Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
PATENT
Kerry Lloyd
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CHIMNEYS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for
cleaning chimneys, and more particularly to a method for
cleaning chimneys whereby the dust and smaller particles
loosened during the cleaning process are exhausted
upwardly through the chimney and out the top of the
chimney and to an exhaust blower for accomplishing this
purpose.
Chimneys have existed for a long time. Homes were
originally heated with fireplaces having chimneys. Cook
stoves and modern furnaces also have chimneys. Safety
requires chimneys to be cleaned periodically.
Heretofore chimney flues and fireboxes were cleaned by
brushing the walls thereof and dropping both fine
particles and larger particles onto the hearth or the
bottom of the firebox, letting the dust settle, and
then removing the dust and particles from the firebox.
Thus, cleaning chimneys in a home, in the past, has
caused a great likelihood of, creating a very large mess.
Chimney sweeps of the past have taken considerable
amount of effort and time to lay drop cloths and
erecting a tent around the opening of a firebox in a
home to form an enclosure whereby the fine particles and
dust from the chimney cleaning operation remain within
the enclosure and do not permeate the home and allow the
dust to settle oii carpets, furniture and other articles
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within the home. While using drop cloths and tents,
properly, most of the particles and dust can be
contained therein and successfully removed to the
satisfaction of a home owner; however, the entire
procedure involves extreme care to accomplish the
desired degree of cleanliness.
When using drop cloths and tents to contain the
dust and particles removed from a chimney, the chimney
sweep is required to work for extended periods of time
within the tent and the dusty atmosphere therein. This
requires the chimney sweep to wear protective clothing,
utilize breathing apparatus and lights, and to work in
an atmosphere in which it can be difficult to see at
times because of the dust. Because of the dust within
these tent enclosures, chimney sweeps have heretofore
been highly susceptible to lung diseases from the
inhalation of chimney dust.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide an
improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved
method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys whereby the
dust and particulate matter can be controlled in an
improved way.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved
method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys in which the
chimney sweep need not work in a dust laden atmosphere.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved
method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys in which the
time and cost of laying drop cloths and erecting tents
to enclose chimney openings can be completely
eliminated.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved
method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys in which the
chimney sweep need not wear protective clothing or
breathing apparatus.
Finally, it is highly desirable to provide an
improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys
which have all of the above features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to
provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning
chimneys.
It is another object of this invention to provide
an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys
whereby the dust and particulate matter can be
controlled in an improved way.
It is another object of this invention to provide
an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys
in which the chimney sweep need not work in a dust laden
atmosphere.
It is another object of this invention to provide
an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys
in which the time and cost of laying drop cloths and
erecting tents to enclose chimney openings can be
completely eliminated.
It is another object of this invention to provide
an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys
in which the chimney sweep need not wear protective
clothing or breathing apparatus.
Finally, it is another object of this invention to
provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning
chimneys which have all of the above features.
In the broader aspects of this invention there is
provided a method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys.
The method comprises the step of exhausting air up the
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chimney at a predetermined rate, brushing the flue from
the tap of the chimney down with the damper closed,
loosening dust and both fine and larger particles,
exhausting the dust and fine particles with the air,
dropping the larger particles into the lower portion of
the chimney, and removing the larger particles from the
lower chimney portion. The apparatus includes an
exhaust fan or blower which can be positioned on the top
of the chimney with the inlet thereof in a sealing
relationship with the chimney flue.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA47INGS
The above-mentioned and other features and objects
of this invention and the manner of attaining them will
become more apparent and the invention itself will be
better understood by reference to the following
description of an embodiment of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a view in cross-section showing a typical
chimney with the apparatus of the invention mounted at
the top thereof and diagrammatically illustrating the
flue brushing procedure;
Fig. 2 is a perspective and exploded view showing
the base plate and blower of the invention;
Fig. 3 is a perspective and exploded view showing
the base plate and the flue of a typical chimney; and
Fig. 4 is a perspective and exploded view showing
the base plate, flue adapter and a typical flue pipe.
DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 illustrates an ordinary brick chimney with
the apparatus 10 of the invention mounted at the top of
the flue which is useful in describing the method of the
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invention. A relatively standard chimney has a flue 12
extending from the smoke chamber 14 to the top of the
chimney 16. The flue is generally defined by clay tile
flue liners 18.
A smoke chamber 14 is located at the bottom of the
flue and is generally confined by walls 20 of brick. At
the bottom of the smoke chamber is a smoke shelf 22.
