To provide an apparatus for reclaiming foundry sand and a method for reclaiming foundry sand that can effectively remove binders and so on that attach to returned foundry sand that has been used. Foundry sand that has been used is supplied from a chute for feeding sand 14A to a rotor 16. The rotor 16 is rotated by a driver 20 so that frictional force is generated on the sand in the rotor 16. Then, the sand in the rotor 16 is dropped into the container for washing with water 30 that is located below the rotor 16. In the container for washing with water 30, an agitator 34 is rotated by the driver 20 so that the sand in the container for washing with water 30 is agitated and washed with water.

The present invention provides apparatus (100, 200, 300) for cleaning an item. The apparatus comprises: a perforated member (103, 203, 303) for supporting an item to be cleaned; at least one upper nozzle (101a, 101b, 201a, 201b, 301) provided above the perforated member, directed in a downward direction, and for producing at least one first jet of fluid (104a, 104b, 204a, 204b, 304) to impinge upon the item when supported by the perforated member; and at least one lower nozzle (102, 202a, 202b, 302) provided beneath the perforated member, directed in an upward direction, and for producing at least one second jet of fluid (106, 206a, 206b, 306) to impinge upon the item when supported by the perforated member. The apparatus is configured such that when the at least one first jet and the at least one second jet are produced, the vertical component of a first jet force acting on the item to be cleaned from the at least one first jet is greater than the vertical component of a second jet force acting on the item to be cleaned from the at least one second jet.

An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus and method, the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus (10) comprising a tank (12) for in use receiving a cleaning liquid and for receiving an item to be cleaned in a cleaning region (16) thereof, a transducer (21) arranged, when driven, to direct ultrasonic pressure waves into cleaning liquid received in the tank (12) and a controller (30) arranged in use to drive the transducer (21), a gas introducer (40) arranged to in use provide a supply of gas into cleaning liquid in the tank so that macroscopic bubbles of gas are produced wherein the gas introducer (40) provides a plurality of bubble sources distributed below the cleaning region of the tank. The apparatus further comprises an assembly arranged in use to enable movement of the item to be cleaned in the cleaning region.

A sieving apparatus for separating pupa is described. The sieving apparatus includes a frame to support an actuation system and a basin. The actuation system is attached to a sieving device. The sieving device includes a sieve surface supported within a sieve rim. In the sieve surface are formed openings sized to correspond to a representative pupa of a population of pupae to be separated. The actuation system is configured to move the sieving device vertically with respect to the basin. For example, after a population of pupae has been added to the sieving device, the actuation system may move the sieving device into and out of a body of liquid held in the basin. This process of moving the sieving device into and out of the body can be used to separate the population of pupae based on size.

A portable parts washer for cleaning mechanical parts that includes a washer body having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a wash basin formed within the upper portion having inner sidewalls, a floor panel and at least one drain aperture. The portable parts washer also includes an in-use reservoir formed within the lower portion of the washer body and having a bottom panel spaced from the floor panel and outer sidewalls, and which is configured to receive cleaning fluid from the wash basin through the drain aperture when the floor panel is in a substantially horizontal orientation. The portable parts washer further includes a storage reservoir formed within the upper and lower portions and which is configured to contain the cleaning fluid from the in-use reservoir when the floor panel is rotated to a substantially vertical orientation.

A cleaning device is provided with a three-dimensional circulation route for circulating workpiece holding tools that hold a workpiece, and this three-dimensional circulation route is formed by an endless conveyor chain bendable in various directions being disposed within a rectangular parallelepiped space following along the upper and lower sides thereof. The conveyor chain circulates from an upper side horizontal transport path portion via a falling side transport path portion, a lower side horizontal transport path portion, and a rising side transport path portion, and the workpiece held in the workpiece holding tools is treated by ultrasonic cleaning, shower cleaning, steam cleaning, drying and the like. Thus, it is possible to suitably dispose a workpiece transport route in a limited rectangular parallelepiped space, and carry out cleaning operations for the workpiece efficiently.

There is provided a shoe sole cleaning device (10) comprising a lower tray (20) having a bottom wall (22) and one or more side walls (24) which define a first compartment (V1) for cleaning liquid, and an upper tray (30) having a bottom wall (32) and one or more side walls (34) which define a second compartment (V2) for pebbles or crushed stone. The upper tray (30) is shaped and dimensioned such that at least a part thereof is accommodated in the first compartment (V1) of the lower tray (20). The upper tray (30) includes one or more holes (36) communicate between the first and second compartments (V1, V2).

Provided is a method and device for removing chemically dissolvable support material from objects created by a three-dimensional printing process. In one exemplary embodiment a tank for holding a cleaning solution has a cleaning section and a fluid handling section, and a full level below a top rim thereof. A generally box-shaped parts basket configured to be removeably installed within the cleaning section of the tank has four fluid impermeable walls, a bottom panel perforated throughout with an array of holes, and an openable top cover, wherein the openable top cover is below the full level of the tank and the bottom panel of the parts basket is supported above a floor of the tank when the parts basket is installed. A fluid pump disposed in a fluid handling section of the main tank is configured to inject a fluid stream into the parts basket at a downward angle with respect to horizontal, and at a lateral angle with respect to a line passing through a center of the parts basket, with sufficient velocity and flow rate to induce a fluid current that circulates around an interior of the parts basket as it continuously descends and exits the parts basket through the perforated bottom panel.

An automated support cleaning system comprising a tank disposed within a housing and configured to circulate an aqueous cleaning solution to remove a support structure from a three-dimensional model.

A treatment device using a supercritical fluid comprises: a chamber for receiving the parts to be treated, provided with means for establishing fluid communication and isolating the inside of the chamber with respect to the outer atmosphere, supercritical fluid supply means, means for storing some of the gas contained in the chamber at a pressure lower than that of the chamber after a cleaning step and before fluid communication is established between the inside of the chamber and the outer atmosphere.