Acceleration tube for hydraulic cutting system
AssigneeVanmark Equipment, LLC
InventorChristopher Paul Hebbeln
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An acceleration tube for use in a hydro-cutting system. A flexible, tapered tube is mounted in a rigid cylindrical housing. Flanges formed at opposite ends of the flexible tube mount adjacent ends of the rigid housing, forming an annular chamber radially between the tube and the housing, and longitudinally between the flanges. A centralizing ring maintains the outlet end of the tube aligned coaxially with the cutting assembly of the hydro-cutting system, but is difficult to bypass during insertion of the tube into the housing. A fluid valve is used to inject fluid into the chamber to force the outlet end flange past the centralizing ring during installation of the tube in the housing.
Claims9
An accelerator tube for a hydraulic cutting system having a liquid pump and a cutting assembly through which food products are propelled, the accelerator tube comprising:
- (a) a substantially cylindrical, rigid housing having an outlet end with an axially adjustable outlet end plate for mounting adjacent the cutting assembly, and an opposite inlet end with an axially adjustable inlet end plate for mounting adjacent the liquid pump;
- (b) a substantially flexible, tapered tube mounted within, and substantially coaxially to, the rigid housing, the flexible tube having an inlet flange against which the inlet end plate seats to form a seal, and an outlet flange against which the outlet end plate seats to form a seal;
- (c) a centralizing ring rigidly mounted to a radially inwardly facing rigid housing sidewall near the outlet end and against which the outlet flange seats;
- and
- (d) a fluid valve mounted through the housing sidewall to define a fluid path into an annular chamber extending between the flexible tube and the rigid housing from the inlet flange to the outlet flange, wherein the annular chamber provides space sufficient for the flexible tube to move radially during use without contacting the rigid housing sidewall.
A method of interposing an accelerator tube in a hydraulic cutting system, the method comprising:
- (a) inserting an outlet end of a substantially flexible, tapered tube into, and substantially coaxial with, a substantially cylindrical, rigid housing until an outlet flange forms a seal near a distal, outlet end of the rigid housing;
- (b) sealing an inlet flange on the flexible tube adjacent an inlet end of the rigid housing;
- (c) injecting fluid through a fluid valve mounted to the housing sidewall, the fluid valve defining a fluid path into an annular chamber extending between the flexible tube and the rigid housing from the inlet flange to the outlet flange, thereby increasing fluid pressure in the annular chamber until the outlet flange is displaced past a centralizing ring rigidly mounted to a radially inwardly facing rigid housing sidewall near the outlet end and the annular chamber is expanded to provide space sufficient for the flexible tube to move radially during use without contacting the rigid housing sidewall;
- (d) sealing the outlet flange on the flexible tube adjacent the outlet end of the housing;
- and
- (e) mounting the combined rigid housing and flexible tube to the hydraulic cutting system between a liquid pump and a cutting assembly through which food products are propelled.
An improved accelerator tube in a hydraulic cutting system having a liquid pump and a cutting assembly through which food products are propelled, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a substantially rigid housing having an outlet end, an opposite inlet end and a housing sidewall;
- (b) a substantially flexible, tapered tube mounted within, and substantially coaxially to, the housing sidewall, the tube having an inlet flange mounted adjacent the inlet end of the housing and an outlet flange mounted adjacent the outlet end of the housing;
- (c) an annular space defined between the tube and the housing from the inlet flange to the outlet flange, providing space sufficient for the tube to flex radially without thereby contacting the housing sidewall;
- and
- (d) an axially adjustable outlet end plate mounted to the housing and adjacent the cutting assembly, and an axially adjustable inlet end plate mounted to the housing and adjacent the liquid pump.
An accelerator tube for a hydraulic cutting system having a liquid pump and a cutting assembly through which food products are propelled, the accelerator tube comprising:
- (a) a substantially rigid housing having an outlet end, an opposite inlet end and a housing sidewall;
- (b) a substantially flexible, tapered tube mounted within, and substantially coaxially to, the housing sidewall, the tube having an inlet flange mounted adjacent the inlet end and an outlet flange mounted adjacent the outlet end;
- and
- (c) an annular space defined between the tube and the housing from the inlet flange to the outlet flange, providing space sufficient for the tube to flex radially during use without contacting the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.