Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning or Scaling Tubes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning or Scaling Tubes.
I, GUSTAVE DIDIER of Pont sur Sambre (Nord) France Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning or scaling in an easy and
rapid manner the evaporating tubes of steam boilers and other apparatus comprising
tubes.
The apparatus is composed of a more or less flat bar of steel having its edges
slightly chamfered in such a manner as to form, as in the case of drills, sharp edges
which are arranged oppositely, that is to say travel in the same direction when in use.
This bar is then twisted in the form of a helix or screw with a pitch of greater or
less length, and with a slight taper. The projecting edges are then cut transversely
so as to form a succession of triangular points or teeth arranged helically. These
teeth constitute so many points of attack which are situated, by reason of the taper
shape of the whole tool, further and further away from the centre or axis of the
tool.
In a tool suitable for use as a preparing or roughing tool the edges are cut in a
helical manner throughout their length whilst in a finishing tool the said cut is made
only throughout a part of the length of the edges. The result is that in this latter
tool there are left smooth or plain cutting edges whose successive cutting edges are
situated further and further from the centre.
Each of these tools is provided, at its largest end, with a shank or tang which
serves for the purpose of mounting and fixing them at the end of a rod of suitable
length. This rod enables the tools to be inserted in the tubes to be cleaned and to
impart to the tools the rotary motion necessary to effect the required work.
First, the preparing tool is inserted in the tubes to be cleaned, and its triangular
teeth attack the scale therein. This tool screws itself so to speak into the scale and
breaks it up, by forming in it helical grooves of greater or less depth. The detached
pieces fall into the empty space left in the middle of the tool and do not oppose the
advance of the latter. After the tool is withdrawn, the pieces of scale are removed
by any suitable means. After this preparatory work, the finishing tool is inserted in
its turn; its triangular teeth enter the helical grooves formed by the first tool, whilst
the smooth or plain portion of its edges scrape with great force the parts of the
scale left between the grooves previously formned. By the action of this tool, the.
scale is completely detached, and the inside of the tubes completely freed
therefrom.
When the scale in the tubes to be cleaned is not very thick, or not very hard, it
is sufficient to use the second tool alone. In this particular case, there might also
be employed a tool' whose triangular teeth are formed with a slower pitch. This last
construction will allow of the tool being moved forward more quickly, and thus
expedite the work.

page_text: The tools may be of any suitable size and material and may be rotated by hand or
by mechanical power.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1896,
COME DUID DE MOTIVATIO
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning or Scaling Tubes.
I, GUSTAVE DIDIER of Pont sur Sambre (Nord) France Manufacturer, 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 :-
This Invention relates to. apparatus for cleaning or scaling in an easy and
rapid manner the evaporating tubes of steam boilers and other apparatus comprising
tubes.
The apparatus is composed of a more or less flat bar of steel having its edges
slightly chamfered in such a manner as to form, as in the case of drills, sharp edges
which are arranged oppositely, that is to say, travel in the same direction when in
use. This bar is then twisted in the form of a helix or screw with a pitch of greater
or less length, and with a slight taper. The projecting edges are then cut
transversely so as to form a succession of triangular points or teeth arranged
helically. These teeth constitute so many points of attack which are situated, by
reason of the taper shape of the whole tool further and further away from the centre
or axis of the tool.
In a tool suitable for use as a preparing or roughing tool the edges are cut in a
helical manner throughout their length whilst in a finishing tool the said cut is
made only throughout a part of the length of the edges. The result is that in this
latter tool there are left smooth or plain cutting edges whose successive cutting
edges are situated further and further from the centre.
Each of these tools is provided, at its largest end, with a shank or tang which
serves for the purpose of mounting and fixing them at the end of a rod of suitable
length. This rod enables the tools to be inserted in the tubes to be cleaned and to
impart to the tools the rotary motion necessary to effect the required work.
.
First, the preparing tool is inserted in the tubes to be cleaned, and its triangular
teeth attack the scale therein. This tool screws itself so to speak into the scale and
breaks it up, by forming in it helical grooves of greater or less depth. The detached
pieces fall into the empty space left in the middle of the tool and do not oppose the
advance of the latter. After the tool is withdrawn, the pieces of scale are removed
by any suitable means. After this preparatory work, the finishing tool is inserted in
its turn; its triangular teeth enter the helical grooves formed by the first tool, whilst
the smooth or plain portion of its edges scrape with great force the parts of the
seale left between the grooves previously formed. By the action of this tool,
the scale is completely detached, and the inside of the tubes completely freed
therefrom.
When the scale in the tubes to be cleaned is not very thick, or not very hard, it is
sufficient to use the second tool alone. In this particular case, there might also be
employed a tool whose triangular teeth are formed with a slower pitch. This
last construction will allow of the tool being moved forward more quickly, and
thus expedite the work.
The tools may be of any suitable size and material and may be rotated by hand or
by mechanical power.

page_text: And in order that my invention may be used for cleaning tubes where the opening
is smaller than the main bore, as for instance in those with the "de Nayer" system,
I reduce the thread of the helicoidal screw and combine a nut with same as shewn in
the drawing.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing
which represents a side elevation thereof as at work within the tube.
A is the helicoidal part formed with a short and variable thread. A¹ is the
cylindrical portion which is combined with the part A the extremities of which
terminate, at the one end by a simple square c and at the other by a square c¹ and a
screw d. b are the triangular teeth cut on the outside edges of the helicoidal
part A. These teeth b which are cut helicoidally upon the outside beveled edge of
the part A and of which the thread is about of an inch are cut upon the whole
length of the commencing tool, which is the tool which first prepares the work, but
are cut only upon a portion of the second tool which finishes the work the remaining
edge being a plain cutting edge. In other respects the two tools are identical.
It will therefore be seen that it is quite easy to introduce the tool into tubes where
the opening is smaller than the remainder of the bore, by passing into the reduced
part of the tubes the spires of the helicoidal part A, and, when the tool is introduced,
screwing on to the threaded or tapped end d, the working or handle bar, holding it
by means of a wrench on the part c¹, the tool being driven forward through the tube
either by hand or mechanical power. The action of the tools therefore during the
passage through the tubes is as follows:-
The tool being taper, or of conical form from front to back the teeth are disposed
helicoidally in such a manner that in progressively attacking the fur or deposit they
compel the tool to screw itself so to say into the deposit without the exercise of
pressure and one passage of the first tool suffices. This first tool traces in the
deposit a helicoidal screw or thread which as it advances progresses in depth. The
second or finishing tool enters this thread, and clears away by means of its plain
edges the parts of the scale or deposit which remained after the passage of the first
tool.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In rotary tools for cleaning or scaling tubes the formation or twisting of a more
or less flat bar of steel into the form of a helix or screw having a pitch of greater or
less length and with a slight taper, having a cylindrical part terminating at its
extremities with, at one extremity, a simple square and at the other with a square
and screw as before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
2. In rotary tools as above described the formation or cutting triangular teeth
disposed helicoidally upon the outside bevelled edges of the helicoidal part either
throughout the whole length of the edge as in the case of the first or preparing tool,
or throughout only a portion of its length as in the case of the finishing tool
leaving the remainder of the edge a plain cutting edge for finishing the interior of
the tube, all as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing.
3. In rotary tools as above described the formation in such a manner by reducing
the thread of the helicoidal screw and combining a nut with the same as to permit
of its use with tubes where the opening is of smaller dimensions than the remainder
of the bore all as herein before described.
Deted this 2nd dor of Santambor 1807
T. B. BROWNE LIMITED,
163, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.