Launcher for tube cleaning projectiles

A launcher for tube cleaning projectiles comprising a housing in the form of an elongate cylinder having an exterior wall and an internal axial chamber, a portion of the axial chamber defining a first air cylinder, a water inlet through the housing exterior wall, a spool valve in fixed position in the internal chamber defining a water plenum within the chamber for receiving pressurized water from an external source through the water inlet, the spool valve having a first set of water ports communicating plenum to water inlet, an hydraulic bolt received axially within the internal chamber and supported for sliding axial movement therein by the spool valve axial bore, the bolt having an internal hydraulic chamber and a second set of water ports for admitting pressurized water from the plenum into the hydraulic chamber, the hydraulic bolt having a double acting air piston cooperating with said air cylinder for moving hydraulic bolt from normal position to launch position so that the first set of water ports register with the second set of water ports thereby admitting pressurized water into the hydraulic chamber, and for resetting the hydraulic bolt to normal position, the housing having an open front end and having a muzzle affixed to the front end, the muzzle having an open magazine into which projectiles are loaded, the muzzle having in inner axial cylindrical surface, a projectile plunger in the form of an elongate cylinder with inner axial cylindrical bore, the projectile plunger positioned within the housing with its axial bore supported by external surface of hydraulic bolt and with its exterior surface supported by muzzle inner axial surface, another portion of the housing axial chamber defining a second air cylinder, the projectile plunger having a double acting air cylinder cooperating with the second air cylinder for moving the projectile plunger axially through the magazine for driving a projectile into firing position in a tube, and to reset the projectile plunger to normal position, first and second valves connected to a source of compressed air, the first valve having a first position for admitting compressed air to the second air piston to move the projectile plunger to drive a projectile into launch position in a heat exchanger tube, the valve having a second position for admitting compressed air to the air piston to reset the projectile plunger to normal position, the second valve having a first position for admitting compressed air to the first air piston to move the hydraulic bolt to register first and second sets of ports for directing pressurized water through the hydraulic chamber to propel a cleaning projectile through a heat exchanger tube, the second valve having a second position for admitting compressed air to the air piston to reset the hydraulic bolt to normal position.

A launcher for driving cleaning projectiles through heat exchanger tubes comprising an open-ended housing, the housing having an external wall defining interior spaces for receiving operating components, a first interior space defining an air cylinder, a second interior space defining a cylindrical support surface for sliding engagement with an hydraulic bolt, and a third interior space defining a water plenum, a water line passing through the housing external wall to supply water to the plenum, an end cap in one end of the housing cooperating with the first interior space to define the air cylinder, the air cylinder further defined by a shoulder formed in the housing wall, an hydraulic bolt received within the internal spaces, the hydraulic bolt having a double acting air piston situated in the air cylinder, the hydraulic bolt having a body portion for sliding support in the second interior space, the hydraulic bolt having an interior hydraulic chamber for receiving pressurized water for launching projectiles through tubes, a nozzle positioned in the other end of the housing communicating with the hydraulic chamber for directing pressurized water at a projectile positioned in a tube, at least one water port in the hydraulic bolt for entry of water into the hydraulic chamber, the hydraulic bolt having a normal position where the hydraulic chamber is void of water and a firing position where pressurized water is admitted to the hydraulic chamber and nozzle for firing a projectile through a tube, a compressed air control system for admitting compressed air to one side of the double acting piston so as to slide the hydraulic bolt into position where the at least one water port registers with the water plenum for admitting pressurized water to pass into the hydraulic chamber and through the nozzle for driving the projectile through a tube, and the compress air control system for further admitting compressed air to the other side of the piston for resetting the hydraulic bolt to normal position.