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US3984944A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Device for cleaning ship's sides, tank walls, and similar surfaces

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-06-20
•
Granted: 1976-10-12
•
Expires: 1995-06-20
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Abstract

Abstract A device for cleaning surfaces which extend in a vertical plane and particularly ship's sides, tank walls and similar surfaces which are made of ferromagnetic material, comprises a lifting mechanism which has roller means permitting it to run along a ship's railing or similar structure adjacent the top of the surface to be cleaned. The lifting mechanism includes one or more winding drums or hoists which carry support line means which extend from the lifting mechanism to a carrier for a cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus advantageously includes a housing having an undercarriage which is movable along the surface to be cleaned and which includes magnetic means for causing an attraction between the carrier and the surface to be cleaned so that the carrier is held thereagainst during the cleaning operation. The cleaning apparatus advantageously comprises a cleaning spray beam which extends substantially horizontally and which has one or more spray nozzles along its length for the spraying outwardly of a cleaning agent, such as a liquid, or for applying a sand-blasting action or a cleaning substance against the surface to be cleaned. The support line means advantageously comprises at least a flexible conduit which permits the support of the carrier as well as the transmission of a fluid to the spray which is mounted on the carrier. The flexible conduit is advantageously connected to a high pressure pump for supplying the liquid or similar substance to the carrier at its location along the surface to be cleaned and the hoisting means is effective to move the carrier upwardly and downwardly as the lifting mechanism is advanced along the length of the surface.

Inventors

  • 👤 Wolfgang Maasberg
  • 👤 Horst Scheiding

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 05:15
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B59/00; B63B59/06; B63B59/10; B24; B24C; B24C3/00; B24C3/02; B24C3/06; B24C3/062

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 119 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, particularly ship's sides, tank walls and similar surfaces made of ferromagnetic material, comprising a lifting mechanism movably mounted adjacent the top of the surface to be cleaned, an equipment carrier suspended from said lifting mechanism, said equipment carrier having an undercarriage movable along the surface to be cleaned upon actuation of said lifting mechanism, magnetic means on said carrier attractable to the surface, said carrier having a cleaning apparatus including a liquid spray beam, and support line means connected between said liquid spray beam and said lifting mechanism and supporting said carrier from said lifting mechanism for delivering a material under pressure to said spray beam for application against the surface to be cleaned.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 119 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, particularly ship's sides, tank walls and similar surfaces made of ferromagnetic material, comprising a lifting mechanism movably mounted adjacent the top of the surface to be cleaned, an equipment carrier suspended from said lifting mechanism, said equipment carrier having an undercarriage movable along the surface to be cleaned upon actuation of said lifting mechanism, magnetic means on said carrier attractable to the surface, said carrier having a cleaning apparatus including a liquid spray beam, and support line means connected between said liquid spray beam and said lifting mechanism and supporting said carrier from said lifting mechanism for delivering a material under pressure to said spray beam for application against the surface to be cleaned.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, wherein said support line means comprises a flexible tube, a high pressure liquid pump connected to said flexible tube in the vicinity of said lifting means, said flexible tube comprising a lifting tube associated with said lifting mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 61 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, including a guard rail adapted to be located along the length of the surface to be cleaned adjacent the top thereof, said lifting mechanism having a housing guided for movement along said guard rail and including a rotatable winch, said support line means comprising a flexible connecting line windable on said winch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 3, wherein said spray beam comprises an elongated tubular member and means for suspending said tubular member on said carrier so as to extend outwardly from each side thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 45 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, wherein said equipment carrier includes a water-tight housing, electrical control means in said watertight housing, said carrier having at least one undercarriage with rollers engageable on said surface and being driven by said electrical control means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 71 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, wherein said lifting means includes a housing having a winch therein, and including a guide rail defined along the top of the surface to be cleaned, said housing having roller means engageable on said guide rail for moving said housing along said guide rail and drive means in said housing for driving said rollers to move said housing along said guide rail.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 70 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 6, wherein said roller means includes a set of grooved rollers on said housing engageable on the top of said guard rail, said housing having at least one depending portion with a backing roller engaged along the surface to be cleaned, said grooved rollers being mounted to engage against said guard rail obliquely on the side thereof opposite to said backing rollers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 62 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, wherein said lifting means comprises a rotatable winch, said winch comprising two separate drums, said connecting means comprising a separate connecting member between said carrier and a respective one of said drums which are windable on said drums and includes a flexible high pressure tube, an electrical cable, and a sandblast supply tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 48 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, wherein said support line means comprises a flexible tube extending between said carrier and said lifting means and having a tension-relieved portion extending between the connection of said tube to said carrier and said tube to said spray beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A device for cleaning surfaces, according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic means comprises electromagnets and a control for energizing and de-energizing said electromagnets.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE1224103B Cited
US3900968A Cited
US3863393A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-10-12 1980-04-12 1980-10-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-10-12 1984-04-12 1984-10-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-10-12 1988-04-12 1988-10-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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