Ingot cleaning apparatus
OwnerEdward E. Andersoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cleaner (10) for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds (F) moving along a conveyor (C) is disclosed. The cleaner (10) includes a boom (14) pivotally mounted to a base (12), an arm (16) housed at least partially within the boom (14) and pivotally mounted thereto, a cutting blade (18) slidably mounted on the arm (16) and a rotatable brush (20) pivotally mounted to a brush arm (132). The cutting blade (18) is driven by a piston and cylinder assembly (112) pivotally coupled between the blade (18) and the arm (16). The arm (16) is pivoted by a piston and cylinder unit (120) coupled between the arm (16) and the boom (14). The brush (20) is pivoted by a piston and cylinder combination (168) coupled between the brush (20) and the brush arm (132).
Claims33
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a boom pivotally mounted to the base and operable to pivot in a plane generally parallel to the surface of the ingot-filled-molds;
- and
- a cutting blade positioned in the plane generally parallel to the surface of the ingot-filled-molds and slidably supported on the boom in said plane,
- said cutting blade operable to longitudinally cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds as the ingot-filled-molds move along the conveyor.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a boom pivotally mounted to the base and operable to pivot in a plane generally parallel to the surface of the ingot-filled-molds,
- said boom being pivotable between an operating position, wherein the boom is substantially transverse to the conveyor, and a mold-clearing position, wherein the distal end of the boom has traveled along the conveyor in the direction of conveyor movement,
- said boom being yieldably biased toward the operating position;
- a cutting blade slidably supported on the boom, and operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds as the ingot-filled-molds move along the conveyor;
- an arm pivotally supported on the boom,
- said blade being slidably supported on the arm,
- said arm being operable to pivot between a cutting position, wherein the blade is in contact with the surface of an ingot-filled-mold, and a recoil position, wherein the blade is clear of the surface of the ingot-filled-mold,
- said blade being operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds when the arm is in the cutting position;
- and
- a power actuator pivotally supported on the arm and operable to slide the blade fore and aft in a linear direction,
- said actuator pivotable about a center axis generally transverse to said linear direction.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a boom pivotally mounted to the base and operable to pivot in a plane generally parallel to the surface of the ingot-filled-molds,
- said boom being pivotable between an operating position, wherein the boom is substantially transverse to the conveyor, and a mold-clearing position, wherein the distal end of the boom has traveled along the conveyor in the direction of conveyor movement,
- said boom being yieldably biased toward the operating position;
- a cutting blade slidably supported on the boom, and operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds as the ingot-filled-molds move along the conveyor;
- an arm pivotally supported on the boom,
- said blade being slidably supported on the arm,
- said arm being operable to pivot between a cutting position, wherein the blade is in contact with the surface of an ingot-filled-mold, and a recoil position, wherein the blade is clear of the surface of the ingot-filled-mold,
- said blade being operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds when the arm is in the cutting position;
- a power actuator pivotally supported on the arm and operable to slide the blade fore and aft in a linear direction,
- said actuator pivotable about a center axis generally transverse to said linear direction;
- and
- a rotatable brush pivotally supported on the base and operable to brush dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds,
- said brush being operable to maintain a substantially constant pressure on the surface of ingot-filled-molds.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- an arm pivotally supported relative to the base;
- and
- a cutting blade slidably supported on the arm,
- said arm being operable to pivot generally transverse to a plane generally parallel to the surface of ingot-filled-molds,
- said arm being operable to pivot between a cutting position, wherein the blade is in contact with the surface of an ingot-filled-mold, and a recoil position, wherein the blade is clear of the surface of the ingot-filled-mold,
- said blade being operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds when the arm is in the cutting position.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a cutting blade slidably supported relative to the base and operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds;
- and
- a power actuator pivotally supported relative to the base and operable to slide the blade fore and aft in a linear direction,
- said actuator pivotable about a center axis generally transverse to said linear direction.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a rotatable brush pivotally supported relative to the base and operable to brush dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds,
- said brush being operable to maintain a substantially constant pressure on the surface of ingot-filled-molds;
- and
- a power actuator coupled between the brush and the base and operable to pivot the brush relative to the base to maintain said substantially constant pressure on the surface of ingot-filled-molds.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a boom pivotally mounted to the base and operable to pivot in a plane generally parallel to the surface of the ingot-filled-molds;
- an arm pivotally supported on the boom;
- a cutting blade slidably supported on the arm,
- said arm being operable to pivot between a cutting position, wherein the blade is in contact with the surface of an ingot-filled-mold, and a recoil position, wherein the blade is clear of the surface of the ingot-filled-mold,
- said blade being operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds when the arm is in the cutting position;
- a brush arm rigidly fixed to the base;
- and
- a rotatable brush pivotally supported on the brush arm and operable to brush dross off of the surface of the ingot-filled-molds,
- said brush being operable to maintain a substantially constant pressure on the surface of the ingot-filled-molds.
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds moving along a conveyor, the cleaner comprising:
- a base;
- a cutting blade slidably supported relative to the base and operable to cut dross off of the surface of ingot-filled-molds;
- and
- a power actuator pivotally supported relative to the base and operable to slide the blade fore and aft in a linear direction,
- said actuator pivotable about an axis generally transverse to said linear direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.