Abstract: A method of monitoring the inner surfaces of copper-alloy condenser tubes of a condenser through which seawater flows as a coolant by controlling a ferrous-ion injecting operation to inject ferrous ions into the coolant for forming a protective film on the inner surfaces of the condenser tubes, and a sponge-ball cleaning operation to clean the inner tube surfaces by passing sponge balls through the condenser tubes. During an initial period of exposure of the condenser tubes to the coolant after installation of the condenser tubes in the condenser, the ferrous ions are injected into the coolant to form the protective film on the inner surfaces of the condenser tubes until the polarization resistance of the condenser tubes has reached 10.sup.4 .OMEGA.cm.sup.2. Subsequently, the ferrous-ion injecting operation and the sponge-ball cleaning operation are executed while the polarization resistance and heat transfer rate of the condenser tubes are monitored.

Abstract: An ice/snow scraping apparatus and method characterized by an edge-illuminated, light transmitting scraping blade which provides illumination for the interior and scraping edge of a blade, thereby illuminating at least a portion of an area to be scraped from the blade illumination phenomena.

Abstract: A silo which is impeded by a mass of cohering particles is cleaned by extending at least one flexible tube connected to a mace into the silo to near the coherent mass and flowing gas through the tube and mace at a rate and pressure causing swinging and writhing movements by the mace and tube.

Abstract: A pair of tools are disclosed for cleaning an electrical jack having multiple contacts physically touching an inserted plug as well as additional breaking contacts not physically touching the plug. A burnishing tool is interted into the jack and twisted, the burnishing surface of the burnishing tool thereby cleaning the contacts physically touching the plug. Following removal of the burnishing tool, an injector tool is inserted into the jack, and pressurized solvent from an aerosol can is directed through an internal channel in the injector tool and directed from multiple holes also in the injector tool onto the breaking contacts to clean them.

Abstract: Pipes or tubes, for example, in heat exchangers, can be cleaned internally using a water hammer shock wave with a relatively incompressible pig which travels at high velocity and a flushing liquid. FIG. 1 illustrates the use of launcher (14) to apply a very rapid pressure build-up by means of a liquid to one end of a pig located in a tube (11) to be cleaned.

Abstract: Method for cleaning vessels and in particular, steam generators, having deposits which are dissolved chemically and removed mechanically. The copper compounds present in the deposits are dissolved chemically and subsequently, loose deposits and liquids are removed mechanically. Encrustations still remaining are softened chemically and finally, the loosened deposits as well as the remaining chemicals are flushed out.

Abstract: Pipes, tubes and the like, for example, in heat exchangers, can be cleaned internally using sonic energy, a relatively incompressible pig and a flushing liquid.The flushing liquid is supplied via a pressure outlet from a quick operating valve to one or more launchers for launching pigs. The launchers are mounted on either an x-y frame movable support or a rotary axis adapter and radially movable support for positioning the launchers with respect to the ends of the tubes to be cleaned.

Abstract: System and method for controlling flow rate of a fluid through a tube of a heat exchanger, such as through condenser or evaporator tubes disposed within a respective condenser or evaporator in a refrigerator. Flow direction of fluid through the tube is reversed, e.g. by way of a directional control valve, which can move a brush disposed within the tube therethrough, to automatically clean the same. The system and method is capable of increasing the flow rate of the fluid through the tube at or during the flow directional change, to ensure, e.g., that a minimum velocity required to move the cleaning brush through the tube is reached.

Abstract: A method for washing an inner surface of a tubular permeable membrane which comprises:a friction piece having a hardness of from about 10.degree. to 30.degree. measured according to JIS K6301, 5-2 attached to an end of an elastic rod-like support, andoperating the support to reciprocate the friction piece within the tubular permeable membrane to thereby act a rub-washing force of from about 0.1 to 1.0 kg/cm.sup.2 between the inner surface of the tubular permeable membrane and the friction piece so as to remove contaminants adhered to the inner surface of the tubular permeable membrane.

