US2063991A - Tube cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1936.

W. S. ELLIOTT TUBE CLEA-NER Filed July 28, 1932 f m/ W9 ww y NN NN z www MQWJQH kNmwN N 15N NNNN NN@ @1 WN, W M LIT/@7 L in NNY 0N Patented Dec. l5, 1936 UNITED STATES PA'IENT OFFICE TUBE CLEANER of Pennsylvania Application July 28, 1932, Serial No. 625,267

6 Claims.

The present invention relates broadly to the art of cleaning tubes, and more particularly to an improved form of tube cleaner for this purpose.

Tube cleaners, as at present constructed, are of two general types. Included within the rst type are those cleaners which have pivotally mounted cleaning elements adapted to swing outwardly due to centrifugal force and by a series of blows effect the desired loosening of the scale or deposit on the inside of the tub-e being cleaned. Such elements swing about axes which are at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tube being cleaned, and the elements are effective similarly to a plurality of hammers, thus exerting a very eiilcient cleaning action.

Within the second class of cleaners may be included those in which the cleaning elements, while moving outwardly under the inuence of centrifugal force, move outwardly in a general radial direction through slots or openings provided for that purpose.

Elements of the rst type have been found to be highly eflicient for loosening heavy scale deposits and effecting a partial removing thereof. Due to their action, however, they do not thoroughly clean the tube surface, leaving spots of scale. Cleaners of the second type constitute a more eilicient cleaning means for such spots, or polishing means for tube surfaces, but a much less efcient heavy scale removal means. These limitations characteristic of the different types of cleaners have made it difficult to satisfactorily clean and polish a tube having a heavy scale deposit thereon without providing two different types of tube cleaners, or subjecting a given tube to repeated action by a single cleaner.

I have found that it is possible to effectively construct a cleaner which embodies the effective cleaning characteristics of the first type and the effective polishing characteristics of the second type with such a small over-all dimension as to make the structure entirely practical. One object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner adapted to serve both as a scale remover and a tube polisher.

I have also found that it is possible in a construction of the general character referred to, to incorporate the two types of elements, both of which are necessarily individually removable, and provide a common keeper for maintaining all of the elements in position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combined cleaner and polisher of the character referred to wherein the outward swinging movement of the cleaning elements is controlled in such manner as to be substantially equal to the outward sliding movement of the polishing elements, so that with the parts in operation, polishing of the tube surface to the full extent to which it has been subjected to a cleaning action by the cleaning elements, is insured.

When it is considered that tubes having an internal diameter as large as 4 to 6 inches, or as small as 2 inches, are mechanically cleaned in the general manner set forth, the advantages and necessity of extreme compactness become apparent. In addition to compactness, the cleaner must be of such construction that considerable freedom of movement of the diierent elements is possible, to enable them to swing or move out- Wardly in a required manner to effect complete scale removal, and to move inwardly to the extent necessary to permit easy insertion into a corroded tube. Freedom of outward movement, coupled with a considerable range of movement, further enables the Various elements to assume any desired angular position relative to the sur face being cleaned, thereby adapting the structure to the removing of irregular deposits.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustration only, a preferred em bodiment of my invention. In the drawing- UJI Figure l is an end elevational View of one form of combined cleaner head constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View along the line II-II oi Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in end elevation along the line III- III of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line IV-IV of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In accordance with the present invention, there may be provided a cleaner head 2 in the form oi a cage or spider comprising a front disklike mounting 3 and a rear disk-like mounting 4 connected and held in the desired spaced relation by means of arms 5 connecting the disks 3 and 4 adjacent their peripheral portions. In this manner there is provided a mounting cage of coreless construction, or one in which the center portion 6 of the head is entirely unobstructed, as r ings T, as illustrated more particularly in Figure 2 of the drawing. Formed in the rear mounting 4 is a similar series of radially disposed openings 8 which differ from the openings i only in the fact that the openings 'l extend completely through the 'front mounting 3 while the openings 8 extend only partly through the rear mounting 4, as will be apparent from Figure 2 of the drawing.

Projecting rearwardly, or secured to the rear mounting 4 is a hub 9 provided with internal threads l0, which are either right-hand or lefthand depending upon the direction in which the cleaner is to rotate. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the structure rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, and therefore the threads l0 are right-hand so that when the driving shaft, which is provided with a threaded male member, is engaged with the threads l0 and the structure rotated, the rotative movement will tend to tighten the parts.

