Patent GB-863830-A (GB)
Title: Tank washing apparatus
IPC: B05B3/06
Filed: 1958-07-02
Abstract: 863,830. Rotary liquid distributers. BUTTERWORTH SYSTEM Inc. July 2, 1958 [Aug. 5, 1957], No. 21230/58. Class 69 (3). A tank-washing apparatus of the kind in which a nozzle structure rotates about its axis and simultaneously is rotated about an axis at right angles to that axis, has an hydraulically operated overriding clutch and drive gear for rotating the nozzle structure about its axis. In Fig. 3 the apparatus includes a gear case 1 bolted to a rotary impeller case 2, a cap 3 bolted to the impeller case and housing a non-rotary support tube 71, and a nozzle structure 4 rotatably mounted on the impeller case. Thus as shown the nozzle structure rotates about its horizontal axis and, together with the impeller case, gear case and cap, is driven about the vertical axis of the apparatus. The train of gears within the gear case is driven by a shaft 20 detachably connected to a shaft 54 driven by the impingement of liquid against impeller blades 57 on its way through the tube 71 to the nozzles 103, 104. Stationary vanes 53 direct the liquid at right angles on to the blades. Rotation of the nozzle structure about its horizontal axis is effected by a gear 29 on a driven shaft 25 which engages a ring gear 121 rotatably mounted on the hub 102 of the nozzle structure. The ring gear, Fig. 5, lies adjacent an annular clutch plate 118 mounted non-rotatively on the hub, and the adjacent faces of the ring gear and clutch plate are correspondingly notched so that when forced into engagement hydraulically the nozzle structure is rotated. As shown in Fig. 5 the clutch plate is adjacent a resilient " O " ring 117 within an annular recess in the hub 102, and a number of circumferentially spaced passages 116 lead liquid to the recess from the nozzle structure and force the clutch plate into engagement with the ring gear. The hub 102 is rotatably mounted on an extension 47 of the impeller case and the nozzle structure is rotatably secured to a flow diffuser element 48 rigid with the case. Rotation of the apparatus about the vertical axis is effected by a gear 28 on the shaft 25 which drives detachable and aligned shafts 31, 62. A gear 63 on shaft 62 meshes with a ring gear 76 fixed to the non- rotary support tube 71. A liquid supply hose or pipe is screwed on to a coupling 92 bolted to a collar 91, both parts 91 and 92 being rotatable and axially movable to some extent on the tube 71 when the apparatus is not in use. The face of a shoulder 91a on the collar 91 is notched and engages a correspondingly notched face of an annulus 96 secured to the tube 71 when the apparatus is suspended for operation. The numbers of teeth on the ring gears 76 and 121 differ slightly to provide different liquid impingement paths at each revolution. Fig. 6 shows an alternative arrangement in which a hose coupling 192 is secured to the support tube 171 which can move axially to some extent within the cap 3. The ring gear 176 is rotatable about the tube when the tube is relieved of the weight of the apparatus i.e. when not in use. When in use the notched undersurface of the gear 176 is forced into engagement with the correspondingly notched face of a shoulder 174 of the tube, so that the apparatus is rotated about the tube.