High speed jet blocker with readily replaceable blocking material
AssigneeJean Bean Technologies Corporation
InventorsRichard D. Stockard, Norman A. Rudy, John R. Strong, Ronald A. Shutter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blocker apparatus (20) for blocking a stream (22) of high-pressure fluid includes a blocking member in the form of a sphere or ball (30), or a rod (160) receivable within a partially surrounding seat (34/162) at the forward end of a seat carrier (40) to rotate in the seat. The seat carrier (40) is extended and retracted by an actuator (32) to place the blocking member within the path of the stream (22) and/or remove the blocking member from the path of the high-pressure stream. The blocking member is replaced by simply lifting the blocking member (30/160) off of the seat (34/162) and lowering a new blocking member into the seat.
Claims28
An apparatus for controlling the flow of a high-pressure stream of fluid, comprising:
- a. a blocking member;
- b. a seat for receiving the blocking member, said seat configured to enable the blocking member to change position within the seat during operation of the apparatus;
- c. an actuator system for advancing the blocking member into the high-pressure fluid stream to disrupt the flow of the high-pressure fluid stream and/or for retracting the blocking member out of the high-pressure fluid stream to end the disruption of the flow of the high-pressure fluid stream;
- and
- d. wherein the blocking member is movable relative to the seat when struck by the high-pressure fluid stream to present a different portion of the blocking member to the high-pressure fluid stream.
An apparatus for controlling the flow of a stream of high-pressure fluid used for cutting, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a blocking member;
- b. a seat shaped to correspond to the shape of the blocking member and to receive the blocking member and permit the blocking member to shift relative to the seat under the influence of flow of the stream of high-pressure fluid;
- c. an actuator system for moving the blocking member into the stream of high-pressure fluid to disrupt the flow of the high-pressure fluid stream and for moving the blocking member out of the stream of high-pressure fluid to not disrupt the flow of the high-pressure fluid stream;
- and
- d. a retainer for preventing the blocking member from becoming removed from the seat while the high-pressure fluid is being disrupted by the blocking member.
A method for blocking a high-pressure fluid stream emitted from a nozzle, comprising:
- a. placing a blocking member into a seat that is shaped to receive the blocking member and permit the blocking member to rotate or otherwise shift in position relative to the seat, and in the direction of the flow of the high-pressure stream, with the blocking member nominally held within the seat by the weight of the blocking member;
- b. moving the blocking member into and out of the path of the high-pressure stream wherein a retaining member that prevents the blocking member from becoming removed from the seat while permitting the blocking member to move within the seat due to force of the high-pressure stream on the blocking member thereby to present different portions of the blocking member to the high-pressure stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.