MAGNETIC TREAD BLAST CLEANING MACHINE

摘要

The blast machine consists of a self-propelled vehicle including a pair of independently driven magnetic treads capable of adhering to and traversing ferromagnetic vertical surfaces and the underside of ferromagnetic horizontal surfaces. The blast machine includes a blast unit having a pair of blast wheels supported on the magnetic treads for propelling the blast unit over ferromagnetic surfaces. The blast unit is mounted so as to be able to pivot about two axes relative to the treads so that the treads can follow and traverse curved surfaces without changing the orientation of the blast unit. The treads can also flex allowing them to traverse surfaces having varying contours. Moreover, the angle of the blast unit relative to the surface to be cleaned can be adjusted to ensure the proper orientation for blast cleaning. The blast unit includes a unique mechanism for retrieving spent abrasive and debris from the surface and a separator for separating the reusable abrasive from the debris when the unit is oriented either vertically or upside down.