US2845303A - Air nozzle - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1958 J. F. KING, JR 2,845,303

AIR NOZZLE Filed Jan. 6, 1955 k 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR B gm m JWiL funk,

. ATTORNEYS July 29, 1958 F. KING, JR 2,845,303

AIR NOZZLE Filed Jan. 6, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VEN TOR WM JWN X Iii/KL ATTORNEYS y 29, 1953 A J. F. KiNG, JR 2,845,303

AIR NOZZLE Filed- Jan. 6, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet s July 29, 1958 J. FIKING, JR

AIR NOZZLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 6, 1955 l 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA P Him ATTORNEYS United States Patent Am NozzLE James E. King, Jr., Winston-Salem, N. C., assiguor to The Bahnson Company, Winston Salem, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application January 6, 1955, Serial No. 480,224

5 Claims. (Cl. 29--62) I This invention relates to pneumatic cleaners for use in fertile rooms particularly, and adapted to prevent lint and other light particles from accumulating on the textile machinery and also upon the walls and ceiling of the room iii-which the textile machinery is located.

In any textile operation, such as spinning and weaving, there is considerable lint in the air which is carried by the air currents and ultimately deposited upon almost every surface in the room. Much of it clings to the walls and ceiling and a considerable quantity deposits upon and clings to the surfaces of the machinery itself. The lint does not blow oil easily and, if allowed to accumulate, there is always the possibility that it will impair the operon of the machinery and also cause defects to appear the teiitile itself which is being worked upon. The i'is particularly true with respect to looms wherein the yarns being woven lie close together in a horizontal pla e which make it most receptive to falling lint.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide animproved blower nozzle capable of discharging a blast of air at a velocity high enough to break the lint and other particles loose from whatever surface they may be clinging to, the nozzle being so constructed as to continuously change thedirection at which the air blast is delivered thereby effectively covering a rather wide area of the walls or ceiling of the room or the machinery I itself. 7

A more specific object is to provide a rotating nozzle which'di-rects the blow-off air at high velocity throughout progressively changing angles in such manner as will cover all surface areas in a hemisphere, the nozzle being considered as being at the center thereof.

y Another specific object is to provide a novel construction for a nozzle capable of delivering a blast of air which sweeps through an orbital path over an area to be be swept at a continuously changing angle over a predeterrniued area.

Yet another objectis to provide a blow-off nozzle comprising. an elbow conduit divided transversely into two .rotatable sections and wherein each section is rotated about its base, and preferably at different speeds. In this manner the blast of air passing out of the discharge end of the elbow will be caused to change direction continuously and will cover all unit areas in a spherical surface such as, for example, a hemisphere, the nozzle being con- -s-idered as located at the center thereof. Moreover, the

motion ofthe nozzle is preferably such as to avoid repetition of a set pattern of coverage for an extremely long period of time. This embodiment of the invention is particularly well adapted for cleaning off the ceiling and walls of atextile room when built as a traveling cleaner primarily in the nozzle structure.

2,845,303 Patented July 29, 1958 movable along an elevated track around the room above the machinery.

Still another object is to provide a blow-oil? nozzle comprising an elbow conduit divided transversely into two sections and wherein means are provided for rotating the base section, i. e. the section into which the air is .delivered from the source such as a centrifugalblower, while the other section, i. e. the one from which the blast of air is discharged, is held against rotation. As will become more apparent from the detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, this arrangement causes the air discharge section of the elbow to sweep from side to side in a wobbly manner. This embodiment of the invention is particularly well adapted to the cleaning 01f of a loom and the floor around it when built as a traveling cleaner movable along a track elevated above the loom, the track extending transversely and centrally of the loom and the nozzle sweeping between limits from the center line of the loom to the front and rear thereof.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages inherent in the invention will become more apparent from the following typical embodiments thereof to be described and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, central section. of an embodiment of the invention wherein each of the two sectionsof the elbow nozzle is adapted to be ro'tated,the instant position of the nozzle sections depicted being such that the discharge end of the outlet section is directed horizontally;

