Improvements in Scrapers or Cleaners for Boiler Flues and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug.. 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scrapers or Cleaners for Boiler Flues and the like.
1, GEORGE RUFFUS FORD, of Grand Rapids, State of Michigan, United
States of America, Machinist, 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 that class of flue scrapers having a series of springs,
each spring carrying a scraper or knife, the whole supported upon a suitable shank
to which may be attached a handle for use in cleaning the flues of a boiler, and the
object of my invention is to improve the prior devices of this character, and to
this end it consists in the features of construction and the combination aud
arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 shows a side view of the scraper, without the handle attached.
Figure 2 shows a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
--
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of one of the scrapers attached to its spring.
Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the shank provided with a conical opening
into which fits a conical socket, said conical socket adapted to receive a central
thimble.
Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the socket which is placed at the other end
of the scraper, the same being provided with a conical socket and adapted to
receive a thimble, shown in Fig. 7.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the thimble which fits into the shank end of .
the scraper; and
Figure 7 shows a socket which is adapted to fit into the socket at the opposite
end of the scraper.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
A represents the shank, preferably of iron or other similar material. It may be
provided with a screw as N for the purpose of attaching the same to the handle.
This shank is provided with a conical opening F; said opening F is provided at
the bottom with a round hole preferably.
K is a rod which is screwed or otherwise attached to the shank, the same passing
through the round hole in the thimble H, the thimble H fitting into the conical
opening F in the shank, leaving apertures on four sides. The rod K is provided
with a collar or enlargement, or other suitable means for the purpose of retaining
the thimble H in position in the socket. C represents the springs, preferably four
in number, the shank ends of which are entered between the thimble and the walls
of the socket. The other ends of the springs are secured at the other end of the
scraper in the following manner:
D represents a socket having a conical opening, preferably, for the reception of
the thimble I, said thimble I being square in cross section, and provided with a
flange M; the socket D being placed upon the rod K and secured thereon by
means of a nut E, said nut E serving both the purpose of retaining the socket D
in position and that of adjusting the springs as hereinafter described.
The knives are shown by B, and are securely attached to the springs near the
centre.
L represents a screw-thread, by means of which the rod K is secured to the
shank at one end. The ends of the springs which support the knives or scraper
at the shank end are adapted to bear against the bottom of the socket at the shank

page_text: end, and at the other end are adapted to bear against the flange M of the
thimble 1, and when the nut Eis turned up upon the rod K, the springs are
securely held in place.
As the knives are worked by use, the nut E can be tightened, thereby springing
outwardly the supporting springs C, and at the same time throwing the knives
outwardly so as to fill the entire cavity within the tube in the boiler; thus the
scraper can be used until the knives are entirely worn out, and new knives or
scrapers can be placed upon the springs.
By this means also the flue scraper may be adapted to flues of different sizes.
The socket at the shank end is shown by F, and it may be made of any suitable
depth to receive the ends of the springs.
In the drawings I have shown a flue scraper provided with four elliptical
springs. It is evident that the number may be varied, but I consider four sufficient,
and preferable to a greater or less number. The knives may be attached to the
springs by screws, or in any other suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a boiler flue scraper, the combination of a shank provided with a conical
opening, a plurality of springs having their ends supported in the conical opening,
a thimble fitting into the opening in position to retain the springs in position in
the shank, a plurality of knives, one for each spring, a socket adapted to receive
the ends of the springs opposite the shank, a flanged thimble fitting into the socket
and retaining the springs in the socket, the flange serving as an abutting surface
against which the ends of the springs abut, a rod or bolt secured to the shank
extending beyond the other end of the spring, and a nut engaging with said bolt
for the purpose of retaining the socket in place and adjusting the same upon the
bolt so as to spread and expand the springs, and thereby the knives, substantially
as described.
2. In combination with a shank having a conical opening, a thimble square in
cross section fitting into the said shank, leaving cpenings for the reception of the
supporting springs, a plurality of supporting springs, each spring bearing a knife
or scraper, the ends of the springs fitting into the shank between the thimble and
the outer walls of the couical opening, a socket at the opposite end of the said
springs having a conical opening, a thimble square in cross section fitting into
said socket, leaving openings for the reception of the end of the springs, and
suitable means for expanding the springs, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. In combination with a bolt, a shank to which one end of said bolt is fastened,
a conical opening around the bolt, a thimble fitting into the conical opening, a
plurality of springs, one end of which are fitted between the thimble and the walls
of the conical opening, a plurality of knives, one for each spring, a socket at the
opposite end of the springs adapted to receive and retain the ends of the springs
in position, a thimble having a flange fitting into the said conical opening, the ends
of the springs being brought in contact with the said flange, and a nut or other
suitable means for compressing. the springs, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this with diet tunt 1005
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand; London, W.C., Agents' to Applicant.