Patent ID: 6012645
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: A47L,B05B,B08B

Abstract:
An apparatus for discharging fluid under pressure for cleaning a surface in a food processing plant without discontinuing the food processing comprising: a frame, a housing having a top wall and a side wall defining a chamber having an open bottom facing a surface to be cleaned, means mounting the housing on the frame, a body mounted on the top wall of the housing, shaft means rotatably mounted on the body, hose means connected to the body for carrying fluid under pressure to the body, means for supplying a disinfectant into the fluid carried by the hose means to the body, valve means for controlling the flow of the disinfectant into the fluid carried by the hose means, a pair of arms secured to the lower end of the shaft means located within said chamber so that the shaft means rotates upon rotation of the arms within the chamber, each arm having a nozzle mounted on the outer end of said arm, each nozzle having a fluid discharge opening for distributing the fluid and disinfectant under pressure toward a surface to be cleaned, said fluid and disinfectant distributed into the chamber of the housing deflecting off the surface below the chamber of the housing generating a fine spray of fluid and disinfectant, one of the discharge openings directed at an angle toward the surface so that the angular discharge of the fluid causes said arms to rotate, the other discharge opening is directed generally perpendicular to the surface, said skirt means attached to the side wall of the housing, a skirt means having a continuous bottom edge located in close proximity above the surface to confine and concentrate the fine spray of fluid and disinfectant to the chamber of the housing immediately above the surface, said skirt means comprises a fluid impervious annular band secured to a bottom portion of the side wall, the band having a continuous bottom edge located at a generally uniform and relatively close distance above the surface to confine the fine spray of fluid and disinfectant to the chamber immediately above the surface, wheel means attached to the frame to movably support the housing above the surface and maintain the bottom edge of the band at said generally uniform and relatively close distance above the surface to be cleaned, and handle means connected to the housing for facilitating movement of the housing to selected locations on the surface.