Fig. 2 is an elevation at a reduced scale showing the nozzle in the position illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is also an elevation showing another instant position of the nozzle sections wherein the discharge end of the outlet section is directed vertically;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a vertical central section of a modified construction wherein the base or inlet section of the elbow nozzle is rotated and the outlet section is restrained against rotation, the instant position of the nozzle sections being such that the discharge end of the outlet section faces angularly downward and forward to the right in the plane of the drawing;

Fig. 8 is an elevation at a reduced scale showing another instant position of the nozzle sections with the inlet section rotated from the position shown in Fig. 7 and wherein the discharge end of'the outlet section is now directed angularly downward and forward-but at a lesser angle and to one side of the plane of the drawing;

the inlet section rotated from theposition shown in Fig. 7 and wherein the discharge end of the outlet section is directed vertically downward in the plane of the draw- Fig. 10 is a section on line l010 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a section on line ll'11 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 12 isa section on line li -l2 of Fig. 7.

With reference now to the drawings and in particular to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-6, it should first be made clear that the invention is deemed to reside Consequently, the track and the blower mounted thereon for travelling about the room over the textile machinery, the nozzle being of course connected to the discharge of the blower, have not been illustrated in the drawing. With this understanding, the conduit 1 in Fig. 1 is intended to represent the discharge end of a centrifugal blower, or other source of pressure 'air. Also, since' the embodiment of 'Figs. l-6 is particularly well adapted to the blowing-oil of ceiling and wall areas it will be assumed that the outlet conduit 1 extends in a generally upward direction. Conduit 1 may be of any configuration in cross-section but has been illustrated as cylindrical since this is a most practical configuration for the purpose intended. The upper end of conduit 1 is seen to terminate in an inturned flange 2 having connected to the underside thereof by circumferentially spaced screws 3 a circular frame 4. This frame, which can be made as a casting, includes a diametral web 5 which is enlarged at the central portion thereof to establish a housing portion 6 for gearing and a tubular hub portion 7 constituting a sleeve bearing for mounting two concentric drive shafts to be later described.

The upper face of the circular frame 4 is provided with a circular rib 8 concentric with the hub portion 7 and which fits into a complementary configured groove 9 formed in the base of the lower or air inlet section 10 of an elbow nozzle. Section 10 extends through an angle of 45 and the upper edge thereof is provided with a circular rib 12 which fits into a complementary configured groove 13 formed in the base of the upper or air outlet nozzle elbow section 14 which also extends over an angle of 45. Fixedly attached to the outlet end of nozzle section 14 by screws 15 is an extension 16 which tapers convergingly in the direction of air flow therethrough. However, it is to be understood that nozzle section 14 and its extension 16 can be made integral, or the extension 16 eliminated altogether if final tapering of the discharge end of the nozzle is not essential for a particular application of the nozzle.

It will thus be evident that the two 45 elbow nozzle sections make up a 90 elbow when in the positions shown in Fig. 1 and hence turn the pressure air issuing upwardly at high velocity through conduit 1 through 90 so as to be discharged horizontally through nozzle sections 14 and 16.

As previously explained, each of the nozzle sections 10 and 14 is arranged for separate rotation about its base line, and preferably at different speeds. To this end it will be seen that the interior of the lower nozzle section 10 is divided longitudinally by a diametral septum or partition 17 which is enlarged centrally of the section to establish a tubular hub 18 coaxial with the hub portion 7 of frame 4. An outer, hollow shaft 19 is mounted for rotation in a bearing sleeve 20 in the hub 7, the shaft 19 extending upwardly through hub portion 18 of the nozzle section 10 and being secured thereto by any suitable means such as the keyed connection 22. Thus as shaft 19 is rotated so also will be rotated the nozzle section 10, the latter being guided in its rotation by the rib and groove connection 8, 9 between the nozzle section 10 and circular frame 4.

