Method for cleaning floor grates in place with high pressure water jets

Abstract

A high-pressure water cleaning device has an enclosure with an open bottom for movement over a floor surface and floor gratings. The cleaning device may be stationary, with objects to be cleaned moved past the enclosure. A rotating seal includes an upright spindle within said enclosure and secured thereto having an axial bore with a high-pressure water inlet and a series of radial discharge ports. A rotatable tubular body is journalled upon said spindle and has an internal annular high-pressure chamber communicating with the discharge ports and a series of radial outlets communicating with the chamber. Tubular arms mounting nozzles are laterally projected into said outlets for rotation with the body, the nozzles being adjusted for delivering streams of high pressure water within the enclosure at high pressure onto floor surfaces and gratings. The tubular body is power rotated. A high pressure dump valve assembly upon the enclosure receives high pressure water from a high pressure water source and has a normal mode zero pressure outlet orifice communicating with the interior of the spray enclosure and a high pressure active mode outlet which communicates with the spindle inlet for delivering high pressure water thereto. Paint is removed from floor and floor grating surfaces by diverting a stream of high pressure water from the nozzles toward the surfaces. Rotation of the tubular body and closure of the dump valve orifice are effected simultaneously by pneumatic activation of the cleaning device.