Patent ID: 7467638

Claim:
An apparatus for washing a floating product having a diameter, the apparatus comprising: a tank having a first end and a second end, the tank configured to contain a fluid at a predetermined level and to receive a plurality of product into the fluid, the product being floatable in the tank; at least one second nozzle positioned at the first end of the tank, the at least one second nozzle submerged and configured to direct the product toward a moving conveyor; the moving conveyor having a plurality of protruding paddles, each of said paddles having a top, the conveyor further having a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section, each section having a first end and a second end, wherein: the first section is substantially adjacent to the first end of the tank and substantially submerged in the fluid in the tank in an inclined position, wherein the first end of the first section is proximal to the second nozzle and the second end of the first section is distal to the second nozzle, wherein the distance between the top of the paddles and the fluid level in the tank is bigger than a diameter of the floating product at the first end of the first section and is smaller than a diameter of the floating product at the second end of the first section, the second section is substantially submerged in the tank in a substantially horizontal position, wherein the distance between the top of the paddles and the fluid level in the tank is less than a diameter of the floating product, the third section is inclined, wherein the first end of the third section is substantially submerged while the second end of the third section is above the fluid level, the fourth section is positioned above the fluid level, wherein the second end of the fourth section extends beyond the second end of the tank; at least one first nozzle positioned substantially above the second section of the conveyor and configured to deliver the fluid onto the floating product as the floating product is pushed by the plurality of paddles; wherein the fluid delivered from the at least one first nozzle rotates the floating product in the fluid in the tank.