Journalled for rotation within the outer, hollow shaft 19 is an inner shaft 23 which extends downwardly through the bottom of housing 6 for connection to a source of motive power, not illustrated. The drive for shaft 23 may be a motor, or the drive may be constituted by a power takeoff from one of the wheels of the carriage on which the blower and nozzle are mounted and which is propelled along an elevated track above the textile machinery, or the drive for shaft 23 may take the form of a wheel running in frictional contact with the track as the blower carriage is propelled, rotation of the frictionally driven wheel being transmitted through suitable drive shafting coupled to shaft 23.

The upper end of shaft 23 extends beyond the end of hub portion 18 of the nozzle section 10 and is connected by cross pin 24 to the driving socket 25 of a universal joint, it being noted that the septum 17 in nozzle section 10 is provided with an opening 26 of sufiicient size to receive the universal joint and permit the latter to rotate freely. The driven socket 27 of the universal joint connected to the driving socket 25 by universal coupling 28 has secured to it by cross pin 29 a shaft 30 which is journaled for rotation in a bushing 32 in another enlarged central hub portion 33 formed in the partition 17 at the air discharge end of nozzle section 10. Shaft 30 extends into a central hub portion 34 formed integrally with a diametral partition 35 in the outlet nozzle section 14 and is secured to the hub portion 34 by means of a cross pin 36. Consequently as the inner shaft 23 is rotated, rotation will be imparted to shaft 30 through universal coupling 28 and hence also to the upper, outlet nozzle section 14 about its base line, the nozzle section 14 being guided in its rotation by virtue of its rib and groove connection 12, 13 with the lower nozzle section 10.

In the present embodiment, rotation of shaft 23 imparts rotation directly to the upper nozzle section 14, and shaft 19 which rotates the lower nozzle section 10 is coupled to shaft 23 by gearing preferably such that shafts 23 and 19 will rotate in the same direction but at different angular velocities. Although either section of the nozzle can be designed to rotate faster than the other, in the present embodiment, the lower nozzle section 10 rotates faster than the upper section 14. The gearing in the gear housing 6 is comprised of a drive gear 37 mounted on and secured to drive shaft 23, an idler gear 38 meshed with gear 37, gear 38 being mounted on idler shaft 39, a second idler gear 40 mounted on the idler shaft 39 above gear 38, and another gear 42 mounted on and secured to shaft 19, the gear 42 being meshed with idler gear 40. Gears 38 and 40 are connected together by pins 43 to rotate as one. Consequently as shaft 23 and hence also the upper nozzle section 14 is rotated about its base line, motion is transmitted through gear train 37, 38, 40, 42 to shaft 19 and hence also to the lower nozzle section 10 for rotation about its base line. The end result achieved by rotation of the two nozzle sections is that a high velocity blast of air is discharged through the coned extension 16 at successively different angles to blow off all unit areas in the hemisphere above the nozzle, the nozzle being considered as located at substantially the center of the hemisphere. Figs. 1 and 2 show the nozzle blowing in a horizontal direction and Fig. 3 shows the nozzle when the direction of air blow is vertically upward.

It is preferable to have the air discharge end of nozzle section 14 move through a path such as will avoid repetition of a set blowing pattern for a comparatively long period of time. To achieve this result, the main drive gear 37 is provided with a number of teeth such as will not be evenly divisible by the number of teeth difference, through the gear train, between gears 37 and 42. If such were not the case, it can be easily seen that a repeat pattern of air discharge from the nozzle would occur every few revolutions of the nozzle. As an example, gears 37 and 40 can have twenty teeth each and gears 38 and 42 nineteen teeth each, thus giving a two tooth difference between gears 37 and 42. Thus gear 42 will progress two teeth on the rotation of gear 37 for each revolution of the latter.

As previously stated, the nozzle and its blower can be mounted to travel along a track in a textile room at an elevation above the machinery and thus effectively blow off with a high velocity air stream all unit areas of wall and ceiling located within reach of the hemispherical coverage of the nozzle. Alternatively, the blower and nozzle unit may be mounted to travel along the track blowing down on the textile machinery to sweep a downwardly directed hemisphere.

