Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OE' THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mobile combined sewer
cleaning and vacuum machine. More particularly, this invention
relates to a mobile machine which is capable of flushing sewers,
catch basins or the like and then vacuuming the debris flushed
from the sewer.
Both mobile sewer cleaning machines which carry hoses
to flush sewers and mobile vacuum machines which draw debris into
a collection box are known in the art. When used to clean a
sewer, catch basin or the like, usually the sewer cleaning
machine is first used to flush the sewer and then the vacuum
machine, as a follow-up unit, arrives to dispose of the debris
flushed from the sewer by the sewer cleaning machine. This
practice results in a vast duplication of machinery and manpower
and is thus economically lmsatisfactory.
Recently, attempts have been made to combine the two
machines in one vehicular unit. The result has been a monstrous
unit in that a very large and heavy vehicle is required to carry
the large collection box needed to reduce the vacuum and separate
the debris from the air, and in that the separately mounted hose
reel and vacuum collection conduit have both usually been awk-
wardly and inefficiently located at the front of the vehicle
over the cab.
Both the combined unit and the separate units are
fraught with additional problems. When the large debris collec-
tion box with vertical walls is used it is often difficult to
provide total separation of the debris from the air flow, parti-
cularly in the case of light debris such as dry leaves or the
like. While separation screens are often utilized for this
purpose, they can become clogged and will need frequent cleaning~
In one device a centrifugal separator is placed in the collection
box and the incoming air entrained debris is directed first to
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the centrifugal separator with the debris, in theory, being
deposited in the collection box and the air exhausted. This
system not only adds significantly to the cost of the machine
requiring numerous extra parts including the separator unit
itself and its attendant ducts, baffles and the like, but it also
wastes space in the collection box which could otherwise be used
for debris.
Most often the debris is discharged from these collec-
tion boxes by tilting the box for discharge out of a rear door,
much like a conventional dump truck. Such tilting requires a
large hydraulic jack which is not an efficient discharge method.
~owever, because of the configuration of the collection box, no
other system for discharge has proved satisfactory.
Because the sewer or catch basin is usually flushed
;~ first with the hose and water supply carried by the unit, or
because of dormant water in the sewer, the debris is often wet
and a certain amount of liquid will collect in the debris collec-
tion box. Some collection boxes are provided with drains so that
a hose may be connected to the drain and the water circulated
back to the sewer during the vacuum operation. This amounts to
an inefficient method of handling the liquid inasmuch as the same
liquid may again be drawn into the collection box.
The prior art designs are further inadequate or ineffi-
cient in that they do not provide for complete maneuverability of
the vacuum conduit at multiple locations around the vehicle; do
not provide for conduit maneuverability once it is positioned
within the sewer or catch basin; do not provide any means on the
conduit to work in corners of catch basins; and do not provide
any facile means of cleaning the collection box after debris has
been discharged. Finally, most prior art designs, because of
their large collection boxes and adjunct items, such as cen-
trifugal separators and the like, require huge vehicles to power
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the same. In addltion, power for the vacuum fan for debris
collection and pump for flushing is usually derived from two
separate engines or power take-offs from the engine of the
vehicle -- both systems adding to the cost and size of the unit.
SUMMARY OF THE IN~ENTION
It is thus a primary object of the present invention
to provide a mobile combined sewer cleaning and vacuum unit
which is compact, with separation of the debris from the air
being aided by the configuration of the debris container rather
than adjunct separat.ing devices.
It is another object of the present inventlon to
; provide a unit, as above, in which the back wall of the debris
collection chamber is movable to open the chamber whlch due to
the shape -thereof will automatically di.scharge the debris.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a unit, as above, with means to clean the debris collec-
tion chamber and alternatively to provide moisture to dry debris
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. being collected to aid in the separation of the debris from the
air stream.
It is still another object of the present invention
to provide a unit, as above, in which liquid collected in the
debris collection chamber may be continually drained away or,
alternatively which may be drained to a separate compartment for :
subsequent discharge.
`! It is yet another object of the present invention to
-~1 provide a unit, as above, in which the vacuum conduit is mounted
~ to the vehicle for complete maneuverability into the sewer,
`i~ catch basin or the like.