Abstract: A rotary reciprocal tool for attachment to a remotely controlled support arm includes a casing attached to the arm and enclosing a fluid pressure motor. The casing also provides a chamber into which pressure fluid is supplied for activating the motor. The tool further includes a working surface in generally arcuate configuration provided with a plurality of working protuberances to engage the surface to be treated and within the working portion of the tool a vibration generator is disposed to impact both reciprocal and rotary movement to the working portion. A damper element is positioned between the casing and the rotating reciprocal tool actuator to reduce the transmission of vibration from the working portion of the tool to the casing.

Abstract: Methods of an apparatus for cleaning an electro-mechanical transducer such as a "mouse" used for moving cursors on a computer display terminal comprise a scrubbing ball having a "hook" VELCRO surface and a pad having a "loop" VELCRO surface. The VELCRO covered ball is lightly coated with solvent, inserted into the recess of the "mouse" and rolled over the "loop" VELCRO surface. This rolling action scrubbs the interior of the "mouse" and transfers dust, debris and suspended oil from the recess of the mouse to the pad.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chimney cleaner for cleaning a chimney flue wall. The cleaner comprises a plate having a scraping edge and support apparatus for suspending the plate between a weight and a flexible member.

Abstract: An economical stovepipe cleaning apparatus arrangement comprising a T-shaped stovepipe joint which is connected to two transversely oriented stovepipes of a combustion stove. The joint has an opening with a readily removable cover to be removed for permitting attachment of a bag and brush assembly to the opening of the joint for cleaning. The arrangement provides a fast, convenient and dust-free method of brush-cleaning the stovepipes without a need for any disassembly of the conduiting of the stovepipes.

Abstract: To thoroughly clean, both the inside and outside of pipe and tubing, and both the threaded end and the coupling end of pipe and tubing, for a distance of 18 to 24 inches from end of pipe, a cleaner assembly includes at least one rotating brush that revolves around the outside of the pipe and at least one brush that rotates inside of the pipe. Preferaby one internal brush is provided for the threaded end and two brushes are provided for the coupling end. The second internal brush is larger and cleans the coupling threads as the pipe is moved into and from the cleaner. Cleaning fluid is introduced to the brushing areas, and is reclaimed during the cleaning operation. The cleaner is attached to a raising and lowering device that also accepts a removable spray cover and a pipe seal. The raising and lowering unit is mounted on a stand that contains the fluid collection, fluid cleaning and fluid storage system.

Abstract: This invention relates to the cleaning of chimneys such as those of wood burning fireplaces. An electric motor is supported from a frame. In one mode of operation, the frame is supported in a chimney by a long rod which is along the line of the axis of the shaft of the motor. A plurality of fixed chain links are welded to the plate on the shaft. Each fixed link has a second chain link attached thereto in the normal chain articulation manner. Each second link has a ball welded at the outer end. As the motor turns, the steel balls strike the build-up of deposits on the chimney walls and quickly cleans it as the device is raised and lowered by an operator using the long rod. The frame is also such that it can be turned sideways so that the shaft is horizontal. This is helpful in getting certain corners in certain type chimneys.

Abstract: Flue-cleaning apparatus having longitudinal springs mounted transversely on a flexible shaft at one end, the other end of the shaft being adapted to be clamped by the chuck of a hand-held drill.

Abstract: A device for cleaning the tubes of tube-type heat exchangers and/or preventing the accumulation of deposits therein, the device consisting of a helix of a material which is resistant to corrosion and abrasion, which can be constantly agitated and thus repeatedly brought into contact with the internal walls of the tubes under the effect of the fluid stream the helix being held in position against longitudinal movement by a hooking means disposed at the upstream end of the helix which means permits the rotation of the helix within the tube. Use of said device for the automatic cleaning of tube-type heat exchangers.

Abstract: The in-situ cleaning of conduits containing oily deposits is facilitated by the concurrent passage of cleaning particles and a non-agglomerating drying agent therethrough in a propelling gas stream. In cycling cleaning operations, the preliminary injection of drying agent into the conduit prior to said concurrent use of cleaning particles and drying agent further enhances the overall in-situ cleaning operation.

