Device for cleaning elongated plates, in particular steel track plates

Abstract

Cleaning device (2) comprising: - means of movement for moving longitudinally over a substrate by means of internal or external drive means of the plates to be cleaned, in particular for moving the cleaning device; - upper and lower cleaning agents (3, 4) designed for cleaning the top and bottom surfaces of each individual plate fed to the cleaning device; - means (5) for guiding a plate fed to the cleaning device to the upper and lower cleaning agents, wherein this is designed such that a portion of the plate is always cleaned on its top and bottom surfaces and guided outwards. The cleaning device is designed to carry out the following method for cleaning elongated plates (1), such as, in particular, steel track plates. The method comprises the following provisioning steps: - the provision of a cleaning device (2).which is movable, in particular traversable, by means of drive means in the longitudinal direction of the plates concerned over a substrate, which is equipped with upper and lower cleaning agents (3, 4) designed for cleaning the top and bottom surfaces of each individual plate fed to the cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device comprises means for guiding a plate fed to the cleaning device to the upper and lower cleaning agents, wherein this is designed such that a portion of the plate is always cleaned on its top and bottom surfaces and guided outwards; - the provision of means (6) to enable the cleaning device to be moved by means of the drive means so far that the plate, after it has been completely cleaned,is completely laid down again; and comprising the following steps: - feeding a plate to be cleaned to the cleaning device; - moving the cleaning device by means of the drive means over the substrate in the longitudinal direction of the plate, whereby the plate remains substantially stationary in the horizontal direction, while the upper and lower cleaning agents move above and below the plate and clean it, and wherein the cleaned part of the plate exits the cleaning device; - moving the cleaning device until the entire plate is cleaned and lies flat on the substrate; - returning the cleaning device to its starting position.