Cleaning device for internal cleaning of drain or sewer pipes and a method of manufacturing a chain for a cleaning device for internal cleaning of drain or sewer pipes

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device for internal cleaning of drain or sewer pipes comprising at least one chain comprising several chain links, two end parts, to one of which one end of the chain/chains is/are fastened and to another of which another end of the chain/chains is fastened, which end parts each comprise a central opening, through which a rotatable element extends. At least some of the chain links of at least one chain of the cleaning device have substantially rectangular outer form having at least one right-angled corner and that these chain links are of hard metal. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a chain for the cleaning device, in which the chain links are made by cutting from a hard metal plate, for example by laser cutting.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for internal cleaning of drain or sewer pipes comprising at least one chain comprising several chain links, two end parts, to one of which one end of the chain/chains is/are fastened and to another of which another end of the chain/chains is fastened, which end parts each comprise a central opening, through which a rotatable element extends, wherein least some of the chain links of at least one chain of the cleaning device have substantially rectangular outer form having at least one right-angled corner and that these chain links are of hard metal.

2. Cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device comprises at least three chains.

3. Cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein all chain links have a substantially rectangular outer form having at least one right-angled corner.

4. Cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the chain links comprise an internal opening having a substantially rectangular form with rounded corners.

5. Cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein chain links have a thickness and link structure of the chain link has a three dimensional substantially rectangular outer form and that the thickness is 2-10 mm.

6. Cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the substantially rectangular outer form of the chain links comprises two short sidewalls and two long sidewalls and that at one short side wall a cut is formed for forming an opening for attachment of two next to each other located chain links together to form the chain.

7. Cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein hardness of the hard metal is at least 300 HB.

8. Method of manufacturing a chain for a cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the chain links are made by cutting from a hard metal plate, for example by laser cutting.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein ends of the chain/chains is/are attached to the corresponding end parts by welding or by screw fastening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In the following the invention is described in more detail by reference to the accompanying drawing in which

[0021] FIG. 1 shows schematically a simplified example of a cleaning device according to the invention,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows schematically a simplified example of a link of a chain of a cleaning device for internal cleaning of drain or sewer pipes according to the invention,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows schematically a simplified example of a cleaning device according to the invention in a drain or a sewer pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] During the course of the following description of the FIGS. 1-3 corresponding reference numbers and signs will be used to identify corresponding elements, parts and part components unless otherwise mentioned. In the figures some references sign may have not been repeated for clarity reasons.

[0025] In FIG. 1 is shown schematically a simplified example of a cleaning device 20 comprising one or more chains 25 formed of several chain links 10. In the example of the figure the cleaning device 20 comprises three chains 25. The cleaning device 20 comprises at least one chain 25. The cleaning device also comprises two end parts 22 in between of which the chains 25 extend and to which end parts 22 respectively each end of each chain 25 is fastened, for example by welding or by screw fastening. The end parts 22 comprise a central through opening 24, through which the rotatable wire rope or rotatable arm or rotatable cable or like rotatable element 27 extends, FIG. 3. The end part 22 also comprises at least one screw 23 that extends to the through opening 24 for fastening the end part 22 to the desired location on the rotatable element 27 so that the end parts 22 are at required distance L from each other on the rotatable element 27 and that the end part 22 is fastened non-rotatably in the rotatable element 27, FIG. 3.

[0026] The chain links 10 are connected to each other by pressing loop ends 19, FIG. 2, against or towards each other such, that cut 16, FIG. 2, will not allow the chain links 10 to detach, whereby the chain 25 is formed.

[0027] In FIG. 2 is shown schematically a simplified example of a chain link 10 for the cleaning device 20, FIG. 1, which has a substantially rectangular outer form comprising two short sidewalls 11 and two long sidewalls 12 with right-angled corners 13. The outer form of the chain link 10 comprises at least one right-angled corner 13, advantageously all corners 13 are right-angled. The inner form of the chain link 10, i.e. the form of the opening 17 of the chain link 10 is correspondingly substantially rectangular but with rounded right-angled corners 18. The form of the opening 17 can also deviate from the rectangular form but is advantageously without sharp corners to provide the smooth movement of the chain links 10 in the chain 25, FIG. 1. The chain links 10 are advantageously made by cutting from a hard metal plate, for example by laser cutting, such that the chain link 10 has a thickness T. The link structure 15 has thus a three dimensional substantially rectangular outer form i.e. the end walls and the side walls form a right-angled structure. At one short side wall 11 a cut 16 is formed for forming an opening for attachment of chain links 10 together to form the chain 25, FIG. 1. The chain links 10 will thus be connected to each other to form the chain 25, FIG. 1, by pressing loop ends 19 of the link structure 15 against or towards each other such, that cut 16 will be narrowed such that the cut 16 will not allow the chain links 10 of the chain 25 to detach.

[0028] Thickness T of the link structure 15 is advantageously 2-10 mm.

[0029] The link 10 is of hard metal which has advantageously hardness of at least 300 HB.

[0030] In FIG. 3 is shown schematically a simplified example of the cleaning device 20 in a drain or a sewer pipe 30. The cleaning device 20 is located inside the pipe 30 such that the chains 25 during rotating the rotatable element 27 contact inner surface 31 of the pipe 30 at cleaning zone Z. The rotatable element 17 is connected to a rotating means 28, for example a rotating motor or rotating drive or pneumatic rotating means. The rotatable element 27 extends through the openings 24, FIG. 1, of the end parts 22. The end parts 22 are fastened to the desired location on the rotatable by the screws 23, FIG. 1, so that the end parts 22 are at required distance L from each other on the rotatable element 27, FIG. 3. The rotatable element 27 is moved in the pipe 30 in its axial direction so that the cleaning zone Z can be moved along the length of the pipe 30. By adjusting the distance L between the end parts 22 the circumferential location of the chains 25 can be adjusted to correspond the inner diameter D of the pipe 30 such that desired cleaning effect and length of the cleaning zone Z is achieved.

[0031] The invention is applicable in many different types of drain and sewer pipes of wide range of diameters.

[0032] Reference signs used in the drawing [0033] 10 chain link [0034] 11 short sidewall [0035] 12 long sidewall [0036] 13 corner [0037] 15 link frame [0038] 16 cut [0039] 17 opening [0040] 18 rounded corner [0041] 19 loop end [0042] 20 cleaning device [0043] 22 end part [0044] 23 screw [0045] 24 opening [0046] 25 chain [0047] 27 wire rope [0048] 28 rotating means [0049] 30 pipe [0050] 31 inner surface of the pipe [0051] D diameter [0052] T thickness [0053] L distance [0054] Z zone