Method and apparatus for cleaning colorant applicators

A process for spraying liquid on the underside of a series of colorant applicators, which comprises:

• moving a liquid manifold, having a first end portion and a second end portion, and having a plurality of liquid jets underneath said series of colorant applicators and applying liquid under pressure from said plurality of liquid jets under pressure, wherein said first end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a first trolley by means of a first pivoting joint and said second end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a sliding joint that is attached to a second pivoting joint that is attached to a second trolley wherein said first trolley is moveably attached to a first track and said second trolley is moveably attached to said second track wherein said first track and said second track are attached to a frame that supports said plurality of colorant applicators wherein said first track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a first endless chain that encircles a first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a second rotatable chain engaging mechanism wherein said first endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said first track and adjacent thereto and wherein said second track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a second endless chain that encircles a third rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a fourth rotatable chain engaging mechanism wherein said second endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said second track and adjacent thereto and a first mechanism for rotating said first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a second mechanism for rotating said third rotatable chain engaging mechanism.

A process for spraying liquid on the underside of a series of colorant applicators, which comprises:

• moving a liquid manifold, having a first end portion and a second end portion, and having a plurality of liquid jets underneath said series of colorant applicators and applying liquid under pressure from said plurality of liquid jets under pressure, wherein said first end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a first trolley by means of a first pivoting joint and said second end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a sliding joint that is attached to a second pivoting joint that is attached to a second trolley wherein said first trolley is moveably attached to a first track and said second trolley is moveably attached to said second track wherein said first track and said second track are attached to a frame that supports said plurality of colorant applicators wherein said first track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a first endless chain that encircles a first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a second rotatable chain engaging mechanism wherein said first endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said first track and adjacent thereto and wherein said second track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a second endless chain that encircles a third rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a fourth rotatable chain engaging mechanism wherein said second endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said second track and adjacent thereto and a first mechanism for rotating said first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a second mechanism for rotating said third rotatable chain engaging mechanism, wherein said first mechanism for rotating said first rotatable chain engaging mechanism includes a motor attached to a gearbox having a rotating axle extending therefrom that is attached to said first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and wherein said second mechanism for rotating said third rotatable chain engaging mechanism includes a rotating shaft attached to said gearbox and attached to said third rotatable chain engaging mechanism.

A process for spraying liquid on the underside of a series of colorant applicators, which comprises:

• moving a liquid manifold, having a first end portion and a second end portion, and having a plurality of liquid jets underneath said series of colorant applicators and applying liquid under pressure from said plurality of liquid jets under pressure, wherein said first end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a first trolley by means of a first pivoting joint and said second end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a sliding joint that is attached to a second pivoting joint that is attached to a second trolley wherein said first trolley is moveably attached to a first track and said second trolley is moveably attached to said second track wherein said first track and said second track are attached to a frame that supports said plurality of colorant applicators wherein said first track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a first endless chain that encircles a first gear a second gear wherein said first endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said first track and adjacent thereto and wherein said second track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a second endless chain that encircles a third gear and a fourth gear wherein said second endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said second track and adjacent thereto and a first mechanism for rotating said first gear and a second mechanism for rotating said third gear, wherein said first mechanism for rotating said first gear includes a motor attached to a gearbox having a rotating axle extending therefrom that is attached to said first gear and wherein said second mechanism for rotating said third gear includes a rotating shaft attached to said gearbox and attached to said third gear.

A process for spraying liquid on the underside of a series of colorant applicators, which comprises:

• moving a liquid manifold, having a first end portion and a second end portion, and having a plurality of liquid jets underneath said series of colorant applicators and applying liquid under pressure from said plurality of liquid jets under pressure, wherein said first end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a first trolley by means of a first pivoting joint and said second end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a sliding joint that is attached to a second pivoting joint that is attached to a second trolley wherein said first trolley is moveably attached to a first track and said second trolley is moveably attached to said second track wherein said first track and said second track are attached to a frame that supports said plurality of colorant applicators wherein said first track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a first endless chain that encircles a first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a second rotatable chain engaging mechanism wherein said first endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said first track and adjacent thereto and wherein said second track, having a longitudinal axis, includes a second endless chain that encircles a third rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a fourth rotatable chain engaging mechanism wherein said second endless chain extends substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said second track and adjacent thereto and a first mechanism for rotating said first rotatable chain engaging mechanism and a second mechanism for rotating said third rotatable chain engaging mechanism and wherein said first trolley includes a first engagement member that is attached to said first endless chain and said second trolley includes a second engagement member that is attached to said second chain.

A process for spraying liquid on the underside of a series of colorant applicators, which comprises:

• moving a liquid manifold, having a first end portion and a second end portion, and having a plurality of liquid jets underneath said series of colorant applicators and applying liquid under pressure from said plurality of liquid jets under pressure, wherein said first end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a first trolley by means of at first pivoting joint and said second end portion of said liquid manifold is attached to a sliding joint that is attached to a second pivoting joint that is attached to a second trolley wherein said first trolley is moveably attached to a first track and said second trolley is moveably attached to said second track wherein said first track and said second track are attached to a frame that supports said plurality of colorant applicators and wherein said first track includes a first substantially horizontal track member, having a top portion and a bottom portion, and a first substantially vertical track member, having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein said first trolley includes a first substantially vertical trolley member and a second substantially horizontal trolley member and wherein said first substantially vertical trolley member has a plurality of first rotatable cam followers attached thereto that engage said first substantially horizontal track member with at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said top portion and at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said bottom portion of said first substantially horizontal track member and wherein said first substantially horizontal trolley member has a plurality of second rotatable cam followers attached thereto that engage said first substantially vertical track member with at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said top portion and at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said bottom portion of said first substantially vertical track member for movement of said first trolley along said first track and wherein said second track includes a first substantially horizontal track member, having a top portion and a bottom portion, and a first substantially vertical track member, having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein said second trolley includes a first substantially vertical trolley member and a second substantially horizontal trolley member and wherein said first substantially vertical trolley member has a plurality of first rotatable cam followers attached thereto that engage said first substantially horizontal track member with at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said top portion and at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said bottom portion of said first substantially horizontal track member and wherein said first substantially horizontal trolley member has a plurality of second rotatable cam followers attached thereto that engage said first substantially vertical track member with at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said top portion and at least one first rotatable cam follower adjacent to said bottom portion of said first substantially vertical track member for movement of said second trolley along said second track.