Abstract: An improved process for cleaning the interior of a conduit having a series of straight sections and bends. The process includes passing a transit line having a multiplicity of flow divertors positioned at intervals along the length thereof through said conduit. By injecting a propelling gas stream having cleaning particles entrained therein, the multiplicity of flow divertors serve to enhance the in-situ cleaning action of the particles while the propelling gas stream serves to activate the flow divertors and cause the transit line to move along the straight sections and around the bends of the conduit.

Abstract: In the operation of cleaning the pipes of heat exchangers by means of sponge rubber balls which are entrained by the cooling water, a cylindrical housing is connected upstream of the heat exchanger, in which housing several chambers are formed by several dividing walls rotating about a vertical axis, and the chambers are subdivided by a horizontal sieve plate into an upper group of chambers for receiving the balls and into a lower group of chambers. In this arrangement, two opposite cooling water supply and removal connections are each provided in the region of the lower group of chambers, and two similar cooling water connections are provided in the region of the upper group of chambers which are connected to the heat exchanger pipes. In order to also allow a discontinuous cleaning operation, while stopping the balls and without interrupting the flow of cooling water, the present invention provides that the interior of the housing (2) is subdivided by three dividing walls (4,5,6) which are arranged at 120.

Abstract: A tube-type heat exchanger having inlet and output conduits and tubes connected therebetween, and a return conduit extending from the output to the inlet conduit is, as is known, traversed by a coolant liquid from the intake to the output conduit through the tubes. Balls are released into the intake conduit from the return conduit and pass with the coolant through the tubes to clean same. These balls are trapped in the output conduit and introduced back into the return conduit where each ball's momentum is measured and outputs corresponding thereto are generated. These outputs are compared with a set-point signal corresponding to minimum acceptable ball momentum and all of the balls from the conduits are withdrawn and replaced with fresh balls when in a predetermined period of time a predetermined number of the outputs fall below the set-point signal.

Abstract: A tube-type heat exchanger having inlet and output conduits and tubes connected therebetween, and a return conduit extending from the output to the inlet conduit is traversed by a coolant liquid from the intake to the output conduit through the tubes. Balls are released into the intake conduit from the return conduit and pass with the coolant through the tubes to clean same. These balls are trapped in the output conduit and introduced back into the return conduit where each ball's momentum is measured and an output corresponding thereto is generated. This output is compared with a set-point signal corresponding to minimum acceptable ball momentum, and any ball whose momentum is below the minimum momentum is withdrawn from the return conduit and replaced in the conduits with a fresh ball.

Abstract: Pipeline interiors are cleaned by passing a gelled pig containing an aqueous, cross-linked gelled galactomannan gum, or derivative thereof, through the pipeline. Additives can be included in the gelled pig to enhance stability, cleaning ability, etc. The gelled pigs are particularly effective when used in pig trains containing one or more chemical pig segments in the train.

Abstract: Organic gels are described which comprise (a) a nonpolar, liquid, organic solvent and (b) a gelling amount of a mixture of (1) an alkyl oleyl phosphate and (2) an alkali metal aluminate. The gels have many uses, one of which is as a gelled pig for pipeline cleaning.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning debris from the interior surfaces of two flowlines, particularly dissimilar sized flowlines, utilizes a crossover flowline, crossover valve, and two bypass flowlines and bypass valves, wherein the bypass flowlines communicate between a respective flowline and the crossover flowline.

Abstract: Hard, brittle creosote deposits are removed from a chimney flue by striking the sharp ends of rods of flue cleaning apparatus against the deposits with penetrating impact and creosote chip-producing effect so as to break away creosote adhering to the flue.

Abstract: A bolster pin is provided which automatically cleans the flask bushing of a mold set. The bolster pin has brushing elements which clean the flask bushing each time the mold set is joined or separated. Use of the bolster pin provides a method for automatically cleaning the flask flange bushing of entrapped sand.

