GB1580699A - Automotive unit for riding and working on vertical and horizontal surfaces such as walls and ceilings - Google Patents

Description

(54) AUTOMOTIVE UNIT, FOR RIDING AND WORKING ON VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL SURFACES, SUCH AS WALLS AND CEILINGS (71) We, MICHEL LEENDERT ZWAANSWIJK and LEENDERT JAN VAN DER LENDE, of Zijdewindestraat 47A, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Jan Van Avennue Straat 530, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, both of Dutch nationality, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an automotive unit which can be controlled from floor or ground level and which can move on vertical surfaces such as walls and even on horizontal surfaces such as ceilings so that appropriate accessories, such as brushes, spraying devices and suchlike, which can be attached to said unit can perform work.

According to the present invention there is provided an automotive unit which can move on vertical and horizontal surfaces, comprising a frame, an endless belt or track extending along each side of the frame, drive means for driving each belt or track, each belt or track being provided with suction discs or magnets for engaging the surface, and means provided on said frame for attaching work tools thereto, each belt or track being mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the frame about an axis extending longitudinally of the frame.

When such a unit is being used on a metal wall, such as for instance the hull of a ship, a storage tank or suchlike, the belts or tracks of the unit are provided with magnets or suction discs, whereas when this unit is used on non-metal walls, aforesaid belts or tracks are fitted with suction discs or suckers.

The automotive unit does however have the advantage of being able to follow all the unevenness of the surface which has to be treated, which in the case of ship hulls or storage tanks may consist of rivets, edges of overlapping panels, etc.

The subject of the present invention therefore is an automotive unit which is capable of following all unevenness of the surface which has to be treated, so that the adhesion elements provided - magnets, suction discs or suchlike - remain at all times simultaneously in contact with aforesaid surface so that the device always remains effectively attached to the latter.

The aforesaid belts or tracks are attached to the frame so as to be able to pivot around a pivot axis which extends in the longitudinal sense of the frame.

Preferably the belts or tracks are made of some supple and flexible material.

Preferably the magnets or suction devices are provided in two or more rows on the belts or tracks.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a unit according to the invention; Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, a partial view taken in the direction of arrow F2 indicated in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow F3 indicated in Figure 1.

In this embodiment, the automotive unit according to the invention mainly consists of a frame 1, provided at each end with protrusions, respectively 2-3 and 4-5, whereby there are provided in the spaces formed between the frame and protrusions 2-3, on the one hand, and 4-5, on the other hand, supports, respectively 6 and 7, which are attached at each end by means of appropriate pivots, respectively 8-9 and 10-11, to frame 1 with respect to which they are free to rotate.

Alongside each support 6 and 7, a flexible belt is provided, respectively 12 and 13, and each belt 12,13 is guided over running wheels, respectively 14-15 and 16-17, and the running wheels 14 and 16 are each fixed upon a shaft, respectively 18 and 19, which is free to rotate in bearings on the support concerned, respectively 6 and 7, whereas wheels 15 and 17 are fixed upon shafts, respectively 20 and 21, which consist of the output shafts of motors, preferably electric motors, respectively 22 and 23, and these motors 22, 23 are fixed in some appropriate manner to the respective pivots 9 and 11.

In the example shown, the flexible belts 12 and 13 are provided with three rows of magnetic blocks 24.

On each support 6 and 7, shafts are further provided, respectively 25, 26 and 27, on the one hand, and 28, 29 and 30, on the other hand, and freely rotating tensioning rollers, respectively 31-32-33 and 34-35-36, are fitted on these shafts, so that, as shown in Figure 3, these rollers will press down the upper run of flexible belts 12 and 13, for the purpose of bringing this upper run as close as possible to the lower run of flexible belts 12 and 13, or in other words so as to bring the centre of gravity for the device as close as possible to the surface to be treated, which favours the adhesion by reducing the tilting moment.

On frame 1, supports are further provided, respectively 37-38 and 39-40, consisting for instance of screw-threaded studs fixed vertically upon the frame 1 so as to permit the attachment on said frame 1 of accessories such as working tools.

It is perfectly obvious that by the use of such a unit all unevennesses of the surface will remain without influence upon the good adhesion of the unit, considering on the one hand, that these unevennesses can be absorbed by the fact that belts 12 and 13 can rotate with respect to each other around pivots 8-9 and 10-11, whereas on the other hand, the unevennesses will be absorbed by the local distortion of flexible belts 12 and 13, which is made possible due to the fact that the small magnets 24 consist of small blocks located adjacent to each other.

It therefore is obvious that an automotive unit is obtained in this manner, by means of which it is possible to treat all surfaces with the greatest reliability, even those surfaces which boast relatively large unevennesses.

