Patent Publication Number: US-6990707-B1

Title: Cylindrical member maintenance device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/659,062 filed on Jun. 3, 1996 now abandoned. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention broadly relates to devices for cleaning structural cables and other cylindrical members. 
   2. Prior Art 
   A braided steel cable, such as the type used on suspension bridges, is comprised of a plurality of braided strands helically wrapped around a solid core. The cable is made of steel and thus requires periodic maintenance to prevent rusting. Such maintenance is comprised of removing surface dirt, rust, and old paint, then painting the cleaned surface. 
   A typical cleaning device for cleaning braided steel cables is comprised of a housing which positions wire brushes around a cable. When the cleaning device is moved along the cable, the cable is cleaned by the wire brushes. Some cleaning devices apply a cleaning fluid. Prior art cable cleaners can clean the lands of the cable, that is, the outermost parts of the strands, but cannot clean deep inside the grooves between adjacent strands. Also, the wire brushes wear out quickly. Further, debris and cleaning fluids fly out from the cleaning device as environmental contaminants. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Objects of the present cylindrical member maintenance device are:
         to clean a cylindrical member, such as a braided steel cable;   to apply a cleaning fluid to the cylindrical member for better cleaning;   to thoroughly clean the lands and grooves of the cable;   to paint the cylindrical member after cleaning;   to avoid releasing debris, cleaning fluid, or paint into the environment; and   to make the brushes more durable.       

   The present cylindrical member maintenance device is comprised of a housing comprised of two hinged halves for being closed around a cylindrical member, such as a braided steel cable. Centering rings in the housing fit closely around the cylindrical member to center the housing and to seal the interior from the outside environment. A rotary helical brush assembly and a rotary longitudinal brush assembly are positioned in the housing and rotatable about an axis of the housing. The rotary helical brush assembly is comprised of coaxial rings with cylindrical wire brushes connected in between in a helical arrangement. The rotary longitudinal brush assembly is comprised of coaxial rings with cylindrical wire brushes connected in between in a longitudinal arrangement. The brushes in either brush assembly are independently rotatable about their own axes. Nozzles are positioned on the inside of the housing for applying a material such as a cleaning fluid or paint to the cylindrical member. Apertures in the housing are for connecting to a suction device for removing debris, cleaning fluid, and paint to avoid contaminating the environment. Connectors on the housing are for attaching to cables for moving the housing along the cylindrical member. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cylindrical member maintenance device in an opened condition. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view thereof in a closed condition. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view thereof taken along line  3 — 3  in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view thereof taken along line  4 — 4  in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the rotary helical brush assembly disassembled. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the cylindrical member maintenance device. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 10. Housing 
                 11. Half Housing 
               
               
                   
                 12. Half Housing 
                 13. Cylindrical Member 
               
               
                   
                 14. Latch 
                 15. Alignment Ring 
               
               
                   
                 16. Alignment Ring 
                 17. Sealing Ring 
               
               
                   
                 18. Loops 
                 19. Half Ring 
               
               
                   
                 20. Half Ring 
                 21. Helical Brush Assembly 
               
               
                   
                 22. Longitudinal Brush Assembly 
                 23. Split Ring 
               
               
                   
                 24. Spacer 
                 25. Wire Brush 
               
               
                   
                 26. Split Ring 
                 27. Spacer 
               
               
                   
                 28. Wire Brush 
                 29. Nozzle 
               
               
                   
                 30. Hose 
                 31. Distribution Chamber 
               
               
                   
                 32. Suction Aperture 
                 33. Connector 
               
               
                   
                 34. Valve 
                 35. Pressure Gauge 
               
               
                   
                 36. Distribution Chamber 
                 37. Connector 
               
               
                   
                 38. Helical Strands 
                 39. Groove 
               
               
                   
                 40. Land 
                 41. Half Ring 
               
               
                   
                 42. Half Ring 
                 43. Pin 
               
               
                   
                 44. Hole 
                 45. Projection 
               
               
                   
                 46. Housing 
                 47. Half Housing 
               
               
                   
                 48. Half Housing 
                 49. Pin 
               
               
                   
                 50. Hole 
                 51. Brushes 
               
               
                   
                 52. Split Ring 
                 53. Split Ring 
               
               
                   
                 54. Axle 
                 55. Cylindrical Member 
               
               
                   
