Patent ID: 8398460

Claim:
A pipe cleaning apparatus for attachment to a pipe to be cleaned, and operable to dispense abrasive particulate material into a stream of gas within such a pipe to be cleaned, comprising: a pressurised hopper for receiving particulate abrasive material; a pressurised conveyor coupled to the hopper and comprising a housing having an inlet for receiving particulate material from the hopper in a first direction, an outlet for delivery of particulate material from the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction, and a screw located within the housing to transport particulate material from the inlet toward the outlet in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction, wherein the outlet is shaped for attachment to the pipe to be cleaned and configured to deliver the particulate material into a stream of gas; and an air feed in communication with the outlet and providing the stream of gas into a pipe to be cleaned, the stream of gas travelling at a velocity sufficient to achieve a turbulent flow into which the particulate material is delivered.