1-15. (canceled)
16. A device for dispensing one or more jets of high-pressure fluid at cryogenic temperature, comprising a nozzle-bearing tool comprising one or more fluid distribution nozzles, and a movement system for moving said nozzle bearing tool, further comprising at least one flexible protection casing arranged around all or part of the movement system that moves said nozzle bearing tool.
17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the flexible protection casing is also arranged around the nozzle bearing tool.
18. The device as claimed claim 16, further comprising a fluid supply pipe comprising an upstream portion of an axis (XX) and a downstream portion fluidically connected to the nozzle bearing tool, the movement system that moves the nozzle bearing tool being arranged between the upstream portion and the downstream portion of pipe and acting on said downstream portion so as to confer upon it a determined movement about the axis (XX).
19. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one flexible protection casing is also arranged around all or part of the downstream portion of pipe.
20. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one flexible protection casing comprises a first open end situated level with the nozzle bearing tool or with the downstream portion of pipe and a second open end situated level with the movement system that moves said nozzle bearing tool or with the downstream portion of pipe.
21. The device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising securing means that fix the first end of the at least one flexible protection casing to the nozzle bearing tool or to the downstream portion of pipe and that fix the second end of the at least one protection casing to the movement system that moves said nozzle bearing tool or to the downstream portion of pipe, said securing means allowing at least one end of the flexible protection casing to be detached.
22. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising several superposed flexible protection casings.
23. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least one flexible protection casing that comprises a network of interlaced links forming chain-mail.
24. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the links are of annular or oval shape, with external dimensions of between 3 and 4 mm and inside dimensions of between 2 and 3 mm.
25. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least one flexible protection casing comprising a weave of filaments.
26. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said at least one flexible protection casing is formed completely or partly of a material that has a hardness of at least 7 Mohs.
27. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein a woven or nonwoven material is arranged in bulk between the flexible protective sleeve, the movement system and the downstream portion of pipe.
28. A method for scouring or de-scaling a surface that is to be treated, employing one or more jets of high-pressure fluid at cryogenic temperature which are distributed by means of a device as claimed in claim 16.
29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the jet or jets of high-pressure fluid at cryogenic temperature are at a pressure of at least 300 bar, and at a temperature of below \u2212100\xb0 C.
30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the fluid employed is liquid nitrogen.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for conveying bags containing a product, the said apparatus comprising means defining a flow path for air, the said means comprising an elongate flexible tube, means for causing air to flow along the said flow path, means for introducing the said bags into the flow path at a first location so that they are carried along by the air flow from the first location to a second location, and means for removing the bags from the flow path at the second location.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means defining the flow path are constituted substantially wholly by the flexible tube.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible tube is formed of a plurality of segments joined end to end.
4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the flexible tube comprises a fabric.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric.
6. An apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the fabric is lined with a web of air-impervious material.
7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein at least one rigid support is provided for the tube, and the tube is provided with a plurality of tags arranged along the length thereof, by which the tube is supported by the said at least one rigid support.
8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for introducing the bags into the flow path comprises a blower for generating an air flow though a venturi section, and an introduction chute for enabling the bags to enter the venturi section.
9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for removing the bags from the flow path comprises a chamber having a generally circular cross-section defined by a wall surrounding a central axis, with an entry port for allowing air and bags carried thereby to enter in a direction generally tangential to the said wall, a first exit for bags having product therein, the said first exit being in one direction along the central axis, and a second exit for lighter objects, the said second exit being in the opposite direction along the central axis.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the said second exit communicates with a filter which retains lighter objects but allows air to pass therethrough.
11. An apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the said second exit includes an openable lid which, when opened, allows the removal of lighter objects retained by the filter.
12. An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the chamber comprises a cylindrical portion into which the entry port opens, and a frustoconical portion having a larger diameter end connected to the cylindrical portion, and a smaller diameter end defining the said first exit.
13. An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the said central axis is substantially vertical, with the said first exit being downwards and the second exit being upwards.
14. A method of conveying bags containing a product from a first location to a second location, wherein an apparatus is employed which is according to any preceding claim.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the product in the bags is a food product.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the food product is a snack food product.