                 56. Helical Strand 
                 57. Axle 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 : 
   A cylindrical member maintenance device is shown in a perspective view in  FIG. 1  in an opened position. It is comprised of a housing  10  comprised of two half housings  11  and  12  hinged together for opening and closing around a cylindrical member  13 , such as a braided steel cable. Alternatively, half housings  11  and  12  may be completely detachable from each other. The cleaner can be used for cleaning other types of cylindrical members, such as pipes. Half housings  11  and  12  are locked together by latches  14  after they are closed around cylindrical member  13 . 
   Split alignment rings  15  and  16  in housing align cylindrical member  13  therein and seal the interior of housing  10  from the outside environment. A split sealing ring  17  is positioned at a first end of housing  10 . Sealing ring  17  has a slightly larger inner diameter than those of alignment rings  15  and  16  to avoid touching cylindrical member  13 . Rings  15 – 17  are each comprised of two half rings  19  and  20  attached to respective half housings  11  and  12 , so that rings  15 – 17  can be opened and closed around cylindrical member  13 . 
   Rotary helical brush assemblies  21  and a rotary longitudinal brush assembly  22  are positioned in housing  10  and rotatable about an axis thereof. There may be any number of each type of brush assembly. Rotary helical brush assembly  21  is comprised of coaxial split rings  23  connected by spacers  24  and rotary cylindrical wire brushes  25  in a helical arrangement. Rotary longitudinal  11  brush assembly  22  is comprised of coaxial split rings  26  connected by spacers  27  and cylindrical wire brushes  28  in a longitudinal arrangement. The brushes in either brush assembly are independently rotatable about their own axle  57 . Each brush assembly can be opened and closed around cylindrical member  13 . 
   Nozzles  29  are positioned inside housing  10  in a space between brush assembly  21  and sealing ring  17  for applying a material to cylindrical member  13 , such as a chemical cleaner, steam, abrasives, paint, etc. Nozzles  29  are connected by hoses  30  to a distribution chamber  31  attached to the outside of housing  10 . Suction apertures  32  in housing  10  are for connecting to a suction device (not shown) for removing debris and waste fluid from inside housing  10  to avoid contaminating the outside environment. 
     FIG. 2 : 
   The cylindrical member maintenance device is shown in a closed position around cylindrical member  13  in  FIG. 2 . A connector  33  extending from chamber  31  is arranged for connecting to a pressurized source of fluid (not shown), such as a cleaning fluid or paint. A valve  34  and a pressure gauge  35  are also connected to chamber  31 . When the fluid is sprayed onto cylindrical member  13  by nozzles  29  ( FIG. 1 ), it is contained within housing  10  to avoid contaminating the outside environment. 
   A suction distribution chamber  36  is connected to suction apertures  29  ( FIG. 1 ). A connector  37  on chamber  36  is for connecting to a suction device (not shown). Loops  18  on housing  10  are for attaching to cables (not shown) for moving housing  10  along cylindrical member  13 . Loops  18  are positioned on opposite sides of housing  10  to prevent housing  10  from rotating about cylindrical member  13 . 
   When the cylindrical member maintenance device is used for cleaning the steel cable, it may be moved in an upward direction along the steel cable. When the cylindrical member maintenance device is used for painting the steel cable, it may be moved in a downward direction along the steel cable. The painted portion will only travel past sealing ring  17 , which has a slightly larger hole than alignment rings  15  and  16  ( FIG. 1 ) to avoid touching the freshly painted portion of the steel cable. 
     FIG. 3 : 
   A sectional view of rotary helical brush assembly  21  is shown in  FIG. 3  positioned around a cylindrical member  13  which in this example is comprised of a braided steel cable with helical strands  38 . The number of cylindrical brushes  25  is selected to match the number of strands  38  in the steel cable. Cylindrical brushes  25  are canted (see  FIG. 1 ) to align with helical grooves  39  between helical strands  38  of the steel cable for cleaning grooves  39 . 
   As housing  10  is moved along the steel cable, brush assembly  21  is rotated about the axis of the steel cable as brushes  25  are guided along helical grooves  39 . The friction with grooves  39  cause cylindrical brushes  25  to rotate about their own axes independently of each other in a direction opposite the rotation of brush assembly  21  for better cleaning. The rotation of brushes  25  about their own axes also enable to them wear longer because individual bristles are in contact with the steel cable only some of the time. 
     FIG. 4 : 
   A sectional view of rotary longitudinal brush assembly  22  is shown in  FIG. 4  positioned around the steel cable. Cylindrical brushes  28  are aligned with the axis of the steel cable, and are positioned to engage raised portions or lands  40  of strands in the steel cable. Brushes  28  are caused by helical strands  38  to rotate about their own axes. 
     FIG. 5 : 
   Rotary helical brush assembly  21  is shown split apart in  FIG. 5 . Split rings  23  are each separable into two halves  41  and  42 , and include pins  43  and holes  44  at abutting surfaces for mating with each other. Split rings  23  also include projections  45  extending from the abutting surfaces for attaching canted cylindrical brushes  25  that extend beyond the abutting surfaces. 
     FIG. 6 : 
   A second embodiment of the cylindrical member maintenance device is shown in  FIG. 6 . It is comprised of a housing  46  comprised of two separable halves  47  and  48  connected by pins  49  and holes  50 . Housing  46  is equivalent to spacers  24  and  27  in  FIG. 1 . Longitudinal rotary cylindrical brushes  51  are positioned inside housing  46  between split rings  52  and  53  at opposite ends of housing  46 . Brushes  51  are independently rotatable about their own axle  54 . Housing  46  is split apart and closed around a cylindrical member  55 , such as a stranded steel cable. Brushes  51  are positioned to engage the steel cable. When housing  46  is moved along the steel cable, brushes  51  are rotated by helical strands  56  of the steel cable. 
   Although the foregoing description is specific, it should not be considered as a limitation on the scope of the invention, but only as an example of the preferred embodiment. Many variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, different attachment methods, fasteners, materials, dimensions, etc. can be used unless specifically indicated otherwise. The relative positions of the elements can vary, and the shapes of the elements can vary. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, not by the examples given.