Apparatus for cleaning tanks and associated pipelines

Claim 2

Apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a cleansing liquid comprising: a sprayer to be mounted on a tank and to protrude therewithin for directing a heavy spray mist of said cleansing liquid to cover said interior surfaces; pump means including a pump for pumping said cleansing liquid through said Sprayer; valve means connecting said pump with said cleansing liquid for controlling the flow of said cleansing liquid to said pump; and timing control means connected to said pump and said valve means for alternately actuating and deactuating said pump and valve means to provide an alternating timed burst period and soak period in an active cleansing cycle, including first timing control means actuating said pump and valve means to apply a burst of said cleansing liquid spray mist during said timed burst period sufficient to saturate soiled interior tank surfaces, and second timing control means deactuating said pump and valve means to enable said cleansing liquid sprayed on said tank surfaces to soak and digest said soil during said timed soak period.

Claim 3

In apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a cleansing liquid, including a pump with an input connected to a source of said cleansing liquid, and a conduit having one end adapted to be connected to the pump output for delivery of said cleansing liquid to a tank, the improvement comprising: a sprayer attached to the other end of said conduit and adapted to be detachably mounted to said tank and to project into the interior thereof; said sprayer terminating in a restricted outlet spray head restricting said cleansing liquid to a heavy spray mist of cleansing liquid droplets directed at said soiled interior tank surfaces; an electrically operable valve connected intermediate said cleansing liquid source and the input of said pump for selectively controlling the flow of said liquid to said pump; first control means actuating said valve and pump to continuously deliver cleansing liquid through said restricted outlet spray head in a spray mist burst during a burst period sufficient only to saturate the interior surfaces of said tank; and second control means deactuating said valve and pump during a soak period to enable said cleansing liquid to soak and digest said soil.

Claim 4

In apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a cleansing liquid, including a pump with an input connected to a source of said cleansing liquid, and a conduit having one end adapted to be connected to the pump output for delivery of said cleansing liquid to a tank, the improvement comprising: a sprayer attached to the other end of said conduit and adapted to be detachably mounted to said tank and to project into the interior thereof; said sprayer terminating in a restricted outlet spray head restricting said cleansing liquid to a heavy spray mist of cleansing liquid droplets directed at said soiled interior tank surfaces; an electrically operable valve connected intermediate said cleansing liquid source and the input of said pump for selectively controlling the flow of said liquid to said pump; first control means actuating said valve and pump to continuously deliver cleansing liquid through said restricted outlet spray head in a spray mist burst during a burst period sufficient only to saturate the interior surfaces of said tank; and second control means deactuating said valve and pump during a soak period to enable said cleansing liquid to soak and digest said soil.

Claim 5

A burst spray cleaning machine for cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with an admixture of cleansing liquids, said machine comprising: a frame; a tub included on said frame for containing a pre-determined supply of liquid, said tub having a drain outlet; a pump mounted on said frame; a sprayer conduit connected at one end to the output of said pump and adapted to extend to said tank; a sprayer attached to the other end of said sprayer conduit and adapted to be detachably mounted to said tank and to project within said tank for delivery of liquids thereto; a restricted outlet spray head secured to the end of said sprayer adapted to project within said tank restricting the liquid flow from said pump into a heavy, surface wetting spray mist directed at the soiled interior tank surfaces; a drain conduit interconnecting the tub drain outlet with the input to said pump; a mixing section in said drain conduit having inlet ports for receiving said predetermined supply of liquid in said tub and said individual cleansing liquids, and forming said admixture of cleansing liquids as said liquid in the tub is pumped through the mixing section; valve means interconnecting said individual cleansing liquids with said mixing section and controlling the flow of said individual cleansing liquids to said mixing section during operation of said pump; and timing control means alternately selectively actuating said pump and valve means to pump said cleansing liquids admixture to said sprayer for applying a short spraying burst to said tank surfaces, and deactuating said pump and valve means to enable said sprayed liquid admixture to soak said surface.

Claim 6

A burst spray cleaning machine for cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with an admixture of cleansing liquids, said machine comprising: a frame; a tub included on said frame for containing a pre-determined supply of liquid, said tub having a drain outlet; a pump mounted on said frame; a sprayer conduit connected at one end to the output of said pump and adapted to extend to said tank; a sprayer attached to the other end of said sprayer conduit and adapted to be detachably mounted to said tank and to project within said tank for delivery of liquids thereto; a restricted outlet spray head secured to the end of said sprayer adapted to project within said tank restricting the liquid flow from said pump into a heavy, surface wetting spray mist directed at the soiled interior tank surfaces; a drain conduit interconnecting the tub drain outlet with the input to said pump; a mixing section in said drain conduit having inlet ports for receiving said predetermined supply of liquid in said tub and said individual cleansing liquids, and forming said admixture of cleansing liquids as said liquid in the tub is pumped through the mixing section; valve means interconnecting said individual cleansing liquids with said mixing section and controlling the flow of said individual cleansing liquids to said mixing section during operation of said pump; and timing control means alternately selectively actuating said pump and valve means to pump said cleansing liquids admixture to said sprayer for applying a short spraying burst to said tank surfaces, and deactuating said pump and valve means to enable said sprayed liquid admixture to soak said surface.

Claim 7

A burst spray cleaning machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mixing section includes at least three of said inlet ports for introducing three respective cleansing liquids, said valve means including an electrically actuated valve in line with each of said liquids for controlling The respective flows thereof and forming said respective cleansing liquid admixture as the liquid in the tub is pumped through the mixing section, and said timing control means selectively simultaneously actuating respective ones of said valves and said pump to apply a short spraying burst of the respective liquid admixture to said tank surfaces.

Claim 8

Apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a liquid admixture, said apparatus comprising: detergent and sanitizing liquid supply means including a detergent agent and a sanitizing agent and means forming a liquid admixture of said detergent and sanitizing agents; a sprayer adapted to be mounted on a tank and to protrude therewithin for directing a heavy spray mist of said liquid admixture to cover said interior surfaces; pump means including a pump for pumping said liquid admixture through said sprayer; valve means connecting said pump with said liquid admixture for controlling the flow of said liquid admixture to said pump; and first timing control means connected to said pump and said valve means for actuating said pump and valve means to apply a burst of said liquid admixture spray mist during a burst period sufficient to saturate said soiled interior tank surfaces, and second timing control means deactuating said pump and valve means during a soak period sufficient to enable said liquid admixture sprayed on said surfaces to soak and digest said soil.

Claim 9

Apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a liquid admixture, said apparatus comprising: detergent and sanitizing liquid supply means including a detergent agent and a sanitizing agent and means forming a liquid admixture of said detergent and sanitizing agents; a sprayer adapted to be mounted on a tank and to protrude therewithin for directing a heavy spray mist of said liquid admixture to cover said interior surfaces; pump means including a pump for pumping said liquid admixture through said sprayer; valve means connecting said pump with said liquid admixture for controlling the flow of said liquid admixture to said pump; and first timing control means connected to said pump and said valve means for actuating said pump and valve means to apply a burst of said liquid admixture spray mist during a burst period sufficient to saturate said soiled interior tank surfaces, and second timing control means deactuating said pump and valve means during a soak period sufficient to enable said liquid admixture sprayed on said surfaces to soak and digest said soil.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, including: an acid supply; and means for delivering said acid through said sprayer to said interior tank surfaces following the application of said admixture of sanitizing liquid and cleansing liquid.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including means for delivering said sanitizing liquid to said tank surfaces before reuse of said tank following the application of said acid.

