Apparatus for cleaning hulls and other submerged surfaces

Claim 2

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface comprising, in combination, a relatively elongated main frame; driving means mounted on said main frame and engageable with the submerged surface to move said main frame along the submerged surface in a direction parallel to the length of said main frame; first hydraulic motor means on said main frame connected to said driving means to operate the latter; at least one relatively elongated second frame; mounting means mounting each second frame on said main frame at a respective end of said main frame to extend parallel to the submerged surface, said mounting means mounting each second frame and adjustably positioning each second frame in a direction parallel to its length and perpendicular to the length of said main frame; cleaning tool means arranged on each second frame and operable to clean the submerged surface during movement of said main frame along the submerged surface; and float means operable to counterbalance the weight of said apparatus.

Claim 3

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, in which said driving means comprises caterpillar belt means extending longitudinally of said main frame.

Claim 4

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, including propeller means mounted on said main frame; and second hydraulic motor means operable to drive said propeller means to exert a thrust forcing said apparatus toward the submerged surface.

Claim 5

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, including guide means mounted on said main frame and extending perpendicular thereto toward the submerged surface; said mounting means being mounted in said guide means for displacement therealong.

Claim 6

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 4, including resilient means operatively associated with said main frame and with mounting means and operable to bias said mounting means along said guide means toward the submerged surface; and means operable to vary the bias of said resilient means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, in which each cleaning tool means comprises a cylindrical brush rotatably mounted in the associated second frame for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the associated second frame and parallel to the submerged surface; each second frame surrounding the associated cylindrical brush and including frame members extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the associated cylindrical brush.

Claim 8

In apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface frame means, cleaning tool means, first hydraulic motor means, the tool means and the motor means being arranged on the frame means, guide means extending perpendicularly to the surface to be cleaned, he frame means being adjustably mounted on the guide means, caterpillar belt means operative to advance the apparatus along the submerged surface, a differential unit, second hydraulic motor means, said second hydraulic motor means being operative to drive the caterpillar belt means through the differential unit, propeller means operative to thrust the apparatus against the submerged surface, fluid hydraulic motor means operative to drive the propeller means, float means operative to provide buoyant support for the apparatus, said cleaning tool means comprising a cylindrical brush, said brush being rotatable about an axis extending parallel to the said submerged surface and transversely to the direction of movement of the caterpillar belt means and wherein the frame means surrounds the brush and comprises frame members, extending parallel to the rotational axis of the brush, and means mounting the said frame members for movement along the guide means whereby the frame means is movable in the direction of the rotational axis of the brush.

Claim 9

In apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface frame means, cleaning tool means, first hydraulic motor means, the tool means and the motor means being arranged on the frame means, guide means extending perpendicularly to the surface to be cleaned, he frame means being adjustably mounted on the guide means, caterpillar belt means operative to advance the apparatus along the submerged surface, a differential unit, second hydraulic motor means, said second hydraulic motor means being operative to drive the caterpillar belt means through the differential unit, propeller means operative to thrust the apparatus against the submerged surface, fluid hydraulic motor means operative to drive the propeller means, float means operative to provide buoyant support for the apparatus, said cleaning tool means comprising a cylindrical brush, said brush being rotatable about an axis extending parallel to the said submerged surface and transversely to the direction of movement of the caterpillar belt means and wherein the frame means surrounds the brush and comprises frame members, extending parallel to the rotational axis of the brush, and means mounting the said frame members for movement along the guide means whereby the frame means is movable in the direction of the rotational axis of the brush.

Claim 10

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 4, in which each mounting means mounts the associated second frame in said guide means for pivoting about an axis extending parallel to the length of said main frame.

Claim 11

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 8, in which there are two relatively elongated said second frames, one mounted at each end of said main frame; a respective mounting means being associated with each said second frame.

Claim 12

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, in which each cleaning tool means comprises an elongated cylindrical member extending longitudinally of the associated second frame and mounted therein for rotation about an axis parallel to the length of the associated second frame; each cylindrical member having mounted thereon two helical brushes extending therealong, each brush extending from substantially the mid-point of the associated cylindrical member to a respective end thereof, and the two helical brushes being wound in opposing directions; and third hydraulic motor means mounted on each second frame and operable to rotate the associated cylindrical member.

Claim 13

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, including guide means on said main frame extending perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned; slider means mounted in each guide means for displacement in a direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned; pivot means connecting each mounting means to a slider means for pivoting of the associated second frame about an axis extending parallel to the length of said main frame; each mounting means with its associated second frame being disengageable from the associated slider means for interchangeable mounting, on the associated slider means, of a brush rotatable about an axis extending perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned, each brush being mounted on the associated slider means for pivotal movement about an axis extending parallel to the length of said main frame; and third hydraulic motor means operatively associated with each brush to rotate the same.

Claim 14

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, in which said cleaning tool means comprises a sand blasting device including a manifold extending longitudinally of each second frame and having rotatable rollers at each end engageable with the submerged surface; and a plurality of sand blasting nozzles spaced longitudinally of each manifold.

Claim 15

Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface, as claimed in claim 1, in which said float means includes first floats secured to said main frame and second floats secured to each second frame.