CLEANING DEVICE FOR CHIMNEYS

Abstract: Device for cleaning both domestic and industrial chimney flues, also acting as a chimney-pot. The cleaning of the flues is effected by the straight up and down movement of a metal brush (Fig.1) fitted with steel wire bristles (CLEANING PORCUPINE), activated manually by a metal chain (Fig.5) and pulley system (Fig.4) or by a cog-wheel in the case of large industrial chimneys, positioned and fitted into the intrados of a steel plate (Fig.2) which acts as a cover for the device.

Description: DESCRIPTION CLEANING DEVICE FOR CHIMNEYS The invention concerns a device which acts as a chimney-pot for flues of all sizes for both civil and industrial us eefig. 8 of the drawings enclosed). The device is simply a cliimney-pot made up of two interacting parts, each dependent on the other : The fixed part, which is the actual chimney-pot with a rain cove (fig. 2) is fitted onto the top of the flue with the aid of four hinge fixtures, one on each side of the square base. The mobile part, made up of the assembly of the cleaning porcupine (fig. 1), of the double chain (fig. 5) and of the pulley (fig.4) for standard domestic flues or of the cogwheel for larger sized chains. Depending on which side of the chain is pulled and guided by the internal walls of the flue, the cleaning porcupine is moved alternately up and down, so that the steel bristles, brushing against the inside of the flue (including the corners, as the lengtli of the bristles diagonally is greater than the length of the axes of the section where the potcupine passes) remove the soot produced by combustion and deposited inside the chimney flue during the use of the fire-place. The cleaning porcupine, when not in use, remains situated in the top part of the chimney-pot above the openings which let out the smoke, without creating loss of load or altering the normal draught of the flue in standard working conditions. The porcupine is made up of three metal p_eces,w_ιich act as the brush head, connected to eachother (about 10 - 20 mm. apart) by two metal rings on each side, thus obtaining a jointed system which facilitates the cleaning action. Each piece is made up of a metal plate 70 - 80 mm high, about 700 mm. long and 3 mm. thick, which bent along its length forms a closed, hollow octagonal figure, the main sides measuring 120 =150 mm., depending on the internal size of the flue. i The metal plate is then closed by overlapping the two edges and rivetting the joint (see drawings). Onto the folded metal plate are then applied, using rivetts or heat resistant glue, the brushes made of steel wire bristles, held together by a heat resistant paste of thermal -setting material. The length of the wire bristles varies according to size of the flue section ; they will be about 27 mm. along the direction of the axes and slightly longer along the direction of the diagonals, so as to reach the corners of the inside section of the flue. Onto the two external brush heads are fitted two metallic bars, folded to a U shape , 150 mm. long, 30 mm. wide and 5 mm. thick (see drawing), one towards the top and one towards the bottom. These will then be connected to the two ends of the chain 5 thus permitting the up and down movement of the cleaning porcupine, by activating manually first one side, then the other side of the chain. The chain used for the alternate up and down movement passes through the inside of the cleaning porcupine, which is hollow ; its length depends on the height of the chimney and when not in use, so as not to hang inside when the fire is lit, remains fixed onto a hook positioned on one of the inside walls of the flue. The chimney-pot is made up of 2+2 metal plates, 3mm. thick, shaped on three sides, with an opening to let out the hot smoke, one on each side of the chimney (fig. 6 and fig. 9). The metal plates are assembled by overlapping and rivetting the longitudinal edges, thus obtaining a hollow parallelepiped (fig 13 - fig.14). This is fitted onto the chimney and the base is fixed onto the hinges previously fitted onto the external structure of the chimney. Each single plate is further strengthened by rivetting onto it a profile, 50 mm. square 3 mm. thick and about 210 mm. long (see fig. 11) ; further reinforcements are the two metal bars, 340 X 80 X 8 mm. ( fig. 12), bent and rivetted onto the previous profile, wliich, resting on the edge of the openings for the smoke, acts as guide for the alyeraat up and down momement of the porcupine, so avoiding its twisting around its own axel. Two front plates are also connected to a round pipe (fig.10) 30 mm. diametre and 3 mm. thick or to a rectangular profile (40 X 20 X 3 mm.) with folded edges, total lengtli about 400 mm.,rivetted onto the plating ; besides making the structure more rigid, the pipe also keeps the two edges of the chain separate. The chimney pot is protected against the rain by a metal sheet covering, 700 X 450 0 X 3 mm., folded lengthwise into two equal halves (fig.2) forming a vertex angle of 60 - 70 degrees. This covering is rivetted onto the two top folded edges of the two front plates, which make up the cliirnney-pot. The structure of the rain cover is made firm by a tubular square profile, 50 X 50 X 3 mm., and about 800 mm. long (fig. 3), cut and bent to the same angle as the angle of the top of the rain cover, onto which it is then rivetted. Onto the intrados of this will be then be fitted the support for the pulley. The materials used for the construction of the clώnney cleaning device are conditioned by the combustion process of the usual liquid and solid fuels, which contain sulphur causing the formation of steam, NOx, C02, S02. The condensation of these products inside the chimney forms sulphuric and nitric acid , and these in time cause a weakening of the materials they are in contact with. Stainless steel is immune to this drawback and guarantees a long term efficiency of the product. Certain parts can be built with materials such as a iuiώiium or copper treated with antioxidants, which make the device lighter in weight, but also adapting the thickness of the structures resisting the strains. It is clear that, besides the example described above, numerous variations are possible, however always remaining within the context of the present invention. It can be observed that the device according to the invention, which gives the very advantageous results described above, is remarkably simple to construct and is tlierefore quite economical. Besides the economy of the materials used, the limited costs and assembly times, the actual mounting of the device consists only in securing the hinges onto the chimney, taking only a short time to carry out.

Claims: CLAIMS The patent rights are claimed for : 1) The chimney-pot j with the fixture for the porcupine, 2) The cleaning porcupine. 3) The system and the working of the assembled parts. 4) The adaptability of the system to civil and industrial purposes.

Inventors: ZUDDAS SALVATORE, ZUDDAS, SALVATORE
Applicants: ZUDDAS SALVATORE, ZUDDAS, SALVATORE
Application year: 2000
Main classification: F23J3
IPC codes: F23J3