An Improved Means or Apparatus for Cleaning the Tubes or Flues of Tubular Boilers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
An Improved Means or Apparatus for Cleaning the Tubes or Flues
of Tubular Boilers.
We, GEORGE WOODHEAD of 29, Healey Wood Road, Burnley in the County of
Lancaster, Weaver and JOSHUA PICKUP of 48, Wilkinson Street, Nelson, in the
said County, Clothlooker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to substitute a mechanical appliance for the
brush ordinarily used for the purpose of cleaning out tubes or flues of tubular
boilers, which tool or appliance will outlast a considerable number of brushes,
without adding much, if anything, to the primeval cost.
The apparatus may consist of a metal rod terminating in a handle at one end,
and at its other terminating in a spike, and near the spike end are two nuts having
three, four or more facings. These nuts are screwed or fixed to the rod a suitable
distance apart from each other, and blade springs span the space between, and are
secured to the respective facings of the two nuts.
It will be apparent, that when the nuts are screwed nearer to or further from
cach other, the blade springs will assume a greater or less curvature or bow than
previously, and they can therefore be adjusted to the greatest nicety to fit any
tube, large or small. About midway along each spring is fixed a toothed or
serrated piece, so that when the two nuts are brought nearer together, and the
springs assume a more bowed form, the latter will press the toothed or serrated
pieces against the sides of the boiler tube, where they will be held by the elasticity
of the springs. The instrument is then moved backwards and forwards along the
tube, the serrated pieces acting against the surface of the tube, entirely clearing it
of soot and extraneous matter, which may have accumulated, and the rod may be
twisted round at intervals, as desired, to get a fresh surface. A block or scraper
may be fixed to the far extremity of the rod, so that when it is withdrawn from
the tube, it will bring with it all matter removed from the sides of the tube by the
foregoing operation.
Instead of the apparatus described above, a helical spring may be attached to
the rod, commencing with small coils, which gradually expand as the distance
increases from the spike end of the rod. The object is to get a scraper that will
fit any size of tube, the expanded portion of the spring being contracted as it is
forced down the tube, and at the same time carrying in its course the accumulated
sooty matter.
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means or Apparatus for Cleaning the Tubes or Flues
of Tubular Boilers.
We, GEORGE WOODHEAD of 29, Healey Wood Road, Burnley in the County of
Lancaster, Weaver, and JOSHUA PICKUP of 48, Wilkinson Street, Nelson, in the
said County, Clothlooker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
| Price 8 d. 1

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to substitute a mechanical appliance for the
brush ordinarily used for the purpose of cleaning out tubes or flues of tubular
boilers, which tool or appliance will outlast a considerable number of brushes
without adding much, if anything to the primeval cost.
The apparatus may consist of a metal rod terminating in a handle at one end,
and at its other terminating in a spike, and near the spike end are two nuts,
having three, four or more facings. These nuts are screwed or fixed to the rod a
suitable distance apart from each other, and blade springs span the space between,
and are secured to the respective facings of the two nuts.
It will be apparent that when the nuts are screwed nearer to or further from
each other, the blade springs will assume a greater or less curvature or bow than
previously, and they can therefore be adjusted to the greatest nicety to fit any
tube large or small. About midway along each spring is fixed a toothed or serrated
piece, so that when the two nuts are brought nearer together and the springs
assume a more bowed form, the latter will press the toothed or serrated pieces
against the sides of the boiler tube, where they will be held by the elasticity of
the springs. The instrument is then moved backwards and forwards along the
tube, the serrated pieces acting against the surface of the tube, entirely clearing
it of soot and extraneous matter, which may have accumulated, and the rod may
be twisted round at intervals, as desired, to get a fresh surface.
A block or
Scraper may be fixed to the far extremity of the rod, so that when it is withdrawn
from the tube, it will bring with it all matter removed from the sides of the tube
by the foregoing operation.
Instead of the apparatus described above, a helical spring may be attached to
the rod, commencing with small coils, which gradually expand as the distance
increases from the spike end of the rod. The object is to get a scraper that will
fit any size of tube, the expanded portion of the spring being contracted as it is
forced down the tube, and at the same time carrying in its course the accumulated
sooty matter.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side view of our improved mechanical appliance for cleaning out tubes
or flues of tubular boilers.
A is a metal rod or shaft, only a short portion of which is shewn, the other
portion carrying a suitable handle at its extremity. The said rod or shaft A is
provided with a twisted or similar spike B, and at suitable distances apart are
screwed or fixed nuts or the like C and D, shewn in the drawing with three
facings, to which are secured the blade springs E F and G. The nuts C and D
are so adjusted on the rod or shaft A as to produce the requisite curvature or bow
to the springs, which are provided, about midway of their surfaces with serrated
pieces H, I and J, so that when the instrument is introduced into the boiler tube
or flue, the serrated pieces will be caused to press against the sides thereof, by the
elasticity of the springs. The instrument, when moved backwards and forwards
in the tube, will therefore clear it of all sooty or extraneous matter, and a slight
twist round may occasionally be given to it to present a fresh surface.
The block or scraper K secured to the shaft A, and provided with grooves into
which fit bow springs E F and G is useful for assisting in entirely removing or
clearing the accumulated sooty matter from the tube or flue, and also for limiting
the movement of the springs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The appliance or apparatus for cleaning the tubes or flues of tubular boilers,
substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 1.

page_text: 2. The arrangement of a helical spring, substantially as described, for the
purpose set forth.
11... 1909
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.