US2484267A - Flue cleaning implement with blade flexibly connected to shaft - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1949. J. E. BOWER 'FLUE CLEANING IMPLEMENT WITH'BLADE FLEXIBLY CONNECTED TO SHAFT Filed June 6, 1946 INYENTOR TTORNEY Patented Get. 11, 1949 FLUE CLEANING IMPLEMENT WITH BLADE FLEXIBLY CONNECTED TO SHAFT Joseph E. Bower, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application J une 6, 1946, Serial No. 674,893

This invention relates to improvements in cleaning implements, and more particularly to hoe-like implements for cleaning soot and ashes out of the flues of furnaces.

An object of the invention is to provide a sim ple inexpensive cleaning implement for pipes, fines and the like, having a blade insertable in one position substantially parallel to the pipe surface and withdrawable in a position transverse to the pipe axis.

A further object is to provide such an implement in which the blade is controllable solely by manipulation of the simple rigid shaft.

Another object is to provide an improved coupling between an element and a spring.

The present invention results in an implement far more effective and easily manipulated than previously known devices of its kind and at the same time simple, inexpensive and durable in construction.

The above and still further objects and advantages may be carried into practical effect as described hereinbelow, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: I

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a typical furnace flue showing an implement according to the present invention in operative position;

Fig 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the blade end of an implement according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows the structure of Fig. 2 with the blade flexed into position for insertion in a flue;

Fig. 4 shows a modified blade form;

Fig. 5 shows a cross section of a pipe and end views of the cleaning implement in position for insertion (a) and in operative position in the pipe (b) as shown in solid and chain lines, respectively.

Like reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, a substantially rigid manipulating shaft l is provided at one end with a handle 2 of suitable known type. The shaft 1 may be sultably curved for most effective use in curved ducts and flues of the type shown in Fig. 1.

A short coil spring 3 is rigidly secured at one end to the extreme end of shaft I, forming a universall flexible resilient coupling element. The

end of the shaft l is preferably taper threaded for this purpose, or if desirable, the spring 3 may be spot Welded or otherwise securely attached by known methods.

A rigid fiat blade 4, preferably a disk-like plate of any suitable, durable material, is secured by i 6 Claims. ((115-242) suitable means, such as screw 6, to the free end of the flexible tip 3 of shaft l, a few turns of spring 3 being left free between the blade and shaft fastenings.

A collar 1 which may be attached to disk 4 as by welding, or formed integrally therewith, has an internal diameter equal to, or smaller than, the outside diameter of the spring or tip 3, and is provided to restrict expansion of the spring when screw 6 is inserted, making a solid connection. Preferably the collar 1 is provided with a small internal flange 'l' which is engaged between the end of spring 3 and the disk 4, the collar 1, when so formed, is separable from disk 4 and is clamped in place by screw 6 and spring 3 in assembly.

As shown in Fig. 4, the blade 4 may be a simple stamped disk of sheet metal peripherally flanged as at 8 for strength and for other reasons more fully set forth hereinbelow. V It will be readily apparent that other known forms of functionally equivalent flexible resilient coupling elements ma be substituted for the coil spring 3 shown in the drawing.

The advantages of the present invention will be clearly apparent from the following description of its operation:

The implement of the invention is illustrated, in Figs. 1 and 5 (a and b) of the drawing, in typical positions employed for cleaning a curved furnace flue. Straight ducts may also be cleaned with implements embodying the invention, such implements may have less curved (or straight) shafts if to be used for very long straight ducts.

The implement is inserted in the cleanout opening 9 of a furnace flue ID by pressing the disk-like blade laterally against the top, or side, of the inner surface of the flue and thrusting same into the flue while maintaining lateral pressure on shaft I. The pressure on one edge of the blade 4 causes the coupling member 3 to flex through an angle of about about a short radius which should be less than the radius of disk 4 as shown in Fig. 3. The disk 4 will readily assume a position substantially parallel to the flue wall and shaft end, and may be easily slid along the flue without substantially disturbing the accumulation of ashes and soot in the flue. The blade is shown being inserted at a in Fig. 5.

