Abstract:
A dolly and carry cage for a device with robust tubular frame for mounting machine, with a wheel and handle dolly arrangement integral with the frame for rolling the device to work site, and with a carry handle for lifting device as needed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to portable tube cleaning machines and the need for bringing the machines into position for tube cleaning in machinery spaces where heat exchangers are located. 
     The invention has particular application with machines for cleaning the interior of heat exchanger tubes to maintain operational efficiency. These machines have electric motor driven flexible shafts for rotating brushes or other tools which together with flushing water remove mineral deposits and dirt from the inside surfaces of the heat exchanger tubes. The machines are portable and may be fitted with a set of wheels for ease of bringing into operating position beside a heat exchanger. 
     The layout of power plant spaces and the size of power plant equipment often present obstacles against access to the equipment by operating and maintenance personnel such that a tube cleaning machine may be wheeled to a given point, and then must be lifted or lowered into final operating position. 
     To solve this problem, there is need for the dolly carry cage of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides mobility for portable tube cleaning machines used by power plant maintenance personnel for cleaning the tubes of heat exchangers. 
     The tube cleaning machine is encased in a housing with operating facilities carried on or through the housing including control panel, cleaning fluid inlet connection, electric motor driven rotary shaft, drive shaft and cleaning fluid coupling, electric power connection, foot pedal for controlling cleaning fluid flow, and a well for biocide pellets. A preferred embodiment of dolly and carry cage according to the invention for such tube cleaning machine facilitates uninhibited access to all such operating facilities. 
     A preferred embodiment of dolly carry cage according to the invention comprises a robust cage comprising a tubular frame of generally parallel upright side members cross-connected with tubular transverse bars at bottom, rear, and top of the side members, and with a carry grip between top transverse bars. A bottom front transverse bar may define an axis for mounting a axle and wheel subassembly at front of the frame, and a fold-away handle may be mounted at the rear of the frame for leverage using the frame as a dolly. The tube cleaning machine is preferably secured only to bottom and rear transverse bars as sole connection of machine to frame through shock absorbers so as to minimize vibratory effects of machine with its rotating operating components for tube cleaning operations. 
     The machine is mounted on the frame with front end of machine housing having operating facilities unobstructed by any transverse bars of the frame. A biocide well located in the top face of the machine is also unobstructed by top transverse bars. 
     The tube cleaning machine so mounted on the dolly carry cage can be rolled to vicinity of a tube cleaning site, and then manually lifted or lowered into final position. 
     Specific examples are included in the following description for purposes of clarity, but various details can be changed within the scope of the present invention. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a dolly carry cage for ease of moving tube cleaning machines into position in a machinery room next to a heat exchanger. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a robust frame defining a dolly and a carry cage for mounting a tube cleaning machine with unimpeded access to operating facilities of the machine. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a robust frame defining a dolly and a carry cage so that a tube cleaning machine can easily be moved into position next to heat exchange equipment by wheels and carry handle. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a dolly carry cage for mounting tube cleaning machines in a manner that dampens vibration of the machine. 
     Another object of the dolly and carry cage is to protect the tube cleaning machine from physical damage during use. 
     Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent with an understanding of the following detailed description or upon employment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for detailed description to enable those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention appertains to readily understand how to construct and use the invention and is shown in the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of preferred embodiment of dolly and carry cage according to the invention showing front operating panel and rotary shaft coupling of tube cleaning machine positioned within the cage. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of dolly and carry cage of  FIG. 1  showing rear side with dolly handle deployed for wheeling the tube cleaning machine. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of dolly and carry cage of  FIG. 2  showing rear side with dolly handle folded away. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of dolly and carry cage of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of dolly and carry cage of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of cage bottom transverse bar showing shock absorber for mounting tube cleaning machine to dolly and carry cage. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The dolly and carry cage of the invention is used for moving tube cleaning machines made and sold by Goodway Technologies Corporation, particularly, RAM™ tube cleaners having a power housing mounted in the cage. The housing has a coupling connected to the near end of an elongate flexible drive shaft (not shown) for rotating a tube cleaning brush or tool mounted at the far end of the flexible shaft. A sheath encasing the drive shaft defines an interior channel for passage of cleaning fluid through coupling and sheath to the brush end of the shaft. In a tube cleaning pass, the rotating tool and cleaning fluid advance through a tube interior to remove and flush away dirt and encrusted mineral. The tube cleaning machine housing has an internal drive motor (not shown) for rotating the flexible shaft. 
