Cyclone separator

Claim 2

In a cyclone separator having a vortex finder and an apex, and at least one orifice subject to blockage, the improvement comprising: an outside-parked operative clearing member in the form of an elongated pusher rod, arranged for insertion through the vortex finder and thence through the apex; and means for temporarily inserting said clearing member into said at least one orifice for clearing said at least one orifice of blockage, thereby conducting a clearing operation; said at least one orifice includes means defining an apex outlet of said cyclone separator; the improvement further comprising: a blockage sensor for detecting blockage of said apex outlet; and control means provided as part of said temporarily inserting means and connecting the blockage sensor with the clearing member, for initiating a said clearing operation upon detection by said blockage sensor of a said blockage; further control means provided as part of said temporarily inserting means, for automatically initiating a said clearing operation each time a preselected amount of time has elapsed.

Claim 3

A cyclone separator improvement, comprising: a plurality of cyclone separators arranged with the respective longitudinal axes thereof parallel to one another and all perpendicular to a notional circle; the cyclone separators each having an apex, all these apices lying on the circumference of said notional circle; the cyclone separators each having an inlet, a vortex finder and at least one orifice subject to blockage; there being provided for each said cyclone separator: an outside-parked operative clearing member in the form of an elongated pusher rod, arranged for insertion through the respective vortex finder and thence through the respective apex; and there being provided for all said cyclone separators in common: means for temporarily inserting all said clearing members into the respective said at least one orifices, jointly, for simultaneously clearing all of said at least one orifices of blockage, thereby conducting a clearing operation; a rod having an arrangement of a plurality of clearing prongs secured thereon, the arrangement being such that the prongs are disposed in a generally circular series, swatiska-fashion; said rod being disposed and mounted centrally of said notional circle for angular reciprocation about the longitudinal axis thereof, between a first position wherein all of said clearing prongs are withdrawn free of the respective inlets and a second position wherein all of said clearing prongs are inserted in blockage-clearing relation with the respective inlets.

Claim 4

A cyclone separator improvement, comprising: a plurality of cyclone separators arranged with the respective longitudinal axes thereof parallel to one another and all perpendicular to a notional circle; the cyclone separators each having an apex, all these apices lying on the circumference of said notional circle; the cyclone separators each having an inlet, a vortex finder and at least one orifice subject to blockage; there being provided for each said cyclone separator: an outside-parked operative clearing member in the form of an elongated pusher rod, arranged for insertion through the respective vortex finder and thence through the respective apex; and there being provided for all said cyclone separators in common: means for temporarily inserting all said clearing members into the respective said at least one orifices, jointly, for simultaneously clearing all of said at least one orifices of blockage, thereby conducting a clearing operation; a rod having an arrangement of a plurality of clearing prongs secured thereon, the arrangement being such that the prongs are disposed in a generally circular series, swatiska-fashion; said rod being disposed and mounted centrally of said notional circle for angular reciprocation about the longitudinal axis thereof, between a first position wherein all of said clearing prongs are withdrawn free of the respective inlets and a second position wherein all of said clearing prongs are inserted in blockage-clearing relation with the respective inlets.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3, further comprising: sensing for obstruction of said orifice and automatically initiating a clearing operation comprising conducting steps (b), (c) and (d) in sequence, upon sensing that said orifice has become obstructed.

Claim 8

The method of claim 3, further comprising: sensing the passage of time; and (e) automatically conducting steps (b), (c) and (d) each time a preselected amount of time has passed since this step (e) last was conducted.