US2246421A - Pipe cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 17, M41. W, TATE 2,246,421

' PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 17 1941. I T TATE 2,246,421

/ PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 William T170156,

Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS William Taren Tate, Manchester, England Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 240,189

2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning the interior of fluid pipe lines, more particularly water pipe lines, in preparation for lining them with cement or other material.

Iron pipe for conducting water soon begins to show signs of scale or rust and over a period of time, depending upon the chemical characteristics of the water, rusts out moreor less quickly. Ordinarily water pipes, particularly those for supplying city consumers, are laid beneath paved streets or other inconveniently accessible places, and therefore when it becomes necessary to renew, repair, or replace the same, considerable expense is involved. Moreover, as thepipes continue to rust and accumulate or propagate further scale, the diameter of the pipe becomes so reduced that the pressure required for pumping the water through the pipes or mains consumes considerably more power with consequent added maintenance expense.

Accordingly, it is extremely desirable from a practical and economic standpoint to line the mains or pipes in situ with concrete or other material, after the fashion for example shown in my prior U. S. Patent $1 1,951,221, dated March13, 1934., As a preliminary to thus lining the pipes it is necessary to remove the rust or scale, and it is one of the objects of thepresent invention to provide a simple, reliable and practical apparatus which will more effectually clean pipe interiors than devices heretofore proposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel unit of construction which may be used in multiple or in gangs to form a train of cleaning devices. In that connection it is proposed to provide a novel frame construction carrying scraping and cutting bars which are so mounted as to be resiliently urged toward the interior of the pipe to be cleaned, and which may be readily replaced when desired or required to maintain the efficiency of the apparatus. On the other hand the construction involved also permits of the use of different forms of cleaning elements, for example, wire brushes which partake of the same general characteristics as the cutters, thereby making these devices relatively interchangeable, although in practice it is preferred to construct one unit entirely of cutting elements and another unit entirely of brushing elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel cutting or scraping bars which are provided with special cutting faces which greatly facilitate the removal of scale and lower the resistance to moving the units through the pipe line.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: e

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a gang or train of units employed in the cleaning operation.

Figure 2 is a plan View of one of the scraping bars.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the scraping bar, shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of one of the scraping units shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a brush unit.

Figure 7 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modified arrangement.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Accordingto the embodiment shown in the drawings, the pipe cleaning units are generally identified as A and B. In that connection, it will be observed, by reference to Fig. 1 that the scraping units are identified as A and A, while the brushingunit is identified as B, audit will of course be understood, that as many scraping units A, A, etcetera may be used as desired, and likewise as many brush units B, etcetera may be employed, according to the work to be performed. In either case however, the common function of the units A and B is to clean the interior of the pipe, and therefore these units will be generally referred to as pipe cleaning units.

While the construction of these units will more fully appear later in detail, nevertheless, at this point it may be observed that the construction of the several units is such that the pipe cleaning elements of each unit are arranged in a circumferential series, and the cleaning elements of adjacent units are arranged in staggered angular relation so that the leading unit will clean circumferentially spaced parts of the pipe, while the adjacent trailing unit will clean or scrape the portions of the pipe not engaged by the leading or preceding unit. Thus, according to the predetermined condition of the pipe line to be cleaned,

it will be apparent that as many units may be employed as desired, and likewise the cleaning elements of each unit may be arranged in a manner to most effectively and efliciently remove the scale or rust.

The structural features of the several units are essentially the same, and therefore the description of one will suffice for the others, it being understood, as previously indicated, that the cleaning elements, whether they be scrapers or brushes may be mounted in the same manner in each unit, or in different units.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, it will be seen that the unit A includes an axial rod l which may be of round, square, hexagonal or other cross-section in shape. This rod may be provided at one end with the knuckle portion 2 for receiving the bolt 3 of a mating knuckle portion 4 of a universal joint designated generally as 5 and intended to connect a trailing unit with a leading unit. The other end of the rod may be threaded, as indicated at 6, to receive a washer I and lock nut or nuts 8, for the purpose which will presently appear, while the extremity of the threaded portion may receive a bail or loop 9 for connecting the unit to a cable or other propelling means.

The rod I has suitable spider elements Ill-l mounted in spaced relation near th opposite ends thereof. One of the spiders may abut with the knuckle 2, while the other spider may be clamped between the nut or nuts 8 and the washer 1. In that connection, it will of course be understood, that the spiders ID are provided with central openings which permit them to be threaded over the rod l. The spiders II] are preferably in the form of disks or plates provided at their inner sides with the annular recesses I! for receiving the reduced end portions l2 of a cylinder l3. This cylinder spans the space bei spider IE] will be held in firmly abutting relation to the knuckle 2. The function of the cylinder i3 is to provide a spring support as will later appear, particularly when the units are constructed to operate in pipes of large diameter. When pipes of small diameter are to be cleaned the cylinder [3 may be omitted as indicated in Fig. 8 and the springs supported directly on the axial rod l Continuing with the description of the spiders II] it may be pointed out that the spiders are of duplicate formation and are each provided with radially extending webs M which terminate in tangential oppositely disposed lugs l5. Thus. it will be seen from Fig. the radial webs and their tangential lugs provide in effect T- shaped keys disposed radially and spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the spiders.