:~ It is a still further object of the present invention
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, 30 to provide a unit, as above, which permits complete maneuver-
~` ability of the vacuum conduit once it is in the sewer, catch
'j basin or the like.
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It is another object of the present invention to
provide a unlt, as above, with a means to work in corners of
; sewers, catch basins or the like to collect debris therefrom.
It is an additional object of the present invention
to provide a unit, as above, in which the pump to provide the
water for sewer cleaningr the pump to drain the collection
chamber, and the fan to provide the vacuum for debris collection
are operated by a single power source.
These and other objects of the present invention, which
will become apparent from the description to follow, are accom-
plished by the means hereinafter described and claimed.
In general, the mobile unit for cleaning sewers,
- catch basins and the like includes a vehicular chassis or body
which carries all of the other members including a debris collec-
tion chamber. The chamber has a top wall, two generally parallel
; side walls, and two end walls converging from the top wall. A
vacuum conduit communicates with the chamber and is adapted to
be lowered into the sewer. A hose reel carries a hose which is
adapted to be lowered into the sewer to flush the same with
water. A vacuum source, such as a fan, communicates with the
chamber and draws air through the conduit and the chamber to pick
up debris and water from the sewer and deposit the same in the
chamber. Means are provided to drain the water from the
chamber to a location remote from the mobile unit.
~RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a somewhat schematic, partially broken away,
elevational view of a portion of the mobile unit according to
the concept of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the debris collection
chamber according to the concept of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along
line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
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Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an adapter which can
be placed on the end of the vacuum conduit when working in
rounded sewers or catch basins.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative adapter
which can be placed on the end of the vacuum conduit when workiny
in corners of sewers or catch basins.
Fig. 6 is a somewhat schematic, partially broken away,
elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the present
invention.
DBSCRIPTION OE' THE PREFER~ED EMBODIME~ITS
The combined mobile hydraulic sewer cleaniny and vacuum
unit according to one embodiment of the present invention is
indicated yenerally by the numeral 10 in Fig. 1 and includes a
- vehicular body member or chassis 11 which is preferably a conven-
tional truck body propelled by an internal combustion engine
` (not shown). Vehicular chassis 11 carries all of the components
of sewer cleaning and vacuum unit 10 which, in yeneral, includes
a water supply tank (not shown) for flushing the sewer or catch
; basin, a pump (not shown) for propelling the water, a vacuum
! 20 fan 12, an engine 13 driving the fan and pump and having a
radiator 14, a debris collection chamber indicated generally by
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the numeral 15, a hose reel 16 for carrying a supply of hose
thereon, and a vacuum conduit boom assembly indicated generally
by the numeral 18.
Debris collection chamber 15 is best shown in Fig. 2
as taking on an inverted prism-like configuration having a
horizontally oriented top wall 19, two generally parallel side
walls 20, 21, and two end walls, 22, 23, converging from the ends
of top wall 19 to abut at the bottom extent of chamber 15, that
is, at the apex of the inverted prism. In actuali-ty, as will
hereinafter be described in detail, end wall 23 is a movable door
utilized to discharge debris from chamber 15.
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Chamber 15 communicates with fan 12 -through a duct 24
at the top of end wall 22. A screen 25 can be provided over
duct 24 to assure that debris will not enter an isolation
chamber 26 located between fan 12 and chamber 15. Chamber 15
also communicates with vacuum conduit boom assembly 18 by means
of an elbow inlet tube 28 having a downwardly directed branch
29 extending through top wall 19 of chamber 15 to a point lower
than duct 24. Tube 28 also includes a second branch 30 extending
generally at a right angle to branch 29 above chamber 15.
As will hereinafter be described in more detail, as
engine 13 operates fan 12, a vacuum is created in chamber 15 and
debris laden air is drawn into chamber 15 through elbow inlet
tube 28. A splitter deflector plate 31 is attached to wall 22
and additionally supported by brace 32 (Fig. 1) extending from
top wall 19 to be positioned immediately below branch 29 of inlet ;
tube 28. Splitter deflector plate 31 not only breaks the fall of
larger heavy objects, such as bricks, rocks or the like, which
may be picked up, but it also serves to divert the debris in two
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; directions and evenly spread the same in the chamber. As the
, 20 air enters chamber 15, a rapid decrease in velocity is created
which permits additional debris to drop into the chamber.
