GB2063714A - An apparatus for cleaning surfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid supply pipe (2) leads to a nozzle (5) arranged for swinging about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, the oscillating movements of the nozzle being produced by means actuated by the cleaning liquid flowing to the nozzle. The moving means may be a spiral, resilient liquid inlet pipe (18), the nozzle (5) being located at the free end of said pipe. However, the moving means may also be a rotor (9) in a hydraulic motor, the outlet of which communicates with the nozzle (15) or a spring-loaded, pivotal means (11) driven by the reaction force of the nozzle. Since the nozzle (5) may oscillate by means of few and light components, it is suitable for a manually operated, light spray gun. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An apparatus for cleaning surfaces The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning surfaces by means of a jet of cleaning liquid and comprising a sluicing pipe opening on to a nozzle tiltably arranged and adapted to perform oscillating movements about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle.

It is known that the cleaning effect of a jet is increased and that a considerable energy saving is obtained when the cleaning liquid in the jet is set into oscillation in and/or transverse to the jet direction. Thus tilting nozzles are known which are located at the end of a pipe, said pipe being connected to an electromotor through a crank mechanism in such a manner that the movement of the rotor is converted into an oscillating movement by the pipe comprising the nozzle. Furthermore it is known for instance in connection with washing machines to drive a number of nozzles into an oscillating movement by means of a reversible motor. These known apparatuses comprising tilting nozzles are, however, either stationary or intended to move in a "feed movement in guides along the surface to be cleaned or directiy supported thereof.No manually operable spray guns comprising a tilting nozzle are, however, known.

It is known for other purposes to use a socalled fluidistor nozzle, in which the flow conditions are such that an oscillating jet is emitted without employing mechanically movable parts. At the velocities and pressure employed in high pressure cleaners, the liquid from such a nozzle is, however, so finely atomized that the cleaning effect is considerably lower than in a jet not oscillating. This is due to the fact that an efficient cleaning effect depends on the cleaning liquid being emitted in the form of relatively large drops.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus comprising a tiltably mounted nozzle of so few and light components that it may be used as an easily operable spray gun.

The apparatus according to the invention is characterised by comprising a moving means mounted at the discharge end of the sluicing pipe and adapted to be actuated by the cleaning liquid flowing to the nozzle, the moving means being connected to the nozzle in such a manner that it drives said nozzle into the oscillating movement.

By utilizing the velocity of flow and the pressure of the cleaning liquid flowing to the nozzle, it is rendered possible to avoid the use of a heavy electromotor and of inconvenient, separate conduits for the supply of energy in the form of electricity or possibly compressed air. This means that the apparatus comprising the tilting nozzle may be constructed as a usual spray gun of a low weight and without other connecting conduits than the hose for the cleaning liquid.

The moving means may according to the invention be a rotor in a hydraulic motor situated within a housing and connected through a driving connection such as a crankor excentric connection to the nozzle tiltably arranged in the housing, the nozzle being in liquid connection with the outlet of the motor.

The rotor or the turbine wheel may be made of a light material and without observing narrow limits, and together with the tilting nozzle and the movement transferring means, which may be formed in many ways, it may be included in a relatively small housing.

According to the invention, the moving means may also be a piston in a hydraulic motor, said piston driving the tiltably arranged nozzle by means of a rod connection, whereby the mechanical power transmission may be performed very simply, but whereby the motor, however, is rather complicated.

In mechanical respect relatively simple constructions may be obtained by the invention, the moving means involved being adapted to be driven by the reaction force of the nozzle.

As previously stated the cleaning effect is improved both by oscillations transverse to the axis of the nozzle and by longitudinal, i.e.

pulsating, oscillations, and according to the invention is is therefore preferred to connect the spray gun with a feeder for a pulsating flow of the cleaning liquid, preferably a feeder from a piston pump, but optionally also a feeder in which pulsations are produced in an arbitarily known manner. An embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention which is intended to receive such a pulsating flow is characterised by the nozzle being pivotably located about an axis of rotation at a distance of and perpendicular to the nozzle axis and furthermore being retained in the position by means of a spring tension permitting oscillating movements to be performed by said nozzle about the axis of rotation at passage of the pulsating jet of liquid.Such an apparatus may be manufactured so as to be of a still lower weight than the above embodiments and of a far more simple construction, since the nozzle may be shaped as the discharge opening of a channel formed in a pivotable block, said channel being supplied with the cleaning liquid at the axis of rotation.

The tilting nozzle may be pivotably mounted about an axle located in the housing or on a ball-and-socket joint, but according to a simple embodiment the nozzle may also be located at one end of a branch of hose of resilient deformable material such as nylon, teflon or reinforced plastics. The tilting of the nozzle may then be produced either by bending the branch of hose (radial deformation) or by wringing said branch of hose (tangential deformation).

