This invention relates to a device which, by means of wind, cleans insulators used in electrical systems.

As dust and dirt gather easily on the surfaces of insulators used in electrical systems, they have to be cleaned periodically. In general, this involves manual or automatic cleaning, both of which are time and labour-consuming. Devices for that purpose are known from the documents US-A-3 532 804 , JP-A- 8 185 743 and CN2368137Y . Washing insulators with electrostatic fluid is also possible, but the costs incurred can be high. Moreover, it is not always possible to use machines or electrostatic fluid to perform the cleaning work due to constraints of space or location. Notwithstanding the method of cleaning used, insulators have to be cleaned in time to prevent dirt causing sparking in electrical systems.

In view of the above, this invention is aimed at overcoming the shortcomings in the present state of technology by providing wind-driven cleaning rings to remove automatically dirt accumulated on insulators.

With this purpose in mind, the inventor adopted the following method to construct the cleaning rings. Each cleaning ring is inserted into a series of bowls arranged in the same direction so that it is driven by wind. The ring is then installed on the insulator continuously. When turned by wind, the bowls on the cleaning ring scrape off the dirt on the surface of the insulator. Sparking through dirt can therefore be prevented as the surface of the insulator is kept clean at all times.

The advantages of this invention, when compared with prior-art systems, are as follows:

1. 1. Cleaning is continuous and insulator surfaces are kept clean at all times.
2. 2. Large amount of labour and resources is saved.
3. 3. The risk factors brought about by cleaning using traditional methods are eliminated.

• Fig. 1 is a plan view and a left cutaway view of a wind-driven hemispheric bowl.
• Fig. 2 is a plan view and a left cutaway view of a wind-driven cylindroconical bowl.
• Figs. 3 and 4 show a partial plan view and a left cutaway view of a wind-driven bowl with an insulating ring running through its centre.
• Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a wind-driven cleaning ring.
• Fig. 6 shows an insulator.
• Fig. 7 shows an insulator fitted with a wind-driven cleaning ring.
• Figs. 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams of wind-driven bowls with dirt-scraping edges.
• Figs. 10 and 11 show the structure of a wind-driven cleaning ring encapsulated in an insulating material and inserted into bowls separated by round beads.
• Fig. 12 is a partial cutaway view of a wind-driven cleaning ring encapsulated in an insulating material and inserted into bowls separated by tubular beads.
• Fig. 13 shows a partial cutaway view of a wind-driven cleaning ring encapsulated in an insulating material and equipped with convex rings.
• Fig. 14 is a partial cutaway view of a wind-driven cleaning ring encapsulated in an insulating material and inserted into a brush ring.
• Fig. 15 shows a cutaway view and a side elevation view of a brush ring.
• Fig. 16 is a partial cutaway view of a wind-driven cleaning ring encapsulated in an insulating material, which runs through a scraping board.
• Fig. 17 is a plan view and a side elevation view of a scraping board.
• Figs. 18 and 19 are the partial cutaway views of an integral wind-driven cleaning ring.
• Figs. 20 & 21 show a partial cutaway view of a connection to a wind-driven cleaning ring.
• Fig. 22 is a schematic diagram of the structure of embodiment 9 of this invention.

1. wind-driven bowl 2. aperture in a wind-driven bowl 3. insulating ring 4. insulator 5. dirt-scraping edge 6. separating bead 7. convex ring 8. brush ring 9. scraping board 10. connection 11. connecting tube

Figs. 1 to 7 show the structure of embodiment 1 of this invention. Fig. 1 is a plan view and a left cutaway view of a wind-driven bowl (1) in the shape of a hemispheroid, which can also be a paraboloid. Fig. 2 is a plan view and a left cutaway view of a wind-driven bowl (1) in the shape of a cylindrical cone, which can also be of other forms of taper. Figs. 3 and 4 show a partial cutaway view of a wind-driven bowl (1) with an insulating ring (3) running through its aperture (2). It can be seen here that the bowl is adhered and fixed onto the insulating ring. Fig. 5 shows an insulating ring (3) inserted into with a series of wind-driven bowls (1) arranged in the same direction to form the structure of the cleaning ring. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an insulator (4). Fig. 7 shows an insulator (4) fitted with a wind-driven cleaning ring. When blown by wind, the ring revolves and the edges of the bowls scrape off the dirt on the surface of the insulator (4) continuously. This maintains the cleanliness of the insulator at all times and prevents the occurrence of sparking through dirt. The wind-driven rings are made of insulating materials such as plastic, rubber or nylon. They can be installed on the insulating porcelain skirts of any component in an electrical system.

Figs. 8 and 9 show embodiment 2 of this invention. The difference between embodiment 2 and embodiment 1 lies in the incorporation of a scraping edge (5) on the wind-driven bowls (1), by which cleaning is better facilitated.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 depict embodiment 3 of this invention. It can be seen from the diagrams that separating beads (6) punctured through the centre are fitted between the wind-driven bowls (1) onto the insulating ring (3). These beads are used to maintain the distance between the bowls (1), and can be in the shape of a ball or a tube. Fig. 12 is a partial cutaway view of an insulating ring (3) inserted into a pair of bowls separated by tubular beads (6).

Fig. 13 shows embodiment 4 of this invention. It can be seen from the diagram that convex rings (7) are fitted onto the insulating ring (3) to keep the wind-driven bowls (1) in position.

Figs. 14 and 15 show embodiment 5 of this invention. Brush rings through which the insulating ring is located are used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the cleaning process. Fig. 15 shows a cutaway view and a side elevation view of a brush ring (8).

Figs. 16 and 17 show embodiment 6 of this invention. Scraping boards (9) through which the insulating ring (3) is located are used to scrape clean the porcelain skirt. Fig. 17 is a plan view and a side elevation view of a scraping board (9).

Figs. 18 and 19 show embodiment 7 of this invention. The wind-driven bowls (1) and the insulating ring (3) are integral to each other; they are manufactured as part and parcel of the same cleaning ring in one go, yielding a one-piece fabrication.

Figs. 20 and 21 show embodiment 8 of this invention. As illustrated in the diagrams all wind-driven cleaning rings are beset by the problem of connection. The joints (10) can be welded together, or soldered or adhered together by using a connecting tube (11), as depicted in Fig. 21.

Fig. 22 shows embodiment 9 of this invention. It is different from the previously mentioned embodiments in the way the wind-driven bowls (1) are fitted on the insulating ring (3). Here the bowls are not inserted into the ring through its centre, but are fixed onto its side.

This invention can be widely used in different electrical systems to remove dirt accumulated on the surfaces of insulators, thereby improving safety in the operation of the systems. The advantages this invention has over prior-art systems are as follows: 1. Cleaning is continuous and insulator surfaces are kept clean at all times; 2. Large amount of labour and resources is saved; 3. The risk factors brought about by cleaning using traditional methods are eliminated.