US1581005A - Tube cleaner - Google Patents

Description

April 13 1926. 1,581,005

J. J. MCANDREWS TUBE CLEANER Filed Dec. l2,- 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l :z; l? l' lun/Euro1? -a John .7. Mfndre wsf 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1922 mm mmmrmnmm l IN1/Enron 7071/111 17.' M'ndrws WITNESSES ma/ms April 13 ,1926. l 1,581,005

J. J. MCANDREWS TUBE CLEANER Fl'ed Deo. 12, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z4 Z5 .37 Z 74 WITNESSES /N VEN TOR .7'0 71,111/ IMQ/indre we ca/MW i Patented pr. 13, 1926.

UNITED .STATES JOHN J'. MCANDREWS, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

PATENT restate Price. l

TUBE CLEANER.

. Application inea December 12, 1922. Semi n. 606,466.

To all lwhom it may con-cem: y l

Be 1t known that I, Jol-IN J. MoANDnnws,

a. citizen of the United States, and a'resiprovide an improved construction for blowing the soot from either a water tube'boiler or fire tube boiler wherein the cleaning operation may be carried onefticiently, without interrupting the use of the boiler.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device for boiler tubes wherein one or more sets\oi' `jets are arranged to blow into the tubes at different times while the boiler is in use, the arrange ment being such that all of the tubes may be cleaned in a minimum time. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning. apparatus 'lorboilers wherein jets of steam under pressure are directed .into the tubes not only ofthe boiler but of the air heating device associated therewith so that all olf the tubes through which the lame'orl smolre passes may be quickly and readily cleaned at any time.

A still 'further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus for boiler tubes which may be left in place continually and at desired times brought into operative.

position so as to clean out successively the tubes in groups.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a longitudinal verticalv sectional view through a boiler showing a cleaner embodying the invention applied thereto.

` Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View through Figure 1 approximately on line 2 2, the same showing the arrangement of certain parts of the cleaner. g

Figure 3 isa side elevation partly in section of the lower end of one set of cleaning tubesand associated parts7 the same being on an enlarged scale. n

Figure .e is a top plan view of the structure showny in Figure 3.

Figure `\\5 is a bottom plan view of the rack shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sec* tional view through one of the jets shown 'sirable in'di'liierent-l'iinds or' boilers.

in Figuresl together withasection of the supplyl pipe carryingthe same. f Y

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 11 indicates a boiler which mayl be of any type but which in the drawing isv shown a fire tube boiler.y As is well known,tliis boiler is provided with a num` ber of tubes 12 ofusual construction and also witha number of large tubes V13. Ar-y ranged in the smokestack or draftmember 14 is Va devicelwacting as a heater for heating the air used in the nre box 16; The 'heater 15 is provided with-a number of tubes 17 similar to tubes 12 and, consequently, Vaccunnilating soot to a greater or less extent so tnatthey need `be cleaned at desirable intervals and according tothe present` invention, means have been provided for cleaning the same simultaneously with cleaning the tubes 12. Y i

In constructing the cleaner embodying the invention7 a number of variations may be used without departing` 'from the spirit of the invent-ion,` certain variations being de'- In the boiler shown in the accompanying-drawings, preferably f there are arranged `:three sets of tubes 18 and 19; said sets 'forthe 4purpose, o1 description4V may beknownjas A, B and C. Each of theftubes 18 and 19'act asa header or supply pipe for vsteam for a num ber'or jets 20 which may be of any desired kind but preferably oi the type lshown in Figure 6. It will be noted from Figure6` that the bore ot the nozzle oir-jet 20V tapers then flaresoutwardly to the outer end 23. This particular form or' nozzle is intended to give the desired velocity tothe steam as it strikes or rather as it enters the various tubes 12-whereby the tubes will be iilled with steam and, consequently, the soot will be quickly blown therefrom. By flaring-the outery part of the .bore oi' the nozzle, the .steam does not enter. the tubes 12 in 'al small stream and gradually spread soinewhere in the tube but is expanded until the jet of steam is about of the same diameter as the bore of the tubes 12 as the same enters said tubes. VThis will cause the tubes to be tho-roughly cleaned quickly. It will be noted that Vthe respective pipes 18V and 19 extend vertically so as to` take in at one time one set or vertical series of tubes 12 and to clean all of these tubes at one time.

Afrom the'end 21 to a central point 22 and for each group or set oftubes 18 and 193- have been cleaned.

It will be notedk from Figure 2" thatby reason of -tlie'fac't that the headers 18, and 19 are both' connected with Ithe samebase 24, which is hollow, these two headers will y be moved simultaneously tand, consequently, therew-i'llbe two vertical-rows of tubes 112 cleaned at the saine time. `As indicated in 'Figure 3, the base 24 is securedto a rack bar 25' by any suitable. means, as for "in stance,.straps 26, said rack Vbarfhavingla centrally positioned rack 27 Vand depending side rails 28v and 29 adapted to rest on the various'rollers 30. vThe base 24 isprovided with a` st ufling box 31 'through which a pipe`32 extends and iii which it is slidingly fitted so that the base 24may be telescoped thereover 'as :the headers 18 and 19 ofgroup or set A move from the position shown in Figure 2 .toward the right. The pipe 32 is connected to a supply ypipe 33 and may be supplied with steam therefrom wheneverthe valve 34 is opened. The rack 25 is provided with a few apertures B5 registering .with suitableapertures in the base' 24 so that smalljets of steam maybe projected downwardly therethrough forcleaning the rack 27 and associated parts including the driving pinioiifS. vThis drivingk pinion `,continually meshes with rack 27 and yis supported lby a shaft-37 which is `journa'led in they angle bar 38 and the channel iron 39'. This angle bariand channel iron, together with .the rollers 30 and associatedparts,Y