The modified embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7-12 embodies the same basic principle as that illustrated in Figs. l-6 in that the nozzle is constituted by two elbow sections one of which is rotatable relative to the other. However in this modified embodiment, one of the sections, the air inlet section, is rotated while the other one, the air outlet section, is constrained against rotation. The result is to cause the air discharge end of the outlet section to execute a sort of wobbly motion in a closed path. At one point of the path, which can be called the 0 position, the air stream is discharged an'gularly downward and straight forward of the nozzle; at another point on the path represented by rotation of the air inlet nozzle section through 180 from the 0 position, the direction of 'the discharged air stream is substantially vertically downward; at still other points on the path represented by rotation of the air inlet nozzle section through 90 and 270 respectively from the 0 position shown in the drawing, the air stream is discharged angularly downward and to each side respectively as well as somewhat forward This arrangement makes the nozzle particularly well adapted for use in clearing lint from looms when constructed as a traveling cleaner, the orientation of the track to the loom being such that as the cleaner travels along the track, the blower nozzle will sweep one side and then the other as it travels through its closed path.

With reference now to Figs. 7-12 and Fig. 7 in particular it will be seen that the air inlet conduit 45 to the nozzle depends vertically downward from the pressure air source and, on the assumption that this source is a centrifugal blower, the conduit 45 would constitute the blower discharge. Conduit 45 is preferably circular in configuration and the lower end thereof terminates in an external flange 46 to which is secured by screws 47 a circular frame 48. Frame 48 is provided with a diametral web 49 having an enlarged tubular hub 50. Hub 50 contains a bearing sleeve 51 for receiving a drive shaft 52, this shaft extending through and beyond the hub for connection at its upper end to a source of rotary power, not shown. The lower end of shaft 52 is received within the upper end of a tubular hub 53 formed in a diametral partition 54 that extends transversely through an air inlet nozzle section 55 in the form of an elbow, the latter turning the air through an angle of The upper or base end of nozzle section 55 is provided with a peripheral rib 56 which fits into a complementary configured groove 57 provided in the lower edge of frame 48.

Shaft 52 is secured at its lower end in hub 53 by a set screw 58, and this shaft, together with the nozzle section 55 thus attached is held in the position shown in Fig. 7

by means of a collar 59 attached to the upper end of shaft 52 by pin 60 and which rests upon the hub portion 50 of web 49. Nylon felt washers 61 can be used as shown between the lower face of collar 59 and hub 50 to enable better rotation of the drive shaft 52 and collar 59. Another nylon felt washer 62 can be used as shown between hub 53 and hub 50 to establish a slight running clearance for the rib and groove connection 56, 57 between nozzle section 55 and frame 48.

It will be noted from Fig. 7 that the tubular hub portion 53 of nozzle section 55 is also turned through an angle of 20 at its lower end and contains a shaft 63 secured therein by set screw 64. The lower end of shaft 63 extends beyond the air discharge end of nozzle section 55 and into a bearing sleeve 65 in hub portion 66 formed on a diametral partition 67 that extends transversely through an air outlet nozzle section 68 in the form of an elbow, the latter also turning the air through an angle of 20. The upper or base end of nozzle section 68 is provided with a peripheral rib 69 which fits into a complementary configured groove 70 provided in the air discharge end of the other nozzle section 55.

The lower end of shaft 63 extends beyond the lower end of hub portion 66 and is threaded beyond such end to receive a nut 71, thus securing the nozzle section 68 upon shaft 63. Nut 71 can be secured against backing off by means of a pin 72 passing through the nut and shaft 63. Nylon felt washers 73 can be used between nut 71 and the end face of hub 66 so as to ensure free turning of shaft 63 in bearing sleeve 65, and another nylon felt washer 74 may be used between the adjoining faces of hubs 53 and 66 of the two nozzle sections to establish running clearance between the rib 69 on nozzle section 68 and the groove 70 in nozzle section 55.

As in the previousl described embodiment, the air. outlet nozzle section can be provided with a tapered exte ib sion 75.

