Automated High Speed, Low Water Consumption Insulator Cleaner

A novel third rail insulator cleaner and novel cleaning tool - the Spin Wedge, will be developed. The novel cleaner is a skate that rides directly on the third rail and is attached to a service vehicle. Four Spin Wedges, attached to the skate, direct a very rapid series of high pressure water jets arcs, like hammer blows, only on the surface to be cleaned. As the skate moves forward at high speed, the Spin Wedges swivel and clean the insulator all the way around. The Spin Wedge consists of a hollow mandrel, that feeds high pressure water through a hole to a groove that is about 60 (normally 360) degrees around the outside of the mandrel. A sleeve, with 12 angled radial holes above the grooved sector, spins on the mandrel, cleaning 6 times as fast as a standard tube cleaning spin jet with2 holes. The 60 degree arc of water hits the insulator along a vertical line, saving 83% of water. Phase I develops the Spin Wedge. Phase II develops the cleaner and tests it on participating transit system facilities for commercialization.