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US 6,325,701 B1Granted
Oscillating abrasive cleaning machine
AssigneeGeorg Fischer Disa Goff, Inc.
InventorThomas M. Hoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An abrasive cleaning device and method are provided in which a rotating, oscillating drum tumbles articles being cleaned while they are subjected to oscillating blast streams of abrasive particles. Variable closure of alternating portions of an upper opening in the drum through which the blast streams are directed is accomplished by means of a flexible belt that moves in concert with the drum and blast head oscillations.
Claims45
An abrasive cleaning machine comprising:
- an oscillating drum for receiving and holding articles to be cleaned during an abrasive cleaning process, the drum defining a chamber and being disposed along a longitudinal axis foroscillating rotational movement in alternating directions about said axis by a mechanism;
- the drum having an upper opening communicating with the chamber, a base, and two spaced apart end sections defining the front and rear of the chamber;
- a flexible belt having sections that extend around a portion of the circumference of the drum, the belt sections moving transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum in concert with movement of the drum to provide variable closure to portions of said opening;
- and
- an oscillating cleaning head including at least one jet unit for directing streams of abrasive particles against the articles in the drum, the cleaning head being disposed along the upper drum opening with at least one jet unit in communication with the drum chamber, for oscillating movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum in synchronization with oscillating rotational movement of the drum to thereby direct communication of the streams of abrasive particles with specific areas of the drum chamber during the oscillating rotational movement of the drum.
2 more elements
An abrasive cleaning machine comprising:
- a drum for receiving and holding articles to be cleaned during an abrasive cleaning process, the drum defining a chamber disposed along a longitudinal axis for oscillating rotational movement along said axis, the drum having an upper opening communicating with said chamber, a base, and two spaced apart end sections defining the front and rear of the chamber;
- means for effecting said oscillating rotational movement of the drum in alternating directions about said axis;
- a flexible belt having two end portions and a middle portion, each end portion of the belt being attached to one of two opposing rotatable spools disposed on opposite sides of the drum with their respective axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum, a portion of the belt being attached to the base of the drum and extending around a portion of the circumference thereof such that the belt moves transverse to said longitudinal axis in response to movement of the drum;
- means connected to said spools for synchronizing alternating clockwise and counter clockwise rotation together of the spools in response to said movement of the belt;
- and
- an abrasive cleaning head including at least one abrasive jet unit for directing streams of abrasive particles against the articles in the drum, the cleaning head being pivotally disposed along the upper drum opening with at least one jet unit in communication with the drum chamber, and means for causing oscillating movement of the cleaning head transverse to said longitudinal axis in synchronization with oscillating rotational movement of the drum to maintain directed communication of the streams of abrasive particles with specific areas of the drum chamber during the oscillating movement of the drum.
3 more elements
A method for abrasively treating articles comprising:
- passing said articles into one end of a drum defining a chamber and having an upper opening communicating with the chamber;
- directing one or more blast streams of abrasive particles from an oscillating abrasive cleaning head through said opening against the articles while advancing the articles through the chamber;
- oscillating the drum rotationally about its longitudinal axis in synchronization with oscillating movement of the cleaning head transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum to maintain directed communication of the blast streams with specific areas of the chamber and articles during oscillating movement of the drum;
- providing closure to at least a portion of the drum opening opposing the blast streams by means of a belt extending circumferentially around a portion of the drum and moving transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drum in synchronization with rotational oscillation of the drum, to maintain a portion of the belt in contact with the drum;
- and
- advancing said articles passed said blast streams and removing them from said drum at a point downstream thereof.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.