The reliability of the device is further increased by the lowering of the centre of gravity. It should finally also be noted that for clearness' sake the distance between upper and lower runs of a belt has been drawn relatively large in Figure 3, but that this distance can be maintained very small.

The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described as an example and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as such a unit may be built in all sorts of shapes and to any dimensions without going beyond the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An automotive unit which can move on vertical and horizontal surfaces, comprising a frame, an endless belt or track extending along each side of the frame, drive means for driving each belt or track, each belt or track being provided with suction discs or magnets for engaging the surface, and means provided on said frame for attaching work tools thereto, each belt or track being mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the frame about an axis extending longitudinally of the frame.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, in which each belt or track is formed of a supple flexible material.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the suction discs or magnets are fitted in two or more rows on each of the belts or tracks.

4. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the upper run of each belt or track is contacted by tensioning rollers which urge the upper run of the belt or track towards the lower run of the belt or track.

5. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each belt or track is supported from an associated support member extending longitudinally of the frame and pivotably connected thereto by pivots whose axes extends longitudinally of the frame.

6. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each belt or track passes over two reversing wheels or rollers, one of which wheels or rollers is drivingly connected to a motor.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 5 when dependent upon claim 4, in which each tensioning roller is mounted on a shaft carried by the respective support member.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. each belt 12,13 is guided over running wheels, respectively 14-15 and 16-17, and the running wheels 14 and 16 are each fixed upon a shaft, respectively 18 and 19, which is free to rotate in bearings on the support concerned, respectively 6 and 7, whereas wheels 15 and 17 are fixed upon shafts, respectively 20 and 21, which consist of the output shafts of motors, preferably electric motors, respectively 22 and 23, and these motors 22, 23 are fixed in some appropriate manner to the respective pivots 9 and 11. In the example shown, the flexible belts 12 and 13 are provided with three rows of magnetic blocks 24. On each support 6 and 7, shafts are further provided, respectively 25, 26 and 27, on the one hand, and 28, 29 and 30, on the other hand, and freely rotating tensioning rollers, respectively 31-32-33 and 34-35-36, are fitted on these shafts, so that, as shown in Figure 3, these rollers will press down the upper run of flexible belts 12 and 13, for the purpose of bringing this upper run as close as possible to the lower run of flexible belts 12 and 13, or in other words so as to bring the centre of gravity for the device as close as possible to the surface to be treated, which favours the adhesion by reducing the tilting moment. On frame 1, supports are further provided, respectively 37-38 and 39-40, consisting for instance of screw-threaded studs fixed vertically upon the frame 1 so as to permit the attachment on said frame 1 of accessories such as working tools. It is perfectly obvious that by the use of such a unit all unevennesses of the surface will remain without influence upon the good adhesion of the unit, considering on the one hand, that these unevennesses can be absorbed by the fact that belts 12 and 13 can rotate with respect to each other around pivots 8-9 and 10-11, whereas on the other hand, the unevennesses will be absorbed by the local distortion of flexible belts 12 and 13, which is made possible due to the fact that the small magnets 24 consist of small blocks located adjacent to each other. It therefore is obvious that an automotive unit is obtained in this manner, by means of which it is possible to treat all surfaces with the greatest reliability, even those surfaces which boast relatively large unevennesses. The reliability of the device is further increased by the lowering of the centre of gravity. It should finally also be noted that for clearness' sake the distance between upper and lower runs of a belt has been drawn relatively large in Figure 3, but that this distance can be maintained very small. The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described as an example and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as such a unit may be built in all sorts of shapes and to any dimensions without going beyond the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An automotive unit which can move on vertical and horizontal surfaces, comprising a frame, an endless belt or track extending along each side of the frame, drive means for driving each belt or track, each belt or track being provided with suction discs or magnets for engaging the surface, and means provided on said frame for attaching work tools thereto, each belt or track being mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the frame about an axis extending longitudinally of the frame.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, in which each belt or track is formed of a supple flexible material.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the suction discs or magnets are fitted in two or more rows on each of the belts or tracks.

4. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the upper run of each belt or track is contacted by tensioning rollers which urge the upper run of the belt or track towards the lower run of the belt or track.

5. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each belt or track is supported from an associated support member extending longitudinally of the frame and pivotably connected thereto by pivots whose axes extends longitudinally of the frame.

6. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each belt or track passes over two reversing wheels or rollers, one of which wheels or rollers is drivingly connected to a motor.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 5 when dependent upon claim 4, in which each tensioning roller is mounted on a shaft carried by the respective support member.

8. An automotive unit which can move on vertical and horizontal surfaces, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.