High pressure waterblasting nozzle manipulator apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919333-B2
Application number	US-201715433978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2017
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A high pressure nozzle manipulator includes a wheeled chassis, a pair of parallel manipulator elevator rails supported by an elevator rail rotator fastened to the chassis, a horizontal extensible arm rail disposed between and carried by the manipulator elevator rails, a rotary actuator fastened to a distal end of the horizontal extensible arm rail, and a linear actuator fastened between the first rotary actuator and a hinged nozzle support bracket. This bracket holds a high pressure cleaning nozzle. The linear actuator is configured to rotate the nozzle and the bracket through an arc. The elevator rail rotator is configured to rotate the elevator rails through an arc of about 180 degrees about a horizontal axis. The rotary wrist actuator is configured to rotate the hinged nozzle support bracket about a horizontal axis through the extensible arm rail.

First claim

I claim:

1. A high pressure fluid nozzle manipulator apparatus comprising:
a chassis,
one or more manipulator elevator rails supported by an elevator rail rotator fastened to the chassis,
a horizontal extensible arm rail carried by the one or more manipulator elevator rails,
a rotary wrist actuator fastened to a distal end of the horizontal extensible arm rail, and
a linear actuator fastened between the rotary actuator and a hinged nozzle support bracket;
wherein a portion of the bracket is configured to hold a high pressure cleaning nozzle therein, the linear actuator is configured to rotate the nozzle and the bracket through an arc, the elevator rail rotator is configured to rotate the one or more elevator rails through an arc of at least about 180 degrees around an elevator rail rotator axis, and the rotary actuator is configured to rotate the hinged nozzle support bracket in at least about a 270 degree arc in a plane orthogonal to a horizontal axis through the extensible arm rail.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the chassis is a wheeled chassis and has a generally rectangular metal frame, and wherein the frame supports an axle fastened to a pair of wheels, the elevator rotator and an elevator rotator drive motor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a plurality of outriggers movably fastened to the wheeled chassis.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the elevator rail rotator is fastened to a proximal end of the one or more elevator rails.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an L shaped carriage assembly movably fastened to a distal portion of the one or more elevator rails and wherein the carriage assembly supports the horizontal extensible arm rail so as to extend at an angle to the one or more elevator rails.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the chassis is a wheeled chassis having a generally rectangular metal frame, and wherein the frame supports an axle fastened to a pair of wheels, the elevator rotator and an elevator rotator drive motor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a plurality of outriggers movably fastened to the wheeled chassis.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the elevator rotator is fastened to a proximal end of each of the one or more elevator rails.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the linear actuator is configured to rotate the portion of the hinged bracket holding the nozzle through an arc orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the rotary actuator wrist fastened to the end of the horizontal rail.

10. A high pressure nozzle manipulator apparatus comprising:
a chassis having a plurality of outriggers movably fastened to the chassis, one or more manipulator elevator rails supported by an elevator rail rotator fastened to the chassis;
a horizontal extensible arm rail carried by the one or more manipulator elevator rails,
a rotary actuator fastened to a distal end of the horizontal extensible arm rail,
a linear actuator fastened between the rotary actuator and a hinged nozzle support bracket, wherein a portion of the bracket is configured to hold a high pressure cleaning nozzle therein wherein the linear actuator is configured to rotate the nozzle and the bracket through an arc orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the rotary actuator;
wherein the elevator rail rotator is configured to rotate the one or more elevator rails through an arc of about 180 degrees about an elevator rail rotator axis, wherein the rotary actuator is configured to rotate the hinged nozzle support bracket in about a 270 degree arc in a plane orthogonal to a horizontal axis through the extensible arm rail; and
a carriage assembly movably fastened to a distal portion of the one or more elevator rails and wherein the carriage assembly supports the horizontal extensible arm rail so as to extend between the elevator rails.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the chassis is a wheeled chassis and has a generally rectangular metal frame, and wherein the frame supports an axle fastened to a pair of wheels, the elevator rotator and an elevator rotator drive motor.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising three or more outriggers movably fastened to the wheeled chassis.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the elevator rail rotator is fastened to a proximal end of the one or more elevator rails.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a carriage assembly movably fastened to a distal portion of the one or more elevator rails and wherein the carriage assembly supports the horizontal extensible arm rail so as to extend at an angle to the one or more elevator rails.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the chassis is a wheeled chassis having a generally rectangular metal frame, and wherein the frame supports an axle fastened to a pair of wheels, the elevator rotator and an elevator rotator drive motor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising a plurality of outriggers movably fastened to the wheeled chassis.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the elevator rotator is fastened to a proximal end of each of the one or more elevator rails.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the linear actuator is configured to rotate the portion of the hinged bracket holding the nozzle through an arc orthogonal to a plane of rotation of the rotary actuator wrist fastened to the end of the horizontal rail.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a ballast tank fastened to the chassis.

20. The apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a ballast tank fastened to the chassis.

Assignees

• Stoneage Inc

Inventors

• Wright Douglas E

Classifications

• B08B13/00

  Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning · CPC title

• F16M2200/04

  Balancing means · CPC title

• F16M11/2092

  comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage · CPC title

• B05B15/68 Primary

  Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads (B05B15/628, B05B15/652, B05B15/656 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16M11/42

  with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} · CPC title