US3474484A

US3474484A - Sewer cleaner suction pipe

Info

Publication number: US3474484A
Application number: US723788A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ben Daneman
Original assignee: CENTRAL ENG CO Inc
Current assignee: CENTRAL ENG Co Inc
Priority date: 1968-04-24
Filing date: 1968-04-24
Publication date: 1969-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1986-10-28

Description

B. DANEMAN SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE Get. 28, 1969 Filed April 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVE NTOR BEN DANEMAN BY DONALD E. PORTER ATTORNEY Oct. 28, 1969 B. DANEMAN 3,474,484

SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE Filed April 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR BEN DANEMAN BY DONALD E. PORTER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,474,484 SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE Ben Daneman, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Central Engineering Company, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 723,788 Int. Cl. A47l 9/02, 9/24 US. Cl. 15-414 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The use of vacuum-type debris collectors to remove trash, litter and debris from roads, streets and catch basins is known in the art. One type of collector is shown in Patent No. 3,052,908 issued Sept. 11, 1962, to the inventor and includes an enclosed vacuum tank mounted on a truck chassis. A flexible nozzle may be selectively connected to openings in the sides and the rear of the tank and a high vacuum drawn and maintained in the tank by a high pressure vacuum-inducing blower. Suction thereby is provided at the lower or suction end of the flexible nozzle, which may be used to vacuum-clean a street or road by moving the lower end of the nozzle back and forth over the debris to be collected. In order to vacuum debris from a sewer having its outlet in the wall of a catch basin, it is necessary to attach a pipe to the lower end of the nozzle, insert the pipe in the catch basin with the suction end of the pipe in as close proximity of the sewer outlet as possible, and attempt to suck debris from the sewer outlet into the suction end of the pipe and through the pipe and the nozzle into the vacuum tank.

However, because the diameter of the street level opening of the catch basin, through which the pipe must be inserted, ordinarily is substantially smaller than the catch basins diameter in the vicinity of the sewer outlet, and because the sewer outlet ordinarily is positioned in the catch basins wall above the midpoint thereof, it is virtually impossible to place the suction end of the pipe in substantially airtight communication with the sewer outlet, as is required to efliciently and completely vacuum debris therefrom.

The present invention provides an improved sewer cleaner suction pipe, which includes an elbow. A rotation section and an angulation section are provided for mounting between the nozzle and the elbow; and a swivel may be included in the elbow for adjustably rotating the suction end of the elbow to change the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end to approximately the angle of inclination of the sewer outlet.

When the improved suction pipe is to be used to clean a sewer, the operator (after determining the plane of the sewer outlet) may rotate the suction end of the elbow on the swivel and thereby change the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end until it approximates the angle of inclination of the plane of the sewer outlet; insert the suction end of the suction pipe through the catch basin opening and into the catch basin; lower the suction end to a position in the horizontal plane of the sewer outlet; rotate the rotation section (and, therefore, the elbow and the suction end thereof) around the center line of the rotation section until the section end is in a position facing the sewer outlet; if necessary because of the diameter of the catch basin, angle the angulation section so that the suction end of the elbow is in close proximity to the sewer outlet; and, by moving the rotation section horizontally toward the sewer outlet, move the suction end to and place the suction end in substantially airtight communication with the sewer outlet to vacuum debris therefrom.

The best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a sewer cleaner suction pipe embodying the present invention inserted in a catch basin, with the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end of the elbow approximating the angle of inclination of the plane of the outlet of a sewer in the wall of the catch basin adjacent the top thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a sewer cleaner suction pipe embodying the present invention, as employed to clean a sewer having its outlet adjacent the bottom of a catch basin, with the suction pipe including an angled angulation section.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the suction pipe shown in FIGURE 1, illustrating the attachment of the rotation section to the nozzle, and with the swivel collar and control handle of the rotation section, the mounting collar for attaching the elbow to the rotation section, and the swivel collar of the elbow opened to illustrate their respective relationships with the rotation section and the elbow.

The sewer cleaner suction pipe '1 is attached to the flexible nozzle 2 of vacuum-type debris collector 3. The collector 3 is mounted on a self-propelled truck or like vehicle 4 and includes a fully enclosed and self-contained vacuum tank 5, which may be of any suitable type. As illustrated herein, the tank 5 is of the type described in Patent No. 3,052,908, issued Sept 11, 1962, to the inventor; and the nozzle 2, the connection thereof to the tank 5, and the means of drawing and maintaining a high vacuum in the tank 5 are as described in such patent. Thus, when a vacuum is drawn from the tank 5 by such means, suction is provided at the lower or suction end 6 of the nozzle 2 in the known manner.

SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE The sewer cleaner suction pipe 1 is comprised, generally, of tubular sections, including a first or rotation section 7 adapted to be attached to the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2, and a second section or elbow 8 which may be attached to the rotation section 7.

