US1878560A - Apparatus for cleaning surfaces - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1932. 5, w I 1,878,560

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SURFACES Filed Dec 6, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 PEESL/EE 64 5 Sept. 20, 1932. s. A. WIER 1,878,560

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SURFACES Filed Dec. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi A 2/ z 35' 78 ZA /5 A Z5 39 o I3 gwventoz Sept. 20, 1932. s, w E 1,878,560

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SURFACES Filed Dec. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I v MM *nnirsa stares rarest-f Patented Sept. 2c, 1932 Lenses saunas awrnn, or nALLAs; Texas, Assrenon TO TRIDEX ooriron nrron', or nAt As; TEXAS, a CORPORATION or, DELAWARE 1 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SURFACES' Application filed DecemberG, 1928. Serial No. 324,229.

r This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for cleaning sur-" faces. l

One object of the invention is to make certain improvements'andadvances over the apparatusset forth in my copending application' filed February 14', 1927, Serial No. 168,- 161,.which issued as Patent No. 1,766,088, June 24, 1930.

r A particular object of the invention is to provide an' atomizer in connection with solu-- tion, steam andhot water discharge pipes, whereby these fluids are all brought tea commonpoint o1"- admixture-and caused to flow in steady streams with little or no fluctuation.

r it. further object of the invention is to provide means whereby steam is constantly sup.- plied while the apparatus is operating and means for cutting off the supply of steam eliminated, thus making the apparatus more efiicient and safe to operate. 7 I

Another object of the invention is to provide a by-passing hot'water supply valve, whereby asupply of hot water will be had at all times while the operator is operating and which cannot be cut oii, thus assuring a dilution of the detergent solution and preven inn the use of too rich a solution.

till another object of the invention is to provide a steam coil and discharge pipe connection, whereby less impedance to the flow of steam isofiered. 7 i

still further object of the invention is to provide means for condensing or concentrating' the admixture of detergent solution, steam and hot water andsuddenly expandingthe same, for more thoroughly admixing the fluids. i I Another obj ect of the invention is to connect. the rubber or other discharge hose or conductor with the atomizer by means of a flexible metallic hose, whereby a flexible and durablejoint connection is mad e and also whereby some of the heat will be dissipated.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, toget-her with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood irom a reading of the following specification and b reference to the accom an in y P g drawings, in. which an example of the inven- 7 tion is shown, and wherein V Fig. 1 is an elevationof an apparatus c011 structed in accordance with the invention,

, F ig. 3 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section of the apparatus. shown g- 4 3 S milar view at right angles to Fig. 3, p

Fig. 5 is a plan view, I I 1 1 Fig. 6 is a planview of the generation Fi .7 is'an elevation of thesarnefv I Fig. 8 -is apartial vertical se'ctional view of the apparatus,

Fig. is an elevation angles to Fig. 9 is a detail showing t hot ,water and steam pipes reversed, v

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view of the apparatus, and

Ffgnll is a detail of thehot water valve showing the by-pass. V i In the drawings the numeral 10 designates" a vertical cylindrical metal-jacket 0t suit able construction'mounted on an annular base 11 having a plurality of draft openings 11'. A suitable fuel burner 12 is supported in the'lower portion of the aclret just above 7 the base Any kind of fire or heatingmeans suitable for the purpose may be'employed. The jacket has a lining lg of asbestos or equivalent material Figs?) and 4) which extends from the top. of the ja-cket 'to a point below the outletsof the burner. 3 f

Within the jacket is disposed a coiled steam and hot water generatorunit 14;.' This unit includes'a central Vertical watercolumn 15 closed ateach end, but having a cleanout cap 15 atits top. 7 A water inlet pipe 16 extends into vthe jacket and includes a controlling valve 17. For successful operation, water must be supplied: at, substantially the same pressure which is maintained ii -the genera: tor. The pipe 16. isconnec ted to the upper end of avertical pre heating coiljlS. (Figs. 3, 6 and 8) and the lower'end of the coil en'- ters and supplies water to theilowerendof the column15l e The pro-heated water r'isesinthe column 15 and supplies-warm water to thelower ends of circulating coils 19, of which I have shown five. The circulating coils have their lower ends connected to the lower end of the column while their upper ends are connected to the upper endof said column.

