Improvements in Tube Cleaners.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1391-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
Improvements in Tube Cleaners.
1, WILLIAM FRANKLIN BRADBURY of 8th and Santa Fe Streets Kansas City
in the County of Jackson and State of Missouri one of the United States of North
America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements for cleaning the
tubes of boilers, intended more especially for use in water tube boilers having
circular tubes, but which may be used for cleaning circular tubes and flues of any
description in which scale or soot is formed therein; and my invention consists of
a tube cleaner comprising two rigid heads formed in a single piece and suitable
cutting rollers journalled therein, the cutting rollers of one head alternating with
the cutting rollers of the other head, said cutting rollers having upon their perimeter
cutting edges alternating with disintegrating blunt portions.
Fig. 1. represents a longitudinal section of a circular tube showing scales formed
therein, and my improved device shown partly in cross section within the tube,
whereby the scale is cut and removed from the same.
Fig. 11. represents a transverse view of the tube and an end view of the cleaner,
showing the cutting rollers of one head alternating with the cutting rollers of the
other lead.
Fig. III represents a detail view of one of the cutting rollers I use in my improved
tube cleaner.
Fig. IV represents a cross section of said cutting roller on the line IV-IV of
Fig. III.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
1 represents a section of a circular tube. 2 represents the scale formed therein.
3 and 4 represent the rigid head formed in a single piece. 5 and 6 represent
cutting rollers journalled in the heads, said cutting rollers 5 of one head alternating
with the cutting rollers 6 of the other head. 7 represents eye bolts threaded into
the ends of the rigid heads, to which are attached the chains 8 or other suitable
means whereby the tube cleaner is drawn through the tube.
The cutting roller, I preferably use, is shown in detail in Fig. III and in
cross section in Fig. IV in which 9 represents the body of the roller. The
perimeter of the roller is provided with the cutting edges 10 alternating with the
blunt portions 11. The cutting edges are curved and bevelled, as shown, and
where they join the blunt portions do not reach fully to the perimeter leaving the
acute disintegrating angle 12 on the blunt portion.
My improved tube cleaner is especially adapted to circular tubes and the
peculiar advantage I claim for my invention is that by the use of the double head
in a circular tube one head acts as a guide and rigid abutment to direct and retain
the cleaner true to the circular line of the tube, which could not be done with a
single head. The action being similar to the action of car trucks upon a curve.
A further advantage I claim is in the disposition of the cutting rollers, the cutting
rollers of one head alternating with those of the other, double the number of distinct
grooves or furrows is formed in the scale and the following alternating set of cutting
rollers pressing the scale into the groove formed by the preceding rollers tends
greatly to break the adhesion of the scale to the tube. And further that by
providing the cutting rollers with the blunt disintegrating portion alternating with

page_text: the cutting edges I avoid cutting the tube as is frequently done with a cutting disc
having a cutting edge upon its entire perimeter, while such cutting roller also acts
more forcibly and effectually upon the incrustation of the tube and more fully
breaks up its adhesion thereto.
I am aware that it is not broadly new to cut the scale from boiler tubes by
means of cutting rollers, and by means of cutting rollers journalled directly to a
rigid head, but I am not aware that two heads formed in a single piece provided
with alternating cutting rollers, each head forming a guide and abutment to the
other adapting the device especially to circular tubes has ever been used, and am
not aware that the cutting roller formed with the alternating cutting edges and
blunt portions for the protection of the tubes has ever been used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
.1. A tube cleaner for circular tubes consisting of two heads formed rigidly in a
single piece, cutting rollers unyieldingly journalled in each of said heads, said
cutting rollers in one head alternating with the cutting rollers in the other head
and means for drawing the same through the tube, substantially as set forth.
2. A tube cleaner for circular tubes consisting of two heads formed rigidly in a
single piece, cutting rollers unyieldingly journalled in each of said heads, each
head adapted to serve as a rigid abutment and guide for the other to direct
and retain the device true to the circular line of the tube, substantially as
set forth.
3. In a tube cleaner, a cutting roller having upon its perimeter cutting edges
alternating with abruptly terminating disintegrating blunt portions, substantially
us set forth.
4. In a tube cleaner, a cutting roller having upon its perimeter cutting edges
alternating with blunt disintegrating portions, the cutting edges where joining the
blunt portions not reaching the perimeter thereof but leaving an acute disintegrating
angle, substantially as set forth.
5. A cutting roller for tube cleaners consisting of a body, cutting edges upon
the perimeter thereof and blunt disintegrating portions alternating with the cutting
edges, substantially as set forth.
6. In a tube cleaner, the combination of a rigid head with cutting rollers
journalled therein cutting edges upon the perimeter of the rollers and blunt
disintegrating portions alternating with the cutting edges, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 6th day of December 1894.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.