Patent ID: 8302242

Claim:
An apparatus for cleaning a workpiece ( 5 ), said workpiece having a substantially flat disc shape comprising at least one brush station ( 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ), the at least one brush station comprising: at least one pair of roller brushes ( 15 ), said roller brushes rotating in an opposite direction with respect to each other and said roller brushes ( 15 ) sufficiently close to one another such that when said workpiece ( 5 ) is placed in between said roller brushes ( 15 ), the workpiece ( 5 ) is scrubbed on both sides by the rotating roller brushes ( 15 ) and a frictional force between the rotating roller brushes ( 15 ) and workpiece ( 5 ) propelling said workpiece ( 5 ) in the direction of rotation of the roller brushes ( 15 ); a pair of edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) for holding the workpiece ( 5 ) in place for a predetermined amount of time and subsequently releasing the workpiece ( 5 ) to be propelled by the rotation of the roller brushes ( 15 ), said edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) are able to move towards and away from each other, and said edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) located such that when the edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) are at a position closer with respect to each other, the edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) hold the workpiece ( 5 ) in a location so that the workpiece is scrubbed by the rotating roller brushes ( 15 ), and when the edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) are at a position further with respect to each other, the edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) allow the workpiece ( 5 ) to move freely in between the edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ); and wherein at least one of said edgewheels ( 30 , 31 ) is in rotation so as to cause rotation of the workpiece ( 5 ) at a predetermined rate.