Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning refractory-lined conveyor troughs for conveying molten metals and slags has a rail-guided carriage that extends across the trough and travels along the length of the trough, with a cleaning head supported by the carriage. Two wheels on the carriage travel along a guide rail on one side of the trough while a non-powered idler roller on the carraige travels along the other side. Lateral, opposed, rotatable guide rollers are provided on each side of the guide rail adjacent each wheel. Metal plates are situated in the floor beneath the guide rail, while small plates and/or shims are provided to compensate for irregularities between the guide rail and the metal plates.

Abstract: A process and apparatus to clean refractory-lined conveyor troughs for molten metals and slags by means of chains on a rotating drum. A motor is used to drive the drum, whose current consumption and/or speed are variable as a function of the load. Variation from a specified setpoint is used to cause a displacement of the rotating drum transverse to the conveyor trough, to achieve optimal cleaning of the trough wall, which is only effected with the desired distance between wall and drum and a load on the motor corresponding to this distance. The direction of rotation of the drum is reversible, so that when the two sides of the conveyor trough are cleaned, the material removed is thrown in the same direction, preferably towards a suction exhaust.