introduced into the piston chamber 3, so as to tend to move the piston or carrier 1 and its adjuncts constantly to the left.

27 designates another inlet port located near the shoulder 20, whereby live air is illtroduced into the piston chamber 17 and when the parts are in the position seen in Fig. 1, live air will flow through the ports 28 into the piston chamber 29 and will tend to force the piston 16 forwardly or to the right. After the piston has moved to the right so that the ports 28 are in position beyond the end 30 of the barrel 21, to permit of exhaust from said piston chamber, the preponderance of motive fluid pressure upon the shoulder 31 will tend tomove the piston to the left again into the position seen in Fig. 1. This cycle of operation to effect the reciprocations of the piston will be familiar to those skilled in the art and need not be described in further detail. The cylinder or barrel 2 is provided with slots 82 in which the offset ends 7 of the spring arms 8 have their bearings and said ends are seated in the groove 5'of the piston 4c, the walls of said groove serving to retain said ends 7 in position, so that they reciprocate in unison with the movements of said piston, said ends 7 being held in said groove by the ring or similar locking device 33, which is sprung or secured upon the seats or recesses 34: formed near the junction of the arms 7 and 8, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3. The plug 22 after being screwedor otherwise secured in the barrel 2 is held in position by the washer 35 and nut 36 or other suitable fastening devices.

The operation is as follows The live motive fluid having been intro duced into the passage as will simultaneously flow through the port 26 into the chamber 3 and will normally tend to retain the carrier piston 4: in its left-hand position seen in' Fig. 1, it being apparent that live motive fluid simultaneously flowing through the port 27 will when the parts are in the position seen in Fig. 1 fill the hollow piston chamber 29, and by reason of the diflerential pressure areas, will force the hammering piston 16 forwardly or to the right, whereupon the contact of the conical end 15 with the converging walls 1a of the blades or cutters 9 will cause the same to be rapidly vibrated in a radial or outward direction,

' whereby the contact of the scale removing portions 10 and 11 with the scale 12 will cause the said scale to be removed from the interior of the boiler tube. \Vhen the piston 16 has reached its extreme forward or righthand position, the exhaust is permitted through the ports 28, whereupon the pressure of the motive fluid entering through the port 27 against the shoulder 31 of the head 19 will cause the piston toagain assume the position seen in Fig. 1, it being apparent that by reason of the constant live motive fluid pressure upon the carrier piston 4 which is permitted through the ports 26,

that there will be imparted not only a rapid V vibratory or radial movement to the cutting blades 9, but there will also be imparted thereto a longitudinal reciprocatory movement whereby the efficiency of the device is greatly increased.

t will be further apparent that by reason of the constant live motive fluid pressure which is always entering through the port 26, the tendency will be to move the carrier piston 4C normally to the left. This tendency will be overrome by the impact of the fo'r- I ward end 15 of the piston 16 against the blades 9, it being apparent that when said piston in its forward movement contacts with said blades, the latter will be moved intermittently forward and expanded, and by reason of the constant pressure entering through the port 26, the carrier piston 4c will always have a tendency to move rearwardly or to the left, carrying with it the shanks 8 of the cutters and theiradjuncts,

control the reciprocations of the hammering piston by means of a valve of any suitable construction. The exhaust which place from the ports 28 will blow into the boiler tube or fine and remove the chipped scale or deposit at the end of the same. As

takes 7 the entire tool is comparatively short, it can be employed in fines of considerable curvature and the cutting blades will strike very rapid and short blows upon the deposits, disintegrate the same and knock them from the exterior or interior of the tube or fine, as is evident.

If desired, my device can be employed to remove external scale or deposits from a tube or flue, the same being dislodged by the impact of the blades 9' upon the 'inside'of the flue, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The spring shanks 8 of the vibrating cutting impact blades are of sufiicient resiliency to cause the blades to spring inwardly to ward the axis of the tool when the tapering end of the rapidly reciprocating piston or plunger is returned from between their converging walls, and as the spaces between the outer portions of the blades are proportionately wide, there is provided sufficient room for the detritus removed from the interior of the flue to be easily blown out therefrom by the exhaust through the ports 28.

In case the blades, their shanks or their offset ends 7 break or lose their elasticity, the same can be readily removed by withdrawing the retaining ring or looking device 33 therefrom, so that any one or all of the resiliently supported hammering blades are readily accessible and can be removed and replaced without dismantling or disturbing any of the other elements of the device.