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Material still entrained in the air being drawn by the vacuum
created by fan 12 will also often contact the converging end
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i~; walls 22 and 23 thereby losing energy and dropping out of the air
flow. The air is then drawn upward through screen 25 and into
, chamber 26 and finally e~hausted through outlet duct 37 above
fan 12.
Because water is often drawn into chamber 15 with the
debris, particulaxly when the sewer is being flushed simultane-
ously with water from the hose on hose reel 16, chamber 15 can
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be provided with -two drain members 33 shown as being mounted in
the corners between walls 20 and 22 and walls 21 and 22, respec-
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tively. Each drain member 33 is preferably in the form of
hollow pipe having apertures 34 therein. 'I'he bottom of each
drain member 33 communicates with a water collection chamber
35 formed near the bottom of chamber 15 and against wall 22.
Thus, as water might build up in chamber 15 to the level of
apertures 34 in drain members 33, it will drain into chamber 35.
A drain pipe 36 is mounted at the bottom of chamber 35 so that
periodically the water collected in chamber 35 may be removed.
Chamber 15 is also provided with a cleaning manieold
38 which is in the form of a pipe running between side walls 20
and 21. Manifold 38 is provided with a plurality of cleaning
noz21es 39 and is adapted to be attached to an accessory gun
line hose (not shown) or could be adapted to connect to the hose
on hose reel 16 so that the inside of chamber 15 may be cleaned
by high pressure spray emitted from nozzles 39. In addition, it
is possible to utilize manifold 38 to aid in the separation of
the debris from the air. In situations where very dry dusty
debris is being picked up, manifold 38 can be run at a lower
pressure to ligh-tly moisten the debris to aid in the separation
thereof from the air.
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~ As described hereinabove and shown in Fig. 1, end wall
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23 is a door used to empty debris from chamber 15, it being
hinged, as at 40, so that it can be swung open. It is main-
tained tightly closed by a locking device 41 which is shown as a
conventional over-the-center lock but which could be any device
capable of holding end wall 23 against end wall 22. In order to
open end wall or door 23, locking device 41 is merely released
and cylinder 42 activated to swing wall 23 to a generally
vertical position. Debris will then readily drop out of chamber
15 being aided by the slope of wall 22. A rear bumper guard 43
protects the structure of the vehicle from heavy debris and
othe~ewise guides the debris to the dumping site.
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End wall or door 23 also carries hose reel 16. A
support bxacket 44 extends from wall 23 and carries bearing
housing 45 into which is journaled the axle 46 of hose reel 16.
A support angle 48 mounted on wall 23 carries bearing housing 49
for the other end of axle 46. End wall 23 is cut out, as at 50,
so that the hose reel may be positioned vertically while chamber
1~ 15 is closed. Wall 23 also carries a hydraulic motor (not
shown) operated by control lever 51 to rotate reel 16 on axle 46
to wind or unwind the hose. A brace 52 extends from brackek 44
to wall 23 to carry a conventional hose guide assembly 53
which includes a support 54 and conventional hose guide 55. As
hose is being payed out into the sewer, it is threaded through
guide 55 for control by the operator.
Still referring to Fig. 1, vacuum conduit boom assem-
bly 18 will now be described in detail. Assembly 18 includes an
adjustable vacuum conduit 56 constructed of a plurality of sec-
tions -- some solid tubular sections 58 and other flexible hose-
like sections 59. A supply of these sections may be readily
carried by the vehicle and may be conventionally assembled in
any configuration to meet the requirements of the job being
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! performed. The first hose section 59 is attached to branch 30
;~ of elbow 28, as by clamp 60, and to the first tubular section
58, as by clamp 61. Two arms 62 (only one shown) extend from
clamp 60 to clamp 61 and are pin connected, as at 63, to two
trunnion plates 64 (only one shown). The tops of trunnion
plates 64 are pin connected, as at 65, to a large mechanical
screw 66 which is gear driven by motor 68 mounted on the top of
elbow 28. As shown in Fig. 1, screw 66 is in its extended posi-
tion but may be retracted to pivot trunnion plates 64 on the
axis of pin 63 to manipulate vacuum conduit 56. In operation,
usually a certain depth of debris will exist on the floor of the
` sewer. The end of vacuum conduit 56 is first positioned on the
top of the debris. At this time screw 66 is retracted. Then as
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debris is being picked up, the screw may be extended to keep
vacuum conduit 56 in communication with the debris.
