US3214824A - Scaling device for cylindrical objects and the like - Google Patents

Description

0. 0. BROWN Nov. 2, 1965 SCALING DEVICE FOR CYLINDRIGAL OBJECTS AND THE LIKE Filed March 6, 1964 INVENTOR.

Beau/ FIG. 5.

United States Patent 3,214,824 SCALING DEVICE FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS AND T HE LIKE Otho 0. Brown, Fort Screven, Ga. (Amelia Island LAS, Fernandina Beach, Fla.) Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 349,814 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-81) This invention relates to the general field of manuallyoperable tools and, more specifically, the instant invention pertains to the provision of means for removing scales, rust, incrustations, paint, varnish and similar undesirable debris which normally accumulates on exposed substantially cylindrical articles.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a manually-operable tool of a flexible link type which is adapted for wrapping about a substantially cylindrical article and so manipulated as to cause the wrapped convolutions thereof to frictionally engage the cylindrical article to remove incrustations on the exterior side thereof as the tool is moved axially of the cylindrical article.

Another object of this invention is to provide a manually-operable tool of the flexible type which may be readily Wrapped about substantially cylindrical objects having undesirable accumulations of debris on the exterior side thereof, the tool including a plurality of knurled beads or abrasive beads disposed in spaced relation relative to one another.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a tool of the type generally referred to supra, which may be readily applied to tubes, pipes, and other substantially cylindrical objects disposed in locations wherein it is substantially impossible to employ a chipping hammer, scraper, or wire brush.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of a flexible chain-type manuallyoperable tool for cleaning the exterior sides of cylindrical and similar objects without chipping or denting the object as the cleaning operation is carried out.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a scaling device or tool for cleaning the exterior surfaces of cylindrical or analogous objects and constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view illustrating one mode of connection between adjacent scaling elements;

FIGURE 3 is illustrative of the mode of application of the scaling device or tool shown in FIGURE 1, FIG- URE 3 illustrating the device or tool as removing external debris from the outer side of a substantially cylindrical article;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail side elevational view, partly in cross-section and illustrating another or alternate method of tool assembly; and

FIGURE 5 illustrates another embodiment of this invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral designates, in general, a scaling device or tool constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. As is shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, inclusive, the scaling device or tool comprises a pair of remotely-disposed substantially hollowtriangular handles 12 of identical construction, each of which includes an elongated hand-gripping horizontally-extendingbase member 14 from the opposed ends of which rise convergingsidewalls 16, 18 which merge in anapex end 20. Theapex ends 20 each has a substantially hollow pocket "ice 22 formed therein substantially equal to the diameter of a substantially hollow sphericalknurled sphere 24.

As is seen in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, a plurality of the substantially hollow externally-knurled spheres 24 are provided, and each adjacent pair of thespheres 24 are connected throughlinks 25 that extend through diametrically-opposedconical openings 26 formed in thespheres 24 and which terminate at their opposed ends in substantially enlargedheads 27. The combination of thespheres 24 and thelinks 25 form aflexible chain 28. The connection between thelinks 25 and thespheres 24 is such as to permit each of thespheres 24 to rotate about the longitudinal axis of eachlink 25 associated therewith, the rotation of the spheres being accomplished independently of one another. Since theopenings 26 are substantially conically-shaped, a certain swivel action is permitted between thespheres 24 about their respective connectinglinks 25 in order to lend flexibility to thechain 28.

As is clearly seen in FIGURE 1, the remotely-disposed ones of thespheres 24 are disposed within the pockets 22, and thehandles 12 at theapex end 20 thereof are slotted as at 40 in order to permit the passage therethrough of thoselinks 25 which connect theremotelydisposed spheres 24 with the next adjacent ones thereof. This type of assembly permits the tool ordevice 10 to be quickly and easily connected with thehandles 12 and also serves to effect a quick detachment of thehandles 12 from thechain 28 when thetool 10 is no longer required for use. This also enables the operator to store thechain 28 and the handles 12 in a compact manner so as to occupy a minimum amount of space.

In use, thechain 28 is wrapped about acylindrical object 42 such as is shown in FIGURE 3, the wrapping including about one and one-half convolutions of thechain 28. In FIGURE 3 it is seen that the leading portion of the chain 23 is disposed at a substantially acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of theobject 42, and that the trailing end of thechain 28 is disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of theobject 42. The operator now grasps thebase members 14 of thehandles 12 and exerts reciprocatory movement of thechain 28 as is indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 3. Since the leading end of thechain 28 is disposed at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of theobject 42, thechain 28 will wrap and walk or otherwise move longitudinally of theobject 42 to remove dust, dirt, paint, and/orother incrustations 44 adhering to the external surface thereof and thereby leaving the external surface of theobject 42 in a clean condition. In using a cleaning tool of this construction, there is no possibility of denting or puncturing hollow pipe or other similar articles, such as is always possible when using chipping tools, and additionally, thetool 10 permits the cleaning of the entire cylindrical surface of theobject 42 where wire brushes and other similar articles cannot be successfully employed. Again, thistool 10 possesses extreme utility in the cleaning of workpieces being turned in a lathe, for example.

FIGURE 4 illustrates another embodiment of this invention quite similar to that illustrated in FIGURES l to 3, inclusive. In this second embodiment of the invention, a plurality ofhollow spheres 50 are provided, thehollow spheres 50 being coated with an abrasive 52. A plurality ofspheres 50 are shown as being strung on a flexible cable orstrand 54 with each adjacent ones of thespheres 50 being spaced from one another byspacer collars 56 which are also strung on a cable orstrand 50 between each adjacent pair of thespheres 50. In all other respects, the two embodiments of this invention are identical.

