SOOT BLOWER INCLUDING REVOLVING ROLLER ASSEMBLY WITH MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

摘要

SOOT BLOWER INCLUDING REVOLVING ROLLER ASSEMBLY WITH MODULAR CONSTRUCTION The disclosure is directed to a soot blower of the long retracting type. In accordance with the invention, a revolving roller assembly is provided to support and guide the lance tube of the soot blower during its working motion along a predetermined path of travel. The rollers of the revolving roller assembly are mounted in a manner to provide a generally circular opening whereby the lance tube may be received through the opening to be supported and guided by the rotatable rollers as it moves along the predetermined path of travel. Pursuant to an important feature of the invention, the frame structure mounting the rotatable rollers comprises a modular construcion advantageously arranged to accommodate repair and/or replacement of the rotatable rollers without having to remove the lance tube from the assembly. Generally, the circular frame of the invention comprises a main cage component and several cage segments. The cage segments are arranged to be selectively, removably secured to main cage component to provide the complete roller support frame. Complementary portions of each of the cage segments and the main cage component are formed whereby the complementary portions define openings of predetermined configurations, when the frame is fully assembled, to thereby receive and securely mount the rotatable rollers. Moreover, each of the cage segments is arranged and configured to provide, along with certain of the complementary portions of the main cage component, the entire support for one of the rollers. Accordingly, a particular roller may be exposed for repair and/or removal from the roller assembly by simply removing the single cage segment associated therewith.