make what issubstantially a track for the base 24 and the .rack bar 25 'whereby it may travel freely back and forth and perfo-rm its functions as desired.` y y lIn orderthat the base 24.mayno.t leave the rollersor swing the saine,a plate 40 acting ,as a retaining bracket is rigidly secured by bolts-or otherwise to the channel iron 39 and overlaps the raek'bar '25. `This rack .bar is, therefore, prevented from rising upwardly and is prevented from moving outwardly away from the bar-by reason of the various antiefriction rollers 41 jour# naled in the channel iron-39. The shaft 37 yextends not only through the channel iron 39 but also outwardly and .through the-'lower 4part ofthe hood 14 where a suitable crank 42 is mounted so `.that .as this crank is rotated, shaft 37 will bev rotated and, consequently, the set or section A will be moved.

The sets or sectionsB and C are Aconstructed identically with set A and are operated preferably actuated by independent cranks 42 so that-"there rwill only be tworlieaders working at a time:

As indicated in Figure 2, there are divisionp'latesforslreets 43:and 44 forming part of the smoke box 14 whereby by reason of tflie'iindependent operation of the various sections A, B and C, these will not pre- `vent*:inefficientoperation of the device. In

case the device should be used on a boiler where these plates: are not provided, the -operation will be the saine. Arranged'near lthe upper end ofthe smoke'box 14 are pipes or rods :45 and 46 which extend V.preferably entirely'acrossthe end of the boiler soas to act asa guide yfor vthe V'various ysections A, B andC and to prevent any appreciable outward or inward swinging offthe headers V18 `and`19. Preferably, each of theseiheaders is provided with a horizontal auxiliary header 47 provided wit-li suitable nozzles 2O so that as 'the various headers move from one set of tubes 12 to the other, the

auxiliary header 47 will move from one set of tubes 17 'to the other and thereby l'clean these tubes simultaneously ywith the cleaning of tubes 12. It is, of course, evident that if'the 'heating device 15 is not used, the auxiliary vheader couldbe eliminated.

l`In most steam boilers, a set oflarge tubes 13 are providedandin order to-clean these tubes, a fixed or stationary pipe 48 isposi- -tioned substantially as shown in Figure 1 and 'suitable nozzles v.mounted 'therein posif tioned to direct the steam into 'both -sets of tubes. This is av permaii'entfixture andthe 'steam `may be turned on and off at any time. lVhen the device 'is not in luse, the various headers are movedl to one .side ofthe tubes or asmuch out of the way as possible and left in place but Ythe-steam is, ofcourse, turned off.' yAs positioned, theheaders will not effect a proper draft but willalways be in 'position for, use atany time.- The-re `certain gradeso-f oil vare usedk to heat the boiler, more yor less soot is depositedand,

consequently, `it is :desirable to clean the .tion of' the 'various headers when `tlie\device is in use, a dial 49 is secured to Ethesnioke box or to some other stationary part fand a pointer 50 lsecured to the respective Ishafts 37. The poiiiterand dial are so yprofe-lated and positioned in respect to theiheadersand the boiler that the operator` may easily know where the headers. are located and whether or not they are directly in front of the various tubes. Vliat I claim is ias 1. A boiler tube cleaner, comprising aV Aplurality'of setsof headers, a plurality of 130 nozzles carried by each header, a hollow base connected with the lower Y ends of *said headers, a supply steam pipe extending into one end of said base, there being a sliding connection between the supply steam pipe and the base, means for moving the base transversely ofthe boiler, a fixed plate overlapping part ofthe base for preventing the base from leaving` its normal position and swiiigiirg` outwardly, and a rod co-acting with the upper end of said headers for preventing the headers from swinging away from said boiler at the upper end.

2. A cleaner for boiler tubes, comp-rising a plurality of headers, a plurality of nozzles carried by each of the headers, means for supplyiifig` steam to said headers, av rack connected with said headers,a gear-associated with said rack, means for rotating said gear so as to move said headers from one set of tubes to another, a plurality of supporting rollers for said rack and headers, and means for preventing lateral moving of said headers, said means including,` a plu 'ality of rollers and a retaining bracket.

3. In a cleaner for tubes of steam boilers, a header, a plurality of nozzles carried by said header, a hollow base carrying said header, means for supplying` steam to said base while allowing the base to move transversely of the boiler, a rack secured to said base, a pinion meshing with said rack, a shaft secured to said pinion, means for ro- 'tating said shaft, a track including a pair of from moving` off of the first mentioned!` rollers while movingI thereover.

4. In a boiler tube cleaner, a header, coinpi'ising a base, a rack of substantially the same length as the header rigidly secured to the under surface thereof, a stationary steam supply tube extending` into said header, means surrounding said tube and carried by said base for providing a tight'connection as the base moves back and forth over said tube, a fired rotatable pinion ine-Shing, with said rack, vertically and horizontally ar ranged rollers for supporting and guiding said rack, means for rotating said pinion, and a stationary ,fixed plate overlapping part of said rack for preventing the same from leaving` said pinion and also preventing said header from moving outwardly at the bottom.

' JOHN J.. MCANDREVS.

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