Portable pipe thawer

Claim 1

A lightweight portable device for thawing a pipe by delivering a jet of steam to the interior of the pipe, the device being adapted to be heated by a plumber''s torch, the plumber''s torch having a burner section with a heating surface extending in a substantially horizontal plane, the heating surface being substantially circular in form, the device comprising: a. a boiler substantially in the form of a closed circular cylinder capable of withstanding elevated pressure of steam to be produced therein, the elevated pressure being in the range extending upwardly to about 50 pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure, the boiler being disposed in its operative position with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder being in a substantially vertical position, the bottom of the boiler being flat and circular in form with a predetermined diameter at least equal to that of the heating surface to enable the bottom to overlie and be contiguous with all portions of the heating surface when the boiler is disposed upon the burner section thereby promoting heat transfer therefrom, the boiler having a first opening in the upper portion thereof for enabling liquid to be introduced into the interior of the boiler and means for closing the first opening to contain the liquid and the steam under pressure within the boiler, the boiler further having a second opening in the upper portion thereof for enabling steam under pressure and substantially free of liquid to be discharged from the boiler; b. an elongated tube connected at one end thereof to the second opening and being constructed to withstand the pressure of the steam within the interior of a pipe to be thawed thereby enabling a length of the tube to extend into the interior frozen portion of the pipe, the other end portion of the tube having an opening which communicates with the interior of the boiler to convey the discharging steam under pressure into the interior of a pipe to be thawed; c. meanS connected to the boiler for showing the level of liquid within the boiler; d. means connected to the boiler for relieving the pressure in the boiler when a predetermined elevated pressure is exceeded; e. means connected to the boiler for indicating the level of pressure therein, whereby the portable device can be operated at elevated pressure when heated by a plumber''s torch; and f. a handle for carrying the device, said handle being arcuate in shape and being mounted at the lower end thereof to the side of the boiler, the upper end of the handle extending substantially horizontally and being spaced apart from the top portion of the boiler, said upper end overlying the top portion adjacent to its intersection with the side of the boiler opposite to which said handle is attached, whereby an operator by grasping the upper end of the handle can carry the device in a substantially upright position.