US3696825A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tank washer
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-05-19
•
Granted: 1972-10-10
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Expires: 1989-05-19
Abstract
Abstract An automatically operable tank washer. A power head drives a screw through a fixed nut to rotate a nozzle assembly while moving the nozzle assembly lineally. A linkage causes the nozzle on the nozzle assembly to swivel during lineal movement of the nozzle assembly. The power head includes a piston-operated reversible rotary motor that is controlled by the supply of air to a four-way automatic reversing valve with spring-loaded mechanical switches. An automatic throttle valve to vary the speed of the motor in response to the lineal position of the screw. An automatically operable cam valve to vary the speed of the motor during each 360* cycle of rotation of the screw. Means for interchanging screws to vary the pitch of the screw. Means for interchanging cams to select the patterm of rotational speed variation.
Inventors
- 👤 John E Guignon
- 👤 Helen G Guignon
- 👤 John E Guignon Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:47
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/08; B08B9/093; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/0053; B01J19/0066; B01J19/0073
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A tank washer comprising a housing, a pipe slidably supported by the housing, a nozzle assembly connected to the pipe, means to connect the tank washer to a tank to be cleaned with the nozzle assembly and at least part of the pipe projecting within the tank, means to reciprocate the pipe relative to the housing, means to rotate the pipe relative to the housing, thereby reciprocating the nozzle assembly and rotating the nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly comprising at least one nozzle having a nozzle outlet orifice and liquid passages communicating the outlet orifice with the interior of the pipe, means for mountinG the nozzle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pipe, means to cause rotation of the nozzle about said perpendicular axis in response to lineal movement of the pipe, and means to supply liquid to the interior of the pipe and to transmit the liquid through the nozzle liquid passages to the nozzle outlet orifice, whereby the pipe acts both to supply liquid and transmit reciprocating and rotating motion to the nozzle, the rotating motion being about two axes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
A tank washer comprising a housing, a pipe slidably supported by the housing, a nozzle assembly connected to the pipe, means to connect the tank washer to a tank to be cleaned with the nozzle assembly and at least part of the pipe projecting within the tank, means to reciprocate the pipe relative to the housing, means to rotate the pipe relative to the housing, thereby reciprocating the nozzle assembly and rotating the nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly comprising at least one nozzle having a nozzle outlet orifice and liquid passages communicating the outlet orifice with the interior of the pipe, means for mountinG the nozzle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pipe, means to cause rotation of the nozzle about said perpendicular axis in response to lineal movement of the pipe, and means to supply liquid to the interior of the pipe and to transmit the liquid through the nozzle liquid passages to the nozzle outlet orifice, whereby the pipe acts both to supply liquid and transmit reciprocating and rotating motion to the nozzle, the rotating motion being about two axes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The tank washer of claim 1 including means to vary the lineal speed of reciprocation of the pipe and therefore of the nozzle assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The tank washer of claim 1 including means to vary the speed of rotation of the pipe and therefore of the nozzle assembly during each 360* cycle of rotation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
The tank washer of claim 1 wherein the means to reciprocate the pipe and to rotate the pipe comprises a reversible rotary motor, a threaded rod connected to the output shaft of the motor, a fixed nut mounted within the housing, the threaded rod being threaded through the fixed nut so that, as the rod is rotated by the motor, it is driven lineally as it threads through the fixed nut.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The tank washer of claim 4 wherein the motor is a piston-operated air motor having a rotary output shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The tank washer of claim 5 including means to adjust the supply of air to the air motor to vary the rate of rotation of the motor output shaft in response to the lineal position of the threaded rod, and means to vary the supply of air to the air motor in a predetermined program throughout each 360* cycle of rotation of the motor output shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The tank washer of claim 5 including a four-way reversing valve having a spring-loaded actuating element for reversing the supply of air to the air motor to reverse operation of the air motor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The tank washer of claim 4 including means to interchange threaded rods for selecting the pitch of the threads thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The tank washer of claim 5 wherein the means to vary the supply of air to the air motor in each 360* cycle of rotation of the threaded rod comprises a cam having a cam surface, a cam valve in the air supply line responsive to variations in the cam surface, and means to mount the cam for replacement by other cams having other cam surface configurations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The tank washer of claim 4 including means to mount the fixed nut for replacement by other fixed nuts, and means to prevent rotation of the fixed nut in its mounting.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The tank washer of claim 1 wherein the nozzle assembly has a plurality of nozzles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
69 words
The tank washer of claim 11 wherein each nozzle comprises a tubular passage leading to a converging wall surrounding the nozzle outlet orifice, and a stream straightener disk positioned within the tubular passage adjacent the converging wall, the stream straightener disk having a plurality of passages through it parallel to the direction of flow of liquid through the nozzle, each of the plurality of passages being of round cross-section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
The tank washer of claim 1 wherein the means to cause rotation of the nozzle in response to lineal movement of the pipe comprises a linkage of fixed length connected between the nozzle and the housing, the nozzle having a pivotal connection to the linkage, a track and follower connection between the housing and the linkage to permit the linkage to revolve around the housing as the pipe is rotated, and means to hold the follower in contact with the track.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The tank washer of claim 1 including means for automatically closing the nozzle in response to rotation of the nozzle to a predetermined position upon lineal movement of the pipe.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The tank washer of claim 14 wherein the automatic closing means comprises spring-biased stops supported by the housing and positioned to block the nozzle outlet orifice upon rotation of the nozzle to the aforesaid predetermined position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
The tank washer of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of nozzles havinG nozzle outlets, a cylindrical manifold for supporting the nozzles, a cylinder, a plurality of slots in the cylinder the nozzles being aligned with the slots in the cylinder, the manifold being rotatable in response to lineal movement of the pipe to move the nozzle orifices relative to the slots for spraying liquid through the slots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The tank washer of claim 16 wherein the manifold is rotatable to a position at which the nozzles are moved beyond the slots and are blocked from spraying liquid by the cylinder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
116 words
The tank washer of claim 1 wherein the nozzle comprises a valve housing having an outlet orifice, a valve member movable toward and away from the outlet orifice, a piston connected to the valve, a spring to bias the piston in a direction to move the valve member into a position blocking the outlet orifice, a liquid inlet to the valve housing, the liquid inlet communicating with the interior of the pipe, a face on the piston exposed to liquid in the liquid inlet and positioned to respond to liquid pressure to move the valve member away from the outlet orifice, the total liquid force on the said piston face being greater than the spring force.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-10 | 1976-04-10 | 1976-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-10 | 1980-04-10 | 1980-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-10 | 1984-04-10 | 1984-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |