The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 1990
Filed:
Sep. 28, 1989
Clarence D John, Jr, Penn Hills Twp., PA (US);
Beverly T Jarabak, Murrysville, PA (US);
Joseph G Cigich, Salem Township, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A system for ultrasonically cleaning tubes includes an elongated cleaning tank adapted to hold a quantity of detergent-containing water and a series of transducers mounted on the bottom wall of the tank in a generally linear arrangement extending between opposite end walls of the tank. The transducers generate ultrasonic cavitational energy within the water in the tank. An inclined upper tube entry ramp supported above the tank guides delivery of tubes in single file fashion into the tank to a reversely inclined middle tube transfer ramp. The inclined middle ramp guides transfer of tubes in single file fashion into the water in the tank and to a lower tube soak ramp having a tube accumulating terminal end. The lower ramp feeds the tubes across the tank within the water and above the transducers therein to its tube accumulating end such that each tube will pass through and be cleaned by the cavitation energy in the water. A conveyor supported in a generally vertical position in the tank and having two sets of tube lifting cradles thereon is operable to pick up one tube at a time at the accumulating end of the lower ramp with one set of cradles and lift the one tube from the water to a discharge location above the tank to remove the tube from the tank before another tube is picked up by the other set of cradles on the conveyor.