Surface applied abrasive cleaning apparatus and method

Abstract

A rotor assembly is provided for blast processing. The rotor assembly includes multiple lofting elements to create a vortex to loft particulate material to be used to process a target, and multiple impelling elements to project the particulate material toward the target. The rotor assembly is enclosed within an operating chamber that has a target area into which the particulate material is projected to strike the target. There may further be angled deflectors at the opening to direct particulate material back toward the rotor assembly to use the material for further processing. Certain components are easily adjustable for different sizes and shapes of target. The action of the rotor assembly enables the use of up to 100% pure grit for entire cleaning processes, and provides single pass hook profile on any common material surface.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a rotor assembly, including:
 a shaft extending from a first end of the rotor assembly to a second end of the rotor assembly, that rotates about a longitudinal axis of the apparatus; 
 a first lofting deflector and a second lofting deflector coupled to the shaft to create a vortex of air to move particulate material from the first end of the rotor assembly to the second end of the rotor assembly, wherein the first lofting deflector is angularly offset in a circumferential direction and axially offset in a longitudinal direction from the second lofting deflector; and 
 a first impeller and a second impeller coupled to the shaft, each impeller adjacent to a corresponding one of the first lofting deflector and the second lofting deflector, each extending radially outward from the shaft to project the particulate material away from the longitudinal axis; and 
   an operating chamber to enclose the rotor assembly the operating chamber having an opening through which the projected particulate material is directed.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a face of the first lofting deflector is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a face of the first lofting deflector is positioned at other than a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a face of the first impeller is positioned at an angle other than a right angle with respect to the face of the first lofting deflector.