Abstract: A pipeline pig is provided having a restricted fluid bypass channel which serves to bring fluid from the back of the pig to its front, the fluid agitating and suspending discrete solids such as sand or rust, or commingling with scraped paraffinic and asphaltic deposits accumulated by the pig as it moves through the line, thereby preventing the buildup of a solid bed or plug of sufficient thickness or viscosity in front of the pig so as to cause the pig to partially collapse and ride over it or to become stuck.

Abstract: A cryogenic liquid is used to directly or indirectly cool solid or liquid contaminants adhering to apparatus surfaces to effect a change in the physical characteristics of the contaminants and thereby render them more susceptible to removal operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning the faces of plastic forming metal molds in which brush members opposite to the mold faces are vibrated by a suitable vibration-applying member. The tips of the brush members beat and break flashes of residual plastic stuck to the metal mold faces, thereby to remove the flashes. The thus removed flashes are sucked and taken out from the metal mold faces by sucking means, thus cleaning the metal mold faces.

Abstract: The in-situ cleaning of conduits is enhanced by the passage therethrough of a propelling gas stream having entrained therein cleaning particles of a regular, non-random configuration, and having less than spherical symmetry.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a lighting fixture louver of the type which has parabolic cells that are open top and bottom. A cleaning roller of a graft polyol polyether urethane having an indentation load deflection of the order of 100 has a surface which consists of circumferentially discrete rows of individual cleaning lugs, and each row has enough lugs to clean an entire row of cells in a louver module, with a longitudinal and circumferential lug pitch equal to the pitch of the louver cells. Each cleaning lug has a perimetrical surface that may scrub the surface of the entire wall means of a cell, and has a radial depth slightly greater than the louver depth. The cleaning roller is journalled atop a cleaning liquid tank with its lower portion in the liquid, and a pressure roller surmounts the cleaning roller to press a louver onto the cleaning roller with a row of louver cells fully engaged with the row of cleaning lugs at the top of the roller.

Abstract: Organic gels comprising (a) a nonpolar, liquid, organic solvent and (b) a gelling amount of a mixture of (1) an alkyl oleyl phosphate and (2) an alkali metal aluminate. The gels have many uses, one of which is as a gelled pig for pipeline cleaning.

Abstract: Hard, brittle creosote deposits are removed from a chimney flue by striking the sharp ends of rods of flue cleaning apparatus against the deposits with penetrating impact and creosote chip-producing effect so as to break away creosote adhering to the flue. The chimney flue cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head which comprises an elongated body, tapered from one end to the other, a plurality of metal rods fixed to the body and extending laterally therefrom, and a flexible bail having ends secured to intermediate portions within the body.

Abstract: A shuttle assembly is provided which includes a spring cleaning element secured at each end to mounting members which are freely slideable on a longitudinal axial rod. The rod is longer than the cleaning element in its normal extended position so that the cleaning element can shuttle back and forth on the rod. Stop members are secured to the end portions of the rod. When either rod end engages a capturing device at the end of a heat exchanger tube, inertia causes the cleaning element to slide forwardly until the adjacent mounting member tappingly engages the adjacent stop member of the assembly, causng undesirable material on the cleaning element to drop off. The mounting members are of a lesser O.D. (Outside Diameter) than the I.D. (Inside Diameter) of the pipe and are also of a lesser O.D. than the O.D. of the normally extended cleaning element. The O.D. of the cleaning element is such as to allow for transverse rattling engagement with the inner tube wall during shuttling.

Abstract: To remove particulate debris from a pipeline, a plug train including at least one gel plug having debris entraining characteristics and at least one pseudoplastic plug is passed through a pipeline and the debris is collected by the gel plug. The gel plug is pushed through the pipeline with a scraper which in turn may be pushed by liquid or gas pressure.

