BRIDGE BREAKER-CLEANER Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: means for cleaning of internal surfaces of various hollow articles. SUBSTANCE: invention is designed for breakage of bridges of caking loose materials formed in difficult-to-reach inside point of containers or bins and cleaning of their internal surfaces. Bridge breaker-cleaner has rotary drive with hollow shaft connected with working member which consists of successively located links connected by articulated joints whose axles are parallel to form single elongated member in their folded rectilinear position and deviation of links from said position in shaft rotation. Bridge breaker also has locking the links of working member in folded rectilinear position, supporting sleeve located from shaft outside and having lock of shaft position inside sleeve and plain bearings installed between sleeve and shaft. Working member links are hollow and form in folded rectilinear position single elongated member with common internal longitudinal cavity for rod located inside it for its withdrawal and subsequent return. Links articulated joints are located from one side of working member relative to its longitudinal axis. Cross-sections of shaft and working member, internal surface of shaft cavity and external surface of working member links are made with mating in profile shape and sizes for free passage of working member along shaft cavity in both directions: forward and backward and locking in cavity for combined rotation with shaft of last link of working member. The last link has a limiter of its longitudinal motion inside shaft cavity and has a length ensuring location of its articulated joint with previous link beyond shaft cavity. Bridge breaker-cleaner is simple in design and manufacture, highly efficient and convenient in breakage of bridges on internal surfaces of containers or bins including flat ones and allowing control over attained degree of breakage of bridges and cleaning of said surfaces. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 6 cl, 4 dwg