Patent ID: 8074331

Claim:
A method of removing scale from a length of sheet metal comprising: acid pickling the length of sheet metal; propelling a scale removing medium against one edge of the length of sheet metal; and, propelling the scale removing medium against an opposite edge of the length of sheet metal; wherein the step of propelling a scale removing medium against one edge of the length of the sheet metal comprises: positioning a first wheel having a first axis of rotation adjacent a first surface of the length of sheet metal; supplying the scale removing medium to the first wheel; rotating the first wheel about the first axis of rotation whereby the scale removing medium supplied to the first wheel is propelled by the rotating first wheel against a first area extending across substantially an entire width of the first surface of the length of sheet metal; and wherein the step of propelling a scale removing medium against an opposite edge of the length of the sheet metal comprises: positioning a second wheel having a second axis of rotation adjacent the first surface of the length of sheet metal; supplying the scale removing medium to the second wheel; rotating the second wheel about the second rotation axis whereby the scale removing medium supplied to the second wheel is propelled by the rotating second wheel against a second area extending across substantially the entire width of the first surface of the length of sheet metal; and wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are positioned relative to the length of sheet metal where the first wheel is spaced from the second wheel along the length of sheet metal such that the scale removing medium propelled from the second wheel does not substantially interfere with the scale removing medium propelled from the first wheel; wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are rotated in opposite directions; wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are positioned along adjacent opposite side edges defining the width of the sheet metal with the sheet metal centered between the first wheel and the second wheel; wherein the rate of slurry impact in the first and second impact areas adjacent the first and second longitudinal edges is controlled to substantially improve the surface condition thereof; and wherein acid pickling the length of sheet metal and propelling the scale removing medium against the longitudinal edges of the sheet metal substantially removes the scale from the sheet metal.