Although it would be possible to attach the elbow 8 directly to the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2, the construction and composition of the nozzle 2 would not permit any substantial degree of rotation of the elbow 8 about the center line of the nozzle 2. Accordingly, it is preferred to provide rotation means for rotatably attaching the elbow 8 to the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2, whereby the elbow 8 may be rotated through a complete 360 degrees of rotation about the center line of the nozzle 2. As shown, the rotation means are of the type described and shown in the copending application of the inventor entitled Debris Collector Suction Pipe, Ser. No. 688,499, filed Dec. 6, 1967, and comprise a rotation section 7 which includes an upper or attachment portion 9. In order to attach the suction pipe 1 to the nozzle 2, the upper end of the attachment portion 9 is inserted in the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2, which is secured therearound by means of a split-ring and bolt assembly 10. The other or lower end of the attachment portion 9 defines an outwardly extending flange 11, which slidably abuts a corresponding outwardly extending flange 12 on the upper end of the lower or rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7.

The two flanges 11 and 12 are held in such slidably abutting relationship by a swivel collar 14, of generally U- shaped cross-section, which loosely surrounds the flanges 11 and 12. The swivel collar 14 is comprised of two generally semicircular or arcuate sections 15 and 16. One section 15 is 'hingedly or pivotally connected at one pivot end thereof to a corresponding pivot end of the other section 16 by a hinge or pivot 17 between such ends; and the other or open ends of the two sections 15 and 16 are bolted to each other by a bolt 18 and a nut 19 threaded thereon. When the nut 19 is threaded home on the bolt 18, the two sections 15 and 16 are drawn toward each other and into loose surrounding relationship with the flanges 11 and 12, thereby holding flanges 11 and 12 in slidably abutting relationship and permitting the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 to be rotated about its center line Without inducing any corresponding rotation of the attachement portion 9 thereof or the nozzle 2.

To enable the operator to easily direct and rotate the suction pipe 1, a control handle 20 is provided for removable mounting around the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7. The handle 20 comprises two virtually identical sections 21 and 22, having semicircular bases 23 and 24. One base 23 is hingedly connected at one end thereof to a corresponding end of the other base 24 by a 'hinge 25; and the other ends of the two bases 23 and 24 are connected by a cam latch 26. When the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 is inserted in the space between the two bases 23 and 24 and the cam latch 26 is moved to its closed position, the two bases 23 and 24 are drawn toward each other and into tight surrounding relationship with the exterior surface of the rotatable portion 13. Identical handle bar assemblies 27 and 28 are welded to and extend outwardly from, respectively, the two bases 23 and 24.

The other or lower end of the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 defines an outwardly extending flange 30. Ideally, the plane of the upper end of the elbow 8 should be substantially horizontal, and that of the lower or suction end thereof, substantially vertical. In other words, the planes of the two ends should be substantially perpendicular to each other. Although the elbow 8 could be constructed of only two tubular portions (a vertical section and a horizontal section), it is preferred that the elbow 8 have a generally curved configuration, in order to present a relatively smooth interior surface to the vacuumed debris and thereby reduce the likelihood that the debris will collect Within and clog the elbow 8. To obtain such a configuration without greatly adding to the costs of manufacture, it is preferred that the elbow 8 be comprised of not less than three portions attached to each other so that the intersections of their respective center lines define obtuse angles. Accordingly, as shown, the elbow 8 is comprised of an upper portion 31, a middle portion 32 fixedly attached to the bottom edge of the upper portion 31, and a lower portion 33 fixedly attached to the bottom edge of the middle portion 32, with the center lines of each of the

portions

31, 32 and 33 intersecting the center line of the portion to which it is attached at an intersection angle of approximately 135 degrees.

The upper end of the upper portion 31 defines an outwardly extending flange 34. It is preferred to employ a mounting collar 35 to hold the flange of the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 and the flange 34 of the upper portion 31 of the elbow 8 in tight abutting relationship with each other. The mounting collar 35 is substantially similar in design, construction and function to the swivel collar 14 except that an over-center clamp 36, rather than the bolt 18 and nut 19 of the swivel collar 14, is employed to draw the two

sections

37 and 38 of the mounting collar 35 into tight surrounding relationship with the flanges 30 and 34. The use of such a mounting collar 35 permits the ready attachment to the flange 30 of any tubular attachment having a flange on its upper end similar to flange 34.