A very simple constructive embodiment is according to the invention obtained by the nozzle being located at the free end of a spiral, resilient inlet pipe for the cleaning liquid. The spiral pipe is made oscillating by means of the pressure pulsations in the liquid since partly the pulsating reaction force and partly the bourdon effect deform the spiral. By appropriately adapting the mass of the nozzle to the rigidity of the spring in such a manner that the resonant frequency of the system is identical with the pumping frequency, it is possible to make the spiral oscillate particularly heavily.In order to reduce the risk of fatigue fractures deriving from a disadvantageous load pattern of the unsupported spiral, the nozzle may according to the invention be secured to one end of an arm pivotably located at the middle of the spiral, the opposite end of said arm being secured to a tension spring for counter-balancing the reaction force of the nozzle. In this embodiment the reaction force of the nozzle is completely received by the bearing in the middle of the spiral.

An embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention which is simple in mechanical respect, is characterised by the nozzle being pivotably located as the outer link of a doublelink pendant, the inner link of said pendant forming a tubular connection between the sluicing pipe and the nozzle. The pendant is driven by the reaction force of the pivotably located nozzle, but the simple mechanical construction is made at the expense of rather heavy vibrations in the handle of the spray gun, and the nozzle oscillates at a rather low frequency.

The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention formed as a spray gun, Figures 2 and 3 illustrate two embodiments of the apparatus, whereby the tilting nozzle by means of an excentric mechanism and a crank mechanism, respectively, is driven by a motor influenced by the cleaning liquid, Figures 4 to 6 illustrate various embodiments of tilting nozzles driven by a cleaning liquid under pulsating pressure, Figures 7 to 9 illustrate embodiments of tilting nozzles connected to a coil and driven by a cleaning liquid under pulsating pressure, and Figure 10 illustrates an embodiment of a tilting nozzle being a link of a double-link pendant and driven by the reaction force of the nozzle.

The apparatus according to the invention may be formed as a usual spray gun, e.g. as illustrated in Fig. 1, comprising a handle 1 and a double sluicing pipe 2, one branch of which carrying a pivotable adjusting lever 3.

At the end of the sluicing pipe, a housing 4 for a tiltably located nozzle is located, said nozzle being set into oscillations by means of a hydraulic motor situated in the housing. The nozzle oscillates 5 to 50 to both sides relative to the middle axis and at a frequency ranging from 1 to 500 Hz.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example of how a tilting nozzle 5 shaped in a pivot 6 by means of a strap 7 and an excentric 8 is set into oscillation from a paddle wheel 9 passed by the cleaning liquid before said cleaning liquid flows to the nozzle. Fig. 3 illustrates a similar construction whereby the paddle wheel 9 carries a crank, which by means of a crank connection 10 sets the pivot 6 and the nozzle 5 shaped therein into oscillations. The shape of the crank connection 10 and the pivot 6 appears from Figs. 3A and 3B. The nozzle 5 may be located in many other ways than illustrated and for instance in such a manner that it is located at the end of a branch of hose of resilient deformable material.Furthermore, it may be drivenly connected to the hydraulic motor in such a manner that the hose is either bent from side to side or wringed about its longitudinal axis, the nozzle in the latter case comprising an L-shaped flow channel, whereby the jet emitted forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the hose.

The hose may for instance be made of preferably reinforced plastics such as nylon or teflon. The hydraulic motor may also be shaped in many other ways than shown, for instance so as to utilize the velocity of flow or the pressure of the liquid. Rotations motors are, however, preferably employed, which may operate without valves when they tor instance are shaped as an impeller or a wing motor. Finally, the hydraulic motor may be a piston motor, the piston rod of which communicates with the tiltably located nozzle, such an embodiment, however, requiring a more complicated motor construction.

Particularly simple constructions of the tilting nozzles may be obtained when the cleaning liquid is supplied to the spray gun with pulsating pressure. Figs. 4 to 6 are diagrammatical views of some embodiments whereby the nozzle is shaped in a block 11 and 12, respectively, said block being pivotably located about an axis 13. in the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 the cleaning liquid is supplied at the axis of rotation 1 3 and passes a channel 14 to the nozzle 5. 5 he pulsating reaction force of the nozzle is received by a spring 15, the line of application of said reaction force being displaced relative to the axis of rotation. By adapting the rigidity of the spring to the mass of the movable nozzle unit in such a manner that the resonant frequency of the system is identical with the pumping frequency, it is rendered possible to set the system into oscillation at so low a pulsation eve as + 20% ot tne mean value of the pressure.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification whereby the pressure pulsations in the cleaning liquid influences a pressure chamber 16 of varying volume. The pressure chamber expands at increasing pressure and is compressed by the spring 1 5 at decreasing pressure. In this modification the block 1 2 is pivotably and displaceably located on a ball and socket head 1 7.

