US2304281A - Pipe cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8, 1942. H. E. RILEY J 2,304,281

PIPE CLEANER Filed Jan. 27, 1940 I INVENT R I flererjfiif lgy f ORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1942 rrrn CLEANER"; Herbert E. Riley, New Y. I

Application January 27, 1940, Serial. No.J- 315,93 8

3 Claims. (01. 131+245) V This invention is an improvement in cleaners especially for pipe stems, such as set forth in myap'plieation S. N. 270,045-fi1ed April 26, 1939, and this application is a continuation in part of said former application.

A number of forms of pipe cleaners are on the market, but although attractive in appearance they are not effective to remove dried or heavily gummed sludge. Pipe smoking values are completely distorted by the contamination of the residual matter of smoke tobacco. The stem and shank of the pipe become clogged with tar, nicotine, and the synthetic flavorings added to tobacco. The true value of both smoked tobacco and pipe are distorted by this combination.

This cleaner definitely removes the distorting factor and is the first combination of abrasive and wiping that actually forces out the residual mass.

The main object of this invention is to provide a more effective cleaner which can be made economically.

In its preferred form the device has a stiff but flexible twisted wire core intertwined with a number of twisted absorbent textile threads and flat metallic cutting ribbon-like strands wound around a central wire and embraced by the other Wire which is twisted around the central wire. All or a part of the device may be flattened by impact or by passing between rollers so as to make n the cleaner thinner in one direction and wider in the other to enable it to be more effectively applied in the flattened stem of a pipe. The cleaner material can be made in long lengths, encased in Cellophane or like material and cut up in desired lengths. The absorbent material may be impregnated with cleaning fluid or with substances tending to add flavor or to render the pipe aseptic.

To make the device it has been found convenient to simultaneously wind a number of absorbent threads and one 'or more metallic ribbons about a mandrel and allow the coils to collect on a core-wire which is moving longitudinally. A second core wire is then drawn along and twisted with the first core wire and its absorbent and cutting strands so as to lock the threads and metallic ribbon securely between the wires. The result is a stiff but resilient or flexible core with the absorbent and cutting elements bound r together, and extending generally parallel with the length of the cleaner but twisted and looped somewhat in and out between the core wires, the twists of the stiff wires occurring much more often than the turns of the fiber and metallic ribbons. One arrangement llSBS'lZWfi groups of three absorbent threads and one metallicribbon and a third group of three absorbent threads, all wound simultaneouslyaround the first core wire and then bound together by twisting thesecond core wire around the first with its accumulated strands. An additional fiber or textile filament can be wound with the second or binding core wire so as to substantially conceal the wire and add to the absorbent and wiping capacity of the cleaner. 7

Such a device can be inserted into a pipe stem or the like and pushed and drawn back and forth and rotated so as to loosen and remove all the accumulations even when quite hard. The textile fibers absorb the moisture and wipe off the gummy substances which have been loosened by the cutting ribbons. To remove gummy mass in the heel of a pipe the cleaner may be looped in a U-shape and the combination of the stiff core, metallic abrasive and cotton scrapes and wipes out the objectionable matter in the pipe bowl.

As the mouthpiece of a pipe will frequently be found to have a flat passage it is desirable to flatten the clean-er or a part of it to expedite the work. This can be readily done by the manufacturer or the user since the metallic ribbons are readily deformed and will hold their flattened shape and hold the absorbent fibers as well.

Fig. 1 is a side view ofa pipe cleaner embodying one form of my invention, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing steps in the manufacture of one form of the device.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the device on a much enlarged scale.

Fig. 4-. is a cross-sectional view of a flattened cleaner section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of another modification.

The core consists of two wires 8 and. 9 for instance of Bessemer steel about 20 gage B 8: S twisted together about 5 turns to the inch.

The absorbent material l0 consists of a number of strands or threads of absorbent textile material such as linen, cotton, exton, nylon, rayon or other synthetic cellulose fibers or sponge rubber, preferably twisted and Wound loosely around one of the wires.

The cutting is effected by metallic ribbon-like strands H for instance of soft copper or flexible steel lame approximately 35 gage Wound with the textile strands, which are little likely to corrode and which are also unlikely to injure the pipe or tubing.

An additional absorbent thread I: such as shown in Fig. 5 may be wound in with the outer wire 9 if desired and this may be secured in place in any desired manner.

This combination forms a very efiective cleaner which can be used to loosen and remove the most resistant deposit. The cutting ribbon will attack the gum without damaging the material of the pipe stem. By flattening the whole length or a part. of the length of the cleaner it is most efiective in flattened passages. The flattened cleaner may also be used efiectively in the usual round sectioned passages.

The device ordinarily will be of substantially uniform over-all diameter but may be somewhat tapered by winding the textile and metallic strands more tightly toward one end of the cleaner. Although the device is especially intended for cleaning tobacco pipes, it may be used for cleaning tubes such as glass tubing which may become coated on the inside with deposits of various kinds.

I claim:

1. A pipe cleaner comprising a stifi core Wire with a plurality of strands of absorbent fibre and metallic ribbons twisted upon the core wire and a second core wire twisted about the other core wire and the strands wound thereon and each of the strands and ribbons having the same and only the same twist relative to the first mentioned core wire.

2. A pipe cleaner comprising a stifi core wire with a plurality of strands of absorbent fibre and a metallic ribbon twisted upon the core wire and a second core wire twisted about the other core wire and the strands wound thereon, the core wires and the strandsassembled therewith having a common axis and the number of twists per inch of the core wires being much less than the number of turns per inch of the strands and ribbon, and each of the strands and the ribbon having the same and only the sam twist relative to the first mentioned core wire.

3. A pipe cleaner comprising two main wires twisted together about a central axis and a plurality of strands of absorbent fibre and thin metallic ribbons twisted about the same axis and intertwisted with the two main wires, each of the strands and ribbons having the same and only the same twist relative to the main wires.

HERBERT E. RILEY.

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