As is shown in the illustrated embodiments, a swivel may be included in the middle portion 32 of the elbow 8 in order to permit the operator of the suction pipe 1 to adjustably rotate the suction end 39 of the lower portion 33 about the center line of the middle portion 32 to thereby change the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end 39 and to cause it to approximate the 7 angle of inclination of the plane of the outlet 40 of a sewer 41 which ordinarily, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, is vertical. By virtue of the generally curved configuration of the elbow 8 which results from the approximately degree intersection angle between the center lines of the lower portion 33 and the middle portion 32 in their normal positions, rotation of the suction end 39 through degrees of rotation will change the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end 39 and thereby rotate the suction end 39 between a sewer cleaning position, in which the plane of the suction end 39 is substantially vertical, and a catch basin cleaning position, in which its plane is a substantially horizontal plane. The suction end 39 thereby may be placed in a horizontal plane wherein the suction pipe 1 may be used to vacuum the periphery of the bottom of a shallow catch basin 29 or (if an extension tube, not shown, or the angulation section 42 shown in FIGURE 2 is mounted between the rotation section 7 and the elbow 8) a relatively deep catch basin 29.

The swivel is comprised of a swivel collar 43, which is identical in design, construction and function to the swivel collar 14 whereby the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 is rotatably attached to the attachment portion 9 thereof. Thus, when the nut 44 is threaded home on the bolt 45, the two arcuate sections 46 and 47 of the swivel collar are drawn toward each other and into loose surrounding relationship with abutting flanges 48 and 49 on, respectively, the fixed section 50 and swivel section 51 of the middle portion 32, thereby holding the flanges 48 and 49 in slida-bly abutting relationship and permitting the swivel section 51 to be rotated about its center line without inducing any corresponding rotation of the fixed section 50.

As shown in FIGURE 2, an angulationsection 42 may be provided to enable the operator of the suction pipe 1 to extend the range of the suction end 39 thereof in order to place the suction end 39 of the suction pipe 1 in substantially airtight communication with the outlet 40 of a sewer 41 flowing into a catch basin 29 having a substantial diameter, as shown in FIGURE 2. The angulation section 42 shown is of the type described and shown in the inventors copending application entitled Debris Collector Suction Pipe, Ser. No. 688,499, filed Dec. 6, 1967, and is comprised of an upper or fixed portion 52 and a lower or jointed portion 53.The upper end of the fixed portion 52 defines an outwardly extending flange (not shown), which is held in tightly abutting relationship with the flange 30 on the lower end of the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 by a mountmg collar 35. The angulation section 42 is'the'reby attached to the rotation section 7. The jointed portion 53 of the angulation section 42 is swingably connected to the fixed portion 52 by means of a hinge 54 at one'side of the angulation section 42. A cam latch 55 is provided at the other side thereof for angling the angulation sectron 42. In order to provide a substantially airtight joint between the fixed portion 52 and the jointed portion 53 when the angulation section 42 is angled, seal means in the form of a trusto-conical joint filler 56 are mounted on the upper end of the jointed portion 53, with the lower base diameter of the joint filler 56 equal to the inside diameter of the fixed portion 52. When the cam latch 55 is opened to its open position as shown in FIG- URE 2, and the angulation section 42 thereby angled about the hinge 54, the joint filler 56 is partially withdrawn from the interior of the fixed portion 52 until the wall 57 of the joint filler 56 abuts the interior surface of the fixed portion 52, forming a substantially airtight seal therebetween.

The lower end of the jointed portion53 defines an outwardly extending flange (not shown), which is held, by means of a mounting collar 35, in tightly abuttingrelationship with the flange 34 on the upper end of the upper portion 31 of the elbow 8; and the elbow 8 is thereby attached to the angulation section 42.

OPERATION OF APPARATUS The following is a brief summary of the use and operation of the improved sewer cleaner suction pipe 1 to vacuum debris from a sewer 41.

After the trunk 4 has been driven to the catch basin 29 and the nozzle 2 has been mounted on the tank 5 of the vacuum-type debris collector 3, if the sewer cleaner suction pipe 1 has not already been assembled and attached to the nozzle 2, the operator inserts the upper end of the attachment portion 9 of the rotation section 7 in the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2 and secures the lower end 6 therearound by means of the split-ring and the bolt assembly 10. If the flange 11 of the attachment portion 9 has not theretofore been placed in abutting relationship with flange 12 of the rotatable portion 13, the operator places the two flanges 11 and 12 in abutting relationship with each other. He then places the open swivel collar 14 around the flanges 11 and 12, bolts the two sections 15 and 16 to each other by means of bolt 18, and threads nut 19 home on bolt 18, thereby drawing the two sections 15 and 16 into loose surrounding relationship with flanges 11 and 12. The operator (if the control handle 20 is not already mounted around the rotatable portion 13) inserts the lower end of the rotatable portion 13 in the space between the two open semicircular bases 23 and 24 and moves the cam latch 26 to its closed position, thereby drawing the two bases 23 and 24 toward each other and into tight surrounding relationship with the exterior surface of the rotatable portion 13. If it is intended to use the suction pipe 1 to clean a sewer 41 emptying into a catch basin 29 such as is shown in FIGURE 2, which has a substantial diameter, the operator may attach the angulation section 42 to the rotation section 7 by placing the outwardly extending flange (not shown) on the upper end of the fixed portion 52 of the angulation section 42 in abutting relationship with the flange 30 on the lower end of the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7. The operator then places a mounting collar around the two flanges, closes the overcenter clamp 36, and thereby draws the two

