Method and apparatus for cleaning thermometers

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING UNFILLED THERMOMETER TUBES COMPRISING, A RECEPTACLE HAVING A LARGE VERTICAL OPENING AT ITS UPPER END, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID RECEPTACLE IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, A COVER FOR SAID OPENING MOVEABLE IN AND OUT OF SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING A VALVED INLET FOR GAS UNDER PRESSURE AND A VALVED GAS OUTLET, AN ACID LIQUID TANK AND AN ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID TANK EACH BEING IN POSITION TO DISCHARGE LIQUID INTO SAID RECEPTACLE BY GRAVITY, INDIVIDUALLY VALVED CONDUITS DISCHARGING BY GRAVITY FROM EACH OF SAID TANKS INTO SAID RECEPTACLE, A VALVED CONDUIT CONNECTING THE BOTTOM OF SAID RECEPTACLE TO EACH OF SAID TANKS FOR RETURNING LIQUID FROM SAID RECEPTACLE TO ITS RESPECTIVE TANK UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GASEOUS PRESSURE WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE, AND A PERVIOUS CONTAINER INSERTABLE AND REMOVABLE THROUGH SAID LARGE VERTICAL OPENING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT UNFILLED THERMOMETER TUBES IN INVERTED POSITIONS WITH THEIR BULBS AT THE TOP AND THEIR OPEN ENDS AT THE BOTTOM AND SUBMERGED IN THE LIQUID IN SAID RECEPTACLE.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING UNFILLED THERMOMETER TUBES COMPRISING, A RECEPTACLE HAVING A LARGE VERTICAL OPENING AT ITS UPPER END, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID RECEPTACLE IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, A COVER FOR SAID OPENING MOVEABLE IN AND OUT OF SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING A VALVED INLET FOR GAS UNDER PRESSURE AND A VALVED GAS OUTLET, AN ACID LIQUID TANK AND AN ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID TANK EACH BEING IN POSITION TO DISCHARGE LIQUID INTO SAID RECEPTACLE BY GRAVITY, INDIVIDUALLY VALVED CONDUITS DISCHARGING BY GRAVITY FROM EACH OF SAID TANKS INTO SAID RECEPTACLE, A VALVED CONDUIT CONNECTING THE BOTTOM OF SAID RECEPTACLE TO EACH OF SAID TANKS FOR RETURNING LIQUID FROM SAID RECEPTACLE TO ITS RESPECTIVE TANK UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GASEOUS PRESSURE WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE, AND A PERVIOUS CONTAINER INSERTABLE AND REMOVABLE THROUGH SAID LARGE VERTICAL OPENING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT UNFILLED THERMOMETER TUBES IN INVERTED POSITIONS WITH THEIR BULBS AT THE TOP AND THEIR OPEN ENDS AT THE BOTTOM AND SUBMERGED IN THE LIQUID IN SAID RECEPTACLE.

Claim 3

THE METHOD OF CLEANING UNFILLED THERMOMETER TUBES WHICH COMPRISES, DRAINABLY SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF SAID TUBES IN INVERTED POSITION WITH THEIR BULB ENDS AT THE TOP AND WITH THEIR OPEN ENDS DOWNWARD IN A POOL FORMING ZONE, FLOWING AN ACID LIQUID FROM AN ACID LIQUID SUPPLY ZONE INTO SAID POOL FORMING ZONE AND COVERING THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID TUBES WITH SAID ACID LIQUID SUBJECTING THE SURFACE OF SAID ACID LIQUID TO A GASEOUS PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE SAID ACID LIQUID THROUGH SAID OPEN ENDS INTO SAID BULB ENDS WITH RESULTANT COMPRESSION OF THE GAS ENTRAPPED IN SAID BULB ENDS, WITHDRAWING SAID ACID LIQUID FROM SAID POOL FORMING ZONE AND RELIEVING THE PRESSURE THEREON TO EFFECT REMOVAL OF SAID LIQUID FROM SAID TUBES BY EXPANSION OF SAID ENTRAPPED GAS, INTRODUCING AN ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID INTO SAID POOL FORMING ZONE AND SUBJECTING THE SURFACE OF SAID ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID TO A GASEOUS PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE SAID ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID INTO SAID BULB ENDS, AND RELIEVING SAID PRESSURE AND WITHDRAWING SAID ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID FROM SAID TUBES AND POOL FORMING ZONE.

Claim 4

THE METHOD OF CLEANING UNFILLED THERMOMETER TUBES WHICH COMPRISES, DRAINABLY SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF SAID TUBES IN INVERTED POSITION WITH THEIR BULB ENDS AT THE TOP AND WITH THEIR OPEN ENDS DOWNWARD IN A POOL FORMING ZONE, FLOWING AN ACID LIQUID FROM AN ACID LIQUID SUPPLY ZONE INTO SAID POOL FORMING ZONE AND COVERING THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID TUBES WITH SAID ACID LIQUID SUBJECTING THE SURFACE OF SAID ACID LIQUID TO A GASEOUS PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE SAID ACID LIQUID THROUGH SAID OPEN ENDS INTO SAID BULB ENDS WITH RESULTANT COMPRESSION OF THE GAS ENTRAPPED IN SAID BULB ENDS, WITHDRAWING SAID ACID LIQUID FROM SAID POOL FORMING ZONE AND RELIEVING THE PRESSURE THEREON TO EFFECT REMOVAL OF SAID LIQUID FROM SAID TUBES BY EXPANSION OF SAID ENTRAPPED GAS, INTRODUCING AN ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID INTO SAID POOL FORMING ZONE AND SUBJECTING THE SURFACE OF SAID ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID TO A GASEOUS PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE SAID ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID INTO SAID BULB ENDS, AND RELIEVING SAID PRESSURE AND WITHDRAWING SAID ACID NEUTRALIZING LIQUID FROM SAID TUBES AND POOL FORMING ZONE.