Rotating drum cryogen shot blast deflashing system

A cryogen shot blast apparatus for deflashing work pieces, said apparatus comprising:

• a barrel rotatable about a longitudinal axis and defining a treatment chamber for the work pieces;
• a throwing wheel adapted to propel particulate media into the treatment chamber to impact the work pieces in the treatment chamber, said throwing wheel including a vaned rotor and an articulated nozzle for continuously injecting the particulate media into variable locations of said vaned rotor during uninterrupted operation of said throwing wheel to vary a direction of flow of the particulate media propelled by said throwing wheel;
• a cryogen supply system for introducing a flow of cryogen into the treatment chamber for embrittling at least selected portions of the work pieces in the treatment chamber;
• a recirculation system including a return conduit in communication with the treatment chamber, a supply conduit in communication with said throwing wheel, and a blower connected to said return conduit for withdrawing cryogen gas from the treatment chamber and connected to said return conduit to return pressurized cryogen gas to said throwing wheel;
• and
• a particulate media supply system for introducing a metered flow of particulate media into the flow of cryogen gas in said return conduit to transport the particulate media to said throwing wheel.

A cryogen shot blast apparatus for deflashing work pieces, said apparatus comprising:

• a barrel rotatable about a longitudinal axis and defining a treatment chamber for the work pieces;
• a throwing wheel adapted to propel particulate media into the treatment chamber to impact the work pieces in the treatment chamber, said throwing wheel including a vaned rotor and an articulated nozzle for injecting the particulate media into variable locations of said vaned rotor during operation of said throwing wheel to vary a direction of flow of the particulate media propelled by said throwing wheel, said throwing wheel further including a linear actuator connected to the articulated nozzle to move the nozzle;
• a cryogen supply system for introducing a flow of cryogen into the treatment chamber for embrittling at least selected portions of the work pieces in the treatment chamber;
• a recirculation system including a return conduit in communication with the treatment chamber, a supply conduit in communication with said throwing wheel, and a blower connected to said return conduit for withdrawing cryogen gas from the treatment chamber and connected to said return conduit to return pressurized cryogen gas to said throwing wheel;
• and
• a particulate media supply system for introducing a metered flow of particulate media into the flow of cryogen gas in said return conduit to transport the particulate media to said throwing wheel.