Vortex net cleaner jetter assembly
OwnerDarren Reidinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a jetter assembly for cleaning aquaculture nets in situ. The jetter assembly includes a high-pressure rotational union connected to an outer shroud assembly and an inner washing ring assembly. The rotational union includes a hose inlet connected to a fluid hose, a shaft and a plurality of inner ring segments securing the rotational union to the outer shroud assembly. The outer shroud assembly includes several supporting gussets connecting the outer shroud assembly to the rotational union and several inner and outer shroud sandwich plates connecting several shroud sections. The inner washing ring assembly includes a manifold, several spray bars and a centrifugal vortex plate that generates a fluid vortex to clean the nets.
Claims17
An underwater net cleaning apparatus, comprised of:
- a manifold having an inlet end through which pressurized water enters, an outlet end, and a plurality of discharge apertures through which said pressurized water exits;
- a plate assembly which includes at least one plate fixedly attached at a point proximate to said outlet end, wherein said plate assembly has a plate assembly perimeter defined by the largest circumference of said at least one plate;
- a plurality of spray bars wherein each of said spray bars is comprised of a segment perpendicular to said manifold and a segment positioned at an angle to said manifold to form a bent spray bar;
- wherein each of said spray bars is fixedly attached to said manifold and operatively coupled with one of said discharge apertures, wherein said plurality of spray bars discharge water at an angle when pressurized water exits said discharge apertures to create a torque force, causing said manifold to rotate at a rotational speed and around a rotational axis, causing said plate assembly and said spray bars to rotate at substantially the same rotational speed and around substantially the same rotational axis as said manifold;
- wherein said plurality of said spray bars have a spray bar perimeter representing an area defined by the ends of said spray bars that are farthest from said manifold and wherein said spray bar perimeter is approximately equal to said plate assembly perimeter;
- and
- a deflection shroud which deflects water discharged from said spray bars to propel said underwater net cleaning apparatus without the use of propulsion jets or electrical power, wherein said deflection shroud is fixedly attached to a shroud frame and wherein said shroud frame rotates independently of said manifold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.