Claims
- 1. Multi-lance cleaning means for use in cleaning tubes of a tube bundle including:
- an elongate chambered frame having an elongate channeled lance housing extending along the top thereof;
- a hollow manifold block slidably mounted in said lance housing;
- a plurality of tube cleaning lances slidably longitudinally positioned in said lance housing, fluidly connected at their rear ends to the hollow of said manifold block and longitudinally alignable with a corresponding plurality of tubes of a tube bundle, the interiors of which are to be cleaned;
- a plurality of flexible water hoses connectable with a pressured water supply means extending into the chamber of said elongate chambered frame and fluidly interconnected with the hollow of said manifold block;
- a drag chain mounted in said chamber of said elongate frame and connected at its free end with said manifold block, said plurality of hoses being nested in said drag chain;
- hydraulically actuatable power means operably connected with said drag chain for independently moving the same in response to hydraulic pressure; and
- remotely actuatable control means operably connected with said power means for moving said drag chain in response to a signal to thereby simultaneously move said cleaning lances in response to movement of said drag chain.
- 2. Multi-lance cleaning means as in claim 1 wherein: said elongate chambered frame comprises:
- a rear stock segment and a front barrel segment; and
- a plurality of idler gears mounted in said stock segment and said barrel segment;
- said hydraulically actuatable power means comprises hydraulic power means mounted in said stock segment adjacent the front end thereof;
- said hydraulic drag chain moving means comprises:
- a power gear mounted in said stock segment operatively connected with said hydraulic power means; and
- endless chain means mounted in said stock segment and said barrel segment in guided engagement with said idler rollers, in driven engagement with said power gear and in driving engagement with said drag chain.
- 3. Multi-lance cleaning means as in claim 2 wherein:
- a perforate guide plate is fixed to the front end of said barrel segment with said cleaning lances extending therethrough;
- a guide tube is mounted on the outside of said guide plate about each extending cleaning lance.
- 4. Multi-lance leaning means as in claim 3 wherein said flexible hoses are capable of containing water pressured at about 10,000 to about 15,000 psi.
- 5. In combination, an upstanding base and a multi-lance tube cleaner:
- said upstanding base comprising a boom;
- articulatable support means depending from the end of said boom and interconnecting the end of said boom with said multi-lance tube cleaner adjacent the mid point thereof for wholly supporting said multi-lance cleaner above the ground;
- said multi-lance tube cleaner comprising:
- an elongate chambered frame having an elongate channeled lance housing extending along the top thereof;
- a hollow manifold block slidably mounted in said lance housing;
- a plurality of tube cleaning lances slidably longitudinally positioned in said lance housing and connected at their rear ends to said manifold block in fluid communication with the hollow therein and longitudinally alignable with a corresponding plurality of tubes of a tube bundle, the interiors of which are to be cleaned;
- a plurality of flexible water hoses fluidly interconnected with a source of pressure water extending into the chamber of said elongate chambered frame and fluidly interconnected with the hollow of said manifold block, whereby the pressure of incoming water will be equalized in the hollow of said manifold block before flowing through said tube cleaning lances;
- endless chain means mounted in said chamber of said elongate frame;
- a drag chain mounted in said chamber of said elongate frame, said drag chain being connected at one end thereof with said manifold block and at the other end thereof with said endless chain means, said plurality of hoses being nested in said drag chain;
- fluidly actuatable endless chain power means mounted in said elongate chamber and operably connected with said endless chain means whereby movement of said endless chain means by said power means will correspondingly move said drag chain, said hollow manifold and said cleaning lances; and
- remotely actuatable control means operably connected with said power means for activating the same.
- 6. A combination as in claim 5 wherein said depending support means comprises:
- a hollow vertical nippled body portion;
- connecting means at the top of said body portion for supporting said body portion from the end of said boom and for fluidly connecting said hollow of said body portion with a source of pressured water; and
- a universal joint on the bottom of said body portion interconnected with said multi-lance tube cleaner;
- said nipples of said body portion being fluidly connected with said flexible water hoses of said multi-lance cleaner.
- 7. A combination as in claim 6 wherein said multi-lance tube cleaner:
- said elongate chambered frame comprises a rear hollow stock segment and a front hollow barrel segment;
- said power means is mounted inside said stock segment adjacent the front end thereof;
- a plurality of idler rollers are mounted inside said stock segment and said barrel segment in guiding engagement with said endless chain means; and
- said drag chain is mounted inside said stock segment.
- 8. A combination as in claim 7 wherein said power means comprises a hydraulic motor and a power gear rotatably mounted in said stock segment and operatively interconnecting said hydraulic motor with said endless chain means for moving said endless chain means in response to a signal from said remote control means.
- 9. A combination as in claim 8 wherein said multi-lance tube cleaner also includes:
- a perforate guide plate fixed to the front end of said barrel segment with said cleaning lances extending therethrough; and
- a guide tube mounted on the outside of said guide plate about each extending cleaning lance.
- 10. A combination as in claim 9 wherein said hoses are capable of containing water at a pressure of about 10,000 to about 15,000 psi.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 773,642, filed Sept. 9, 1985 and now U.S. Pat No. 4,805,653.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
52-36865 |
Mar 1977 |
JPX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
773642 |
Sep 1985 |
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