Tunnel washer system with improved cleaning efficiency

An apparatus for drying articles in a drying chamber of a tunnel washer, the drying chamber including a conveyor belt for conveying articles therethrough, the apparatus comprising:

• an air tube in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air, said air tube including a plurality of nozzles for providing streams of pressurized air;
• an arm having a first end pivotally mounted within said drying chamber and a second end for supporting said air tube;
• and
• at least one bias member having an end connected to said air tube,
• wherein said at least one bias member, said streams of pressurized air, and a weight of said air tube, exclusively, apply forces causing said air tube to maintain a distance D above an upper surface of the article being dried in said drying chamber when said streams of pressurized air are exhausted from said plurality of nozzles of said air tube.

An apparatus for drying articles in a drying chamber of a tunnel washer, the drying chamber including a conveyor belt for conveying articles therethrough, the apparatus comprising:

• a source of pressurized air;
• an air tube in fluid communication with the source of pressurized air, said air tube emitting the pressurized air toward the articles, said air tube moveable between a first position and a second position;
• and
• at least one bias member having an end connected to said air tube,
• wherein said air tube is in said first position and said at least one bias member and a weight of said air tube, exclusively, apply forces to said air tube causing said air tube to maintain a first distance above said conveyor belt when said pressurized air is not exhausted from said plurality of nozzles, and
• wherein said air tube is in said second position and said at least one bias member, said pressurized air, and said weight of said air tube, exclusively, apply forces to said air tube causing said air tube to maintain a second distance above an upper surface of the article when said pressurized air is exhausted from said plurality of nozzles of said air tube.