A flange 69 on branch 29 of elbow 28 rests on the top
of top wall 19 thereby rendering elbow 28 freely rotatable
thereon to permit operation of the vacuum conduit not only off
the rear of the vehicle but also off the sides thereof should
that be desirable, thereby giving essentially a 180 range of
operation.
Between two sections 58 of vacuum conduit 56 there may
be mounted a swivel connection indicated generally by the
numeral 70 and shown in detail in Fig. 3. An annular angle
flange 71 is affixed at the adjoining ends of each section 58 in
swivel connection 70 so that they rest on each other. Two split
clamp rings each consisting of two semiannular plates 72 spaced
by semiannular tubing 73 are placed around angle flange 71 and
attached together in a conventional manner. Thus, the two
sections 58 so connected may be rotated with respect to each
other. Such rotation may be desirable in order to work the
lower part of the conduit into a sewer or catch basin, or
various portions thereof to totally clean the same. To
promote and control such rotation, a handle 74 of steering
wheel-like configuration may be affixed to a section 58 below
swivel connection 70 and conveniently above the ground for use
by the operator.
As shown in Fig. 1, the suction end of vacuum conduit
56 is provided with a foot section, indicated generally by the
numeral 75, and including a cylindrical sleeve 76 which is
adapted to fit around the bottom or last tubular section 58
being held thereto by suitable fastening means (not shown) re- ~ ;
ceived through apertures 78 (Figs. 4 and 5). Foot section
75 is cast with a sawtooth-like embossment, indicated generally
by the numeral 79, having alternate flat bottom portions 80 and
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angular portions 8l in the form of a -triangle. The cylindrical
sleeve only extends between each anguLar portion 81 above each
bottom portion 80 thus providing triangular openings 82 to the
inside of vacuum conduit 56. If foot section 75 is used as
shown in Fig. 1 r conduit 56 may be lowered into the sewer or
catch basin and if bottom portions 80 should res-t directly
against the floor of the sewer or catch basin~ debris will still
be picked up through openings 82 and the vacuum will not be lost.
In order to efficiently work at the edges (either
10 rounded or cornered) of sewers or catch basins, foot section 75
may be provided with an adapter section, two typical types being
shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each bottom portion 80 of foot section
75 is provided with an aperture 83 which receives a fastening
means (not shown) to carry the adapter 84 of partial circular
configuration (Fig. 4) or adapter 85 of partial rectangular con-
figuration (Fig. 5). In each instance the adapters 84, 85 in-
clude a cylindrical skirt 86 which closes openings 82 in foot
section 75. Thus, if it were required to dig out a round (Fig.
4) or square (Fig. 5) corner of a sewer, the particular adapter
20 would be selected and by manipulation of handle 74, the edge of
the sewer will be efficiently cleaned. Because by using either
adapter 84 or 85 the foot section 75 will never bottom out,
openings 82 are not necessary to assure air flow and thus skirts
86 are used to close off the openings and actually prevent air
from moving above the debris which could result in inefficient
cleaning.
J In overall operation of the unit 10, the vehicle would
~ be driven to the sewer site to be cleaned and positioned for easy
i access to the sewer. As previously described, because of the
30 maneuverability of elbow 28 of vacuum conduit assembly 18,
precise location of the vehicle with respect to the sewer is not
critical. usually the sewer is first flushed by pumping water,
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driven by engine 13, through the hose lowered into the sewer.
