Improvements in and relating to Cleaners for Dust-collectors.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Cleaners for Dust-collectors.
We, JAMES FREEMAN STEPHENS, Miller, and GEORGE MORRIS PARSNEAU,
Millwright, citizens of the United States of America, both. residing, at St. Cloud
in the County of Stearns and State of Minnesota, one of the United States of
America, 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.:-
Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in cleaners for dust
collectors, and more particularly to the cleaning of that class of dust collectors in
which are employed a series of vertical flexible tubes between' a dust chamber
proper at the top thereof and a hopper at the bottom, whereby a periodical
thorough cleaning of said tubes' may be obtained when desired: This object we
accomplish by employing a vertically movable frame-work carrying a series of
horizontal rods or rollers adapted to press against or roll along the sides' of the
dust collecting tubes, thereby dislodging any particles of dust which may have
collected therein.
This object we attain in the manner and by the means more' particularly herein-
after described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a dust collector of the character described having
our improved device applied thereto.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the dust removing frame detached.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of the mechanism for operating said' frame:
Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.
In the said drawings the letters A and B indicate an upper and lower frame-
work respectively formed of any suitable material, and, if desired, braced longi-
tudinally by one or more braces V, as shown in Figure 3. These frames are
connected together at their sides by the links C pivoted to the frames' by pivot
pins'a a. Located transversely in the said frames are a series of transverse rods or
rollers R; and there may be if desired; a series of longitudinal rods or rollers · R¹.
These frames are located on the dust collector with the rods or rollers R, R' embracing
the flexible tubes T thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 2: D'is a stop on frame A
to limit the approach of the frames A and B towards each other. The frames
are normally in their lowermost position' resting: on the springs or supports D', at
which time the stop D will be in contact with the lower frame B, and the rods or
rollers of the frame A will' assume a position vertically above those of frame B
between the flexible tubes T.

page_text: Attached to the four corners of the frame A are the cords E running over
pulleys E¹ and from thence to a shaft S located preferably on the end of the dust
hopper. This shaft is adapted to be rotated by means of any suitable gearing S¹
operated from a suitable source of power. It will thus be seen that when the
shaft S is rotated the cords E will be wound thereon and the frames A. and B
raised.
Located on the shaft S is a clutch mechanism M, N, of a well known construction,
and connected with the movable member N thereof is the lever H, pivoted to
the dust hopper at I and having pins L, Figure 6, in its bifurcated arms
adapted to engage the movable member N. The other end of this lever H is
connected to a spring arm F attached to the underside of the dust chamber by
means of an intermediate cord G. The lower end of one of the bifurcated arms of the
lever has a plate K thereon engaged by springs K' on the dust hopper, as shown
in Figure 2.
The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to clean the dust
tubes T, power is applied to the gearing S¹ and through it the shaft S is rotated,
winding the cords E thereon and raising the frames A and B. As soon as the
latter are lifted from the springs or rests D₁ the weight of frame B by reason of
the eccentric links C, will shift it longitudinally with respect to the frame A, thus
throwing the rods or rollers R in the two frames out of alignment, and into
rubbing or rolling contact with the tubes T, thereby dislodging any dust that may
have collected on the inner surfaces thereof. As the frame A approaches the
dust chamber above it comes in contact with the spring arm F thereby raising one
end of the lever H through the intermediate cord G and throwing the clutch
mechanism M N out of engagement, thus stopping the further rotation of the shaft S.
The weight of the frames A and B will now operate to unwind the cords E from
said shaft S and permit the return of the frames to their bottom-most position, but
in order to prevent this from being done too rapidly, a spring P is employed,
pressing against the shaft S and retarding its rotation to the speed desired. The
springs K engaging the plate K on the lower end of the lever H retain said lever
in position, disengaging the clutch mechanism until it is again engaged by manual
power.
It will be understood that the dust collecting tubes T may be arranged in
square, oblong, circular or other groups as desired, the frames A and B being
shaped and located to correspond therewith.
It will also be understood that we may either employ fixed rods R, R', or they
may be capable of rotation as may be desired; also that the longitudinal rods or
rollers R' may be dispensed with, if desired.
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. A dust collector consisting of a series of flexible tubes in combination with a
series of rods, adapted to impart a rubbing action to the flexible tubes, substantially
as shown and described.
2. The combination with a dust collector composed of a series of flexible tubes,
of a series of movable rods adapted to rub against the sides of the flexible tubes,
substantially as shown and described.
3. A device for removing dust from the flexible tubes of a dust collector,
consisting of a frame-work, a series of rods carried thereby and adapted to rub
against the flexible tubes, and means for moving said frame-work, and its rods,
substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination with the vertical flexible tubes of a dust collector, of a
frame-work, a series of rods carried thereby and adapted to rub against the flexible
tubes, a power driven shaft, and cords connecting the frame-work with the shaft
and adapted to be wound upon the latter, thereby raising the frame-work and its 5
rods, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 5. The combination with the vertical flexible tubes of a dust collector, a frame-
work, a series of rods carried thereby and adapted to rub against the flexible
tubes, and a rotating shaft and intermediate connections for raising the frame-
work and its rods, of a tripping mechanism for automatically stopping the rotation
of the shaft when the frame-work reaches its uppermost position, substantially as
shown and described.
6. The combination with the vertical flexible tubes of a dust collector, a frame-
work, a series of rods carried thereby and adapted to rub against the flexible
tubes, a rotating shaft and intermediate connections for raising the frame-work
and its rods from the shaft, and a clutch mechanism on said shaft for throwing it
into or out of connection with the power mechanism, of a lever for operating the
clutch mechanism, an arm in the path of the frame-work as it reaches its upper-
most position, and an intermediate connection between the lever and arm, whereby
the movement of the arm by the frame-work will rock the lever and disengage the
clutch mechanism, substantially as shown and described.
7. The combination of a vertically movable frame-work carrying rods for
cleaning the flexible tubes of a dust collector, a rotating shaft, and intermediate
connections between it and the frame-work for raising the latter, a clutch
mechanism on said shaft, a lever for operating said clutch mechanism, a trip for
automatically operating said lever to disengage the clutch when the frame-work
reaches its uppermost position, and springs engaging the lever to retain it in its
tripped position, substantially as shown and described.
8. A device for removing dust from the flexible tubes of a dust collector,.
consisting of a frame-work formed of two sections, links hinging the two sections
together, a series of rods carried by said sections and adapted to rub against the
flexible tubes, and a stop on one of said sections adapted to engage the other
section and limit the approach of one section to the other, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Dated this 11th day of July 1895
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.