Patent ID: 6890430

Claim:
A solder dross removal apparatus comprising: a holder adapted to selectively open and close a container within which a pool of molten solder is kept at a preset temperature, said container being adapted to receive dross from an external soldering machine; drive means mounted to said holder; and a dross cutter assembly including at least one substantially horizontal shaft carried by said holder and rotated by said drive means, and a plurality of substantially flat cutter elements mounted on said at least one shaft, said plurality of cutter elements being disposed substantially perpendicular to a surface of the molten solder and partly submerged in the molten solder when the container is closed by said holder, said plurality of cutter elements being operable to cut the dross into smaller pieces and cause the dross as cut to be submerged in the molten solder, whereby oxides are removed from the dross, and reclaimed solder is returned to the molten solder.