Beneath the smoke shelf 22 is a firebox 24.
Firebox 24 is defined by a hearth or bottom 26 at the
bottom thereof and upstanding walls 28 of firebrick.
Extending between the firebox 24 and the smoke chamber
14 is a flue opening 30 which may be provided with a
damper 32 selectively opening and closing opening 30.
Both the fireboxes and smoke chambers of
conventional brick fireplaces vary in size, as do the
flues. Conventional brick fireplaces which have flues
Lined with clay tile flue liners have flues which range
in size from about 8 by 8 inches to about 24 by 24
inches.
Other fireplaces are fabricated and purchased as
appliances. These fireplaces and wood stoves and
furnaces have smoke chambers and fireboxes which are
fabricated of steel and generally have flue openings to
which are connected flue pipes. These flue pipes are
generally circular in cross-sectional shape and
purchased in lengths and assembled at the site. Flue
pipe is found in 6 inch diameters through 12 inch
diameters. In some of the fabricated fireplaces and
furnaces, the smoke chamber is eliminated and the flue
is connected directly to the firebox.
The terms "flue" and "firebox" and "smoke chamber"
are used herein to include all of the various structures
in all of their various sizes, shapes and
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configurations which function as flues, fireboxes, and
smoke chambers. The invention is not limited to any
~particul.ar shape or size of flue, firebox or smoke
chamber.
The Apparatus
The apparatus of the invention comprises a blower
or exhaust fan 34 having an inlet 36 and an outlet 38.
A motor 40 is mounted on blower 34 and operatively
connected to the blower 34 to drive the blower 34.
Tn a specific embodiment, blower 34 and motor 40 can be
a 320 cubic foot per minute blower powered by a
quarterhorse gasoline engine.
Blower inlet 36 is provided with an inlet flange 42
having mounting holes 44 therein. Flange 42 has a
flange seal surface 46 surrounding inlet 36. Blower 34
is mounted to a base plate 48.
Base plate 48 has an intake 50 therein generally
centrally located in base plate 48. Intake 50 is
smaller in size than blower inlet 36. Surrounding inlet
50 are a plurality of mounting holes 52 which are
arranged in size and position to correspond to the size
and positioning of mounting holes 44 of flange 42 of
blower 34. Blower 34 is mounted to base plate 48 by
means of holes 44, 52 and bolts 51 extending
therethrough. Base plate inlet 50 is in registry with
blower inlet 36 when appropriately mounted.
Base plate 50 has a fiat surface surrounding inlet
50 which corresponds to seal surface 46 of flange 42 of
blower 34. These two surfaces are held together, with a
gasket therebetween if desired, by bolts 51 extending
through holes 44 and 52. The seal thus formed in
generally annular in shape with its interior size
smaller than the cross-sectional size of the chimney
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flue and the exterior size larger than a cross-section
size of the chimney flue.
Radially extending from the inlet 50 are a
plurality of slots 56. Extending from each slot 56 is a
peg 58 which is connected to base plate 48 by a screw
60, the body of which extends through the slot 58 and is
threadedly secured i.n the peg 58. Both the enlarged
head 62 of the screw 60 and the peg 58 is larger in
diameter than the width of the slot 56. Thus by
loosening and tightening the screws 60, the pegs 58 can
be adjusted in position along the slots 56 where desired
and secured in place.
Adjacent inlet 50 is a brush hole 64. The purpose
of brush hole 64 will be mentioned hereinafter.
However, brush hole 64 is within the cross-section of
the flue and exterior of the flange 42 of the blower 34
when base plate 48 is mounted on a chimney. In a
specific embodiment, 'base plate 48 can be a steel plate
or s sheet of wood as desired.
Base plate 48 with the blower 34 and motor 40
secured together is positioned on the top 16 of the flue
12 prior to conducting the method of the invention.
After the chimney is cleaned by the method of the
invention, the base plate 48 with the blower 34 and the
motor 40 attached thereto is removed from the flue 12.
Base plate 48, blower 34 and motor 40 is positioned
on a flue comprising clay tile flue liners 18 as shown
in Fig. 3. Base plate 4$ is positioned on the flue and
the pegs 58 are adjusted along slots 56 and secured in
place such that a peg 58 is positioned in each of the
four corners of the uppermost flue liner 18 adjacent top
16. When this adjustment of the pegs 58 is properly
made and the base plate 48 is positioned on the top of
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the flue 12, the base plate cannot be slid from the top
16 of the flue and is held in place by the pegs 58 and
the weight of the blower 34 and the motor 40. The
weight of the blower 34 and motor 40 provides a seal
between the base plate 48 and the top 16 of the flue 12.