The pipe cleaning elements which partake of the nature of scraper bars are designated generally as C. These bars preferably comprise an elongated body portion l6 provided at the ends thereof with spaced fingers I! which provide in effect forked ends for the bars which are adapted to straddle the radial webs M of the spiders and also engage beneath the oppositely extending lugs l5 thereof. The surface of each of the bars I6 is provided with a series of transversely disposed arcuate cutting blades l8 which are of progressively increasing radii from the leading end of the bar toward the trailing end thereof, as will be apparent from Fig. 4. Thus, as the bars bite into the scale or rust formation, they will progressively remove the same to a greater depth. Moreover, this arrangement provides less initial resistance to scraping. In addition, the surface of each scraper bar I6 is provided with a central disposed serrated rib IQ of sawtooth formation. This rib assists materially in initiating the removal of rust and scale which is more completely removed by the scraper bars which extend transversely across the bar.

Each of the scraper bars 16 are yieldingly mounted in the frame. That is to say, each bar carries at its under side, by means of suitable set screws 2!], a supporting spring 2| whose free ends 22 bear on the outer surface of the cylinder I 3. Thus, the bars I 6 are yieldingly pressed outwardly so as to have a certain amount of give when engaging the rust or scale, and at the same time the springs 21 tend to maintain the forked ends ll of th bars in engagement with the tangential lugs l5 of the spiders.

The brush elements are designated generally as D'and shown in Figs. 6 and 7. These elements include a body portion 23 provided with a multiplicity of openings for receiving the tufts of wire bristles 24. The body 23 is backed up by a cover plate 25 which is held in place by suitable screw bolts or other fastenings 26. The ends of each brush bar 23 are provided with the forked portions 21 to permit them to be engaged beneath th lugs I5 of the radial webs of the spiders Ill when they are assembled in a unit B, which partakes of the same general structural characteristics as the unit A.

Figure 8 of the drawings shows a modified arrangement wherein the spring supporting cylinder I3 is omitted, and the springs 2| have their free ends 22* bearing directly against the rod l When the apparatus is intended for use in relatively small pipes, this arrangement is very satisfactory. The cleaning elements w are interlocked with the spiders I0 in the same fashion as previously described, the springs 2 I yieldingly supporting the cleaning elements and maintaining them interlocked with the spiders.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present construction lends itself to embodiment in units of different length and diameter. That is to say, the axial rods may be made of any desired length and like the spiders I 0 may be made of different diameters according to the size of the pipe to be cleaned. In any case, however, the cleaning elements are yieldingly supported and interlocked with the spiders. It will also be apparent that the elongated cleaning elements may be arranged in a spaced circumferential series, and the elements of adjacent units may be arranged in staggered angular relation so that the total effect of succeeding units of the train or gang is to completely engage the entire inner circumference of the pipe. By arranging the cleaning elements in the fashion described, it will be seen that the resistance to movement through the pipe is reduced, not only requiring less power, but at the same time adding to the longevity of the cleaning elements, as well as their efficiency in cleaning or scraping.

Although, by way of example, only three units have been illustrated in the drawings as forming a train, it will be understood that any desired number of units may be used so long as they are universally shackled together to provide the necessary articulation between the units for meeting any inequalities in the pipe line, as well as effectively engaging the scale or other matter adhering to the pipe wall. The effect of the cut of each unit is to form longitudinal grooves in the scale, but the combined effect of succeeding units is to completely remove the scale throughout the entire inner surface of the pipe or pipe line.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A scraper bar for pipe cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated body, transversely disposed arcuate cutting blades carried by the body and spaced longitudinally of said body, and a centrally disposed serrated rib extending longitudinally of the body and intersecting said blades, said rib having its serrated portion of uniform height throughout and the blades gradually increasing in height from the forward end of the bar rearward.

2. A scraper bar for pipe cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated body, transversely disposed arcuate cutting blades carried by the body and spaced longtudinally of said body, and a centrally disposed serrated rib extending longitudinally of the body and intersecting said blades, said rib having its serrated portion of uniform height throughout and the blades gradually increasing in height from the forward end of the bar rearward, the rearmost blade being of equal height to the serrated rib.

WILLIAM TAREN TATE.

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