Stripping apparatus

A method of stripping organic material from at least one line using an apparatus during relative movement between the apparatus and line, said apparatus including a material guide, stripping mechanism and line guide:

• said material guide being configured to guide the irregular material on the line into engagement with the stripping mechanism during said relative movement, said material guide including first and second driven material guide elements respectively rotatable about first and second material guide rotation axes;
• said stripping mechanism including first and second driven stripping elements respectively rotatable about first and second stripping element rotation axes;
• said line guide including first and second line guide elements;
• wherein the first line guide element, first stripping element and first material guide element collectively form a first stripping assembly and the second line guide element, second stripping element and second material guide element collectively form a second stripping assembly, the line passing between said stripping assemblies during said stripping, said stripping assemblies orientated during said stripping such that the first material guide rotation axis and the first stripping element rotation axis are on a first lateral side of the line and the second material guide rotation axis and the second stripping element rotation axis are on a second lateral side of the line;
• said method including the steps of:
• positioning at least one line on the first or second stripping assembly on the first or second side of the line respectively,
• reconfiguring the apparatus to a closed configuration by moving the second or first stripping assembly to the second or first side respectively,
• vertically displacing said first or second stripping assembly to vertically displace the line,
• moving the apparatus relative to the line while rotating the material guide elements and stripping elements to strip the organic material from the line.