In FIGURE 5 a further modification of the instant invention is illustrated. As is seen therein, this is seen to comprise a plurality of solid spheres or bearings 60 having a knurledouter surface 62 or, optionally, the exterior surface of the spheres or bearings 60 may be abrasive coated as at 64. Each of the spheres or bearings 60 is formed with an elongated axially-extending bore orpassage 66 through which is threaded a length offlexible cable 68, and also strung upon thecable 68 are a plurality of elongated substantially cylindrical spacer collars 70 which are disposed between each adjacent pair of spheres or bearings 60. In all other respects, this embodiment of the invention is identical to that embodiment shown in FIGURE 4.

Having described and illustrated two embodiments of this invention, it will be understood that the same are oifered merely by way of example, and that the scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A scaling or cleaning device for the exterior surface of an elongated substantially cylindrical workpiece, said device comprising an elongated length of chain including a series of knurled spheres, a plurality of links, each of said spheres having diametrically-opposed openings formed therein to receive, respectively, one of the ends of a pair of said links therethrough, said links extending through adjacent openings formed in each pair of adjacent spheres, the internal ends of each of said links being disposed within each of said spheres and terminating interiorly of said spheres in enlarged ball portions, the diameter of said openings in said spheres being less than the outside diameter of said enlarged ball portions, each of said spheres being mounted on its respective links for axial and rotatable movement thereon relative to an axis thereof, and handle means connected with the remotelydisposed ones of said spheres.

2. A scaling or cleaning device for the exterior surface of an elongated substantially cylindrical workpiece, said device comprising an elongated length of chain including a series of externally-knurled spheres, each of said spheres having diametrically-opposed openings formed therein, a. plurality of substantially solid elongated cylindrical links, each of said openings receiving one of the ends of a pair of said links therethrough, the internal ends of said links terminating interiorly of each of said spheres and in an enlarged ball portion, the diameter of said openings in said spheres being less than the outside diameter of said enlarged ball portions, each of said spheres being mounted on its respective links for axial and rotatable movement thereon about the longitudinal axis of said links and independent of the movement of the other of said links,

and handle means for the remotely-disposed spheres, said handle means including a pocket formed in each one thereof to receive said remotely-disposed ones of said spheres, and said handle means including a slot extending transversely therethrough and in open communication with said pocket to receive one of said links therethrough.

3. A scaling or cleaning device for the exterior surface of an elongated substantially cylindrical workpiece, said device comprising an elongated length of substantially flexible cable, a series of spheres having an external abrading surface formed thereon, said spheres being mounted on said flexible cable in spaced relationship one with respect to the other, a plurality of spacer collars threaded on said cable and disposed between each adjacent pair of said spheres, means at each end of said cable to retain said spheres and said spacer collars thereon, and handle means connected to the remotely-disposed ones of said spheres, said handle means including a pocket formed therein to receive said remotely-disposed ones of said spheres, and said handle means having a slot formed therein communicating with said pockets to receive a portion of said cable therethrough.

4. A scaling or cleaning device for the exterior surface of an elongated substantially cylindrical workpiece, said device comprising an elongated length of substantially flexible cable, a series of externally-threaded spheres having a knurled surface formed thereon, said spheres being mounted on said flexible cable in longitudinally-spaced relationship, one with respect to the other, said spheres each being mounted on said cable for independent movement relative to each other circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of said cable, a plurality of spacer collars loosely threaded on said cable and being disposed between each adjacent pair of said spheres, means at each end of said cable to retain said spheres and collars thereon, and handle means connected to the remotelydisposed ones of said spheres.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 75,230 3/68 Wickersham 299-82 X 1,283,070 10/18 Callender 15l04.04 2,049,172 7/36 Osgood l5104.l6 X 2,110,201 12/38 Cornell 5978 2,752,964 7/56 Prusinski 143-135 X 2,922,218 1/60 Lewis l5104.03

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SCALING OR CLEANING DEVICE FOR THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL WORKPIECE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED LENGTH OF CHAIN INCLUDING A SERIES OF KNURLED SPHERES, A PLURALITY OF LINKS, EACH OF SAID SPHERES HAVING DIAMETRICALL-OPPOSED OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN TO RECEIVE, RESPECTIVELY, ONE OF THE ENDS OF A PAIR OF SAID LINKS THERETHROUGH, SAID LINKS EXTENDING THROUGH ADJACENT OPENINGS FORMED IN EACH PAIR OF ADJACENT SPHERES, THE INTERNAL ENDS OF EACH OF SAID LINKS BEING DISPOSED WITHIN EACH OF SAID SPHERES AND TERMINATING INTERIORLY OF SAID SPHERES IN ENLARGED BALL PORTIONS, THE DAMETER OF SAID OPENINGS IN SAID SPHERES BEING LESS THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID ENLARGED BALL PORTIONS, EACH OF SAID SPHERES BEING MOUNTED ON ITS RESPECTIVE LINKS FOR AXIAL AND ROTATABLE MOVEMENT THEREON RELATIVE TO AN AXIS THEREOF, AND HANDLE MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE REMOTELYDISPOSED ONES OF SAID SPHERES.

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