Inside diameter cylindrical blast cleaning attachment apparatus

Abstract

As a means of increasing the productivity and improving the safety of an internal diameter cylindrical blast cleaning, the introduction of an attachment apparatus makes it possible to eliminate or dramatically reduce the use of personnel inside a blast chamber while the process is ongoing thus improving safety of the process and improving the productivity and uniformity of the blasting process. The apparatus includes three principal elements: a blast chamber in which a cylindrical product to be to be treated is mounted on a device that rotates the cylindrical product to be treated; one or more blasting systems and one or more blasting operators. The system includes a delivery means for delivering a blast material output device into the inside of cylindrical product.

1 . An attachment apparatus for a blast cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a boom supporting system;   a boom subsystem; and   an abrasive material output device support subsystem.   wherein said apparatus controls the vertical position of said abrasive material output device within said blast cleaning apparatus and   further wherein said apparatus controls a horizontal position of said abrasive material device and said apparatus controls a horizontal position of said abrasive material device within a product to be treated residing within a blast chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprises:
 said boom supporting subsystem further comprising: 
 a wheeled device that provides a support for said boom subsystem; 
 a height adjustment for said apparatus; 
 a drive system for moving said apparatus into and within a product to be treated. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprises:
 a wheeled device having drive wheels driven by a horizontal travel drive device. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprises:
 an elevation control system comprising an elevation drive coupled to a plurality of elevation adjustment mechanisms that provide adjustment of a vertical position of said boom subsystem and said abrasive material output device support subsystem. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprises:
 a series of support elements that support a cable coupled to say abrasive material output device support subsystem end of said boom subassembly and another end is coupled to said wheeled device. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said each support element may have an increasing height from said abrasive material output device support end of said boom subsystem to said wheel device end of said boom subsystem. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said include:
 cable system supports; 
 air cylinder supports; 
 hydraulic supports; 
 torsion bar assembly supports; or 
 chain tension supports. 
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said apparatus:
 a. adjusts the height of said abrasive material output device to an optimum height; 
 b. adjust a horizontally position of said abrasive material output device along a length of said product; and 
 c. adjusts a speed of a movement of abrasive material output device as said blasting proceeds within said product to be treated while said product being treated is being rotated. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said wheeled device may be;
 a rail type car; 
 a wagon type car or cart; 
 motor driven tractor type frames; or 
 a steel supported trolley type system. 
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said wheeled device may be powered by:
 electric driven motors; 
 gas or diesel powered engine; 
 cable pull systems; or 
 powered trolley systems. 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said drive systems for said drive cart may include:
 chain and sprocket; 
 belt; 
 rack and pinion; 
 gears; 
 hydraulics; 
 air cylinders; or 
 gear systems. 
 
     
     
         12 . The attachment apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said boom subassembly comprises:
 a PLC control system mounted within said boom support subassembly further comprising an input from outside said blast chamber via a control cable or by wireless means to provide instructions to said PLC control system, 
 wherein said PLC control system instructs said attachment apparatus to move into said blast chamber and controls its horizontal movement within the blast chamber and said product to be treated, including its speed and distance of said abrasive material output device within the blast chamber and 
 further within controls a height of said abrasive material output device within said product to be treated. 
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprises:
 said boom subsystem is attached to said boom support system on one end and supports said abrasive material output device support subsystem on another end; 
 said boom subsystem supports a blast hose for connection said abrasive material output device mounted on said abrasive material device support subsystem. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said boom sub-system has a lattice type structure in which the lattice structure provides a means of support and a positioning guide for an abrasive material output device. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprises;
 said blasting system comprises a single attachment apparatus wherein said attachment apparatus enters into a product to be treated within said blasting chamber from either end. 
 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprises:
 said blasting system comprises a pair of attachment apparatuses wherein each said attachment apparatus enters into said product to be treated within a blasting chamber from opposite ends. 
 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said abrasive blast material device is a nozzle or an abrasive blast wheel. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said boom may be;
 a full length support structure; 
 telescopic in nature; or 
 in sections of various lengths. 
 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the boom may be made of:
 steel; 
 aluminum; 
 stainless steel; 
 or composites. 
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said boom extends to a length to achieve a reach to an entire internal area of said cylindrical product requiring said abrasive blast cleaning process. 
     
     
         21 . A cylindrical product blasting apparatus comprising: a compressor, a supply of abrasive material; a blast machine; a blast hose and a blast output device supported by an blasting operator within a rotating cylindrical product to be treated within a blast chamber with said blasting operator being supported by breathing air and safety clothing and mechanisms the improvement comprising:
 an attachment apparatus comprising: a boom supporting subsystem; a boom subsystem; and abrasive blast material output device support subsystem, wherein said attachment apparatus adjust a height of said abrasive blast material device to an optimum height and adjusts horizontally position as well as horizontal speed of movement of said abrasive blast material device along a length of the cylindrical product as the blasting process proceeds,   wherein said attachment apparatus improves the safety and productivity of the blasting process by eliminating a need for the blasting operator within said blast room.   
     
     
         22 . In a product blasting process comprising:
 supplying compressed air,   supplying abrasive material;   using a blast machine to combine said compressed air to produce abrasive blast material;   using a blast hose to transport said abrasive blast material to an abrasive material blast output device;   supporting said blast output device by an blasting operator within a rotating cylindrical product to be treated within a blast chamber;   supporting said blast operator with breathing air and safety clothing and other mechanism, the improvement comprising:   using an attachment apparatus comprising: a boom supporting subsystem; a boom subsystem; and abrasive blast material output device support subsystem,   wherein said attachment apparatus adjusts a height of said abrasive blast material device to an optimum height and adjusts horizontally position as well as a horizontal speed of movement of said abrasive blast material device along a length of the cylindrical product as the blasting process proceeds,   wherein using said attachment apparatus improves a safety and productivity of said blasting process by eliminating a need for the blasting operator within said blast room.