The head 2 is adapted to carry the radially moving cleaning and polishing elements before referred to. Each of these elements preferably comprises an individual pin ll, the total number of pins corresponding to the number of slots or openings 'l or 8. Each of the pins is of such length so that when slipped into the position illustrated in Figure 2 through the openings 1 the front ends l2 of the pins will not project beyond the face of the 'front mounting 3. During this assembling operation there are alternately slipped into position on each of the pins, cutting or polishing elements I4 and washers i5, these being of such construction that they may rotate freely on the pins, or rotate with the pins in the openings 'l and 8. In the illustrated embodiment, I have shown two such cutting or polishing elements Hl on each of the pins, the head and elements I4 being properly proportioned to this end.

The assembly of the cleaning and polishing elements having been completed, a keeper I6 in the form of a disk is slipped endwise into position H over a projection l1 on a hub I8, thereby forming an end closure for the openings 'l and preventing endwise movement of the pins Il out of the head 2. Thereafter a cleaning head i9 having a threading extension 2D is threaded into the opening in the hub i8, the projection and opening also having right-hand threads so that rotation of the head 2 in the direction referred to will tend to tighten the heads 2 and i9.

'Ihe head IQ is of such dimensions as to engage the keeper I6, if used, and prevent removal thereof. Formed in its outer periphery is a series of equi-distant slots 2l each having formed in each side thereof a key-way 22 of such contour as to receive and interlock with a rounded head 23 on a pin 24. Before the head I9 is slipped into position, a series of cleaning elements 25, corresponding in number to the number of the slots 2l, is fitted into position.

Each of these cleaning elements comprises a generally conical cutting and hammering disk 26 rotatably mounted on a pin 21 having an enlarged head 28 at the front end thereof. Each pin extends through its disk 26, thence through a washer 29 and into and partly through a bearing 30. The bearings 30 are of such dimensions as to t within the slots 2l, as will be apparent more particularly from Figure 2 of the drawing. The pins and the parts carried thereby having been assembled with the bearings 30, the pins 24 are moved transversely through the bearings 30 in such manner as to engage slots in the pins 2'! so as to interlock the pins 2'? with the bea-rings 3G and prevent movement outwardly thereof or to the right as viewed in Figure 2 relative to thc bearings. The complete assemblies are then slipped endwise from the left, viewing Figure 2, into the slots 2i and key-ways 22. Locking pins 3l are then slipped into the key-ways 22 and into engagement with the heads 23 on the pins 20 so that when the head i9 is threaded into position the ends of the locking pins 3l will abut against the keeper I6 and hold all of the parts against movement. The construction described in this paragraph is described and claimed in my Patent No. 928,432, granted July 20, 1909.

The shape of the bearings 3Q is such that they may swing outwardly into the position illustrated in the upper portion of Figure 2, or inwardly into the position illustrated in the bottom portion of this gure. It will be noted that in the outer position they extend outwardly to the same extent as the elements id in the head 2 when in their outer position, and that when inwardly they correspond to the inward position of the eements lfS. Thus, the composite tool may be readily moved into position within a tube. Due to the coreless character of the head 2, the elements lf3 may be of a maximum diameter to provide a large number of teeth and therefore maximum life, while at the same time having a maximum movement inwardly and outwardly of thc head 2 without interference.

In actual use, the cleaning elements 25 will swing outwardly about the transverse axes of the pins 24 and subject the scale to a series of hammer-like blows eiective for loosening and removing the major portion of the scale or deposit. As the cleaner progresses through the tube, the portion thereof previously subjected to the action of the elements 25 will be engaged by the elements IG effective for removing any remaining scale and smoothing and polishing the inside of the tube surface. Since the elements have coordinated movements in both an outward and an inward direction, it will be apparent that the elements ill may smooth or polish to the full diameter that the elements 25 are capable oi cleaning.

By reason of the construction described, the

cleaning head I9 serves as a locking means for the pins which carry the polishing elements of the head 2, and the head 2 constitutes a carrier and driving means for the head IS so that both heads rotate in operation about a common axis.