sections

37 and 38 of the mounting collar 35 into tight surrounding relationship with the two flanges and attaches the angulation section 42 to the rotation section 7. The operator then similarly places the flange 34 of the upper portion 31 of the elbow 8 in abutting relationship with the outwardly extending flange (not shown) on the lower end of the jointed portion 53 and closes a mounting collar 35 therearound, thereby clamping the two flanges tightly to each other and attaching the elbow '8 to the angulation section 42.

If the elbow 8 includes a swivel, the operator then approximates the degree of verticalness of the plane of the outlet 40 of the sewer 41 and rotates the suction end 39 about the center line of the fixed section 50 of the middle portion 32 and thereby changes the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end 39 and the suction end 39 until it approximates the angle of inclination of the plane of the outlet 40 of the sewer 41 and the suction end 39 is in its sewer cleaning position. The operator then inserts the elbow 8 and the angulation section 42 into the catch basin 29 until the center line of the suction end 39 approximates that of the outlet 40 of the sewer 41. By moving the cam latch 55 of the angulation section 42 to its open position, as shown in FIGURE 2, the operator may angle the angulation section 42 about the hinge 54 and cause the joint filler 56 to be partially withdrawn from the interior of the fixed portion 52 until the wall 57 of the joint filler 56 abuts the interior of the fixed portion 52. The suction end 39 of the elbow 8 thereby may be placed in close proximity to the wall of the catch basin 29. He then grasps the control handle 20 and rotates the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 and the elbow 8 until the suction end 39 faces the outlet 40 of the sewer 41. By moving the suction pipe 1 in a horizontal direction towards the outlet 40 of the sewer 41, the operator may move the suction end 39 into substantially airtight communication with the outlet 40. When the operator activates the means of drawing and maintaining the vacuum in the tank 5, debris will be sucked from the sewer 41 and through the suction pipe 1 and nozzle 2 into the vacuum tank 5.

I claim:

1. In a suction pipe for attachment to the nozzle of a vehicle-mounted vacuum debris collector and insertion in a catch basin having a wall and an outlet of a sewer in the wall,

an elbow having an upper end, a suction end adapted to be placed in substantially airtight communication with the outlet of the sewer for vacuuming debris therefrom, a generally curved portion intermediate the upper end and the suction end, and a swivel mounted in the generally curved portion whereby the suction end may be rotated to change the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end and rotate the suction end between a sewer cleaning position, in which the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end approximates the angle of inclination of the plane of the outlet of the sewer, and a catch basin cleaning position, without thereby inducing any rotation in the upper end,

rotation means for rotatably attaching the suction pipe to the nozzle, and

manual rotation control means mounted on the exterior of the suction pipe adjacent the rotation means for controllably rotating the suction pipe about the center line of the rotation means to remotely position the suction end of the elbow.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the elbow is comprised of not less than three portions including a generally vertical upper portion, a middle portion and a generally horizontal lower portion, with the middle portion intermediate and attached to th upper portion and the lower portion so that the intersections of their respective center lines define obtuse intersection angles, and with the swivel mounted in the middle portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the obtuse intersection angles each are approximately degrees.

4. The apparatus in claim 1 and an angulation section comprising:

a jointed portion having a lower end attached to the upper end of the elbow,

a fixed portion,

connection means for swingably connecting the jointed portion to the fixed portion whereby the angulation section may be angled to place the suction end of the elbow in close proximity to the wall of the catch basin, and

seal means for effecting a substantially airtight seal between the fixed portion and the jointed portion when the angulation section is angled.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the generally curved portion of the elbow includes slida-bly abutting outwardly extending flanges, and the swivel comprises channel members, each having a generally U-shaped cross-section, an arcuate shape, a pivot end and an open end,

a pivot pivotally connecting the pivot ends of the channel members, and

means for drawing the open ends of the channel members together whereby the channel members may be 7 8 drawn into loose surrounding relationship with the OTHER REFERENCES abutmg flanges Bulletin v-3, Vac-A11, by Central Engineering Co.

References Cited Inc., 4429 W. State St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53208.

UNITED STA ES PATENTS 5 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner 2,379,632 7/1945 FOiSy 285-276 us. 01. X.R. 3,273,942 9/1966 McFarland 302 34 1 14 340 FOREIGN PATENTS 964,919 7/1964 Great Britain.