Water flows from the column into'the lower ends of the circulating coils and is vaporized and converted into steam in the upper. portions of said coils, whereby steam is discharged into the toploftlie column. Iti' is obvious that such steam is saturated or wet. If suflicient water issupplied; the coils 19 will contain only water and thus hot water and hotsteam would be discharged. into the top of the column 15. A pair of steam coils 20. are connectedat 3 their upper'ends to-the upper end' of the col mun-'15 so as to receive saturatedsteam or hot water from said column.' The lower ends of these coilsare secured'in a Y-coupling 21 whereby both steam coils may be connected:

to a common steam dischargepipe 22 leading through" the side of the jacket, A hot water discharge pipe 23 leads from the bottom of" the column through the acket lO'of the device. An overflow pipe 2 L extends from the top of the column 15 through the top of the jacket 10, The pipes22 and 23 extend through an escutcheon casting 23, thus forming a tight joint with the jacket 10.

A pickup pipe 25 extends downinto the column 15 an'd'has its upper end connected toa dischargepipe 26which. extends from the Thevarious pipes maintain the generator, which latter is composed of the/coils andv the water column, in position in the j acket, but if desired additional'fastenings maybe supp ie It is P e rab e o arr ng h u e 12 so that the flame will be directed upwardly through the coils and around the column 15.

provides for a direct heating of the coils'as well; as those portionsiofithe pipes 22and' 2 3 inthe pathof saidfiames. A conical cover 31 ismounted' on the top of the iaek ti ndha af entra 1 r r 1 es in i a' ch mn y if de e h eove'r'31, may have a slip connection with .the jacket so as to be readily removed ifdesired.

The pipe 27 is extended into the upper portion of a detergent tank 31, which is suitably fastened to the upper portion" of. the jacket, as by bra'ckets 32. It is important 2 that thetank be'rig idly attached and it is desirable that it be close to the jacket so as to provide a compact structure. A cap 34 is screwed into the top of the tank and may be removed for introducing soap or any other detergent, such as liquid hydrocarbons of kerosene type, washingpowders, caustic alkali and the like. A relief cock 33 is connected to the upper end of the tank and when it is desired to recharge said tank the valve '30n1ay be closed and the cock opened, where-' by pressure within the tank is released. The pipe2' 7 is terminated near the bottom of the tank so as to deliver the hot fluid at the bottom of the'charge, thus agitating and heating the charge when said fluid rises in the tank. A'cleanout plug 34 is secured inthe bottom of the tank.

The pickup pipe 25 may vary in length. If it is, desired to deliver hot water tothe tank" 31, then-the pipe 25 must extend low enough in the column to be constantlyim niersed in water ;.but if it is desired to deliver saturated steam to said tank, then the lower end of the pipe 25 should not be immersed inwater. Itis obviousthat the height at which the water stands in the column 15 will depend largely upon the amount of water supplied to the generator and the pressure within the same; As there is considerable variation in this step of the method, it is obviousthat the hot'fi'uid supplied to the tank mayeither be a liquidor saturated steam,

The solution whichfiows from the tank 31 will be, of course, hot and its character will depend upon the particular'detergent used. A solution discharge pipe 35 is connected at its upperend with a hand valve 36, whichin turn is connected into the side of the tank 31 just above the bowl bottom thereof." This arrangement permits sediment and foreign matter to settle in the bottom of the tank without being drawnfofi'through said valve. The lower end of the discharge pipe 35 is suitably connected with the upper end of an atomizedbody 375.1 This atomizer'forms the subject matter of a separate application filed by Charles S. Crickmer, May 5, 1928, Serial No. 275,355, and, therefore, will only be described in a general way. f