When the disk 4 has been inserted as far as possible in the flue the operator ceases to maintain lateral pressure on the shaft I, and resilient coupling 3 will cause disk 4 to assume its normal position substantially at right angles to the shaft end, and transverse to the flue axis.

The implement is then withdrawn, the blade 4 resting on the flue bottom and drawing the accumulated ashes and soot out of the cleanout opening. The implement is shown at b in Fig. 5, in position for withdrawal in operative relation to the flue.

It will be apparent that the universal flexibility of the blade 4 with relation to the shaft end is a distinct advantage in. insertion of the imple-' ment, for a'blade nearly. as large as theflue opening can be readily inserted without pushing ashes away from the cleanout. an implement into a curved flue it .is oft en necese Moreover, in inserting:

sary to rotate the shaft somewhat;.an.foperationz'.

which is facilitated in the presentdevi'ce by the universal flexibility of the blade.

Use of a blade formed as shown. in Fig, 4. is. advantageous not only because lovrin cost; but for the reason that, in operation, the flan'ggeddiskii It is claimedand desired .to secure. b ll Letters.

Patent; I

1. Ina-fluecleaning hoe; .a substantially. rigid manipulatingshaft; a universallyflexible resil= ient...couplin'g. at one endthereof and extending f therebeyond; and a' substantially rigidflatdi'sk element secured to said .coupling,,saidblade being normally. carried .at' right angles to said. end ,of. said shaft, andsaid couplingbeingnniversally flexible throughout a length .notgreaterthanthe radius of said .disk to permit saiddiskto assume apositionparallelto saidshaftend,

2. In a :flue hoe: .an elongated, curved, substantially rigid, 'manipulatingshaft; a .coil spring secured .to one -end.of.. said.- shaftv and projecting a fewturns beyond the shaft. end; and-a disk-like; blade element secured to the. projecting-endofi saidspring. p

3.. A- flue hoe. comprising, a substantially rigid shaft, a .flexible. resilient helical coil. spring elee ment. securedrat' one. end. to. oneend of said shaft in coaxial. shaft. surrounding relation and pros jecting. a few. turns. beyond said end .of-saidshaft, a substantially rigid disk-like blade element, and means securingsaid. blade; element. to the extending'endof said spring elementl at substantially right angles to thelongitudi-nal axis of ,saidspringl elementand.at.a:distance from said.,0ne end of 4 said shaft not greater than the radius of said disk-like blade element.

4. A flue cleaning implement comprising, a substantially rigid curved shaft, a flexible resilient coil spring couplin element rigidly secured at one end to and projecting a few turns beyond one end of said shaft, a substantially rigid blade element, and a relatively rigid fastening connecting said bladerelement with :the extending end of said coupling: element. at: substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of said coupling element.

I 5. Ina flue hoe: an elongated, substantially rigid;, ;manip ulating shaft; a normally straight universally flexible resilient tip rigidly secured at onemndtuone end of said shaft and projecting a. short distance beyond said shaft end and a rigid disk-like' blade' element secured to the projecting end of said universally flexible resilient tip at a distance from said 811417101 said shaft not greater thanthe radius of said disk.

621A flue hoe comprising: an elongated sub.- stantially rigid manipulating shaft; a universally, flexible resilient spring element rigidly'secured'at one end.to one end of :said shaft and projecting a short distance from said endof saidsl'iaft; a substantially rigid disk-like blade element. and means rigidly securing said blade element'to-the extending end of saidspring element'at substantially right angles to'the longitudinal axis of said spring element and at a distance frompsaidone end of saidshaft notgreater thanthera-diuspf said disk the. said spring element-being ofjsu'cli form dimensions and material characteristics, as to be manually flexiblejbetweensaid shaft end and said blade element, through an arc" of at least ninety degrees, without permanent set:

J OSEPH E. BOWER.

REFERENCES CIT ED The follow-ingmeferencesareotrecord inrthe file-,of-this patent: V

UNITED STATES- PATENTS v Gilligan- Oct. 31, 1944

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