Base plate 48 is desirably generally rectangular in
shape with an exterior size appreciably larger than the
largest flue cross-sectional size. In a specific
embodiment, base plate 48 measures 13 inches by 13
inches. Similarly, inlet 50 is appreciably smaller than
the smallest size flue; and thus in a specific
embodiment, inlet 50 is less than six inches in
diameter.
In order to mount base plate 48 with blower 34 and
motor 40 attached thereto onto the top 16 of a flue
comprising a plurality of interconnected lengths of flue
pipe, a base plate flue pipe adapter 65 is required.
The adapter 65 is shown to comprise a plate 66 which has
a pair of channels 67 on opposite sides thereof. Each
of the channels 67 comprises an upstanding wall 68 and a
flange 70. The flange 70 extends from the wall 68 over
plate 66 and overlies plate 66 defining a flange opening
72. Flange openings 72 extend end to end of plate 66
and face each other.
Located in the center of plate 66 is an opening 74.
Opening 74 is larger than base plate intake 50. Opening
74 is always large enough to enclose intake 50 and brush
opening 64 when appropriately positioned on base plate
48. Plate 66 has a width dimension between flange walls
68 sufficient to receive base plate 48 therebetween.
Opposite peripheries of base plate 48 are positioned
within channels 67 when properly positioned and base
plate 66 and flanges 70 overlay opposite sides of base
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plate 48. When adapter 65 is properly positioned on
base plate 48, opening 74 surrounds base plate intake
SO and encompasses both base plate intake 50 and brush
hole 64.
Secured to adapter 65 and depending therefrom is a
conical reducer 80. Reducer 80 has opposite ends 82 and
84. End 82 is generally the same size as opening 74 and
has a flange 86 extending radially outwardly thereof.
Reducer 80 is positioned in opening 74 with'flange 86
overlaying plate 66 between channels 67. Flange 86 and
the corresponding underlaying surface of plate 66 forms
a seal between reducer 80 and plate 66. End 84 of
reducer 80 is connected to a cylindrical section 88
which extends co-axially from end 84 of reducer 80.
Reducer 80 and cylindrical section 88 can be formed of
sheet metal and connected together in accordance with
good sheet metal practice. Cylindrical member 88 is
sized to fit into the top 16 of the top flue pipe
section of the largest size to be used. The largest
readily available size of flue pipe is 12 inches in
diameter. Thus, with cylindrical portion 88 being
slightly less than 12 inches in size, portion 88 can be
fit into the uppermost section of the flue pipe of the
largest size with top 16 abutting the exterior surface
of cylindrical reducer 80 in a tight tit.
A reducer 90 is required to connect a flue pipe of
a smaller size to the adapter 65. Reducer 90 also is
similar to reducer 80 as it has both a conical section
92, an inlet 94 and a cylindrical inlet section 88
connected to inlet 94. Reducer 90 however also has a
cylindrical outlet section 96 connected to outlet 98
opposite of inlet section 88. Cylindrical portion 96 is
always slightly larger than cylindrical portion 88 of
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reducer. 80 such that it can fit over and be superimposed
on portion 88 in a tight-fitting frictional
relationship.
Cylindrical portion 88 of reducer 90 is sized to
fit within the uppermost flue pipe section at top 16
of a variety of sizes. Thus, a reducer 90 will be sized
to fit each available size of flue pipe. In specific
embodiments, portion 88 of a reducer 90 is sized to fit
within the end opening of 8 inch round flue pipe, 10
inch round flue pipe and 6 inch round flue pipe.
Adapter 90 like reducer 80 can be manufactured from
sheet metal and made in accordance with existing sheet
metal techniques such that adapter 65 can be fitted to
flue pipes from 6 inches to 12 inches in diameter in an
appropriate sealing relationship between base plate 48,
adapter 65, reducer 80, adapter 90 and flue pipe
sections.
In a specific embodiment of adapter 65 and base
plate 48, pegs 58 can be removed from base plate 48
whenever base plate 48 is desirably positioned within
flange openings 72 of adaptor 65 or base plate 48 can be
removed from flange 42 and inverted whereby pegs 58
upstand in the direction of blower 34 and motor 40
rather than depending from base plate 48 thereby
presenting to adapter 65 a generally planar surface for
sliding into complimentary relationship with the surface
of plate 66 between opposed channels 67.
