Abstract:
A system for storing, rotating and feeding a high pressure hose. A first portion of the hose is disposable about the drum and a guide arm engages a second portion of the hose. An actuator assembly rotates a cage and the guide arm so that the guide arm rotates relative to the cage such that the hose is rotated. Relative rotation in one direction causes the first portion of the hose to uncoil from the drum and displace along the guide arm and causes a third portion of the high pressure hose in an output port to displace out of the output port away from the guide arm. Relative rotation in an opposite direction causes the second portion of the high pressure hose to coil about the drum and causes the third portion of the high pressure hose to displace into the housing.
Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for propelling a coil clad hose through a passage through a housing. A first driven pair of bull gears sandwiching a rotatable drive sprocket is rotatably fixed to a first rotatable axle in the housing orthogonal to the passage. A second pair of bull gears sandwiching a second drive sprocket are all rotatably fastened to a second axle in the housing parallel to the first axle. The second pair of bull gears mesh with the first pair of spaced bull gears. Teeth on the drive sprockets engage part of the coil clad hose when the fluid hose is inserted into the passage. A slip clutch between the pairs of spaced bull gears and the drive sprocket on each of the axles adjusts frictional grip on the coil when one of the bull gears is driven to propel the hose through the passage.
Abstract:
A compact flexible lance propelling apparatus is disclosed that is mountable on a pipe end. The apparatus includes a drive mechanism, an adaptable support that can be fastened directly to the pipe end which carries the drive mechanism, a remote control console, and a hose take-up drum spaced from the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a driven roller and a follower roller sandwiching the flexible lance hose therebetween and a rotary cam lift mechanism for linearly raising the follower roller to permit insertion of the flexible lance hose and lowering the follower roller against the driven roller.
Abstract:
A lance drive support apparatus is adapted to be fastened directly to a heat exchanger tube sheet adjacent a selected number of tubes to be cleaned. One embodiment includes an angled flat base plate having an inner center corner, an outer center corner, a first outer end corner and a second outer end corner, a support post adjacent each outer end corner, and the inner center corner fastened at one end to the base plate, and a top plate fastened to an opposite end of each support post. An extensible scissor arm assembly pivotally fastened to the inner center corner post can position a lance drive mechanism at a distal end of the scissor arm assembly at precise X and Y coordinates adjacent the tube sheet. The precise X and Y coordinates are determined by positions of X and Y cylinders connected to a common scissor arm assembly extension hinge.
Abstract:
A compact flexible lance propelling apparatus is disclosed that is mountable on a pipe end. The apparatus includes a drive mechanism, an adaptable support that can be fastened directly to the pipe end which carries the drive mechanism, a remote control console, and a hose take-up drum spaced from the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a driven roller and a follower roller sandwiching the flexible lance hose therebetween and a rotary cam lift mechanism for linearly raising the follower roller to permit insertion of the flexible lance hose and lowering the follower roller against the driven roller.
Abstract:
A process for assembling a coil clad hose includes suspending a spring wire helix between carriages mounted on a rail, rotating one of the ends of the helix to expand the helix, inserting a hose through the expanded helix, contracting the helix onto the hose, installing an end fitting onto each end of the hose, fixing one end of the helix together with the ferrule and the hose at one end of the hose, adjusting a pitch of the helix along the hose to another end of the hose, and fixing the helix and the hose together with the ferrule at the another end of the hose. The apparatus includes a rail, a pair of carriages movably supported on the rail, each of the carriages having a through bore holding a tang clamp bushing therein, and a pair of cable clamp fixtures mounted one at each end of the rail.
Abstract:
A flexible high pressure fluid cleaning lance drive apparatus includes a guide rail having a longitudinal axis adapted to be positioned within a boiler water box and aligned in a fixed position with respect to a central axis of the water box. A tractor drive module is mounted on the guide rail, a helix clad high pressure fluid hose drive module is mounted on the guide rail operable to propel a flexible lance helix clad hose through the drive module along an axis parallel to the guide rail longitudinal axis, and a right angle guide rotator module is mounted on the guide rail and connected to the tractor module for positioning a rotatable high pressure nozzle carried by the helix clad hose within a guide tube attached to the rotator module.
Abstract:
A process for assembling a coil clad hose includes suspending a spring wire helix between carriages mounted on a rail, rotating one of the ends of the helix to expand the helix, inserting a hose through the expanded helix, contracting the helix onto the hose, installing an end fitting onto each end of the hose, fixing one end of the helix together with the ferrule and the hose at one end of the hose, adjusting a pitch of the helix along the hose to another end of the hose, and fixing the helix and the hose together with the ferrule at the another end of the hose. The apparatus includes a rail, a pair of carriages movably supported on the rail, each of the carriages having a through bore holding a tang clamp bushing therein, and a pair of cable clamp fixtures mounted one at each end of the rail.
Abstract:
An apparatus for storing, rotating and feeding a high pressure hose, including: a first rotatable drum with a helical groove; a second rotatable drum; and at least one actuator for rotating the first and second drums. For rotation of the first and second drums in first and second opposite directions, respectively, a hose and a cable are coilable into the helical groove such that the hose is in compressive engagement with the cable and the first drum. For rotation of the first and second drums in the second and first directions, respectively, the hose is uncoilable from the first drum and displaceable beyond the apparatus and the cable is coilable about the second drum.
Abstract:
An apparatus for insertion in an enclosed space, including: a tube with: first and second substantially straight portions including first and second ends of the tube, respectively; and a curved portion connecting the first and second portions. The apparatus includes: a plurality of nested segments at least partially disposed within the first substantially straight portion of the tube and connected to the first substantially straight portion; and a first actuator engageable with the tube to displace the first and second substantially straight portions of the tube into and out of the enclosed space through an opening into the enclosed space. The tube is arranged to accept a hose passing through the tube, and a distal segment from the plurality of nested segments is connectable to the hose.