Smelt spout cleaning assembly
An assembly for cleaning a smelt spout includes a cleaning head, a drive rod connected with the cleaning head, and a pneumatic or other drive connected to selectively extend or retract the drive rod. The drive rod may be connected with the cleaning head by a pivotal connection. The cleaning head may be bifurcated. The cleaning head may include a leading edge configured to engage and clean a spout opening from which smelt from a chemical reduction furnace flows to the spout. The assembly may further include a pivot point and, as the drive selectively extends the drive rod, torque about the pivot point produced by the cleaning head and an extending portion of the drive rod rotates the cleaning head downward to engage a smelt spout.
1. An assembly for cleaning a smelt spout, the assembly comprising:
a cleaning head;
a drive rod connected with the cleaning head;
a drive connected to selectively extend or retract the drive rod;
a first pivot point at the connection of the cleaning head to the drive rod; and
a second pivot point;
wherein the cleaning head, the drive rod, and the drive form a swing arm that is pivotable about the second pivot point.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein as the drive selectively extends the drive rod, torque about the second pivot point produced by the cleaning head and an extending portion of the drive rod rotates the cleaning head downward to engage a smelt spout.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cleaning head is bifurcated.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cleaning head includes a leading edge configured to engage and clean a spout opening from which smelt from a chemical reduction furnace flows to the spout.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the leading edge of the cleaning head is bifurcated.
6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive comprises a pneumatic drive.
7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cleaning head has a length and the length has a curved profile.
8. A smelt spout assembly comprising:
a smelt spout; and
an assembly as set forth in claim 1 arranged to clean the smelt spout.
9. A smelt spout assembly comprising:
a smelt spout; and
an assembly as set forth in claim 1 arranged by a connection with the smelt spout or with a housing of the smelt spout to clean the smelt spout.
10. A smelt spout assembly comprising:
a smelt spout; and
an assembly as set forth in claim 1 arranged to clean the smelt spout;
wherein the assembly is mounted on an articulated arm by which the assembly can be swung out and away from the smelt spout.
11. A method of cleaning a smelt spout using the smelt spout assembly of claim 1 , the method comprising:
extending the drive rod on which the cleaning head is pivotally attached by the first pivot point; and
in response to the extending, pivoting the cleaning head about the second pivot point to lower the cleaning head onto the smelt spout and then driving the cleaning head along the spout to clean the spout.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein, in further response to the extending, driving the cleaning head at least partway into a spout opening to clean the spout opening.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
retracting the drive arm; and
in response to the retracting, drawing the cleaning head back along the spout and then pivoting the cleaning head about the second pivot point to raise the cleaning head away from the smelt spout and into a resting position.
14. An assembly for cleaning a smelt spout, the assembly comprising:
a drive rod;
a cleaning head pivotally attached to the drive rod;
a drive connected to selectively extend or retract the drive rod; and
a second pivot about which the cleaning head rotates to selectively lower the cleaning head in response to the drive extending the drive rod and to selectively raise the cleaning head in response to the drive retracting the drive rod.
15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the cleaning head is bifurcated.
16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the cleaning head includes a leading edge configured to extend at least partway into a spout opening.
17. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the drive comprises a pneumatic drive.
18. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the second pivot is a pivot point of a swing arm that includes the drive, the drive rod, and the cleaning head.
19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein:
the drive is operative to lower the cleaning head by extending the drive rod to increase torque on the swing arm about the second pivot point produced by the cleaning head and the extended portion of the drive rod to lower the cleaning head; and
the drive is operative to raise the cleaning head by retracting the drive rod to reduce said torque to raise the cleaning head.
20. An assembly for cleaning a smelt spout, the assembly comprising:
a drive rod;
a cleaning head pivotally attached to the drive rod;
a drive connected to selectively extend or retract the drive rod;
a second pivot about which the cleaning head rotates to selectively lower the cleaning head in response to the drive extending the drive rod and to selectively raise the cleaning head in response to the drive retracting the drive rod; and
an extended locking mechanism including:
a stabilizing rod arranged parallel with the drive rod and attached to the drive rod by a link whereby the stabilizing rod extends or retracts together with the drive rod; and
a collar through which the stabilizing rod passes, the collar secured to the drive.
21. A smelt spout assembly comprising:
a smelt spout; and
an assembly as set forth in claim 14 arranged to clean the smelt spout.