Variable nozzle

Claim 2

A NOZZLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE METAL TUBE INCLUDING AN OUTLET END, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID TUBE TO A FLUID FEEDING LINE, AND MEANS FOR RELEASIBLY MOVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED PORTIONS OF SAID TUBE RADIALLY INWARDLY, SAID MOVING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FINGERS LYING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID TUBE AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF SAID TUBE, SAID FINGERS BEING PIVOTABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE CENTER AXIS OF SAID TUBE, AND RECIPROCABLE SLIDING MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID FINGERS, WHEREBY SAID FINGERS ACT ON CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POINTS AROUND SAID TUBE THEREBY FLEXING THE TUBE TO RESTRICT AND OPEN THE PASSAGEWAY THROUGH SAID TUBE AND WHEREBY SAID FINGERS ACT LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID TUBE TO STRENGTHEN SAID TUBE.

Claim 3

The nozzle of claim 1 wherein said tube is a flexible tube and wherein the moving means include a plurality of elongated blade-like pivotable fingers overlaying said tube, said fingers laying substantially in the direction of fluid flow through said tube and means for pivoting the end of said fingers adjacent said outlet end toward the center axis of said tube thereby moving said spaced portions inwardly toward said axis, and means for releasing said pivoted fingers wherEby fluid pressure within said tube moves said inwardly moved portions outwardly to open the passageway through said tube.

Claim 4

The nozzle of claim 2 wherein said finger pivoting means comprise caming means.

Claim 5

The nozzle of claim 3 wherein said caming means comprise radially inwardly sloping surfaces on said fingers and ring-shaped means for movement along said surfaces to move said fingers radially inwardly.

Claim 6

The nozzle of claim 4 wherein said tube is a frusto-conically shaped metal tube.

Claim 7

A nozzle assembly comprising: a flexible elongated frusto-conical tube having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end, said tube being comprised of flexible sheet metal; a plurality of elongated fingers lying along the outer surface of said tube, said fingers being spaced around the circumference of said tube, said fingers each including a pivot means at the end toward said tube inlet and a cam surface adjacent the end toward said tube outlet, said fingers each acting in a plane that extends along the axis of said tube; first cylinder means overlying said fingers, said first cylinder means holding said fingers in said acting plane; second cylinder means overlying said first cylinder means, said second cylinder means being mounted for reciprocably sliding along said first cylinder means, said second cylinder means including wall means, said wall means engaging said cam surface of each finger; whereby said second cylinder means may be moved in a first direction to pivot the cam end of said fingers radially inwardly and moved in the opposite direction to permit said fingers to move radially outwardly and whereby said fingers move circumferentially spaced portions of said tube radially inwardly to reduce the cross-sectional area of said tube and permit said spaced portions to move radially outwardly to increase the cross-sectional area of said tube.

Claim 8

A nozzle assembly comprising: a flexible elongated frusto-conical tube having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end, said tube being comprised of flexible sheet metal; a plurality of elongated fingers lying along the outer surface of said tube, said fingers being spaced around the circumference of said tube, said fingers each including a pivot means at the end toward said tube inlet and a cam surface adjacent the end toward said tube outlet, said fingers each acting in a plane that extends along the axis of said tube; first cylinder means overlying said fingers, said first cylinder means holding said fingers in said acting plane; second cylinder means overlying said first cylinder means, said second cylinder means being mounted for reciprocably sliding along said first cylinder means, said second cylinder means including wall means, said wall means engaging said cam surface of each finger; whereby said second cylinder means may be moved in a first direction to pivot the cam end of said fingers radially inwardly and moved in the opposite direction to permit said fingers to move radially outwardly and whereby said fingers move circumferentially spaced portions of said tube radially inwardly to reduce the cross-sectional area of said tube and permit said spaced portions to move radially outwardly to increase the cross-sectional area of said tube.

Claim 9

The nozzle of claim 6 wherein said fingers extend substantially along the entire length of said tube and act as strengthening ribs.

Claim 10

The nozzle assembly of claim 6 wherein said first cylinder means includes a radially inwardly extending wall means, said wall means including guideways for maintaining said fingers in alignment.

Claim 11

The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said guideways comprise slots defined in said first cylinder wall means.