Figs. 7 to 9 illustrate tilting nozzles also set into oscillations by means of pulsating pressures in the cleaning liquid supplied. From the sluicing pipe 2 the cleaning liquid flows through a spiral, resilient inlet pipe 1 8 to the nozzle 5. This spiral is periodicly deformed by means of the pulsating reaction force of the nozzle and the bourdon effect. By adapting the mass of the nozzle to the rigidity of the spiral in such a manner that the resonant frequency of the system is identical with the pumping frequency, the spiral may be set into particularly heavy oscillations. Fig. 7 illustrates an unsupported spiral.In this embodiment the reaction force of the nozzle influences the individual spiral windings by a bending moment being zero at the nozzle, and which increases uniformly to its maximum value diametrically opposite the nozzle. As the deformation of the pipe is proportional to the load, maximum deformation of the pipe is only obtained on one spot, which may involve fatigue fractures. By involving a maximum deformation all along the spiral it is on the contrary possible to double the angular turning without increasing the risk of fatigue fractures.

In order to obtain a more improved load pattern the pipe spiral 1 8 may be supported as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. By locating the spiral by means of an arm 19, cf. Fig. 8, pivotable about an axis 20, it is possible to convert the reaction force of the nozzle 5 into a uniform bending moment all along the spiral, which provides an optimum deformation thereof. A spring 21 located between the free end of the arm 1 9 and at its other end connected to the inlet pipe to the spiral 2, provides a pre-stress in the spiral in such a manner that it is possible to counter-balance completely or partially the mean value of the pulsating reaction force.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9 the outlet pipe of the spiral is supported in such a manner that the bearing at the axis 20 in the middle of the spiral receives completely the reaction force of the nozzle. In this manner it is obtained that the deformation of the spiral is exclusively produced by the bourdon effect, whereby a uniform deformation of the entire spiral is ensured. Furthermore, this embodiment comprises the advantage that the reaction force of the nozzle does not pre-stress the spiral, whereby it may operate at varying pressures.

Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a tilting nozzle which is rather simple in mechanical respect. In this embodiment the tilting nozzle 5 forms the outer link of a doublelink pendant the second link 21 of which forms a connecting pipe between the sluicing pipe 2 and the nozzle 5. The double-link pendant is driven by the reaction force of the pivotable nozzle 5, and it is thereby possible to make the jet oscillate from side to side. The relatively great mass of the movable parts renders it possible to make the nozzle oscillate at a rather low frequency. Furthermore, this simple mechanical embodiment has the drawback that the pendant oscillations produce rather heavy vibrations in the spray gun.

It is to be understood that within the idea of the invention numerous modifications and changes may be made in the above components of the apparatus.

Claims (11)

1. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces by means of a jet of cleaning liquid and comprising a sluicing pipe opening on to a nozzle tiltably arranged and adapted to perform oscillating movement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, characterised by comprising a moving means mounted at the discharge end of the sluicing pipe and adapted to be actuated by the cleaning liquid flowing to the nozzle, the moving means being connected to the nozzle in such a manner that it drives said nozzle into the oscillating movement.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the moving means being a rotor in a hydraulic motor situated within a housing and connected through a driving connection such as a crank- or excentric connection to the nozzle tiltably arranged in the housing, the nozzle being in liquid connection with the outlet of the motor.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the moving means being a piston in a hydraulic motor, said piston driving the tiltably arranged nozzle by means of a rod connection.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the moving means being adapted to be driven by the reaction force of the nozzle.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and connected to a feeder for a pulsating flow of cleaning liquid, characterised by the nozzle being pivotably located about an axis of rotation at a distance of and perpendicular to the nozzle axis and furthermore being retained in the position by means of a spring tension permitting oscillating movements to be performed by said nozzle about the axis of rotation at passage of the pulsating jet of liquid.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claims 1 through 5, characterised by the nozzle being located at one end of a branch of hose of resilient deformable material such as nylon, teflon or reinforced plastics.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and 5, characterised by the nozzle being located at the free end of a spiral, resilient inlet pipe for the cleaning liquid.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterised by the nozzle being secured to one end of an arm pivotably located at the middle of the spiral, the opposite end of said arm being secured to a tension spring counter-balancing the reaction force of the nozzle.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterised by the reaction force of the nozzle being received by a bearing at the middle of the spiral.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the nozzle being pivotably located as the outer link of a double-link pendant, the inner link of said pendant form- ing a tubular connection between the sluicing pipe and the nozzle.

11. An apparatus substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawing.