WO2005011916A2 - Cabinet for dry ice cleaning of abrasive belts - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleaning cabinet is disclosed for using dry ice blasting (using rice-sized pellets) to clean abrasive (sanding) belts, as used in large sanding machines. This cabinet is designed to handle belts from numerous sanding machines in a furniture-making, wood-working, or other manufacturing facility. The cabinet allows rapid mounting of a sanding belt onto an adjustable roller system that can handle belts having different widths and lengths. A dry ice blasting nozzle traverses the width of the belt that is being cleaned, while remaining an optimal distance from the sanding belt. The system then allows rapid dismounting and removal of the belt from the cabinet. Other features and options include an observation window, noise insulation, an exhaust suction system, a video monitoring system with a camera lens inside the cabinet, and interfaces that can enable the system to interact with programmable control and monitoring systems.

Description

CABINET FOR DRY ICE CLEANING OF ABRASIVE BELTS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of machinery cleaning, and involves the use of carbon dioxide pellets ("dry ice") to remove sawdust, sap, and other materials from the surfaces of sanding belts that are used in the manufacturing of furniture, cabinets, and other articles. In various types of manufacturing (including the manufacture of furniture, cabinets, or other articles made from wood), large sanding machines are used to give a smooth surface (or in some cases, a roughened surface) to a piece of wood, metal, stone, or other material. Such sanding machines typically involve a housing assembly that encloses: (1) a large sanding belt (circular belts that are 52 inches wide and roughly 5 feet long are common); (2) rollers that drive the belt at high speed, and establish the pathway for travel of the belt within the housing assembly; and, (3) air ducts that are coupled to an air- suctioning system, so that dust or other particulates generated by the sanding operation can be passed through a filtering system, to prevent air pollution problems. A conveyor system (which will be partially enclosed within the housing assembly of the sanding machine) normally will carry pieces of wood (or metal, stone, or other material that is being worked) through the housing assembly, in a manner that causes a surface of the material to be abraded by the rapidly-traveling sanding belt, over a limited area that is usually referred to as the sanding zone. These types of sanding machines are illustrated and described in more detail in various articles and patents, such as US patent 6,162,113 (Armstrong 2000). The contents of that patent are incorporated herein by reference, as though fully set forth herein. That patent illustrates a "single head" system, which uses only one sanding belt at a time; some larger machines have multiple "heads" (i.e., multiple belts that create a sequential series of sanding zones). The '113 patent discloses a method and machinery for using a process referred to as "dry ice blasting", to periodically clean the abrasive surfaces of the sanding belts used in sanding machines. As described in the '113 patent, the. abrasive surfaces of sanding belts will gradually become coated (or "loaded") with layers or streaks of dust, sap, and/or other particulates and/or sticky material generated by a sanding operation. As the amount of material that clings to the surface of a sanding belt increases, the ability of the belt to provide good, desirable, consistent results is degraded. Therefore, the sawdust, sap, dust, and/or other "loading" material must be periodically cleaned off from the belt and suctioned out of the machine, by an intermittent cleaning process. As discussed in the '113 patent, dry ice blasting offers a preferred and highly effective method for carrying out such periodic cleaning, and it has recently won several awards from the woodworking and furniture-making industries. The advantages offered by dry ice cleaning include the following: (1) it is highly effective, and can often double or triple the useful life of a sanding belt, thereby reducing the total costs for sanding belts used by a company that manufactures furniture, cabinets, or other items from materials that must be sanded; (2) the absence of water or other liquid solvents, in the cleaning operation, eliminates the problem of damaging or degrading the backing material of a sanding belt; and, (3) elimination of water and solvents from the cleaning operation also eliminates or greatly reduces the problems of water and air pollution, and disposal of solid or sludge wastes; and, (4) the use of dry ice blasting can eliminate the need for expensive systems to safely recover and recycle the organic solvents that are used by various other systems. Because of those advantages, dry ice blasting is quickly becoming the method of choice for cleaning sanding belts, among large manufacturing companies. Systems for carrying out such cleaning operations are sold commercially by CryoKinetics Division (www.cryokinetics.com) of The L.A.W. Group, Inc. (Wichita, Kansas). This current invention is designed to resolve and eliminate one of the remaining problems that has hindered even more rapid and widespread adoption and use of dry ice blasting systems for cleaning sanding belts. That problem centers on the fact that some companies would prefer to purchase only a single dry ice blasting system, and then use it to clean sanding belts from a number of different sanding machines. If a manufacturing company operates a number of sanding machines (especially if one or more of those machines uses multiple sanding belts), it often would be advantageous if workers at that company could use a single cleaning cabinet, to clean a number and/or variety of sanding belts that are used on different sanding machines. This problem is aggravated by the fact that some companies attempt to use dry ice blasting to clean sanding belts that have been removed from a sanding machine, while the belts are lying on a shop floor, or are partially draped over a bench, table, or other work surface. Such cleaning operations typically involve a hand-held blasting device (with an insulated handle), that is moved back and forth, over the sanding belt that is being cleaned, in a manner comparable to a person power-washing a wooden deck or fence so it can be painted or sealed. When this type of cleaning operation is carried out, it is impossible for the operator to keep the nozzle of the blasting gun at a- consistent and optimal distance from all portions of the sanding belt. This type of hand-held cleaning method also requires much more time, and consumes much more dry ice, than a mechanically operated cleaning system, By contrast, the type of nozzle control system that was designed for installation within the housing assembly of a sanding machine, as described in the '113 patent, transports the blasting nozzle across the entire width of a sanding belt, using a rail system to ensure that the nozzle remains a precise and preferred distance from the belt, as it travels slowly across the width of the belt, while the belt continues to travel rapidly on its normal roller system. This type of mechanism can provide optimal and consistent cleaning operations and results. Accordingly, one object of this invention is to disclose an improved system and machine that enables a manufacturing company to quickly and efficiently use a single dry ice blasting system, enclosed within its own dedicated cabinet, to clean sanding belts that are used on various numbers and types of sanding machines, regardless of the width or length, grit size or grit type, backing material, or other traits of the various sanding belts. Another object of this invention is to provide a stand-alone belt-cleaning cabinet, to improve the quality and consistency of cleaning operations that are carried out on sanding belts that have been temporarily removed from one or more sanding machines. These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent through the following summary, drawings, and detailed description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A cleaning cabinet, for using dry ice to clean sanding belts, is disclosed. This cabinet is designed to handle sanding belts from any number of sanding machines, in a furniture-making, wood- working, or other manufacturing facility. The cabinet allows rapid mounting of a sanding belt onto an adjustable roller system that can handle belts having a range of widths, lengths, and circumferences. Using a drive roller, two idle rollers, and a dry ice blasting nozzle that will traverse the width of the belt while remaining an optimal distance from the sanding belt, highly efficient cleaning of the belt is provided. The system then allows rapid dismounting and removal of the belt from the cabinet, so that the belt can be returned quickly to operation, while another belt is mounted in the cabinet, for cleaning. Other features such as an observation window, noise insulation, an exhaust suction system, etc., also provide advantages. Various options also can be provided, such as emplacement of a video camera lens inside the cabinet, placement of a cabinet on a pallet or frame for convenient transport, and interfaces that can enable the system to interact with programmable control and monitoring systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a cleaning cabinet, showing a dry ice blasting nozzle mounted on a transverse rail, pointing toward a sanding belt that has been temporarily mounted on a roller system in the enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, callout number 90 provides a side cross-sectional view of a dedicated cabinet for cleaning sanding belts from any number of sanding machines. This system enables a single cabinet, with a single dry ice handling system and nozzle, to be used for cleaning sanding belts having a range of lengths and widths that are used commercially, regardless of the grit size, grit type, backing material, or other traits of the various belts that may be in use by a manufacturing facility that uses numerous different sanding machines. Cleaning cabinet 90 comprises an outer housing assembly 95, made of sheet metal or any other suitable material. The housing comprises at least one component (such as a door, a side wall, etc.) that can be opened and closed, to enable convenient insertion, mounting, dismounting, and removal of a sanding belt 110. The door or movable wall' component can be hinged, fully detachable, slide-mounted, or otherwise designed for simple opening and closing, and it should have a secure latching or locking component to prevent inadvertent opening during a cleaning operation. The cabinet does not need to be completely airtight, when closed. However, an airtight seal (which can be provided by means such as rubberized seals, comparable to the liner strips used on refrigerator doors) is preferred, since it can minimize leakage of dust or other particulates out of the cabinet, during use. The rollers 105, 150, and 170 preferably should be on horizontal axles, to prevent gravity-pulled "drift" of a sanding belt during a cleaning operation. One of the three rollers (typically referred to as the "drive" roller, such as roller 150 in FIG. 1) will be coupled to a drive system that can cause the drive roller to rotate at a desired speed. Preferably, drive roller 150 should be coupled to an electric motor or other drive device by means that can yield and slide, without damaging the system, if a jam or other problem occurs. This can be done by using a rubberized N-belt or wheel, rather than gears. The drive roller preferably should be located near the bottom of the cabinet, to keep the center of gravity of a cabinet low. This can reduce the risk of a cabinet being accidentally knocked over, such as by an errant forklift, and it can minimize any damage that might occur if a cabinet is knocked over. The motion of the belt, while it is being driven in a generally circumferential direction (i.e., around the rollers) during a cleaning operation, can be referred to by conventional terms, such as rotation, movement, travel, etc. Any motion that causes a dry ice blasting nozzle or other component to move in a direction that travels away from one side edge of a belt, toward the other (opposing) side edge of the belt, is referred to herein as traversing (or similar terms, such as traversal, transverse, etc). Any non-drive rollers (shown as rollers 105 and 170, in FIG. 1) can be referred to as "idle" rollers, since they typically will be mounted on free-rotating axles, with no direct coupling to a drive system. If desired, any roller can be coupled to a braking system, or an electric motor used to drive the system can be provided with braking means, so the belt will quickly come to a stop when a cleaning operation has been finished. In preferred embodiments, each roller will be mounted on a rotatable axle, which will pass through the centerline of the roller. However, alternate designs can be used if desired, such as (for example) movable circular plates having ball bearings, mounted at the two opposing ends of a roller. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 comprises 3 rollers, with two idle rollers, because this arrangement provides maximum adaptability, for handling a wide range of abrasive belts having different lengths and circumferences. However, in a facility that uses only one type of belt or a limited assortment of belts having the same or similar lengths, a configuration having only two rollers (a single drive roller, and a single idle roller) can be used. Accordingly, various claims refer to a cleaning cabinet having at least two belt- mounting rollers, wherein at least one roller provides a drive mechanism for driving an abrasive belt, and at least one roller provides an adjustment mechanism that enables belt tension to be increased or decreased. If desired, the system can be designed so that the drive roller provides the tensioning adjustment mechanism. However, that design is not preferred, and a simpler and more reliable design uses a stationary drive roller that is securely affixed to the drive system-, while an idle roller on a movable axle is used to control tensioning and release of the belts. To make belt mounting and removal operations easier, the rotating axle that supports idle roller 105 is affixed, preferably at both ends of the axle, to a hinged tensioning member 100, which is part of a hinged frame subassembly, made of tubing, angle iron, etc. The movement and positioning of the hinged tensioning member 100 is controlled by an adjustable device that can be extended or retracted a suitable distance. FIG. 1 illustrates a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 115 having a smooth shaft that emerges from the cylinder; other systems can be used, such as a threaded shaft that emerges from a screw-drive mechanism. When a belt 110 is being mounted on the rollers, cylinder 115 is retracted. This lowers tensioning member 100 and roller 105, thereby reducing the circumferential distance around all three rollers 105, 170, and 150, After belt 110 is placed around the rollers, cylinder 115 is extended until it encounters a resistive force having a suitable level. This resistive force indicates and confirms that belt 110 is mounted securely on the roller system. If desired, tensioning member 100 can be coupled to a compressible spring, which will operate a needle on a dial or gauge. This can provide an inexpensive and convenient system for indicating the tensioning of a belt, while also providing a safety mechanism that will reduce the risk of inadvertently tightening a belt to a point where it might be damaged. Alternately, since nearly any commercially available pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 115 will have a pressure gauge, either as part of the system or as an inexpensive accessory, the pneumatic or hydraulic pressure reading can be used to establish proper tensioning of the belt on the rollers, and a spring-loaded pressure release valve that opens at a preset pressure can be used to protect the belts against over-tightening. Frame component 160 normally will be generally rectangular, to provide structural support for both ends of both of the two rollers 150 and 170. A short-stroke adjustable component (such as air cylinder 155 as shown, or a threaded screw, a spring-loaded mechanism, or other suitable means) can be provided on either or preferably both ends of the frame component 160. Since abrasive belts can become slightly stretched and/or distorted over their lifespan, if used heavily and cleaned multiple times, this type of • tensioning adjustment on either or both sides of frame component 160 can ensure that a belt will sit snugly and be driven properly on the rollers, without tending to drifting toward either side, even if that particular belt has become slightly stretched or distorted during use. The entire cabinet can be mounted on top of a pallet or comparable supporting frame or device, in a manner that enables it to be easily lifted and carried, using a conventional forklift. It can be placed in any chosen fixed location in a manufacturing facility, or it can be mounted on a wheeled cart (preferably with a suitable braking, lever-actuated, or similar design), to enable it to be moved to any desired location, by a single person on foot. To render them pumpable through a hose and nozzle, the dry ice pellets used by this type of system most commonly have a size comparable to grains of rice. These pellets can also be referred to as granules, particulates, etc. The dry ice pellets are transported to blasting nozzle 135, via insulated supply hose 140. Compressed air also is provided to nozzle 135, by hose 141. The air and the particles mix. in the nozzle, and emerge at high speed. Block 145 schematically represents a dry ice delivery system. Those are commercially available and known in the art. Delivery system 145 does not need to be incorporated into, or affixed to, cabinet 90. Instead, dry ice particles can be pumped out of a supply and delivery system, through an insulated flexible hose or other conduit, to cabinet 90. Blasting nozzle 135 is mounted on a bracket that is designed to travel along the width of a supporting transverse rail 136. During a cleaning operation, nozzle 135 will slowly, and at a controllable speed, traverse the width of the belt, under the control of a chain-drive, screw-drive, or other suitable drive system. Preferably, means should be provided for controlling the travel distance of the nozzle along transverse rail 136 during any cleaning operation, so that if a belt having a non-standard width is being cleaned, the travel distance of the nozzle can be adjusted accordingly. When the dry ice particles impact against belt 110 (which will be travelling at a fairly high speed, during a cleaning operation), the particles will immediately sublime (i.e., convert directly from solid to vapor), converting them into carbon dioxide gas without- passing through a liquid stage. They will also freeze, embrittle, and dislodge sawdust, sap, and other unwanted loading material, from the abrasive surface of sanding belt 110. The dislodged loading material, in particulate form, will be entrained in the gas that is released by the carbon dioxide pellets that are vaporizing, and the gas-particulate mixture will be sucked into an exhaust collector 120, for removal via exhaust hose or duct 125. Preferably, the gas-particulate exhaust mixture should be passed through a filtering system, which is schematically represented by box 130 in FIG. 1. If the filtering system is relatively large, it can be contained in a separate housing, or a separate location. Since the gas will comprise carbon dioxide, it generally and preferably should be vented to the outside atmosphere, if the cleaning system is used frequently inside a building that does not have extensive ventilation. This type of system, using ductwork or hoses to carry the exhaust gas out of a building, will reduce any risk that carbon dioxide gas released by the dry ice used in the cleaning system might dangerously reduce breathable oxygen levels inside a building where people are working. A window 175 preferably also should be provided, across the entire width of the cabinet, so that an operator can visually monitor the progress of a cleaning operation, and confirm that a belt has been fully cleaned. Various types of electronic controls can be provided for this type of system. Suitable control systems have already been developed by CryoKinetics, and are used with dry ice cleaning systems that are mounted in sanding machines, as described in US patent 6,162,113. If desired, other extremely cold particles or liquids (such as liquid nitrogen) can be used in a similar manner, as substitutes for dry ice particles, in a sanding belt cleaning cabinet as disclosed herein. Various additional options and enhancements can be provided, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. As one example, a small lens-and-photodetector device that functions as one component of a video camera system (such devices are often called bullet cameras, lipstick cameras, etc.) can be mounted within the cabinet, to provide a "real-time" (live) video display of a cleaning operation. Since the field of vision provided by such a device is usually limited, it can be mounted adjacent to the blasting nozzle 135, as part of a subassembly that will traverse the width of a belt, supported by transverse rail 136. As one example of how such a device can be used, a complete first-pass cleaning can be completed, using an initial traversal of the entire belt without using the video camera. The dry ice supply can then be temporarily halted, and the nozzle and lens can be traversed across the belt a second time, while an operator looks closely at a video display, to determine whether any unremoved streaks or patches of sawdust, sap, or other loading material remain affixed to the belt at specific locations. If the video system indicates that a streak is still present at some particular location along the belt, the operator can blast additional dry ice pellets onto the belt at that particular location. For several reasons, this type of video monitoring system can provide better inspection options than can be provided by simple fixed window 175. For example, a video system can be used to magnify the area that is being inspected, and the video display can be programmed to run in slow motion. In a sanding machine that is working on wood or other material, the sanding belt usually should be run at a relatively high and relatively constant speed, to provide better and more uniform quality in the surface being sanded. However, during a belt cleaning operation, there is no need or advantage to maintaining a single constant operating speed. Instead, a cleaning cabinet can provide one or more different fixed speeds, such as a high speed for general cleaning, and a low speed to enable closer and better inspection, and targeted cleaning of any streaks or spots that may remain after a first-pass cleaning cycle has been completed. -Alternately, a drive system that uses a variable speed motor can provide completely variable speeds, including very slow speeds, which can be controlled by an operator. If desired, additional options and enhancements can be provided, by enabling a cleaning cabinet to either contain, or interact with, a computer or microprocessor. For example, in a large manufacturing facility that uses numerous sanding machines and numerous belts, a cleaning cabinet can interact with, and provide data to, a computerized inventory control and management system. As one example of how this system can operate, operators who use large sanding belts sometimes punch a small hole next to a side edge of a cleaning belt, each time it is cleaned. To ensure uniform quality of sanded surfaces, large sanding machines normally use sanding belts that are wider than the surfaces being sanded. This provides at least one unused side edge, usually from one to several centimeters wide. Each time a belt is cleaned, operators can punch a small hole in an unused side edge, to indicate how many times it has been cleaned. This indicates how much longer a belt will be able to provide good results, before it will need to be discarded and replaced. Accordingly, a computerized or microprocessor interface can enable an operator to carry out various useful procedures, such as keeping track of specific belts, activating different cleaning routines that have been optimized for belts as they age and progress through their expected lifespans, etc. Various additional controls also can be provided with this cleaning system. For example, optimal cleaning of different types of abrasive belts may require variations in certain operating parameters, such as, for example, operating pressures, flow volumes, and travel speeds for the carbon dioxide pellets that are being shot out of a blasting nozzle, and the length of the gap between a nozzle tip and a belt surface. Accordingly, controls can be provided which can automatically make (or suggest to an operator) the preferred adjustments for cleaning any particular type of belt. Such adjustments might involve, for example, altering the pressure and/or flow rates of the compressed air that will pass through hose 141, altering the size or flow rates of the carbon dioxide pellets, adjusting the position of the nozzle to move it closer to or farther away from a belt surface, switching (either manually or automatically) between different nozzles having different internal diameters, channel shapes, lengths, or manipulating a nozzle in some other way that will alter its performance (comparable to adjusting the spray pattern for the nozzle of a power washer that uses high-pressure water). As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, this invention is not limited to pre-assembled cabinets. Instead, it discloses and includes a collection of parts and components, in a form often referred to as a kit, that are designed to enable convenient on- site assembly of a belt-cleaning cabinet as disclosed herein. For example, a seller or distributor that manufactures and/or packages such kits can provide not-yet-assembled housing components (such as, for example, three non-movable side walls, a hinged wall that will function as a door, a bottom supporting structure, and a roof panel), having pre-drilled screw holes or other means for assembling the housing assembly, on-site. This type of packaging can reduce transportation and related costs, and also reduce the risk of bending, misalignment, or other damage to a housing assembly during shipping and installation. Accordingly, some of the claims below refer to a kit designed for transportation and delivery to an operating site for on-site assembly, comprising at least one package containing components designed for assembly into a device for dislodging unwanted material from abrasive belts, wherein the package contains various components as described above (i.e., enclosure components, at least two rollers, components for controlling tensioning of an abrasive belt Similarly, a cabinet of this type can be packaged and sold (either pre-assembled, or in kit form) with all essential parts except one or two (such as, for example, a dry ice blasting nozzle and accompanying hoses, which can be purchased separately and then affixed to a mounting bracket). This invention also discloses a method for cleaning abrasive belts. This method can be described as comprising the following steps: a. removing an abrasive belt from a machine that uses the abrasive belt to modify at least one surface of a material that is abraded; b. emplacing the abrasive belt in a cleaning cabinet that is deisgned for cleaning an assortment of abrasive belts, and that contains at least one drive roller, at least one non-drive roller, means for controlling tensioning of an abrasive belt mounted on said rollers, and means for controllably moving a nozzle that can emit a particulate-dislodging material, in a manner that causes the nozzle to traverse an abrasive belt while the belt is moved during a belt-cleaning operation; c. subjecting the abrasive belt to a cleaning process that utilizes a particulate- dislodging material that is emitted from a nozzle; and, d. removing the abrasive belt from the cleaning cabinet. Thus, there has been shown and described a new and useful type of dedicated cabinet, for enabling a single dry ice blasting system to be used to clean numerous sanding belts from different sanding machines. Although this invention has been exemplified for purposes of illustration and description by reference to certain specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations, and equivalents of the illustrated examples are possible. Any such changes which derive directly from the teachings herein, and which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention, are deemed to be covered by this invention.

Claims

1. A device for dislodging unwanted material from abrasive belts, comprising: a. an enclosure having at least one component that can be opened and closed, allowing abrasive belts to be mounted on rollers within the enclosure, for cleaning; b. at least two rollers within the enclosure, including at least one drive roller designed to move an abrasive belt mounted on said rollers; c. means for controlling tensioning of an abrasive belt mounted on said rollers; and, d. means for controllably moving a nozzle that can emit a particulate-dislodging material, in a manner that will cause the nozzle to traverse the abrasive belt while the belt is moved during a belt-cleaning operation.

2. The device of Claim 1, wherein the means for controllably moving a nozzle comprises a mounting bracket located on a rail, wherein said mounting bracket is designed to move along the rail in a controlled manner during a belt-cleaning operation.

3. The device of Claim 1, wherein the enclosure contains one drive roller and two non-drive rollers.

4. The device of Claim 2, wherein at least one roller is mounted on a hinged frame component that is coupled to a device designed for controllable extension and retraction, in a manner that allows controllable tensioning of an abrasive belt mounted on the rollers .

5. The device of Claim 1, comprising a nozzle designed to emit particulate carbon dioxide.

6. The device of Claim 1 which is shipped in kit form, in at least one package containing components designed for assembly into a functional device for dislodging unwanted material from abrasive belts.

7. A kit designed for transportation and delivery to an operating site for on-site assembly, comprising at least one package containing components designed for assembly into a cleaning cabinet for dislodging unwanted material from abrasive belts.

8. The kit of Claim 7, wherein the components designed for assembly comprise: a. components designed for assembly into an enclosure that can be opened and closed to allow abrasive belts to be mounted on rollers within the enclosure, for cleaning; b. at least two rollers; c. support components that enable assembly of a roller system that will support an assortment of abrasive belts having different lengths; d. means for controlling tensioning of an abrasive belt mounted on said rollers; and, e. means for controllably moving a nozzle that can emit a particulate-dislodging material, in a manner that will cause the nozzle to traverse an abrasive belt while the belt is moved during a belt-cleaning operation.

9. A method for cleaning an abrasive belt, comprising the following steps: a. removing an abrasive belt from a machine that uses the abrasive belt to modify at least one surface of a material that is abraded; b. emplacing the abrasive belt in a cleaning cabinet that is designed for cleaning an assortment of abrasive belts, and that contains at least one drive roller, at least one non-drive roller, means for controlling tensioning of an abrasive belt mounted on said • rollers, and means for controllably moving a nozzle that can emit a particulate-dislodging material, in a manner that causes the nozzle to traverse an abrasive belt while the belt is moved during a belt-cleaning operation; c. subjecting the abrasive belt to a cleaning process that utilizes a particulate- dislodging material that is emitted from a nozzle; and, d. removing the abrasive belt from the cleaning cabinet.

10. The method of Claim 9, wherein the particulate-dislodging material comprises carbon dioxide pellets.