To constrain the outlet nozzle section 68 from rotating as the inlet nozzle section 55 is rotated upon application of a rotative force to drive shaft 52, a pair of links 76, 77 are provided. One end of link '76 is pivotally con nected at 78 to one side of frame 48 and the 'other en'd of link 76 is pivotally connected at 79 to one-end of link 77. The opposite end of link 77 is connected to the narrow side of nozzle section 68 bymeans of aball joint 80. This linkage thus permits the nozzle section 68 to twist or wobble as the other nozzle section 55 is rotated. The wobble motion is due to the fact that as the drive shaft 52 is rotated thus rotating nozzle section 55, the extended shaft or stud 63 describes the surface of an imaginary cone but does not rotate about its own axis. The other nozzle section 68 being mounted on the stud 63 in such a manner as to permit relative rotation between these two elements, it is of course possible to restrain nozzle section 68 against rotation which is done in the manner described above by linkage 76, 77. Since the stud 63 describes a conical path, that motion is then reflected by a wobble motion of the nozzle section 68.

If it be assumed that the position of the nozzle as shown in Fig. 7 is the 0 position blowing downwardly and forward at an angle of 40 to the vertical, i. e. the sum of the 20 angles of the two nozzle sections, it will be evident that a rotation of nozzle section 55 from the 0 position will cause the other nozzle section 68 to be pointed 20 to one side and 20 forward. This is the position shown in Fig. 8. Rotation of nozzle section 55, from the 0 position of Fig. 7 will cause the nozzle section 68 to be pointed substantially vertically downward, this position being shown in Fig. 9. Rotation of nozzle section 55 through an angle of 270 will cause nozzle section 68 to be pointed 20 to the opposite side and 20 forward. One complete rotation of nozzle section 55 brings the nozzle section 68 back to the 40 forward position depicted in Fig. 7 and then the pattern repeats. Movement of nozzle section 68 and hence also its tapered extension 75 is thus essentially a wobbly motion, with the air discharge from nozzle extension 75 being delivered at successively different blowing directions to each side of the central forward position shown in Fig. 7 as the nozzle extension moves along its orbital path.

In conclusion, it will be understood that while the embodiments described are to be preferred, various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:-

l. An air nozzle comprising air inlet and air outlet tubular sections connected together and forming an elbow for delivery of air therethrough, a first drive shaft arranged internally of and connected to said air inlet section for rotating the same about its base line, and a second drive shaft concentric with said first drive shaft and connected to said air outlet section through a universal joint.

2. An air nozzle comprising air inlet and air outlet tubular elbow sections connected together at their base lines and forming a combined elbow for delivery of air therethrough, a first drive shaft arranged internally of and connected to said air inlet section for rotating the same about its base line, a second drive shaft concentric with said first drive shaft and connected to said air outlet section for rotating the same about its base line and a gear train interconnecting said first and second drive shafts whereby rotary motion imparted to one of said shafts will likewise impart rotary motion to the other shaft.

3. An air nozzle as defined in claim 2 wherein said gear train effects rotation of said shafts in the same direction but at different speeds.

4. An air nozzle comprising air inlet and air outlet tubular sections connected together and forming an elbow for delivery of air therethrough, said sections being mounted one on the other to permit relative rotation therebetween, said inlet and outlet sections each including a transverse web providing a central tubular hub portion, a first drive shaft extending through the hub portion of said inlet section and secured to the drive element of a universal joint, 21 second drive shaft secured to the driven element of said universal joint and extending into and being secured to the hub portion of said outlet section, a third drive shaft concentric with said first drive shaft and being secured to the hub portion of said inlet section, and a gear train interconnecting said first and third shafts whereby rotative power applied to one of said latter 15 2,086,724

5. An air nozzle as defined in claim 4 wherein said gear train includes gear means effecting rotation of said first and third shafts and hence also said inlet and outlet sections in the same direction but at different speeds.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 513,167 Woodhouse Jan. 23, 1894 623,341 Speck Apr. 18, 1899 685,628 Morris Oct. 29, 1901 2,082,330 Frede June 1, 1937 McAulay July 13, 1937

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