Abstract: A method of emptying tubes containing particles includes the steps of propelling missiles up the tube, striking and dislodging the particles, causing the particles and missiles to fall out of the bottom of the tube into a receptacle from which they are removed by vacuum. A gas controlled, gas activated missile loading and firing apparatus for firing burst of missiles into one or more tubes is used to dislodge and empty the particles contained therein.

Abstract: A pipeline pig 21 for removing condensed gas from the wall of a pipeline 23 comprises a cylindrical body 22 which is a sliding fit in the pipeline 23 and has an axial passage 26 extending therethrough and a flow gas ejector inlet tube 37 extending into the passage 26. The passage 26 is formed with a venturi 27 and the tube 37 is formed with a restriction 38, the forward end of the tube 37 terminating upstream of the venturi 27. The pig 21 is propelled through the pipeline 23 by differential gas pressure acting upon it and gas flows through the passage 26 so that condensed gas is entrained into the passage 26 by way of an annular duct 32 and radial ducts 35 into a rear tapering portion 29 of the passage 26 upstream of the venturi 27. The condensed gas is drawn to the forward end of the ejector tube 37 which end is located downstream of the ducts 35 and is subjected to the turbulent flow of the flow gas which has been accelerated by the venturi restriction 38 in the ejector tube 37.

Abstract: A cryogenic liquid is used to directly or indirectly cool solid or liquid contaminants adhering to apparatus surfaces to effect a change in the physical characteristics of the contaminants and thereby render them more susceptible to removal operations.

Abstract: Cleaning apparatus and method, particularly for the inner surfaces of pipes. A conical sheet water jet issues from a vortex chamber and a second conical sheet jet issues from a second vortex chamber in which the water and abrasive have swirled at lesser pressure. The two jets impinge to form a resultant conical jet which strikes and cleans the pipe wall. Guides hold the apparatus within the pipe so that the axes of the pipe and all the jets coincide, and the hoses by which water and abrasive reach the apparatus may also be used to help move the apparatus up and down the pipe. The axial sense of the resultant jet may be such that it exerts a "squeegee" action upon the pipe wall when the apparatus is withdrawn from the pipe by pulling the hoses.

Abstract: A process and arrangement for introducing an automatic cleaning device into the open end of a gun barrel so that the cleaning device may reciprocably move through the gun barrel and clean it. The cleaning device includes a drive motor, drive rollers, a pair of oppositely rotating brush members and sensing means. The arrangement for introducing the cleaning device into the gun barrel includes a lower trough-like member adapted to be joined to the muzzle of the gun barrel and an upper complementary member which jointly form a composite pipe member having essentially the same caliber than the gun barrel. A centering and tensioning mechanism is mounted on the muzzle of the gun barrel and serves to connect the composite pipe member to the gun barrel in axial alignment therewith. The cleaning device is positioned on the trough-like member and thereafter the complementary member is mounted on the trough-like member and connected thereto.

Abstract: Spheres are sequentially released into a pipeline from a sphere storage barrel in response to the opening and closing of a valve closure member by means of a sphere launching apparatus. The apparatus has a releasing means, pivotable about a first axis, for engaging the valve closure member and a catcher, pivotable about a second axis, for releasably engaging the spheres as well as an actuating link connecting the releasing means with the catcher.In response to the opening and closing of the valve closure member, the catcher is angularly pivoted into and out of engagement with successive spheres at a first rate, upon angular pivoting of the releasing means at a second rate less than the first rate, to sequentially release spheres and to allow the valve closure member to substantially close before releasing the next sphere.

Abstract: A method for cleaning storm sewers, sanitary sewers, culverts and other drains and waterways is disclosed which includes the steps of prewetting the debris in the waterway with water from a first water directing means, plowing the prewetted debris loose with a plowing means, further wetting the prewetted debris with water from a second water directing means, said first and second water directing means directing water simultaneously, and sweeping the further wetted debris forward with a plunging means.

