Patent ID: 7445166

Claim:
An adjustable nozzle for directing a solid-stream of fluid, comprising: an inner base member having an aperture therethrough defining a nozzle inlet, wherein said inner base member comprises a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being adjacent to said second portion and having an exterior defining a threaded surface, said second portion comprising a plurality of elongate vanes each having first and second ends, each of said second ends of each of said vanes corresponding to an adjustable nozzle outlet, the outer surface of each of said second ends of each of said vanes defines a raised portion that tapers in thickness from said second end towards said first end, said vanes extending from said first ends to said adjustable nozzle outlet so as to form an interior region therebetween; a cylindrical liner extending at least partially from said nozzle inlet to said nozzle outlet and within said interior region, said liner being structured to direct a fluid from said nozzle inlet towards said nozzle outlet; an outer member comprising a threaded portion and a non-threaded portion defined adjacent to said threaded portion, wherein said non-threaded portion comprises a frustoconical section, and wherein said threaded portion of said outer member is engaged with said threaded surface of said inner base member such that rotation of said outer member relative to said inner base member results in biasing of said raised portion of said vanes and said frustoconical section against one another to adjust a diameter of said interior region and said cylindrical liner; and wherein said vanes define a first state in which said raised portion of said vanes and said frustoconical section are not biased against one another and a second state in which said raised portion of said vanes and said frustoconical section are baised against one another, and wherein each of said vanes defines in both said first state and said second state curvilinear lateral sides such that each of said vanes has an arcuate configuration as said vanes extend from said first end to said second end.