Apparatus for cleaning tanks

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR WASHING THE INTERIOR OF A SHIP TANK AND THE LIKE, SAID APPARATUS BEING ADAPTED TO BE SUSPENDED IN THE TANK BY A FLUID SUPPLY CONDUIT, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING HAVING A CURVED MAIN CAVITY, SAID MAIN CAVITY HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, STATIONAY COUPLING MEANS HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO A FLUID SUPPLY CONDUIT, MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST THRUST BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID HOUSING ON SAID COUPLING MEMBER SO THAT SAID COUPLING MEMBER IS CONNECTED TO SAID INLET OF SAID ROTATABLE HOUSING, SAID COUPLING MEANS HAVING A BEVEL GEAR ATTACHED THERETO, SAID BEVEL GEAR ENGAGING SAID FIRST THRUST BEARING MEANS, CLEANING FLUID NOZZLE MEANS INCLUDING A NOZZLE HEAD, MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND THRUST BEARING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID NOZZLE MEANS ON SAID OUTLET OF SAID HOUSING, A SECOND BEVEL GEAR ASSOCIATED WITH SAID NOZZLE HEAD AND MESHING WITH SAID FIRST MENTIONED BEVEL GEAR, SAID HOUSING HAVING MEANS ENGAGING THE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID BEVEL GEAR PROVIDING BEARING SURFACES FOR SAID BEVEL GEARS, CLUTCH MEANS RESPONSIVE TO HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN SAID CAVITY, SAID CLUTCH MEANS COUPLING SAID NOZZLE HEAD TO SAID SECOND BEVEL GEAR, SAID CLUTCH MEANS COMPRISING A MEMBER ATTCHED TO SAID SECOND BEVEL GEAR ENGAGING SAID NOZZLE HEAD ON THE OUTSIDE THEREOF, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO FLUID FLOWING THROUGH SAID CAVITY ROTATING SAID NOZZLE HEAD WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND SAID HOUSING WITH RESPECT TO SAID COUPLING MEANS, SAID MEANS RESPONSIVE TO FLUID FLOW INCLUDING SAID BEVEL GEARS AND SAID CLUTCH MEANS, SAID BEVEL GEARS HAVING DIFFERENT PREDETERMINED NUMBERS OF TEETH SO THAT THE JETS OF CLEANING FLUID DIRECTED FROM SAID NOZZLES AGAINST THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID TANK PROGRESSIVELY IMPINGE ON DIFFERENT AREAS OF SAID TANK SURFACES AS SAID NOZZLE MEANS IS ROTATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOUSING AND SAID HOUSING IS ROTATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID COUPLING MEANS SO THAT THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF SAID TANK IS COVERED WITH CLEANING FLUID DURING A CYCLE OF OPERATION.