Abstract: The ends of the tubes of a heat exchanger condenser are provided with cage-like basket assemblies including tube cleaning brushes or the like. A distributor arm is disposed to move across the tube ends and cause a counter-flow of fluid to move the brushes through the tubes. The tubes are compartmentalized to form bundles. The compartmentalization of the tubes for fluid counter-flow is accomplished by the baskets themselves. Each basket of the assemblies arrayed to form the boundaries of a desired compartment is formed with an outwardly extending lip, with the lips of adjacent baskets joined to form an elongated contact surface for sealing engagement with the distributor arm. The lips of the adjacent baskets forming the respective compartments are generally arcuate, and the distributor arm portions adapted to engage the elongated contact surface are at least as wide as the arcuate extent of each basket lip. The radius of the lip arc is greater than that of the basket.

Abstract: An implement and method for cleaning sanitary, industrial or the like drains, said implement having a carriage hub with radially extending cutting means and a correspondingly radially extending plunger means, together with means for wetting the debris in the drain in advance of the cutting means, said plunger means comprising a plurality of fan shaped elements pivoted between said radially extending cutting means and which are folded backwardly when the implement is pulled forwards through a drain in a direction parallel to the axis of the hub and which are expanded into a plate when the implement is pulled backwards in an opposite direction. Depending on the configuration of the fan shaped elements, the implement is capable of cleaning drains of various configurations including box culverts and tubular pipes.

Abstract: The bottom portion of a drain or sewer, partially filled with flowing liq, is cleaned by placing a cleaning member therein. The cleaning member rolls freely along the bottom portion of the sewer at a lower speed than the flowing liquid. The interior of the cleaning member contains a braking material and throttle structure which tend to reduce the rolling speed of the cleaning member. The cleaning member has an asymmetrical outer surface formed by a plurality of non-intersecting ribs which are asymmetrical with respect to all meridian planes defined by a plurality of rolling meridians along which the cleaning member can roll. This asymmetrical outer surface structure induces a corresponding asymmetric liquid flow around the cleaning member and downstream thereof; thereby laterally deflecting the downstream flow and suspended contaminants out of the rolling path of the cleaning member.

Abstract: An implement for cleaning tubular drains and a method for cleaning therewith, said implement having a carriage assembly with radially extending cutting means at a forward end and a correspondingly radially extending plunger means in spaced relationship therewith at a rearward end, together with means for wetting the debris in the drain in advance of the forward passage of the plunger means, said plunger means comprising a plurality of fan shaped elements which are folded backwardly into a cone when the implement is pulled forward and which are expanded into a disc when the implement is pulled backwards.

Abstract: A bar is intermittently movable through an explosion sensing port in the wall of a chamber for cleaning the port without blocking it. The chamber is coupled to a mechanism for introducing a suppression agent into the chamber for suppressing or smothering an explosion within the chamber, and further has a pressure responsive device for actuating the explosion suppressing mechanism whenever the fluid pressure sensed through the sensing port reaches a predetermined value due to an explosion within the chamber. A duct fluidly connects the sensing port to the pressure responsive device, and the bar is movably mounted within a portion of the duct.

Abstract: Lead and carbon deposits are removed from the chambers and barrels of firearms by applying thereto a liquid composition having from 45 to 55 weight percent aluminum oxide, from 40 to 50 weight percent of a hydrocarbon oil boiling in the range of about 150 degrees to 350 degrees centigrade, from 3.5 to 4.5 weight percent of lemon oil, and from 0.5 to 1.5 weight percent of ammonium chloride. The liquid composition is impregnated onto a woven web, such as a cotton cloth.

Abstract: A device for cleaning clogged pipes includes an elongated flexible tube, a heavy coil surrounding the flexible tube in close contact with the exterior surface thereof, and a nozzle at one end of the flexible tube. The nozzle has a plurality of perforations which are in communication with the interior of the flexible tube and which are oriented radially of the flexible tube. The device is particularly well adapted for use in a method of cleaning a clogged pipe wherein the nozzle is first forced through the material clogging the pipe, water is then discharged through the perforations in the nozzle, and the nozzle is then pulled backwards towards the material clogging the pipe while water continues to be discharged through the perforations in the nozzle.