     The tube cleaning machine  10  shown in the drawing comprises machine housing  10   a  with operating facilities including control console  10   b , cleaning fluid inlet connection  10   c , rotary drive shaft and cleaning fluid coupling  10   d , and well  10   e  for biocide pellets. A preferred embodiment of dolly and carry cage according to the invention for such tube cleaning machine facilitates unobstructed access by an operator to all such machine operating facilities. That is, none of the cage bars or stringers interfere with such access to facilities. 
     A preferred embodiment of dolly carry cage comprises a robust welded tubular frame  12  of generally parallel upright identical side frame members  14 ,  15  cross-connected with tubular transverse bars at bottom  16   a - b  ( FIG. 5 ), front  17 , rear  18   a - b  ( FIG. 2 ), and top  20   a - b.    
     Each side frame  14 ,  15  comprises a generally rectangular loop of horizontal  14   a ,  15   a  and vertical  14   b ,  15   b  bars with rounded corners and top front bevelled or angled corners  14   c ,  15   c . For each side frame  14 ,  15  a pair of spaced horizontal stringer bars  14   d - e ,  15   d - e  extend between vertical frame bars to strengthen the side frame. The top transverse bars  20   a ,  20   b  include a central horizontal portion  21 , and angled end portions  23  extending down toward and connected to side frame top horizontal bars  14   a  and  15   a.    
     A carry handle  26  extends between mid-points of top transverse bars  20   a - b  for carrying the entire ensemble of cage and tube cleaning machine. The handle comprises a section of tubing secured to bars  20   a - b  and covered by a grip sleeve. 
     The carry frame so constructed provides a rigid structure for receiving and holding tube cleaning machine  10  for movement about a machinery space, and for tube cleaning operations. As shown in  FIG. 1 , there is unobstructed access to tube cleaning facilities between top transverse bar  20   a  and front bar  17 . The carry frame also protects the physical integrity of machine housing in what can be a hard edge operating environment. 
     A wheel and axle assembly  28  is passed through and supported by front transverse bar  17  for situating wheels  28   a  at the lower front corner of the cage. The cage in this way becomes a dolly for wheeling the tube cleaning machine in the manner of in cooperation with a handle  30  pivotally mounted to rear vertical side frame bars  14   b ,  15   b  by pivot brackets  32  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
     The handle  30  comprises a U-shape bar  30   a  extending between pivot brackets  32  attached to upper reach of vertical side frame bars  14   b ,  15   b . Brackets  32  ( FIG. 2 ) have triangular side panels  32   a  and a top panel  32   b . The top panel is secured by pins or bolts to a handle end  30   b , and corners  32   c  of bracket side panels is secured to frame vertical bars  14   b ,  15   b  by pivot pin or bolt. Bracket top panel is recessed  32   d  ( FIG. 3 ) such that when the handle is deployed to position of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the handle ends engage vertical bar to enable lifting of entire frame and machine assembly as handle is lifted above horizontal. 
     The tube cleaning machine is preferably secured by shock absorbers  34  to bottom transverse bars  16   a ,  16   b  and to rear transverse bars  18   a  and  18   b  as sole connection of machine to frame so as to minimize vibratory effects of machine on frame during tube cleaning operations. Side frame members  14   a  and  15   a  have ground support shock absorbers  36  ( FIGS. 5 ,  6 ) near the handle end of the frame. 
     The machine is mounted on the frame with front end of machine housing with operating facilities unobstructed by the frame any transverse ribs. There is no cage bar in the space between the top transverse bar  20   a  and front transverse bar  17  that would interfere with access to control console, water inlet connection, or shaft coupling. The biocide well located in the top face of the machine is also unobstructed by top transverse ribs. 
     The tube cleaning machine so mounted on the dolly carry cage can be rolled to vicinity of a tube cleaning site, and then lifted or lowered into final position. 
     The foregoing description focuses particularly on a tube cleaning machine being transported for industrial use, and it is to be understood that the dolly and carry cage may be used for any device in analogous use. 
     Various changes may be made to the structure embodying the principles of the invention. The foregoing embodiments are set forth in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.