The parts can be readily assembled or disconnected upon the removal of the plug 22, whereupon the carrier piston 4 can be with drawn and the partition or plug 21 removed, whereupon the piston 16 can be readily withdrawn from the rear end of the apparatus, as is evident.

By the employment of the carrier piston 4 and the constantly open live air port 26 in conjunction with the resilient arms or shanks 8 having their inturned ends mounted upon or secured to said carrier piston, it will be apparent that provision is made for a simultaneous rapid reciprocal movement to be imparted to the blades or cutting devices 9, whereby the eliiciency of the device is reatly increased.

s far as I am aware, I am the first in the art to employ a carrier piston having secured thereto the resilient arms or shanks of the cutting blades and having constantly open live air ports as 26 whereby constant pressure is exerted upon an end of said carrier piston either alone or in conjunction with a percussion tool having its forward end adapted to coact with the juxtaposed edges of the cutting blades, and my claims to these features are to be interpreted with corresponding scope.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, a cylinder having a front piston chamber and a rear piston chamber, a partition separating said chambers, a reciprocating carrierpiston located in the rear piston chamber, cutting devices having their inner ends connected with said carrier piston so as to be reciprocated in unison therewith, means for introducing constant live air pressure into both piston chambers, and a hammering piston in the front piston chamber the reciprocation of which occasions the radial vibration of the cutting devices.

2. In a device of the character stated, a cylinder embodying two separated axially alined piston chambers, a plurality of cutters resiliently supported upon the cylinder, the cutting blades of which extend beyond the forward end of said cylinder, a carrier piston within the rear piston chamber, to which the inner ends of said cutters are connected, a hammering piston within the front piston chamber the outer end of which contacts with the inner walls of the cutter' blades, and ports communicating with both piston chambers to admit constant live air pressure into both piston chambers and thereby occasion the simultaneous reciprocation of both pistons and of the cutters and the simultaneous vibration of the cutter blades.

3. In a device of the character stated, a cylinder having a front piston chamber and a rear piston chamber, a partition separating said chamber, each of the latter having inlet ports for the admission of constant live air pressure, a plurality of cutters, resilient shanks for said cutters supported upon said cylinder, said shanks being capable of both longitudinal reciprocation and radial vibration, the inner ends of said shanks being deflected inwardly through openings in the walls of said cylinder, a carrier piston within the rear piston chamber with which the inner ends of said shanks are connected, and a hammering piston within the front piston chamber the for ward end of which is adapted to contact with the inner walls of said cutters.

4. In a device of the character stated, a cylinder having a front piston chamber, a rear piston chamber, a partition separating said chambers and each having ports for the admission of constant live air pressure, a plurality of cutters resiliently supported upon said cylinder, said cutters being capable of both longitudinal reciprocation and radial vibration, the inner ends of the shanks of said cutters being deflected inwardly through openings in the walls of said cylin der, a carrier piston within the rear pistonchamber with which the inner ends of said cutter shanks are connected, a hammering piston within the front piston chamber and having its forward end adapted to contact with the inner walls of said cutters, and means for supplying constant live air pressure simultaneously to both piston chambers thereby effecting the simultaneous longitudinal reciprocation of both pistons.

5. In a device of the character stated, a

cylinder having a front piston chamber, a.

rear piston chamber, each having ports for the admission of constant live air pressure, a plurality of resiliently mounted cutters longitudinally disposed upon said cylinder and capable of both longitudinal reciprocation and radial vibration, resilient shanks for said cutters, ?the inner ends of said shanks passing inwardly through longitudinal openings in the walls of said cylinder, a carrier piston within the rear piston chamber formed to receive the inner ends of said shanks, means for retaining said inner ends in engagement with said carrier piston, a hammering piston within the front piston chamber, adapted to effect the radial vibration of said cutters, and means for supplying constant live air pressure to both of said piston chambers to cause the simultaneous reciprocation of said pistons.

6. In a device of the character stated, a cylinder having two separated piston chambers and pressure supply ducts for said 1 chambers, a plurality of resilient shanks supported upon said cylinders, cutters carried by said shanks, the inner ends of said shanks being inturned to pass through openings in said cylinder, a carrier piston within the chamber into which the inturned ends of the cutters extend and adapted to' receive the inturned ends of said shanks, means for removably retaining said ends with relation to said carrier piston, a hammering piston in the other of said chambers, adapted to contact with the inner walls of said cutters, and means for supplying constant live air pressure to both piston chambers to effect the simultaneous reciprocation of both pistons.

WVILLIAM BURLINGHAM. Vitnesses:

C. G. BARTLETT, L. O. BRANCH.

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