It thus appears that the front set of cleaning 4 elements 25 are mounted on a common pivot plane and are circularly spaced with respect to the frame and that the rear pairs of elements lll are also mounted on a common cross-sectional plane and are circularly spaced with respect to the frame. The combined action of the cleaning and polishing elements is such that when the tool has once been moved through a tube, the deposit is completely removed and the tube surface left in the desired condition for re-use.

By reason of the provision of a rigid head carrying freely radially outwardly swingable cleaning elements and cleaning elements freely outwardly movable as a whole a positive cooperation is obtained between the respective cleaning elements which very eifectively accomplishes the desired purpose. The first mentioned cleaning elements pass through the tube and break oif by hammer-like blows the heavy deposits or encrustations, and the second mentioned cleaning elements remove the residue and polish the tube wall. As all of the cleaning elements are mounted in a rigid head, they positively cooperate in controlled relationship to clean the tube, the two sets of cleaning elements following along directly behind one another, thus insuring effective operation of both, which would not be insured with a flexible head. Preferably the outward limit of movement of all of the cleaning elements is substantially the same, which further insures effective cleaning of the tube, as if one set of elements had an outward limit of movement less than the other set the latter would have a more pronounced effect and the former would be relatively ineffective.

The front pivoted set of cleaning elements strikes heavier, harder blows than the succeeding set of bodily movable cleaner elements, as explained in the early part of this speciiication; bo-th because the front arms are pivoted while the back arms are bodily movable, and because of the greater weight of the front arms, as shown.

Ano-ther peculiar and unexpected advantage of this particular arrangement of both sets of cleaner elements has been found in actual practice to be that when the proper speed of rotation is imparted to such a head, the centrifugal force exerted on the rear set of bodily movable cleaning elements tends to vkeep the head centered within the tube without injuring the tube. Thus, the tendency of the swinging cleaner elements to move the head sidewise when they strike projections of scale material located eccentrically or at one side of the tube; is resisted and at least in part corrected by the rear bodily movable cleaner elements. Also, gravity tends to move the head as a whole toward the bottom surface of the interior of the tube and this also is similarly resisted by the rear bodily movable set of arms when actuated by centrifugal force. Eccentric positions of the cleaner head as a whole are thus resisted or overcome.

While I have herein illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes in the construction and operation herein illustrated and described may be made without departing either from the spirit of the invention or the scope of my broader claims.

I claim:

1. In a tube cleaner, a rotatable head having separable portions, radially outwardly swinging cleaning elements carried by one portion of said head, and radially outwardly sliding cleaning elements carried by another portion of said head, said portions having common means so constructed and arranged as to permit upon separation thereof assembly and disassembly of the cleaning elements and their respective portions of the head.

2. In a rotatable tube cleaner, a polishing head having cleaning elements therein mounted for radially outward sliding movement, a cleaning head secured to said polishing head, cleaning elements carried by said cleaning head and mounted for radially outward swinging movement therein, said cleaner including common means between the two heads constructed and arranged to keep the cleaning elements in position therein when the polishing head and cleaning head are connected together.

3. Tube cleaner construction, comprising a rotatable cleaning head carrying cleaning elements pivotally mounted for radially outward movement, a polishing head carrying cleaning elements slidably mounted for radially outward movement, and common means between the two heads effective upon .assembly of said heads for maintaining said rst-mentioned cleaning elements in place with respect to the cleaning head and said seco-nd mentioned cleaning elements in place with respect to the polishing head. 4. A rotary tube cleaner head having a rigid frame, said frame having a front set of cleaning elements pivoted thereto, and a rear set of bodily movable cleaning elements having guides which allow outward or radial movement therein under centrifugal force, and common means for holding all said elements in position in the frame.

5. A rotary tube cleaner head having a forward set of pivoted pins and a rearward set of slidable pins, the p-ins of both sets carrying cleaning elements, and being arranged to move substantially in radial directions, and common means for maintaining .all of said pins in position.

6. A rotary tube cleaner head comprising front and rear separable sections', a set of cleaning elements, bearings pivotally mounting said set in the front section, a set of bodily movable cleaning elements, bearings mounting said second-mentioned set in the rear section to allow outward movement under centrifugal force, a common rigid locking device for keeping the bearing of both sections in position, and locking means cooperating with said locking device for .aiding in maintaining the bearings of one of said sections in position.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT.

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