Claim 12

In apparatus for cleaning a pipeline with an admixture of cleansing liquids mixed in a vessel and drawn through said pipeline by a vacuum pump, the improvement of means for automatically mixing said cleansing liquids forming said admixture and controlling said vacuum pump, said improvement comprising: a plurality of electrically actuated valves, each controlling the flow of a respective one of said cleansing liquids, pumping means for pumping liquids from said vessel and back thereto in a recirculating manner, said pumping means including a recirculating pump and a conduit interconnecting the recirculating pump input with the vessel; a mixing section in said conduit having inputs for receiving said cleansing liquids and forming said cleansing liquid admixture during operation of said pump; means for automatically adding a sanitizing agent to said cleansing liquid admixture; first timing control means selectively actuating respective ones of said electrically actuated valves and said recirculating pump for mixing and recirculating said cleansing liquid admixture and said sanitizing agent through said vessel to form a second liquid admixture; and second timing control means actuating said vacuum pump to draw said second liquid admixture from said vessel for recirculation through said pipeline.

Claim 13

In apparatus for cleaning a pipeline with an admixture of cleansing liquids mixed in a vessel and drawn through said pipeline by a vacuum pump, the improvement of means for automatically mixing said cleansing liquids forming said admixture and controlling said vacuum pump, said improvement comprising: a plurality of electrically actuated valves, each controlling the flow of a respective one of said cleansing liquids, pumping means for pumping liquids from said vessel and back thereto in a recirculating manner, said pumping means including a recirculating pump and a conduit interconnecting the recirculating pump input with the vessel; a mixing section in said conduit having inputs for receiving said cleansing liquids and forming said cleansing liquid admixture during operation of said pump; means for automatically adding a sanitizing agent to said cleansing liquid admixture; first timing control means selectively actuating respective ones of said electrically actuated valves and said recirculating pump for mixing and recirculating said cleansing liquid admixture and said sanitizing agent through said vessel to form a second liquid admixture; and second timing control means actuating said vacuum pump to draw said second liquid admixture from said vessel for recirculation through said pipeline.

Claim 14

The improvement as claimed in claim 8, including means for automatically recirculating an acid through said pipeline following the application of said second liquid admixture.

Claim 15

The improvement as claimed in claim 9, including means for automatically recirculating a sanitizing agent through said pipeline before reuse of said pipeline following the application of said acid.

Claim 16

Apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a cleansing liquid admixture comprising: a sprayer adapted to be mounted on a tank and to protrude therewithin for directing a heavy spray mist of said cleansing liquid admixture to cover said interior surfaces; pump means including a pump for pumping said cleansing liquid admixture through saId sprayer; a tub for containing liquid to form said cleansing liquid admixture, said tub including a tub outlet line coupled to said pump; mixing means for forming said cleansing liquid admixture for application to said tank; timing control means connected to said pump for alternately actuating and deactuating said pump to provide an alternating timed burst period and soak period in an active cleansing cycle, including first timing control means actuating said pump to apply a burst of said cleansing liquid spray mist during said timed burst period only sufficient to saturate said soiled interior tank surfaces, and second timing control means deactuating said pump to enable said cleansing liquid sprayed on said surfaces to soak and digest said soil during said timed soak period.

Claim 17

Apparatus for spray cleaning the soiled interior surfaces of a tank with a cleansing liquid admixture comprising: a sprayer adapted to be mounted on a tank and to protrude therewithin for directing a heavy spray mist of said cleansing liquid admixture to cover said interior surfaces; pump means including a pump for pumping said cleansing liquid admixture through saId sprayer; a tub for containing liquid to form said cleansing liquid admixture, said tub including a tub outlet line coupled to said pump; mixing means for forming said cleansing liquid admixture for application to said tank; timing control means connected to said pump for alternately actuating and deactuating said pump to provide an alternating timed burst period and soak period in an active cleansing cycle, including first timing control means actuating said pump to apply a burst of said cleansing liquid spray mist during said timed burst period only sufficient to saturate said soiled interior tank surfaces, and second timing control means deactuating said pump to enable said cleansing liquid sprayed on said surfaces to soak and digest said soil during said timed soak period.