Improvements in Flue Cleaners.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flue Cleaners.
I, REGINALD HADDAN of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18, Buckingham
Street, Strand, W.C. London, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention a communication to me from abroad by Moses Gorham Cook, of Ashville,
in the County of Franklin, State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention is an improvement upon flue cleaners, and it relates to various
features of construction whereby clearance is provided the scraping plates, whereby
they are properly supported in action, whereby they are made easily removable,
and whereby also, they are caused to readily enter the flues.
The flue cleaner has two heads, cach conical in form, or having conical ribs
extending from two end plates between which the scraping plates are arranged.
The end plates of the heads and scraping plates being placed so closely together
that there is no provision for a self clearance of the plates and heads in use."
By my present construction I form between the heads a space of sufficient
width to permit the scraping plates held between them to have longitudinal
movement or freedom, whereby they may be separated from each other and
whereby also, the escape of the soot, scale etc., can readily take place so that they
move or respond to the action of the springs more readily and are not clogged or
gummed up.
This clearance effect is increased by the removal of the end plates of the head, thus
providing longitudinal escape passages from the plates and the space between them in
both directions.
To support the plates, I have shown one of the heads as provided with short teats
or lugs of a sufficient length to act as abutments upon which the plates near their
outer edges may rest as they are being pushed through a flue or tube and to provide
for the removal of the scraping plates without removing either of the heads. I have
formed in each a long recess through the inner end of which the cleaner rod extends
and which extending to the end of the plate permits it to be drawn laterally from the
rod by an outward movement which also removes its holding spring from its holders
at each end.
I have also shown the plates as provided with guides upon their outer edges
whereby they may enter more readily into a flue the guides being inclined from the
plate edge inwardly upon one or both sides of the plate.
I have also shown one of the heads as having ribs arranged parallel with each
other, to provide side supports for the flat springs whatever the position of each
spring may be in the recess between them.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a flue cleaner having the features of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section thereof upon the dotted line of Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section upon the dotted line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section upon the dotted line y-y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a view in perspective, and
Fig. 6 is a view in plan of one of the scraping plates removed or detached.
In the drawings, A is the rod which supports the heads and which is attachable to
the operating rod in any usual way. B, B are the heads carried by this rod. They
are in the shape of sleeves b having radiating inclined ribs and they are arranged
upon the rod to oppose each other and provide between them a wide recess C.

page_text: The ribs form passages 63 to this recess.
The scraping plates D are between the two heads in the space C. There are
preferably three plates and they are arranged so that their side edges overlap and
their outer edges form a continuous scraper. They each have the wide scraping edge
or section d, the narrower or tail section d', the spring hole d and the recess d.
Bow springs E extend through the holes d, one for each scraping plate and their
ends are held by the end cup e, and the inner cup e' which is adjustable on the rod A
by means of an adjusting nut so that the bow and consequently the tension of the bow
springs may be varied at will.
By making the tail of each plate with the recess d³ it is made removable from the
cleaner by being drawn horizontally from it, the bow spring yielding readily to
permit it to be thus disengaged. This insures the quick and ready removal and
restoral of one or all of the plates without removing or disturbing the heads, a very
considerable advantage. The head B' has teats or supports 63 which support two of
the plates, it being understood that the plates are out of line with each other and that
only one is supported directly upon the ends of the ribs, the other two being
supported respectively by the plate below and by these teats or projections. The
teats for the intermediate plates of course being shorter than those of the outer one.
Each plate also has the entering guide F which is in the shape of a cross iron or
extension, at the outer edge of each scraping plate and having inclined or tapering
edges f. It may extend upon one or both sides of the plate and being inclined inwardly,
it comes in contact with the corner of the flue in advance of the plate, serves to close
the plate automatically and the sides of the flue as it is entering.
The ribs of the head B' are arranged in pairs and parallel with each other to
provide a spring holding space 6 of the same width throughout and of the width of
the how springs, so that they act to provide a lateral support for the springs close to
the plates.
In Fig. 5, I have represented the inner end of the three plates as having the pin g
extending from its surface which acts in conjunction with the teats of the ribs in
supporting the outermost of the three plates.
It will be seen that the scraping plates or blades are held in position only by
the rod A and springs E and that they are free to move back and forth between
the heads and that the space between the heads provides a clearance recess which
opens laterally outwardly and also into passages between the ribs and that this
construction allows the scraping plates or blades to have free and loose action,
preventing them from becoming clogged in action by the deposits of the tube, and
enables such deposits to be readily shaken, rapped out, or easily removed by any
suitable implement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The flue cleaner having the scraping blades D, each of which has a backward
extending tongue or tail provided with the open recess d³ whereby the plate may
be supported by the rod when in position and may be withdrawn laterally from
the rod, as and for the purpose described.
2. In a flue cleaner in combination with the heads B, B', and the rod to which
they are secured, the independent scraper plates D, arranged between the heads
and adapted to be withdrawn laterally therefrom, springs bearing against said
scraper plates to normally force the same outward from between the heads and a
centering extension F carried at the outer edge of each plate, as and for the
purpose described.
or
3. A flue cleaner having the heads B, B', conical in shape and fastened to a
rod in opposed relation to each other to provide a relatively wide recess
clearance space between them, and adapted to alternately act as the support for a
number of independent loosely held, overlapping scraper plates E contained in said
recess, the springs for actuating the plates as specified and plate supporting teats

page_text: or pins carried by the inner head and adapted to sustain overlying sections of
the said plates near their outer edge during the forward thrust of the cleaner, as
and for the purpose described.
4. A flue cleaner having the ribbed conical heads B, B', arranged in opposed
relation to each other and fastened to a central rod in a manner to provide a
relatively wide recess, the loose scraper plates arranged within said recess between
the heads, and each provided with a backward extending tongue or tail provided
with an open ended recess d³ whereby the plates may be supported by the rod
when in position, and withdrawn laterally from the rod when desired, substantially
as described.
5. A flue cleaner having conical heads B, B¹, fastened to a rod in opposed relation
to each other to provide a relatively wide recess or clearance space between them,
and a number of independent, loosely held overlapping scraper plates E contained
in said recess and movable longitudinally therein from one head to the other for
the purposes indicated, and one of which plates bears a pin or support for sustaining
an overlying section of another of said plates when opposed to a thrusting action as
and for the purpose set forth.
R. HADDAN.