US721608A - Flue-cleaner. - Google Patents

Description

v PATENTED FEB. 24,1903. H. A. RUGGLES &'c. T. 'HOWER.

PLUE- CLEANER. I APPLI OATION FILED MAR. 22, 1902.

no MODEL.

TH: NORRIS PEYERSWOH PMOTO LH'HQ, WASHINGTON. D c.

o ing-nut.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

HARRY LVAH RUeeLEs, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AND OLEMUEL TYLER HOWER, on RHODES, IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO LEVI A. RAVEN,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLUE-CLE'ANjERL- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,608, dated February 24, 1903.

' Application filed March 22, 1902; $erial No. 99,476. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY ALVAH RUG- GLES, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, and GLEMUEL TYLER HOWER, residing at Rhodes, in the county of Marshall and State of Iowa, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Flue-Cleaner, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in flue-cleaners.

The object of the present invention is to I improve the construction of flue-cleaners and to provide a simpleand inexpensive one de- I 5 signed for cleaning either water tubes or smoke-fines and capable of shearing 0d the carbon, soot, or other crust accumulating on the interior of the tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of :this character in which the knives or blades will operate on the entire.

' surface of the tubes or flues and which will be self-sharpening and adapted to be readily introduced into and removed from the tube 2.5 without liabilityof' being injured.

A further object 'ofthe invention is to en able the knives or blades to be readily adjusted' to suit the diameter of the dues or tubes to be cleaned. v

The invention consists'in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a flue-cleaner. constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is anend view. Fig. 4 is a detail'view of the adjust- Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts inall the figures of the drawings. v

1 designates a shaft provided with an outer threaded portion 2 and having a polygonal enlargement 3 arranged between its ends, and provided with fiat side faces to which are secured the inner ends of straight longitudinal springs .4. The springs, which are constructed of straight strips of resilient metal, are secured to the en1argement'3 of the shaft by suitable fastening devices, and have smooth inner faces and are adapted to be flexed or bent outward by an adjusting-nut 5, and are capable of springing inward when the nut is withdrawn to arrange diagonallydisposed laterally-extending blades 6 the desired distance from the shaft to provide a flue-cleaner of the desired diameter. The nut, which is provided with wings 7, has a disk or ring 8, connected with the body pertion of the nut by parallel bars or portions 9,

located at opposite sides of the shaft, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. The winged nut is adapted to be rotated to move the engaging portion or disk 8 inward andoutward to expand and i contract the flue-cleaner. The body portion of the nut 5 is located adjacent to the outer end of the shaft when the engaging disk or washer is located near the outer ends of the springs, and by this arrangement the nut is located within convenient reach of the op erator and may be readily adjusted. The knives or blades 6 are curved longitudinally to conform to the configuration of the interior of a tube or flue and they are also curved transversely in the reverse directionto present a concave outer face 10 to form sharp longitudinal side edges and end edges and to cause the knives or blades to be self-sharpening. As the knives or blades become Worn the concave outer faces will preserve the sharp edges and prevent the knives or cutters from becoming dull. The longitudinal curve of the knives or cutters presents alongitudinal convex exterior to fit the tubes, and the said knives or blades overlap or extend beyond the ends of each other, whereby they are adapted to operate on the entire surface of a tube or flue. They are "adapted when moved longitudinally through atubeor flue to shear the crust formed by the products of combustion or by'water from the inner surfaces of the tubes Without injuring the latter. The knives or cutters are provided at their inner sides with approximately centrally-arranged lugs 11, having recesses 12 which are curved longitudinally and which are provided with smooth outer edges 15, adapted to enable the device to be readily introduced into a tube or flue without liability of injuring the knives or cutters. The guards are preferably formed integral with the knives or cutters; but they may be connected with the same in any other suitable manner. The shaft is provided at its inner end with a bell 16, presenting a tapered or convex exterior and adapted to center the fluecleaner and guided into a tube or flue after it has been pushed entirely through the same, thereby preventing any liability of the inner ends of the blades striking the wall or sheet of a boiler. The bell may be screwed or otherwise secured to the shaft, and a socket 17 is also fixed to the same to enable the device to be readily coupled to a rod.

It will be seen that the flue-cleaner is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that the curved blades which conform to the configuration of the tube or flue overlap, so as to operate on the entire surface of the flue, and that they are transversely curved to present an exterior convex face to provide self-sharpening blades. It will also be seen that the flue-cleaner is readily adjusted to contract and expand it and that the blades or cutters are fully protected and prevented from being injured when the device is being introduced into a tube or flue.

What we claim is-- 1. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, longitudinally disposed outwardly-diverging springs secured at their inner ends to the shaft, the transversely-disposed obliquely-arranged bowed blades having concaved outer faces and provided with reversely-tapered ends, said blades having both of their side edges arranged to engage a flue, the longitudinally-disposed guards formed integral with the blades and extending outward from the same at points between the ends thereof, and means for adjusting the blades, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, longitudinally disposed outwardly-diverging springs secured at their inner ends to the shaft, the transversely-disposed obliquely-arranged overlapping bowed blades having concave outer faces and provided with integral longitudinally-disposed guards extending beyond the shaft, and an adjusting-nut arranged wholly within the guards and consisting of a threaded portion mounted on the shaft, 3. disk'having an opening to receive the shaft and engaging the springs, and rods or bars arranged parallel with the shaft and connecting the disk with the threaded portion of the nut, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY ALVAI-I RUGGLES. CLEMUEL TYLER HOWER.

Witnesses: v

SAMUEL B. KING, HARRY R. HURLBUT.

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