Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Patent
1997-06-11
1999-01-26
Till, Terrence
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
1510412, 15406, 134167C, B08B 900
Patent
active
058625682
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to the cleaning or clearing of pipes and channels, such as ventilation ducts, by means of a cleaning apparatus that, driven by a pressure medium is brought to move inside such a pipe or channel and to perform its cleaning function.
BACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Apparatuses of the above indicated, general kind are known through for instance Swedish patents Nos. 500 894 and 500 428. These known apparatuses which are those which are presently mainly used for cleaning ventilation ducts and the like, and although they in many cases operate satisfactorily they suffer from a great number of relatively serious shortcomings. A very serious disadvantage of these known apparatuses is that their design results in a very high consumption of air and that they therefore require compressors having high capacity and a correspondingly high price. In the case of the first-mentioned one of the known apparatuses the high consumption of air depends mainly on the fact that the pressure medium while being the driving or propelling medium for the apparatus also all by itself performs the cleaning function, and as regards the last-mentioned one of the known apparatuses this is originally and intentionally, designed for a large pressure medium flow of up to 6.3 m.sup.3 /min.
Other shortcomings of the known apparatuses is that they have problems engaging the wall of the channel during operation, which in both cases must be solved by means of some kind of auxiliary friction means on the apparatus for increasing the friction against the channel wall; that they have a tendency to turn in the channel during operation due to the fact that the pressure medium exhaust openings are provided on a sidewall of the housing of the apparatus and are directed obliquely backwards towards the channel wall; and that they, due to their design as an "outer turbine", i.e. in both cases one portion of the housing of the apparatus is in practice designed as the turbine rotor, while another portion of the housing is designed as an inner turbine housing, experience bearing problems in the bearing between the inner turbine housing and the rotor, said problems being caused by to the heavy impacts against the channel wall which may occur due to unbalance and the relatively great moment developed which such a design as an "outer turbine".
A basic object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus of the kind indicated in the introduction, which eliminates or at least substantially reduces the above discussed problems in connection with the prior art apparatuses, and which more specifically presents better performance and reliability combined with low air consumption and simple manufacturing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention and its basic principles and specific advantages and features are explained more closely below with reference to the enclosed schematic drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 illustrates a partially sectioned side view of an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention,
FIG. 2a illustrates an end view of the forward, in FIG. 1 upper, end of the rear housing portion of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1,
FIG. 2b is a longitudinal section along line I--I, of the rear housing portion of FIG. 2a,
FIG. 3a is an end view from below of the drive means of the cleaning apparatus according to FIG. 1 and
FIG. 3b illustrates a side view along line II--II in FIG. 3A of the inner drive means of the cleaning apparatus according to FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As illustrated in FIG. 1 the cleaning apparatus according to the invention basically consists of a housing 1 which in the illustrated embodiment consists of a forward portion 1a and a rearward portion 1b, whereby the terms "forward" and "rearward" respectively refer to the driving or propelling direction of the apparatus in the pipe or duct to be cleaned (not illustrated). This general design in
REFERENCES:
patent: 4206313 (1980-06-01), Cavoretto
patent: 4718142 (1988-01-01), Wahlers
patent: 4984329 (1991-01-01), Wade
patent: 4995201 (1991-02-01), Von Borcke et al.
patent: 5143105 (1992-09-01), Katayama
patent: 5179753 (1993-01-01), Flaherty et al.
patent: 5383975 (1995-01-01), Faxon
patent: 5428862 (1995-07-01), Sailer
patent: 5745948 (1998-05-01), Lloyd
Fasth Rolf
Till Terrence
LandOfFree
Cleaning apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cleaning apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cleaning apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1442166