The steam pipe 22 is connected to a branch 22 (Fig. 2) which in turn is connected to the upper end of the atomizer body 37. There is no valve in either of these pipes and, therefore, thesteam from the coils may pass directly into the atomizer. The hot water pipe 23 is connected with a valve '38 which is connectedat one sideiwith the atomizer below the pipe 22." The hot water valve has a by-pass port 38, as is'shown in Fig. 11, that 'when said valve is moved to its fully closed position, a small water passage will be left open. The operator is prevented by this arrangement fromentirely cutting off thesupply of hot water and thus obviating too rich a detergent mixture.

The hot detergent solution flowing by gravity in a body is discharged into the atomizer where it is impelled downwardly bythe steam and diluted by the hot water.

' The pipe is connected to the atomizer body by a union 35.. The solution is delivered to a jet 22a extending into a nozzle 23a within the body .37. The steamenters around the jet, while the hot water enters around the nozzle, the entrances being separated by the nozzle. he nozzle discharges into the bowl bottom of the body which has an orifice 39 through which the fluids are discharged into the bowl 39. The introduction'of the hot water is very important for the reason that an over-rich detergent solution may be formed in the tank 31 and diluted to the proper consistency by the hot water from the pipe 23. This enables the operator to use the machine for a longer period without replenishing the detergent. The introduction of the hot water also has a tendency to reduce thetemperature of the steam, but without reducing its velocity.

The three fluids, that is the solution, steam and hot water, are admixed in the atomizer body which forms a common point and it is obvious that it makes little difference whether the steam pipes and the hot water pipes are connected as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, or if the connection is reversed, as is shown in Fig. 9, where the hot water pipe is connected to the body 37 above the steam pipe 22. The function of the steam is to impel the solution so as to conduct it to its point of discharge and while it is desirable to have suiiicient velocity it is undesirable to have high temperature, which will be hereinafter referred to.

The fluids are compressed in the lower end of the body 37 and are discharged through the orifice 39 into the bowl 39 in which the fluids are suddenly expanded before finai discharge from the atomizer. This bowl is connected with a discharge nipple 40, but the bowl could be eliminated and the nipple or any other discharge connection applied direct to the body. The nipple is connected with a section of flexible metallic hose 41, which in turn is connected with a length of ordinary rubber or other similar hose capa-- ble of conducting a hot fluid; The hose 42 may be of any practical length and is connected at its discharge end with a nozzle 43 having a handle 44. The nozzle 43 may have a head of any suitable construction designed to discharge the fluid in a'tinely atom,- ized spray, it being desirable to avoid a solid stream, although the head may be adjustable to emit a solid stream when it is desired to discharge water for washing purposes. a

The parts 40, 41, 42 and'43 constitute a fluid discharge conductor and, of course, may vary in construction. An advantage in employing the metallic" hose section 41 is that the same will absorb and dissipate some of the heat of the flowing fluid, as well as permitting universal movement without, breaking or leaking. v

In general'the operation is carried out by supplying water from the pipe 1'? to the coil 18, whereby the temperature is raised and the water pre-heated. This water is discharged into the bottom of the column 15 and enters the circulating coils 19 in which it rises. If a limited amount of water issupplied, saturated steam will be'generated in said coils 19 and discharged into the upper end of thecolumn 15. If a large amount of water is supplied, hot water and not steam may be discharged into the column 15. If i the lower end of the pickup pipe 25 is immersed in water, hot water will be forced through said pipe, owing to the pressure within the generator, or if it is not immersed saturated V steam will flow up through said pipe. The hot fluid from the pipe 25 will be conducted by the pipes 26 and 27 into the tank 31. The tank 31 having been previously charged with a suitable detergent, the hot fluid upon entering said tank will agitate, dissolve andheat the'detergent, as the case may-be, and thus form a hot detergent solution. This solution will flow out through the pipe 36 to'the atomizer 37. Saturated steam pressure will be exerted throughout the generator, against the infiowing water andwithin the tank 31, so that the liquid solution will be free to flow by gravity. 1 The pressure built up'may, as an example, be held at; seventy (70) pounds per square inch by providing a pop-ofivalve 24 in connection with the over-. flow pipe 24, which can be set at this pressure or any other desired pressure. T 1

