Method and apparatus for cleaning shutter members

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning stainless steel or aluminum shutter members in a blanked and generally U-shaped form as they are fed continuously comprises a guide rail for guiding the shutter members so that they are transferred in a specified direction and a plurality of cleaning nozzles through which a cleaning solution is sprayed onto the shutter members. A plurality of vessels for supplying the cleaning solution to the Cleaning nozzles are provided along the guide rail and the cleaning solution overflowing a supply vessel downstream the guide rail is allowed to flow into sequentially upstream supply vessels via flow lines. The cleaning solution is recovered from the most upstream supply vessel and, after the cleaning debris is separated out, the cleaning solution is supplied into the most downstream supply vessel. The apparatus enables efficient cleaning of the shutter members.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.