Larger adapter plates 66 are provided for larger
flues. Since these are only used occasionally, bolts
instead of channels 67 are used for attachment to base
plate 48.
The Method
The method of the invention comprises placing the
blower 34 and motor 40 attached to the base plate 48 on
the top 16 of the flue of the chimney to be cleaned. If
the flue is defined by clay tile flue liner 18, the pegs
58 are adjusted on the base plate 48 and placed within
the upper flue liner 18 with the base plate 48 resting
on top 16 of the flue 12 and the pegs being in the
respective corners of the flue liner as above described.
The motor is then started and exhaust fan or blower 34
exhausts air through the outlet 38 into a filter bag 102
causing an updraft in the flue and firebox of the
fireplace. If the flue is equipped with a damper which
blocks air flow, the damper is opened. Blower 34 and
motor 40 exhausts air from the firebox. If the chimney
is in a home, air is exhausted from the home, into the
firebox, up the flue through the filter bag and out into
the atmosphere. In a specific embodiment, the filter
bag can be a conventional waste bag or other vacuum
bag.
If the flue is defined by lengths of flue pipe, the
adapter is connected to the top 16 of the flue pipe by
means of the reducer 80 with or without a reducer 90
depending upon the size of the flue pipe, and the engine
is started causing an updraft flow from the firebox
through the flue 12, through the filter bag and into the
atmosphere. This causes air to be exhausted through the
firebox, up the flue, from the building in which the
stove, furnace, or fireplace is located.
The flue is cleaned with a flue brush. The flue
brush rod is positioned through the opening 64 in the
base plate 48 and the flue brush is moved in an up and
down motion as indicated by the arrows 100 in Fig. 1.
The brushing is continued from the top 16 down into the
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smoke chamber. Generally, the smoke chamber is cleaned
from the bottom; and thus, the brushing need only
continue to the top of the smoke chamber. By this
brushing, dust and small and large particles are
loosened from the sides of the flue. Both the dust and
the smaller particles are exhausted with the air, the
larger particles are dropped onto the smoke shelf and
the damper or into the firebox. Of course, if there is
no damper in the chimney or no smoke chamber, particles
will drop into the firebox or onto the hearth.
Once the flue is cleaned, the smoke chamber is
cleaned by brushing from the bottom of the flue to the
smoke shelf by brushing the walls of the smoke chamber.
Again, the brushing loosens both dust and particles.
The air being exhausted by the blower 34 exhausts both
the dust and the smaller particles with the air. The
larger particles drop onto the smoke shelf or into the
firebox or onto the hearth. Once the smoke chamber is
cleaned, the smoke shelf and damper are cleaned by
brushing the larger particles into the firebox. Again,
the dust and the smaller particles are exhausted with
the air. The larger particles fall into the firebox or
onto the hearth.
The firebox is then cleaned by brushing all of the
walls of the firebox up to the damper. This also causes
dust and particles to be loosened from the firebox
walls. The dust and the smaller particles are exhausted
with the air, the larger particles fall onto the hearth.
Finally, all of the particles are removed from the
hearth. This can be done by a vacuum.
In this description, the term "smoke shelf" is used
to describe the bottom of the smoke chamber and the
term "hearth" is used to describe the bottom of the
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firebox. Whether the firebox is in a furnace, stove or
fireplace, these terms are used consistently. The term
"hearth" is used consistently throughout. In the case
where the furnace, stove or fireplace does not have a
smoke chamber, the furnace, stove or fireplace also does
not have a smoke shelf.
All of the cleaning by the method of this invention
can be accomplished by the chimney sweep not wearing
protective clothing or using breathing apparatus. As
the exhausting of air through the flue is sufficient to
carry with it all dust and fine particles. Only the
larger particles are not exhausted with the air and
those are dropped onto the smoke shelf or the hearth can
be removed by a brush and dust pan or a vacuum, quite
easily.
The cleaning of the flue, the smoke chamber and the
walls of the firebox can be accomplished by conventional
flue brushes which are cylindrical in shape.
A gasoline motor-driven blower 34 having a capacity
of 320 cubic foot per minute is adequate for chimneys
having 289 square inches in cross-sectional area or
less. In the smaller chimneys, such a blower is
adequate for the practice of the invention at
part-throttle.
In a specific embodiment, the filter bag can be a
conventional waste bag or other vacuum bag.
While there have been described above the
principles of this invention in connection with specific
apparatus and method, it is to be clearly understood
that this description is made only by way of example and
not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.
