Ultrasonic strip cleaning apparatus

Claim 1

Ultrasonic apparatus for cleaning elongated unflexed straight strip material advancing along a straight travel path through the apparatus, comprising, a cleaning liquid chamber having substantial depth beneath a free liquid surface of a cleaning liquid and bounded by a lower vibratory diaphragm plate, having a first plurality of ultrasonic transducers anchored to its under surface energized at a first ultrasonic frequency, and having elongated side edges and end edges respectively joined to elongated side walls, extending upwardly above the free liquid surface, and to upwardly extending end walls secured to said side walls to form a cleaning liquid tank enclosing said cleaning liquid chamber, said side walls having upper edges incorporating supporting means, positioned above said free liquid surface, said first plurality of ultrasonic transducers being vibrationally coupled to said liquid through said lower vibratory plate with means physically isolating said first plurality of transducers from said liquid, a separate, upper vibratory diaphragm plate independently suspended in said tank beneath said free liquid surface adjacent to and upwardly spaced from said lower diaphragm plate, for free vibratory movement independent of said lower vibratory diaphragm plate, and having a second plurality of ultrasonic transducers anchored to its upper surface and being vibrationally coupled through said upper vibratory plate to said liquid with means physically isolating said second plurality of ultrasonic transducers from said liquid, thus forming between the facing surfaces of said independent vibratory plates an elongated ultrasonic treatment passageway immersed beneath said free liquid surface and encompassing the straight travel path of said elongated strip, with the end walls of said tank being provided with aperture means forming respective entry and exit portals for the passage of said straight strip therethrough, each provided with a silhouette panel spanning the portal and having an opening therethrough positioned on said travel path with an outline substantially matching the cross-section of said elongated strip but having dimensions exceeding the dimensions of said strip, means forming an entry chamber adjacent to the entry portal and equipped with a drain, means forming a dewatering chamber adjacent to the exit portal and equipped with a drain, a recirculating pump having an intake and an outlet, return conduit means joining both said drains to the intake of said pump, and delivery conduit means connecting the outlet of said pump to said passageway adjacent to said exit portal, whereby strip material advancing along the travel path enters said entry portal silhouette opening, travels along said ultrasonic treatment passageway between said vibratory diaphragm plates and exits through said exit portal silhouette opening, while cleaning liquid from said recirculating pump counterflows along the passageway between said diaphragm plates in the direction opposite to the direction of advance of the strip, and flows out of said tank past said entering strip through said entry portal silhouette opening.