Cleaning tool for a valve manifold

• US 4,938,246 A
• Filed: 11/06/1989
• Issued: 07/03/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keystone International, Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Keystone International, Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Miller, Randall J., Conley, Jeff A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US07/432,238
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: 73/201, 73/756, 73/861.42, 73/861.61, 15/104.16, 15/246, 137/15, 137/244, 137/245.5, 137/269, 137/271, 137/315, 137/343, 137/356, 137/884, 137/886, 137/887, 248/71, 248/72, 248/74.4, 248/207, 248/230, 248/231.6
• US Class Current: 137/15.07
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/051 the cleaning devices having internal motors , e.g. turbines for powering cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0435 Mechanical cleaning [e.g., pig, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4336 Cleaning member reciprocates in passage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4351 Independent actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5109 Convertible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6851 With casing, support, protector or static constructional installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87885 Sectional block structure

Abstract

A cleaning tool (46) for removable attachment to a valve manifold (10) upon removal of instrumentation (26) therefrom for cleaning the axial bore (29) of the valve manifold (22). The manifold (22) which has a mounting flange (56) supporting the instrument (26) for measuring, monitoring, or recording differential fluid pressures from a main flow line. The cleaning tool (46) has a flange (56) thereon adapted to fit in mating relation against the flange (36) on the valve manifold (22) upon removal of the instrument (26). A cleaning rod (62) of the cleaning tool (46) has an enlarged diameter cleaning member (68) thereon for cleaning the axial bore (29) of the valve manifold (22) upon manual reciprocation of the cleaning rod (62).

Claims

1. In combination with a valve manifold having an axial bore therethrough in fluid communication with low and high pressure lines and a manually actuated valve on the manifold for blocking fluid flow through said axial bore, said manifold having a mounting flange thereon adapted to removably support instrumentation thereon;

an improved portable cleaning tool for the axial bore of said valve manifold adapted to be removably mounted on the mounting flange of said manifold upon removal of the instrumentation therefrom, said cleaning tool comprising;

an elongate body having a central bore therethrough and a flange on one end thereof forming a planar surface extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said elongate body, said flange fitting in mating contact against said mounting flange on said valve manifold;

fasteners securing said flanges together with said central bore of said elongate body being in alignment with the axial bore of said valve manifold; and

a rod extending through said central bore having a handle on an outer end thereof and an enlarged diameter cleaning member on the opposite inner end thereof of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of said valve manifold bore and larger than the diameter of said central bore, said central bore of said cleaning tool body having an enlarged diameter end portion receiving said cleaning member in a retracted position, said rod being mounted for reciprocal movement relative to said elongate body and said valve manifold for cleaning said manifold bore upon opening of said manually actuated valve whereby after cleaning said manifold bore, said cleaning tool is removed from said manifold mounting flange to permit said instrumentation to be remounted thereon.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said elongate body has an externally threaded outer end portion receiving a packing extending about said rod;

and

an internally threaded nut is threaded onto said outer end portion for compressing said packing for forming a sealing relation about said rod.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein an elastomeric O-ring is positioned between said flanges in concentric relation to said manifold bore for sealing therebetween.

4. A method of cleaning the axial bore of a valve manifold which has a mounting flange thereon supporting an instrument, the valve manifold having an axial bore therein for cleaning by a cleaning tool and a manually actuated valve for blocking fluid flow to said instrument through said axial bore when in a closed position;

said method comprising the following steps;

moving said manually actuated valve to closed position for blocking fluid flow to said instrument;

then removing said instrument from the mounting flange of said valve manifold;

next mounting the cleaning tool having a flange thereon onto the mounting flange of said valve manifold in sealing relation, the cleaning tool having a central bore therethrough in alignment with an axial bore through said valve manifold and including a manually reciprocable rod received within said central bore having a cleaning member of an enlarged diameter on its inner end for fitting within the axial bore of the tool;

moving said manually actuated valve to open position to permit fluid flow to said cleaning tool;

manually reciprocating the rod by manually gripping of a handle thereon for extending the cleaning member within said axial bore for cleaning thereof;

moving said manually actuated valve to closed position for blocking fluid flow to said axial bore adjacent said cleaning tool;

removing said cleaning tool from the mounting flange on said valve manifold;

then remounting said instrument onto the mounting flange of said valve manifold; and

moving said manually actuated valve to open position for providing fluid flow to said instrument from said axial bore of said valve manifold for returning said instrument to service.

5. The method of cleaning the axial bore of a valve manifold as set forth in claim 4 including the steps of:

removing an O-ring seal from a groove in said mounting flange of said valve manifold upon removal of said instrument from the mounting flange; and

replacing said O-ring seal with another O-ring seal prior to mounting of said cleaning tool onto said mounting flange for sealing between the flanges of said cleaning tool and said valve manifold.