Then the debris which is flushed to a place of access in the
sewer, such as a manhole, is picked up by conduit 56 with engine
13 driving fan 12. In certain situations it may be desirable
to flush and vacuum at -the same time which, through a conven-
tional clutch arrangement on engine 13, is possible; that is,
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either or both the pump and fan can be operated. As the debris
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enters chamber 15 through branch 29 of tube 28, the rapid de-
crease in velocity of the air, due to its entrance into a larger
chamber, permits at least some of the debris to drop out of
the air and into the chamber. The debris which might remain,
. usually the lighter material such as sand and the like, may
still be entrained in the air. This debris-laden air, being
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drawn by the vacuum fan 12, will begin to circulate in chamber
15 back up toward duct 24, which, as was previously described,
is located above the entry point of branch 29 of tube 28. As
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'~ the air circulates, it will thus contact at least end wall 23
-~ causing the debris remaining therein to lose energy and drop
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; into the chamber. The air exits through duct 24. As the debris
is collected in hopper 20, water build-up may be discharged
to chamber 35 which can be subse~uently emptied after each run.
~' Again by means of the clutch arrangement, if particularly dry
debris is being collected, separation thereof from the air may
be enhanced by pumping water through cleaning manifold 38 while
at the same time driving the fan to collect the debris. ;
An alternate embodiment of the present invention is
shown in Fig. 6. The majority of the components shown in Fig. 6
' are identical to those shown in Fig. 1, have been numbered the
-~ same, and therefore need not be described again. In addition,
some of the elements of Fig. 1 have been omitted from or are
; more schematically shown in Fig. 6, it being understood that
these elements are compatible with the embodiment of Fig. 6.
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In this embodiment a difEeren-t type of chamber drainage system
is shown. In situations where a great deal of water is taken
into chamber 15, water collection chamber 15 may fill quite
rapidly necessitating frequent discharge. Also, under certain
conditions debris could clog apertuxes 34 of drain members 33
thereby impeding the efficient removal of water. Thus, drain
member 33 and water collection chamber 35 are not shown in this
embodiment but rather replaced by a drainage system which can
selectively, and continually if desired, remove water from the
chamber to a location remote from the mobile apparatus.
The system is somewhat schematically shown in Fig. 6
as including a pump 100 selectively driven through an operator
controlled clutch arrangement, indicated generally by the
numeral 101, by engine 13. A hose 102 is connected to the
suction side of pump 100 with a second hose 103 being connected
ji thereto by a coupling 104. Coupling 104 is provided with a
petcock 105 to drain water from hoses 102 and 103 to prevent
freezing in the winter.
Hose 103 is connected to piping 106 which has a ball
val~Te 108 therein for closing the line when there is no
water in the debris. The piping extends through the end wall 22
of chamber 15, as at 109, and additional piping 110 and 111
extends upwardly along end wall 22 and across along top wall 19,
` respectively, within chamber 15. A flexible hose 112 is con-
nected to pipe 111 and has an elbow joint 113 at the end thereof
which carries a suction strainer assembly 114.
Elbow 113 is provided with an eyelet 115 to hold the
end of a cable 116. Cable 116 is threaded through one or more
eyelets 118 attached to top wall 19 and extends through end wall
22, around a pulley 119 and down along the outside of end
wall 22. A T-handle 120 is provided at the end of cable 116 to
engage one of a plurality of stop bars 121 (two shown) extending
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from end wall 22. Cable 116 is used to raise and lower strainer
114 to the appropriate height dependen-t on the depth of the
water in chamber 15. The operator, through a sight glass in end
wall 23 of chamber 15, can observe the depth of the water in the
chamber and adjust the height of the strainer by locking the
cable at the appropriate stop bar 121. Thus, in situations
involving heavy water content, such as when hose 17 is flushing
the sewer at the same time conduit 56 is pickiny up debris, pump
100 may be continually running with strainer 114 at the appro-
priate height, to draw water through a pump discharge hose
122 to some remote location such as a nearby storm drain or the
like. In dry debris si-tuations, strainer 114 may be pulled up
to the fully raised position, somewhat higher than that shown in
Fig. 6 and the pump 100 not utili~ed at all.
It should thus be evident that a combined sewer
cleaning and vacuum unit constructed according to the concept of
the invention described herein substantially improves the sewer
cleaning art and otherwise accomplishes the objects of the
present invention.
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