- I wish to make it clear and it is very important inthis operation that the steam be quickly generated and flow unimpeded to its work, because the major function of the steam is to furnish pressure for impelling the solution to the work and, therefore, its temperature is unimportant. :Itis' not the purpose of the theory of this invention-to employ steam for cleaning purposes. The aim is to obtain velocity rather than temperature. The hot detergent solution delivered to the body 3'1 is admixedwith hot water introduced by the'pipe 23 and the diluted hot solution is conducted by the parts 41, 42 and 43 surfaces and material, capable of being Washed, may be cleanedwith the spray produced by this method and; Without injury.

This is due to the fact that While the detergent solution may have a temperature ranging from 1 50 degreesFahrenheit to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and. the hot water from pipe 23 may have alike temperature, and the steam or gaseous fluid may have even a higher temperature, the'higher temperature of the steam or gaseous fluid is reduced during the I travel of the solution to the nozzle 43 and is dissipated in the spray before reaching the Work. Also, there is not sufficient caustic alkali in the spray to harm the Work. HOW- ever, if it is desired to remove paint and varnish, then instead of toilet soap, a strong.

washing powder or caustic alkali compound isuseds 7 It is quite important that a generous supply of hot fluid, either Water or steam,be desoap of ayquality equal to ordinary toilet soap is used, the most delicate Whatl claim, is: p

In a surface cleanmgapparatus, a genera! from thegen eratorsto the tanktheilength of the said: pipedetermining which of thefluids.

is conveyed to the tank, a discharge pipev leading from the tank for conducting a; detergent solution therefrom, a steam pipe leading from the generator, a hot Water pipe; leading from the generator, a flexible metal: lic hose connected in common with the steam pipe, hot Waterxand discharge pipes, fififlBXIl-x ble conductor leading from'the metallic hose, and a nozzle on the end, of theconductor, the, detergent solution being diluted: by the hot Water and impelled through the flexible hose, conductor and nozzle by the steam, the metallic hose acting to dissipate some of the heat of the fluids. V

In testimony Whereof'I'afliX mysigna ture.

livered to the tank 81 in order to producearel- .atively large quantity of detergent solution.

v In my United States Patent No. 1,607,034,the

steady and. regular flow.

streams of saturated steam supplied both to the detergent tank and the super-heating coil were substantially equal, and in developing the apparatus and evolving the present meth od Ifound it highly advantageous to produce considerably more liquid-for the tank'than for'the steamcoi'ls. :1 s

The steam Which is conducted throughthe lqo' pipe 22;,being by reason of its velocity, chiefly for the purpose of impellingthe detergent solution flowing from pipe 41 and the'hot aterflowing from the pipe 23, such steam need not being such quantity as either the solution or the Water; it-is undesirable, unless paint is beingcremoved, to have high pressure steam or high temperature steam in the spray which flows 7 from the nozzle, but a goodlyquantity of'hot liquid is most desirable, provided it is atom ized and is not hot enough t i paint; Bd surface, 7 a,

It is pointed out that in this apparatus steam is constantly supplied to the atomizer and no valve is provided, thus guarding against any chance of impeding the flow I have found that STUART A W ER-f of said steam. The atomization of the fluids 'ishighly important because itprevents fluxation throughout the system and causesa *WVhile I have'described-the use of Water and steam and have-illustratedan apparatus for-using such fluids, it is clearly Within the V scope'ofthe invention to use any suitable liquid ortoemploy any impelling fluid found 'p'ractical'andto, of course, use anapparatus x i suitable for the purpose. r

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