Self-sealing, self-cleaning sight glass
AssigneeSouthwire Company
InventorR. Emory Starnes, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sight glass assembly (10), especially adapted for use with continuous vulcanizing lines and the like wherein visual or optical access is required, constructed so as to provide self-sealing action during assembly and continuously self-cleaning action during use. A chamber (19) having an exit flow aperture (25) adjacent the viewing element (14) is subjected to a pressurized fluid or gas flow, which is discharged across the inner face of the viewing element. The pressurized fluid or gas is supplied externally through a passageway communicating (16) with the chamber.
Claims15
A self-sealing, self-cleaning sight glass assembly for permitting visual access to a closed chamber, comprising:
- a. a first apertured member means for mounting to a flange on the chamber,
- b. an elongated viewing glass means for covering said aperture,
- c. sealing means for releasably sealing said viewing glass means and said first member means, positioned between said viewing glass means and said first member means,
- d. a second member means for releasably securing said viewing glass means to said first member means,
- e. in said first member at least two exhaust apertures extending along an elongated portion of the viewing glass means for facilitating the passage of a fluid or gas transversely across at least a portion of the inside surface of the viewing glass means, said apertures being opposite one another,
- f. an entry aperture for fluid, vapor, or gas extending through said first member means, and
- g. at least one communicating passageway between said entry aperture and said exhaust apertures.
A self-cleaning sight glass assembly for permitting visual access to a closed chamber interior, comprising:
- a first element connected to said chamber and having an aperture therein;
- elongated sight glass means of the first element covering the aperture for viewing the chamber interior, a surface of the sight glass means facing the chamber interior;
- exhaust means arranged adjacent said aperture on opposite sides thereof for directing the passage of a fluid across the interior facing surface of the sight glass means to clean said interior facing surface of the sight glass means;
- and
- passage means connected to the exhaust means for delivering fluid to the exhaust means.
A method of cleaning the inside surface of an elongated sight glass in a sight glass assembly mounted to a chamber, comprising the steps of:
- providing a means for mounting the sight glass to the chamber and a first passage for permitting the passage of a fluid across the inside surface of the sight glass through an elongated gap and a second passge opposite the first passage for permittng the passage of a fluid across the inside surface of the sight glass through a second elongated gap;
- introducing a fluid through the passages so that they are discharged from said passages at an angle between 30.degree. and 85.degree. relative to the sight glass;
- and
- passing the fluid across the inside surface of the sight glass so as to clean said inside surface of the sight glass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.