Airport runway cleaning method and apparatus

• US 5,228,623 A
• Filed: 01/03/1992
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Flow International Corporation (Shape Technologies Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flow International Corporation (Shape Technologies Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Raghavan, Chidambaram, Olsen, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAINOR, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US07/817,463
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 239/225.1, 239/227, 239/243, 239/248, 239/263, 239/263.1, 239/264, 239/265, 239/288, 239/288.3, 239/288.5, 239/160, 285/24, 285/368, 15/50.1
• US Class Current: 239/227
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/024 Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/101 Hydraulic loosening or dislodging, combined or not with mechanical loosening or dislodging, e.g. road washing machines with brushes or wipers E01H1/005 takes precedence; cleaning rails E01H8/105, E01H8/125; applying liquids in general E01H3/00; scrubbing machines for floors or similar surfaces A47L11/26 - A47L11/30

Abstract

An apparatus to remove rubber from airplane tires from an airport runway surface. there is a manifold arm which rotates at as high as two thousand five hundred rpms over the runway surface, with a plurality of water jets being discharged downwardly at a relatively high pressure (e.g. thirty five thousand P.S.I.) against the runway surface. Even though the water pressure is at a level several times higher than that at which damage to the runway surface can occur, at the relatively high linear speed of the water jets (e.g. ninety to one hundred eighty miles per hour), there is no noticeable damage to the runway surface, but yet there is quite effective removal of the accumulated rubber. Also disclosed is a particular shaft and seal assembly which is capable of operating at relatively high rotational speeds and delivering the high pressure to the manifold arm.

Claims

1. An apparatus to remove a first material from an underlying substrate surface of a substrate without significant damage to said substrate surface, where the substrate surface is characterized in that it is susceptible to damage by impingement of a high pressure water jet thereon, and said first material is characterized in that is it susceptible to removal from an underlying surface by impingement of a high pressure water jet therein, said apparatus comprising:

a. a housing structure adapted to move over said substrate;

b. manifold arm means mounted to said structure in a manner to be positioned above said substrate, and to be rotatable about a generally vertical axis of rotation;

c. water jet nozzle means mounted to said manifold arm means at a predetermined distance from said axis of rotation and arranged to discharge at least one water jet toward said substrate as said manifold arm means rotates about said axis of rotation;

d. fluid pressure supply means adapted to supply water to said manifold arm means at a pressure greater than twenty thousand pounds per square inch for discharge through said water jet nozzle means; and

e. power transmission means adapted to rotate said manifold arm means at a rotational rate of speed so that said water jet travels linearly in a generally circular path at a speed at least as great as twenty miles an hour.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said water jet nozzle means is arranged to discharge a plurality of water jets at at least first and second water discharge locations spaced at first and second radial distances from said axis of rotation, with said first distance being greater than said second distance.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said water jet nozzle means is arranged so that the water jet discharged at said first location has a diameter greater than the water jet discharged at said second location.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said fluid pressure supply means comprises a shaft and seal assembly connected to said manifold arm means, said shaft and seal assembly comprising:

a. a first shaft which has a first center axis of rotation and a through opening for passage of high pressure fluid therethrough, and an end surface that is precisely formed perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;

b. a second shaft which has a second center axis of rotation and a second centrally located through opening to receive high pressure fluid from the first opening of the first shaft and deliver said fluid to said manifold, and a second end surface that is formed to be precisely perpendicular to said second axis of rotation, said second end surface abutting against said first end surface at an abutment plane;

c. a seal sleeve having first and second portions positioned in said first and second shafts around said first and second openings to provide a seal at said abutment plane;

d. first and second O-ring means positioned in said first and second shafts, respectively, and extending around said first and second seal sleeve portions, respectively, in sealing relationship therewith.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said first and second shaft means are formed with first and second recesses, respectively, at said first and second openings to receive therein, the first and second portions, respectively, of the seal sleeve.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of said first and second end surfaces is formed with radially extending groove means extending to said seal sleeve means to provide pressure release passageway means from said seal sleeve means.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein there is a retaining ring means adapted to engage said first shaft, and fastening means to urge said retaining ring means toward said second shaft so that said first and second end surfaces are pressed against one another.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein there is split ring means comprising at least two split ring segments positioned within said retaining ring means to engage matching surfaces on said first shaft and to fit within said retaining ring means.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is first and second manifold arm means mounted for rotation about a first and second axis of rotation, respectively, said first and second axes of rotation being spaced from one another laterally relative to a longitudinal axis of forward travel of said apparatus, in a manner that a circular path of travel of a first jet means at said first manifold means overlaps a second path of travel of a second jet means on said second manifold means.

10. A shaft and seal assembly particularly adapted to rotate at relatively high speeds and to transmit a high pressure fluid therethrough, said assembly comprising:

a. a first shaft which has a first center axis of rotation and a through opening for passage of high pressure fluid therethrough, and an end surface that is precisely formed perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;

b. a second shaft which has a second center axis of rotation and a second centrally located through opening to receive high pressure fluid from the first opening of the first shaft, and a second end surface that is formed to be precisely perpendicular to said second axis of rotation, said second end surface abutting against said first end surface at an abutment plane;

c. a seal sleeve having first and second portions positioned in said first and second shafts around said first and second openings to provide a seal at said abutment plane;

d. first and second O-ring means positioned in said first and second shafts, respectively, and extending around said first and second seal sleeve portions, respectively, in sealing relationship therewith.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said first and second shaft means are formed with first and second recesses, respectively, at said first and second openings to receive therein, the first and second portions, respectively, of the seal sleeve.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of said first and second end surfaces is formed with radially groove means extending to said seal sleeve means to provide pressure release passageway means from said seal sleeve means.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein there is a retaining ring means adapted to engage said first shaft, and fastening means to urge said retaining ring means toward said second shaft so that said first and second end surfaces are pressed against another.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein there is split ring means comprising at least two split ring segments positioned within said retaining ring means to engage matching surfaces on said first shaft and to fit within said retaining ring means.